Текст книги "Stealing Harper"

Автор книги: Molly McAdams

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Текущая страница: 7 (всего у книги 19 страниц)

“Princess, you gotta stop moving.” For the love of God, please stop moving, or I’m taking you right here in the middle of a tattoo parlor.

She froze and whispered an apology, and I tried to think of surfing to clear my mind and get back into my zone. Halfway through the shading, I kept hearing something that wasn’t the music playing in the shop, wasn’t the gun, and wasn’t my phone. I looked up and tried to figure out the noise but couldn’t hear it anymore. When I bent back over Harper I could hear it again and stopped the gun before I leaned closer to her and smiled to myself.

“Are you humming?” Good God she was cute.

Her eyes shot open, and she froze. “Maybe.”

I barked out a laugh and took off my gloves as I went back to my counter and looked for my phone. I grabbed it, my headphones, and walked back over to her as I pulled up iTunes and handed it to her. “You’re doing great; I’ll be done soon.” Without thinking about it, I kissed her neck softly, but thank God she only started blushing as she put the headphones on.

An hour later, I was done, and I had to admit, it looked perfect. Even better than how I’d imagined it on her. I loved watching her as she looked at my sketches, and though I was nervous as shit, I couldn’t wait to see her reaction to this one. I put the gun up and took off my gloves, and when I turned around, her eyes were still closed, and she was once again moving to whatever song she was listening to. Deciding to push my luck further, I leaned my body over hers and kissed her lips quickly.

Her eyes popped open, and she pulled out the earbuds. “Am I still moving too much?”

“No, Princess, I’m all done. Are you ready to see it?”

“You have no idea!”

I huffed softly. So damn cute. “Close your eyes again, I’ll let you open them when we’re next to the mirror.” I helped her off the table and led her over to a large mirror, positioning her so she’d be able to see it perfectly. I took one last deep breath and leaned close to whisper in her ear, “Open your eyes, Harper.”

For a few tense moments she met my gaze in the mirror before letting her eyes travel down. She gasped, and my body went rigid as I watched her wide eyes and dropped jaw. She stepped away from me, and closer to the mirror, and I felt like I was holding my breath as she just stared at her left hip. Still without speaking, she turned to face me, stepped close, and ran a hand through my hair, her other hand coming up to the side of my neck.

“Please tell me what you’re thinking.” Because, swear to God, I’m about to go crazy guessing.

Without warning, she kissed me hard, and I thought I’d freakin’ die. To have this, have her kiss me . . . meant everything. I deepened the kiss, and freaking Brian and Jeff started yelling for us to get a room. Harper pulled back and her face was bright red as she bit her lip to contain her smile and looked at the ground. I grabbed her hand, led her back to my table, and finished putting the ointment and wrap over her lilies. She still hadn’t said anything, but I’d take that kiss as a confirmation that she liked it.

“What made you choose those?”

I looked up and smiled at her. “I heard you talking to Bree and Mom about them being your favorite. And ever since that day, all I’ve wanted to do was get you orange lilies, but I knew I’d probably get punched again. This was my way around it.”

“It looks amazing, Chase, thank you.”

Thank God.

I shrugged, but she grabbed each side of my face and pulled me down so I was less than an inch from hers.

“I’m serious. I love it, thank you.”

I kissed her softly and skimmed my nose across her cheek, breathing in that soft vanilla scent that was distinctly my princess. “God, you’re beautiful, Harper.”

Her gray eyes were shining, and her smile widened, but just as I started to lean in, her phone rang, and we both froze for a few seconds before she reached into her pocket and pulled it out.

“Hey, babe,” she answered.

You have got to be kidding me.

“Um, it’s not done yet. Can I call you after?”

I held my breath and watched as her eyes got that crushed look like she’d had after I’d kissed her on New Year’s Eve. Son of a bitch.

“I love you, too. Have fun tonight.”

And that ended it. Right there. She couldn’t kiss me and talk to her boyfriend, telling him she loved him while I was still standing there. I stepped away from the table and tried to shake off the feeling like she’d just punched me in the stomach.

She pulled the phone away from her ear and looked up at me, “Chase—”

No, fuck no. I can’t do this with you. I couldn’t be a dirty secret for her. I wanted her, but I didn’t want her to fucking play with me. “So you’ll need to go buy some antibacterial soap to clean it.”

“Please talk to me.”

