The Lawson Brothers: Love So Perfect Part 14

He smirked at her.

"Geez Louise," she grumbled.

"There's my adorably grumpy Harper."

"Should I be excited that a bunch of other women have gotten this kind of treatment?"

His smirk melted away, only to be replaced by complete sincerity. "I know you think that because I'm only twenty-five and I have all this money and opportunity to be a real player-"

"Not until you mentioned the money I didn't," she muttered.

"But I'm still the same guy from Jessamine. My ex and I dated for two years, Harper, and regardless of what anyone else thought, I was faithful. Sure, when I was younger-a lot younger, I was a horn dog, but that stopped as soon as I got to college and had to concentrate on what I wanted out of life. Getting a girl pregnant or a STD was not on the menu." He placed her hands around him. "Hold on to me and tip your head back so I can rinse your hair."

"Why did y'all break up?" she asked, but then wished she'd kept her mouth shut.

"Because she wanted more than what I could give her," he said.

"Money?"

His mouth thinned. Before he answered, she knew she wouldn't like it. "Material things weren't a problem."

She couldn't imagine physical things being a problem, which left... emotional. "Oh," she lamely replied.

"Yeah. She wasn't very happy with me."

"Two years is a long time to date." She swallowed, the worst sort of fear overtaking her mind. "I have a question for you, and you have to be totally honest with me."

He didn't answer her for a moment, but then said, "Ask away."

"Am I... your rebound relations.h.i.+p? Well, not relations.h.i.+p, per se, but a hook up. Is that what the kids are calling a booty call nowadays? And oh my sweet Lord, I can't believe that came out of my mouth." She smashed her lips together and waited for the inevitable, 'Yeah, I had nothing better to do and you were the first gullible woman I met.'

Framing her face with his hands, he said, "Absolutely not." His gaze turned hot. "Since all you can do is ask me questions about my past, then it's clear I didn't do you right."

She began to back up. "Another o.r.g.a.s.m?"

He dropped to his knees in front of her, sending a spray of hot water into her chest and her heart into overdrive. "I want to taste you again."

"If you insist, but I'm... um, how should I stand?" she asked, her pulse racing., "Like this." He lifted one over his shoulder and kissed the inside of her thigh, coming closer and closer to where her heart practically beat. He sucked her c.l.i.t into his mouth, making her squirm as the flames of desire rekindled.

Suddenly, he sat back on his haunches, licking his lips as he peered up at her through dark, wet lashes. "Sweetest p.u.s.s.y I've ever tasted."

"Don't say that."

His brow creased. "Why?"

Her cheeks heated. "I'm slightly jealous of all the other... others."

He smiled against her skin. "We can't have that now, can we?"

"No."

"Don't worry, by the time I'm done with you, you'll forget all about the others," he said c.o.c.kily.

"Will you forget about them too?"

His smile turned hot and tender. "Forget about who?"

The next day, Austin called Finley and left a message on her voice mail, but she hadn't returned his call, yet. So that left him all day to stew and think and second-guess every decision he'd made up to this point.

He needed to talk to Finley, to tell her that things were moving in such a way that he couldn't have Harper unknowingly be a part of his good PR campaign anymore. He sure as h.e.l.l wasn't going to clue her in on it now. In the meantime, he sure as h.e.l.l wasn't going to sleep with her either.

But f.u.c.k if it wasn't hard not to give in.

Last night had been reasons one through a million.

d.a.m.n, the woman could come multiple times without stopping. He'd like to think it was all his skills, but he was pretty sure that it was eighty-percent Harper.

However, he'd almost confessed all to her when she asked him to be truthful. He wasn't quite sure what to think of her question though. Was she a rebound relations.h.i.+p? A hook up?

d.a.m.n, but what kind of guy was she used to dating?

Jealousy p.r.i.c.ked at him. The thought of her with other men made him unreasonably p.i.s.sed off as he ate dinner at his parents' house. His momma's cooking was hands down the best he ever had and normally, the taste of her b.u.t.termilk biscuits would be enough to get him into a good mood, but not tonight.

"Are you still planning on driving to Raleigh tomorrow for the Cla.s.sic V?" his mother, Dinah, asked.

s.h.i.+t. He'd forgotten about that. "Yes, ma'am."

"Plan on taking Harper Bell to the party afterward?"

"No, sir."

His father, David, frowned. "Doesn't seem right, son. Everyone knows the two of you have been seeing one another."

But they didn't know he'd spent the night at her house this week. Twice. At least he'd spared her that, especially since he wasn't sure if her contract with Jessamine County Schools included a morality clause.

