Stealing Harper(12)

She roughly withdrew her legs from my lap, and I’d turned to ask what her problem was when I saw her expression, and the question died on my lips. “Not that it’s your business, but I was the one who wanted them and brought it up. I didn’t know at that time that she would want to get them, too, and I certainly wouldn’t let someone talk me into something like that. Glad to know you think so highly of me.” Without another word, she hopped off the couch and went down one of the halls toward my room.

What the hell? Why does she do things like that? Like with Kristen earlier, why does she have to look like I’m hurting her rather than just pissing her off even more. I thought I needed her to stay away; I’d already come to terms with the fact that I couldn’t stay away from her even if I tried, so I needed her to leave. When she looked at me like I was hurting her, it just proved that everything she was showing me was just that—a show; and it was killing me.

I stood up to go after her when my phone rang. Brandon. I sighed and answered as I walked outside. “Yeah?”

“All right, I’m not going to ask you again after this, you’re like a brother to me so I need to know. Is there something going on with you and Harper?”

“I’m getting seriously tired of this shit. No. She’s just a girl.”

He laughed hard once. “Then why did you keep looking at me like you wanted a round with me?”

“I wasn’t,” I said through gritted teeth.

“Fine, then is she there?”

“What?”

“There you go again, brother.” He sighed, and I heard his Jeep start up. “I want to talk to Harper; can you give her your phone?”

I kept my mouth shut and ground my teeth together as I opened the sliding glass door, only to find her on the couch again. I held the phone out as I neared her, and she jumped slightly when I said, “It’s for you.”

She looked at me with confusion, and mixed in there was some of the same hurt from earlier, “He-hello?” Her eyes widened, and she glanced at the screen of the phone before bringing it back to her ear, a smile crossing her face as she relaxed into the couch. “I don’t mind, what’s up?” That gorgeous smile of hers got even wider before she could bite down on her lip to try to contain it. “I’d like that. Did you want me to meet you somewhere . . . ?” She sat up quickly before talking again. “See you.” She practically threw my phone back at me before taking off down the hall and pounding on what could only be my door.

“Brandon’s coming to pick me up for coffee!” was the last thing I heard before stalking out of the house and to my truck.

A COUPLE HOURS later, I had just finished setting everything up for the party when Harper came walking back into the house. Her eyes were clouded over, and she was smiling to herself as she walked right past me and toward my room. Seriously? I took in a deep breath and grabbed my phone out of my pocket. He answered on the first ring.

“I got her back safe, Chase.”

“I saw that.”

“All right, then what’s up? I have one more class tonight, then I’ll be back at the house.”

I crept toward my hall, but I could hear Harper talking excitedly to my sister, so I figured I was safe for a while. “You’ll stay away from her, Brandon, you got me?”

“Seriously, man, this is getting old! What is your deal? You know me, and you know I wouldn’t do anything to hurt her.”

“I know you’re not an asshole to your girlfriends, but that doesn’t mean anything. She needs someone to protect everything about her, and I know you, so I know you can’t be that guy.”

“What the hell? Protect everything—what are you even—I will!”

He may be a relationship guy, but I knew for sure he wasn’t a virgin, and I needed to make sure Princess stayed that way. So no, he wouldn’t protect everything about her because I doubt she’d tell him. “You don’t know her; this shouldn’t be too much of a hardship for you. Stay away from her.”

“And you do? Look I’m sure—God I know this sounds crazy, but I’m not going to be able to stay away from her. I’ve never met a girl like her, so just get the fuck over it.”

I froze. “Last time, and let me make myself clear, bro, she’s taken. She’s been in my bed once, and she’ll be in my bed again this weekend. Got it? Do. Not. Come. Near. Her.”

Brandon stayed silent for a few seconds before his flat voice came through. “Taken? You’re really starting to piss me off, man. I’m not gonna deal with this shit from you. There’s something about her; I’m not backing off until she tells me to.”