“I’m trying.” I grabbed a piece of paper and turned back toward her, looking everywhere but at her. “Look, here are some aftercare instructions. Don’t take the wrap off for at least an hour. If anything looks wrong, give me a call.” Dropping the piece of paper on her stomach, I stepped away and looked over to see Brian at the front just watching us with a confused look on his face. He handed someone a binder and pointed to the back of the shop before making his way over there.

“Chase!”

I finally looked back at her and gritted my teeth as I spoke again. “I have another appointment, and he’s waiting. I’ll see you later.”

She nodded and shook her head on an exhale. “What do I owe you?”

“Nothing. It was a gift. But I’m busy, so please go.” Without another glance in her direction I turned and went to the back room to meet Brian.

“Dude, what the fuck? All looked good the last few hours, so why do you look like someone just killed your dog?”

“Brandon just called her—”

“Oh, fuck me.”

“Yeah.” I sighed heavily and sank down onto one of the couches we had in the back. “She dismissed him and whatever, but she called him babe told him she loved him . . . all while keeping one hand around my neck to keep me close to her.”

“Slut.”

“Shut the fuck up, Bri. I just . . . I’m not going to do this with her anymore. I want her to be mine, not a secret to be kept while Brandon’s away, one that she feels guilty about after.” Brian’s eyebrows raised, and he just stared at me. “What?”

He shrugged as he searched for the words he wanted to use. “I guess I just didn’t think she really meant that much to you. You’ve grown up a lot in the last few months; I know I bullshit with you a lot about the girls that come in here for you or that you used to be with, but it’s awesome to see this from you. I mean, it sucks that all this has been the result of a girl who’s with your best friend, but good to see you grow up, man.”

I huffed and looked around, “Uh, thanks . . . I guess?”

“You know what I mean. So does this mean you’re done messing with Brandon?”

“I don’t know. Fighting with him keeps my head on straight that she’s with him and not me. I just know I’m done pushing it with her. I thought it was worth it, just to have her for any amount of time . . . but I can’t keep playing this back-and-forth with her.”

“Yeah, all right.” He nodded, then smirked. “I bet you don’t last a month until you’re chasin’ her again.”

“Then I’ll have to make sure I’m not around her for over a month.”

“That’s what I thought. Gotta get back to my next guy, see you out there.”

Chapter Eight

I PULLED INTO the empty driveway of my parents’ house and was glad everyone was out of town for the weekend. I was doing work on Brian’s leg in a couple days, and the sketchpad that had the drawing on it was here, but I’d been avoiding seeing my family and Harper since I walked away from her in the parlor a week ago.

I heard the TV seconds before I saw Harper lying on the couch. Her eyes went wide, and I froze. I was gonna kill Brad; he’d texted me almost an hour ago saying they all had left for LA, and Harper was with them.

“I thought you were going to LA?”

“No, I told Bree I was sick.”

“Are you?” I took a step toward her but forced myself to stop and look over her from where I was. She looked fine, better than fine, actually.

“I’m fine, I just wanted to be alone.”

I snorted. “Well, I’ll be gone in a few minutes. I just need to grab a few things. How’s the uh—how’s the tattoo?”

“Beautiful. Can we talk about that night?”

Uh. No. I turned and headed for the stairs, “There’s nothing to talk about.”

“Yes there is; you completely shut down, and you’ve been avoiding me ever since!”

I forced myself to keep walking even though I knew she was following me. “I’m not avoiding you; I just have nothing to say.”

“Why are you treating me like this? What did I do?”

Dated my best friend, for starters. “Nothing!”

“So this is what you do then? You make girls feel like they’re special for a few days, then treat them like they’re nothing?”

Oh, hell no. I turned, and she had to stop quickly so she wouldn’t run into me, “You’re really gonna put this on me? One minute you’re kissing me, the next you’re talking to your boyfriend and telling him you love him!”

“What did you want me to do? Not answer it?”

Yeah, that’s exactly what I wanted you to do. She was looking at me like I’d lost it, and I realized there was no way for her to see my side since, clearly, I meant next to nothing to her, “It doesn’t even matter, Harper, so drop it.”

“It does to me! I’m so tired of this roller coaster with you. I never know which Chase I’m going to meet up with that day. Is it going to be the cold Chase or the funny and caring Chase? Will it be the one who’s with four girls in one night, or the one that tells me how beautiful I am, does amazingly sweet things for me, and notices stuff about me that no one else does?”

You. Are. Shitting me.She thinks I’m the bipolar one? And does she still not see how I’ve changed everything for her?

