He wants more and more works for me. My breasts are heavy, my sex dripping, I’m so very wet.
I pump my hand again and stroke my tongue low and high. He pumps into my mouth and then he’s shuddering, the salty taste of his release exploding in my mouth, a low groan sliding from his lips. And incredulously, I come. I come with him and I didn’t know that was possible, but I do. And when it’s over, my forehead is on his stomach, my body weak. The next thing I know, I’m on my feet, Eric’s hands on my shoulders, his eyes locked with mine.
“If you’re trying to make me fall in love with you, Harper it’s working, but that doesn’t save my father or that family. You can’t save them. Not this time.” He sets me away from him and this time when he heads for the door, I can’t stop him.
I whirl around just in time to watch him exit the room.
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
Harper
I don’t stand in the bedroom and hope for the best. I’m out the room and on Eric’s heels in the blink of an eye. I don’t call after him, though. Not yet. Not with a houseful of people and I doubt I’ll stop him at this point anyway. He believes he’s protecting me. Now, I need to protect him. He clears the stairs before I do and by the time I’m around the corner, Eric is following the Walker team toward the front door.
“Eric!” I call out.
Much to my relief, he stops walking but he doesn’t turn, tension tracking his shoulders down to his fingers where they curl into his palms at his sides. I’m not discouraged. I hurry forward and I step in front of him, planting my hand over his chest, holding him right here with me. “Where are you going?”
“You knew I needed to talk to the Walker team.”
“Talk? Just talk? Or make plans that you can’t come back from?” I don’t give him time to reply. “Promise me you won’t take any permanent actions until we can talk.”
“We’ll talk,” he replies, his expression inscrutable.
“That’s a not a promise. I need a promise, Eric.”
There’s a flex in his jaw before he’s suddenly dragging me to him, his hands firmly on my waist. “Bastards don’t make promises they actually keep.”
“Then don’t be a bastard, because we both know that’s your choice. You told me your promises matter.”
“I swear to you, princess, if you—”
“Don’t finish that sentence and turn into a bastard by choice. If you do, we’re going to end up fighting right here in the middle of all these men. I’m trying to protect you.”
“What the hell do you think I’m trying to do?”
“Protect me. I know that.” I meet his stare. “I know. Make the promise.”
He cups my head and kisses me. “I promise,” he says. “For you. Only for you.” His voice is low, gravelly. Rough. “I won’t be long.”
I don’t get to ask him where he’s going or what he’s doing. He sets me aside and heads for the door, but I let him leave this time. He made me a promise and I trust him to keep it. The door opens and shuts behind me and that’s when I find myself in the spotlight. Grayson and Davis are standing in the living room, watching me.
Davis arches a brow. “That was something to observe.”
“What are you talking about?” I ask, confused.
“You,” Davis replies. “Eric. I’m not used to seeing him invested in a woman.”
“He’s known me a long time,” I say, closing the space between the other two men and me. “For all kinds of reasons. I’m his stepsister. I’m his—”
“Woman,” Grayson amends, his voice low, but no less absolute. “You’re the woman. I saw it in his eyes when he looked at you. And I saw him in your eyes when you looked at him. I knew the day you came to the office.” He motions toward a bar on the wall next to the patio door. “Drink?” He doesn’t give me time to reply to his stunning revelation. He walks to the bar and Davis joins him, but my gaze locks on that door next to them, on the patio entrance.
Eric had planned to talk to the Walker men out there before we went upstairs. Instead, he left with them. He made sure I couldn’t interrupt this time. He promised me he wouldn’t do anything permanent before we talked, and yet, he didn’t go to the patio. He left the apartment.
He promised me.
He wouldn’t break his promise.
Grayson hands me a glass. “Drink. It’ll help calm your nerves. You’ve been through a lot tonight.”