Page 51 of Missing Pieces

“Oh my god, Harper. That was so much better than what I did.” Ivy shoots me a sly grin. “We need shots!

We spend the next few hours drinking, laughing, and dancing in our own little bliss.

Easton drove me home. We’re standing at my door when he goes to kiss me goodbye.

“I thought you were gonna show me how much better I was than that girl,” I tease.

“I did say that. But I didn’t say when.”

He hovers over me, framing me in place as I pout. He gives me his damn smirk, so I duck under his arm and unlock the front door.

“Guess I’ll have to keep waiting then,” I say as I slam the door in his face.

Poe runs up and greets me. I give him kisses and set my purse down. It feels so good to have him back in my home. I walk to the back door to let him out and find Easton is standing there. Hands shoved into his pockets looking like sex on a stick. I can’t turn around because I know he saw me. I slide open the door and let Poe out.

Poe jumps around Easton who casually ignores him. Poe takes the hint and runs off.

Easton takes one step toward me. And then another. Like he is stalking his prey.

I step back with every step he takes forward.

“You ready yet?” he asks me, sending a chill down my spine. His voice is deep and scratchy, lust oozing out of his words.

I shake my head. He crosses the threshold of the sliding door and I stop moving. He stares me down and I can feel moisture pooling between my legs.

He starts to move toward me again and I keep stepping back until my back hits the wall. A grin breaks across his face. Before I can turn down the hall, he’s on me. He pins my arms above my head with one hand. The other traces down my face and neck. His lips are paused right over mine. I don’t take my eyes off his. We stare each other down and with each second that passes the anticipation grows. His hand moves farther down my body, across my breasts, and down to my pants.

“I think you’re ready now.”

I let out a whimper as he unbuttons my pants and slides a finger between my folds.

“So ready for me,” he whispers across my lips before claiming them. The kiss is anything but gentle. He presses his entire body into mine, slamming me into the wall. He attacks my mouth with rough kisses as he plays with my clit. I push my hips into him and I can feel him smile against my mouth.

“So impatient sweet cheeks,” he says as he moves, leaving a trail of kisses down my neck.

“I want you so badly right now,” I groan. “I want to touch you.”

He pulls his fingers out of my pants and brushes them across my lips. “I can tell baby.” He kisses me once more. “I want you too.”

He releases my hands and hoists my leg up around his waist. I wrap my hands in his hair, something I’ve wanted to do ever since I saw him at the bar. I grind on him against the wall, he takes the hint and carries me to my bedroom.

He tosses me on the bed and I giggle. I kick my shoes off as he takes his boots off. He crawls over to me. I grab for his shirt and try to pull it off. He helps by ripping it over his head. His hands grab my face and he devours me with his tongue. I scrape my nails up his back and he groans into my mouth.

My hands make their way down to his belt buckle and he pulls away. “Are you sure, baby?”

I don’t know. I can’t tell if I am ready to give myself over to him or if it’s just the mix of alcohol and the heated response of my body.

He must take my hesitation as a no because he grabs my hand, links his fingers with mine and rolls to my side. “We don’t have to do this. I told you we can take as much time as you need.”

I roll to my side to face him, propping myself up on an elbow. “I know. I just feel like this stupid prude because I am scared to have sex with you.” I let out a long breath. “I—I just don’t want this to feel like it means nothing or that you’re some rebound guy.”

He cups my face and kisses me gently. “I don’t think you think of me as a rebound. But I want you to be sure you want this. Want me.”

My eyes fly open. “Please don’t think it’s that I don’t want you. God, I want you more than I can say. But…I just don’t know—“

“I went through the same thing. I know what it’s like. And I feel like we have something here that’s more than just a summer fling.” He runs his hand through his hair, searching for words. “I want you to stay Harper. I don’t want to fix your car, so you can just drive off and back to your life. I want you here so we can see what happens between us.”

I look at him. And I don’t see the reckless flirt that he was when I first met him or the subsequent times after that. This is the man under the mask. The man who has just as many insecurities as I do. The man who is willing to wait for me to realize just how much we might mean to each other.