“You’re all over the place, I don’t know how to act around you, I don’t know what you want!”

“I want you! All I’ve ever wanted is you.”

“Then why are you trying to hurt me again?”

“Because it’s easier that way,” I answered honestly, “You’re with Brandon. Do you know what it’s like watching you with him? Wanting you so bad, but knowing he’s who you should be with?”

“But what if I want you?”

No, no. No more games. “Harper, don’t.”

“I’m so in love with Brandon, but I can’t help what I feel for you, and I know you know what I’m talking about. Whatever this is between us . . . it’s been there since we met. It’s like I can’t get enough of you, but all you do is push me away. It’s all you’ve ever done!”

“Because I’m not what you need, Harper!”

“Then why did you kiss me, Chase? You knew it would change everything, and it did. So tell me, why did you do it?”

Such a frustrating girl! Does she really want to do this now? After every back-and-forthgame we’ve played over the last four and a half months? I closed the small distance between us as I spoke—half of me yelling to just leave, the other half wanting nothing more than to take her in my arms. “I needed to. You’re all I can think about, and it drives me crazy! I would have given anything for that kiss, and I knew I wouldn’t get that chance again, so I had to. I had to know if you felt something, too.”

She threw out her arms and let out an exasperated huff. “Was that not obvious? Is it not obvious that I’m in love with you?”

I didn’t waste time crushing my mouth to hers. I’d waited so long to hear those words come from her. She moaned, and her body melted into mine, her legs going weak. I grabbed behind her thighs and wrapped her legs around my waist as I pushed her against the wall in an attempt to get our bodies closer together. The kiss deepened, and I begged her to say it again.

“Chase,” she whispered against my lips before grabbing my face to look into my eyes, “I love you.”

My heart was pounding against my chest. Months of wondering and waiting, and it was finally out there. She pressed her lips firmly to mine, and I growled against her mouth, “God, Harper I love you, too, so much.”

I pushed away from the wall, and keeping her legs around my waist, walked us into my room and lowered us onto my bed. Her hands left my hair and started pulling at my shirt. A soft sound of frustration sounded from the back of her throat, and I pulled away from her long enough to grab the back of the collar to pull my shirt off and throw it to the ground. Harper sat up slightly, and our mouths slammed together before I pressed her against the mattress again. Her hands ran over my bare chest and stomach, and all I could think about was everything I’d wanted to do to her while I’d been giving her the tattoo. Leaning back long enough to give me room to take her shirt off, I threw it to the floor as well and kissed her soft lips once more before making a line of kisses down to the orange lilies wrapping around her hip.

Harper sucked in a soft gasp when I gently bit down on her hip, and I smiled against her skin as I took off the skintight black workout pants she was wearing and tossed them aside as well. Add those to one more thing I didn’t want her wearing around anyone but me. I made another trail up her stomach and sucked on a hardened nipple through her bra before pressing my body against hers, her legs already wrapping around my back.

“I want you.”

My head fell into the crook of her neck, and I groaned—as if everything else didn’t already show how much I wanted her as well, the painfully hard erection I was currently sporting was making it that much more obvious. I bit softly on her collarbone as I tried to make myself stop before this went any further. “I don’t have any condoms here, Princess.”

“I don’t care.”

I laughed. God, this girl will be the death of me. “Don’t say stuff like that, I’m only so strong.”

She grabbed at the button on my jeans, and her shaky, fumbling hands had me thinking Breanna was still right about my Princess. I grabbed her hands and pulled them away, just before she confirmed those thoughts. “Please, Chase, I don’t want to wait any longer. I want you to be my first.”

I leaned away from her and rested on my knees. “I can’t.”

Her eyes went wide with hurt. “You don’t want me?”

“Of course I do!” God, can’t she see that?

“I don’t—I don’t understand.” Her stormy gray eyes bounced back and forth between mine for a few moments before they filled with an understanding, and her cheeks darkened. “It’s because I’m a virgin.”

Shit, she has this so wrong. “Not in the way you’re thinking. Trust me, I want to make you mine.”

She cupped my face and pulled me down to her as she whispered, “Then please.”

“Princess, you can’t want it to be me. With what I’ve done . . . I don’t deserve to be given something like that.”

“It’s yours. I’m tired of ignoring what I feel for you and denying myself what I want.”

Her eyes fell down to stare at my chest, and I watched as they slowly looked back up to mine. I waited to see if there was any indecision in them like the days before. But there was only complete trust. “You’re sure, Harper?”