"She doesn't want to go."

Dinah shook her head, clearly displeased. "Did you tell her that watching you play golf all day was not required?"

"I did not." He bit back a laugh. "Must be why she said no. Next time, I'll make sure to give her all the information."

His mother patted his hand. "She's such a kind person, Austin. I'm so glad that the age difference doesn't bother you."

"Why would it?" he asked.

"There are some who still think it's a big deal when a woman dates a younger man," she said.

"Not that I think that," she added in a rush, not that she needed to. Dinah was three years older than David, so he knew she couldn't care less about Harper's age.

"Maybe I like older women like Dad did and still does."

David nodded. "He has a point."

Dinah narrowed her eyes. "Be sure not to drive that home with Harper, no matter how charming you think you're being."

"Don't worry, Austin never thinks," Caleb said.

Austin rolled his eyes as he speared some green beans. "He speaks, yet he makes no sense."

Caleb flashed him a grin.

Nonplussed, Austin gave his brother a hard look. "Did you just make a joke?"

"Maybe." Caleb got up from the table, taking his empty plate with him. "I'm going to check on that momma cow. She's due any time now."

His parents watched Caleb go, twin thoughtful looks on their faces.

"He doesn't let a single animal on this farm birth a baby without him there," his dad remarked. "I'd be out there with him, if I could- "

Austin shook his head. "Don't beat yourself up, Dad. Caleb enjoys running the farm while you recuperate."

While being sent home by Coach and Finley had hurt his ego, it had been great timing. Only a couple of months earlier, his dad had a stroke while planting wheat. A fast-thinking farmhand had helped get him to the hospital in time, but it scared the h.e.l.l out of the entire family.

His momma seemed to have aged overnight after that happened. While she was beautiful, the strain of almost losing the man she loved had put grooves around her mouth where laugh lines used to reside.

Austin hated that. Hated it so much that he would do anything to make her laugh again.

"You're right."

"Of course he's right, honey. Caleb is a blessing to us." She gave Austin a pointed look. He knew that look. His mother wanted to talk to his dad alone.

Wordlessly, Austin jumped to his feet and began to take bowls and plates to the kitchen, then filled up the dishwasher before scrubbing the one pan his mother hadn't while she prepared dinner.

They were still sitting in the dining room when he came to say good-bye.

"I'm headed home," he said, bending down to kiss his mother's cheek.

He gave his dad a hug. "Let me know if I can help you out next week."

"Good to have you home, son," was all his dad said.

His mother nodded. "Truly is. Remember what I said about Harper."

"I will."

"She's the marrying kind, Austin."

Heat stole up his neck. "Yes, ma'am."

Wis.h.i.+ng them both good night, he strode outside to his truck and drove home, thinking about Harper the entire way. He did not look forward to a weekend without her.

But no one said he had to stay for the party. Instead, he would come back to Jessamine early and surprise her. Making her come again.

His erection began to strain against the zipper of his jeans. He adjusted himself as he drove, but it barely helped.

"Guess it's another cold shower tonight," he muttered.

Cold showers sucked, but... Harper was worth waiting for, even if he was the one making them do all the waiting.

Chapter Ten.

Austin didn't speak with Finley until after the charity golf game was over. He handed the club to the caddy and started in her direction. She didn't see him at first, too busy glaring at McHugh. He, however, didn't bother to glance her way.

Probably for the best. Finley was liable to cut the guy's nuts off and serve them for dinner.

"Hey, boss, you got time for me today?" he asked.

Finley jerked her gaze to his, her dark brown eyes shot full of anger. "Now is not the time, Lawson."

Austin leaned in close so that the reporters milling around wouldn't hear him. "Hate to break it to you, but it always my time over his. Stop glaring at McHugh before someone gets a picture of it."

Her face relaxed a little until she looked more pinched and aggravated than ready to maim and kill.

"Better?" she asked through gritted teeth.

"Marginally."

Taking her by the arm, he led Finley to a private table where they could talk without interruption. "We need to discuss Harper."

"She's adorable."

"That's not what we need to discuss."

Finely looked at him for a moment. "You haven't been around her long enough for her to get pregnant, so what else?"

The thought of Harper pregnant with his kid didn't scare him, but his non-scared reaction to that thought sure as h.e.l.l did. "I think everything's died down with the video, especially after Kellogg and Serena's s.e.x tape went live." Which was why Finley hadn't had a minute to spare Austin in the past day and a half. He knew she was in damage-control mode.

Finley made a face and shuddered. "The poor guy wasn't even awake. She staged the entire thing to get back at her ex."