“I want you. All of you.”

I pressed my lips softly to hers again and stretched my body on top of hers as our kisses slowed, and her shaky hands reached for the top of my jeans again. Resting on my forearms, I took my weight off her so she could undo the button and zipper and slowly push them and my boxer briefs down. I helped kick them the rest of the way off and pulled her up to reach behind her and find the clasp for her bra. Once that and her underwear were on the floor with the rest of the clothes, I took my time studying every inch of her, learning what made her moan and her eyelids flutter shut, and memorizing every noise she made when I’d suck on her breast or trail my fingers against her heat.

Her heavy breathing cut off quickly, and her body locked up when I finally pushed inside of her, and I would give anything to have taken away her pain as a short, pained cry burst from her chest. But what she was giving me meant the damn world. When her body relaxed, we began to move against each other again, our mouths finding each other’s desperately, as I slowly made love to my princess. I held both of her hands in one of mine above her head on the pillow and whispered in her ear that I loved her as she came again just moments before I followed. I collapsed onto the bed, rolling so she was in my arms, and we were on our sides as our breathing calmed and we continued to kiss softly and pull each other closer.

Not more than five minutes later, Harper fell asleep wrapped up in my arms. I pulled the covers over us before pressing my lips to her forehead and vowing to love, and take care of her, forever.

THE SOFT SCENT of vanilla registered in my mind at the same moment I felt the tips of Harper’s fingers trailing up my arms and over my shoulders. I cracked open my eyes to see her mess of hair covering my pillow and her shoulder, and I couldn’t help but smile. Waking up to her in my arms was perfect, and though I wished I could have watched her sleep . . . watching as her stormy eyes roamed over my tattoos was just as good.

“Feels good.”

Her eyes flashed up to mine, and she grinned softly before looking back down to my shoulder. “I’ve wanted to do this since that first night in your bed.”

“Why didn’t you?”

“Well, you were a little intimidating, and plus, you not so subtly let me know I wasn’t the kind of girl you would ever be with.”

Uh, fuck that. All I remembered was trying to scare her off and her looking at me like I disgusted her. “What did I say?”

“I don’t remember exactly, you were just freaking out because you thought you’d let a girl stay over and proceeded to tell me you didn’t let girls you would screw stay with you.” She paused and chewed on her bottom lip for a moment before looking back up to me, and softly asking, “Speaking of . . . is it okay that I’m here?”

“I’ve never been happier than when I just woke up with you in my arms.” I gently kissed all over her face before kissing her swollen lips. “You’re the only girl I’ve ever fallen asleep with, and I want to keep it that way. You’re not just some girl. I’m in love with you, Harper, I wouldn’t want you anywhere else.” And, God, I want you here forever.

She smiled wide and sat up to kiss me hard, catching me off guard and causing both of us to laugh before deepening the kiss. She pushed on my shoulder, and I fell to my back, keeping my hands on her naked body as she climbed on top of me and arched her body against mine. I moaned and grabbed her hips to press us closer together as she ground her hips onto me again. I was making a trail down to her breast when the loudest growl came from my princess. And that shit had nothing to do with how we were currently attacking each other. We both burst out laughing as she fell onto my chest, her hair falling in front of her face as her shoulders shook from laughter. Guess my girl was hungry.

“Is there any way you didn’t hear that?”

“Not a chance.” I moved the hair away from her face and kissed her hard before moving her off me and onto the bed, “I’ll go make breakfast; I’ll be right back.”

“Okay, I’ll come help.”

No you won’t. You just gave me you, I’m about to spoil the shit out of you. “Let me do this for you, Princess,” I said softly as I pushed her back onto the pillows and kissed her jaw. “Stay here, I want to see you just like this when I get back.”

She saluted me before curling up in my comforter. Smart-ass.

I got out of bed and started looking for our pile of clothes when I heard her gasp. I whirled around to see her stormy gray eyes even wider than usual. “What’s wrong?”

“Chase”—she blinked a few times and shook her head slightly as she looked back up into my eyes—“you’re beautiful.”

“Beautiful, huh?” I’m pretty sure what I was staring at just then was the only thing that I’d ever seen that could be described as beautiful. I climbed back onto the bed and crawled over her, kissing her softly, and whispering against her lips, “Trying to take away my masculinity, baby?”

“So sorry,” she said between kisses. “I meant. Rugged. And handsome. And so, so sexy.”

I laughed and kissed her cheek before getting back off the bed. God, she was cute. I grabbed my jeans and pulled them on, looked at her staring at me while lying in my bed one more time, then went to make breakfast for my princess.

I hadn’t even made it down the stairs when I heard her phone ringing. By the time I made it to the couch where she’d been when I came in last night, it had stopped, and I couldn’t find it. Walking into the kitchen, I started the bacon and turned on the coffeepot as her phone dinged a few times. Just as I’d finished whisking together the eggs and milk to make an omelet, it began ringing again. I jogged into the living room and dug around the couch, finally finding it in the blanket.

Brandon.

I took a deep breath as I watched her lock screen come back up displaying eleven missed calls, four voice mails, and eight texts from Bree, and six missed calls, five voice mails, and ten texts from Brandon. Her phone dinged again—and there’s voice mail number six from him. I ran back into the kitchen to take the bacon off the skillet, and, swear to God, he called again before I could finish. I wanted to delete all of them but knew I couldn’t. I just didn’t know what this would do to us. New Year’s Eve and the tattoo parlor flashed through my mind, but I pushed those images away. Last night wouldn’t have happened if she didn’t want to be with me. She told me she loved me, and I had no doubt she did.

We’d just have to deal with this, and the sooner, the better.

I grabbed the phone and ran up the stairs and to my room, taking another deep breath before opening the door and praying to God that when she broke the news to Brandon, he didn’t somehow suck her into staying with him. Her eyes lit up, and the sweetest smile you’ve ever seen crossed her face momentarily before falling when she saw whatever expression I currently had.

“You might want to answer that when he calls again.” I dropped the phone next to her and tried to give her a reassuring smile, but it felt like more of a grimace as I turned around and went back out the door to finish cooking. As I was passing the entryway I felt my pocket vibrate and grabbed my phone to find five calls from Breanna, two from Brandon, and twenty-two texts from both of them begging me to check on Harper because she hadn’t picked up her phone and was sick and alone. The most recent from Bree was saying everyone was going to leave LA in a couple hours. Fucking awesome.

When I got back upstairs with the food, Harper had the comforter over her head, and I almost wished she would put it back over when she pulled it down. That crushed look was in her eyes again, and though I knew this would be hard for her since it wasn’t a secret she was in love with my best friend, that look was terrifying me. I put the plates between us and ate silently as I watched her holding a piece of bacon and staring at the covers. Almost ten minutes of her in that exact position, and I was about ready to beg her to reassure me that we would be okay. I felt like such a girl, but I had one of those ominous feelings in my gut, like this wasn’t about to go my way.

I placed my hand on her back and rubbed small circles against it as I finally begged her to say something.

“Brandon will be back in a couple hours.”

“Shit.” I fell back against the headboard and rubbed my palms down my face, I didn’t want to deal with Bree and everyone’s being home; but I really didn’t want to have him here yet. “I thought he wouldn’t be back ’til tomorrow night.”

“He got scared when I didn’t answer the phone. Bree told him I was sick and alone, and since no one could get ahold of me . . .”

“Bree called me a few times, begging me to come check on you. Looks like they’re all heading home today, too.”

“Chase”—she turned to look at me, her eyes wide and terrified—“what should I do?”

“I can’t answer that for you, Princess. No one can.” Her question had the ache in my chest already starting, and God I didn’t want to ask her my next question. Even though I would have told you that just thirty minutes ago I knew what the answer was, by then I was worried that I didn’t. I looked at her hands, which she seemed so fascinated with all of a sudden, and forced it out. “Who do you want?”

“I don’t know!” she blurted out, and looked back at me. “I want you, Chase, but I can’t hurt him. I won’t hurt him any more than I have. I love him too much.”

My jaw dropped, and the air left my body. What the hell? Does that mean . . . ? I should have known, but I—I couldn’t. What the hell am I supposed to do without her?

“No matter who I choose, people will get hurt. And then what happens if I leave him? He lives in your house, Chase. He’ll have to see us together, and it will kill him. I can’t do that to him! He loves me, he hopped the first flight he could because he was scared for me and wants to come back to take care of me. How am I supposed to tell him I’m in love with someone else after that? If I left him for you, it would be bad for us. He’d come after you, the guys in the house would take sides. We would be miserable. My body craves you, Chase, but I feel like I’m being torn in two. I just—I need a few weeks to think about this. Can you please give me that?”

But I love you, too. Couldn’t she see that? Couldn’t she see she was crushing me? I ground my jaw to keep from saying any of that. If I wanted to win her, I couldn’t force her to choose me; she needed to come to me on her own. “Are you going to ask him to give you time, too?”

“No, I can’t.”

The fuck did she just say? “So you’re just going to go back to him? Pretend like last night never happened? You’re so worried about hurting everyone else, do you even realize you’ll be hurting me?” I got off the bed. “Damn it, Harper, don’t you see that? I’m the one that will have to watch you with your boyfriend while waiting for you to figure out what you want!” I didn’t look at her again as I walked out of the bedroom and slammed the door shut.

I stormed down the stairs and paced back and forth in the living room before deciding to go back upstairs to just grab my shit and leave. But before I knew it, I had the phone to my ear.

“ ’Mmm ’lo?”

“Bri, put Marissa on the phone.”

“Chase?” he grumbled. “Fuck man, do you know what time it is.”

“No; put Marissa on the phone.”

“Shit, are you crying?” He sounded more alert now.

“No I’m—” I rubbed my hand over my eyes and pulled it back to find them wet. “Just put her on the damn phone!”

There was shuffling before I heard Marissa’s groggy voice; I knew that Brian had put me on speaker, but I couldn’t bring myself to care anymore. I’m losing the only girl I will ever love; not much else matters. “Chach, what’s wrong? Brian said you’re crying?”

“I’m losing her, Riss, I’m losing Harper, and I don’t know what to do. I’m five seconds from leaving again, but I need to know if I’d fuck up everything for good by doing that.”

“Well, what happened?”

“I slept with her last night—”

“What?” they both yelled.

“—and now Brandon’s coming back, and she wants me to give her time, but I know she’s just saying that. She’s going back to him, like nothing between us ever fucking happened!”

“Hold up! Rewind. You slept with her?” Marissa sounded a little more composed now, “Okay, either Brian hasn’t been keeping me updated or some serious shit went down yesterday, so tell me everything.” She covered the speaker, and whispered to Brian, “I’m gonna punch you in the throat if you didn’t tell me this.”

“Riss, he didn’t know, so give him a break.” I stood at the bottom of the stairs and looked up as I told them everything that led up to what happened last night and everything that happened this morning; the ache in my chest growing as I relived it all. “I can’t lose her. But she basically just threw last night in my face now that her boyfriend is coming back, and once again, I’m nothing to her.”

“God, Chase,” Brian said, “when did you become such a fucking girl?”

“I know”—I sighed—“I freakin’ feel like it.”

“Screw you, babe!” Marissa shouted, and suddenly she was talking loud enough I figured I was off speaker. “Chase, she loves you. You aren’t nothing to her, she’s just confused. She doesn’t know what to do. Her boyfriend is coming back, and she just admitted to his best friend that she’s in love with him too and lost her v-card to him. She’s probably freaking out. If she said she needs a few weeks, then give the girl a few weeks. But don’t just leave her, Chach.”

I snorted at her nickname for me. “Do you think this is all one big game to her?”

“No way. If it were, she wouldn’t have a problem leaving you.”

Just before I could ask how Marissa was sure she wouldn’t, the worst sound in the world sounded over the running water of the shower. “Fuck.”

“What? What happened?”

“I can hear her crying.” I ran a hand through my hair and grabbed a fistful as I pushed off the wall. “I gotta go to her, Marissa.”

“Damn straight you do! This is just as hard for her, probably harder because she’s the one who has to choose.”

I stumbled halfway up the steps at that. “I don’t know what I’ll do if she chooses him,” I said honestly. “I need her.”

“I know, Chach.”

“Gotta go, thanks Riss.” We said good-bye, and I tossed the phone on my bed, which just that morning had been a major part of my favorite moment in my life, and, I was afraid, would only ever be a memory.

I opened the door to my steam-filled bathroom, and the pained sobs that filled the room pierced my chest.

Oh, Princess.

Harper was holding herself up against the tile wall when I stepped in behind her, and I didn’t know how my heart could break any more. Grabbing around her waist, I turned her toward me and pressed her close to my body as hers shook with hard sobs. The thought of losing Harper had tears falling down my face for the second time that morning—before that day, I couldn’t remember the last time I’d cried. But after that night with my princess, I didn’t know how I was supposed to go through life without her. I gripped her harder to me when her sobs quieted, and looked down at her puffy red eyes when her head tilted back to look up at me.