That was the night you told me about how much you missed your grandmother because she was so much like you. You said she was tough and smart, and she hated wearing dresses because it made her feel weak. And then I walked you home, but you wouldn’t let me inside.”
“You didn’t walk me home. You gave me a piggyback ride.” Her lips curved up, and she said, “I can’t believe you remember that conversation after how much we drank that night.”
“I’m a big guy. It takes a lot to get me drunk enough that I can’t remember things. I’m the guy you want to go out with, Piper. Stop holding back and just go with it.”
“I’ve seen the girls you go out with. They’re the polar opposite of me.”
“Of course they are. You think I want to go out with a second-rate version of Piper Dalton? Not a chance. Nobody can ever replace you, but come on, Pipe. Do you really think you’re the only one who needs to satiate an urge now and again?”
A challenge rose in her eyes. “So you just want to sleep with me.”
“Hell no. I want to be with you. I want to be the guy you come to see at Dutch’s each and every time. I want to go out with you as a couple, with other couples, and do more than play basketball. I want to spend time together at night doing normal things people do when they’re in a relationship, like having dinner and talking about what they want out of life. I want to go out on my boat with you, go fishing and swimming, and make love to you under the stars.” He paused to let his words sink in. That hungry look in her eyes returned with a vengeance, unleashing his tethers even more. “And then I want to take you home and make you feel incredible”—he put his mouth next to her ear and said—“with my mouth, my tongue, my fingers.” He bit her earlobe and said, “And my cock.” He gazed into her eyes and said, “And then, yes, I’d like to fall asleep with you in my arms. That look in your eyes tells me this isn’t the first time you’ve thought about it, either.”
Her tongue swept across her lips, and “Harley” fell out, a half-hearted warning he was not about to heed.
He pushed his hand to the nape of her neck, drawing her closer. Her sweet scent combined with the tiny anticipatory sound she made as he crushed his lips to hers. In an instant, years of anticipation, of fantasies, collided with reality, and sweet Jesus, his fantasies hadn’t even come close to this incredible moment. Piper kissed him with fervor, clinging to his arms as he angled her mouth beneath his, taking the kiss deeper. He’d waited so long for this, for her, everything magnified, her enticing scent, the feel of her tongue tangling with his, her fucking sinful taste . . .
Harley’s big hand palmed the back of Piper’s head, holding her exactly where he wanted her as his tongue delved and explored, his whiskers deliciously scratching her cheeks. His lips were soft, but the kiss was rough and visceral. His other arm snaked around her, pressing her against his hard chest. His hand pushed into her hair, fisting there, causing a titillating sting on her scalp. Fire scorched through her veins. Harley wasn’t a cuddly cub at all. He was a demanding, powerful bear of a man, and she freaking loved it. He wasn’t just kissing her—he was consuming her, claiming her. His grip on her hair tightened as he took the kiss impossibly deeper, like he couldn’t get enough, and she was right there with him, desire storming inside her. Every swipe of his tongue took her higher. She could barely breathe, couldn’t think, could only want. His grip eased, and she mourned the roughness as his kisses turned softer. As if he’d read her mind, he trapped her lower lip between his teeth and tugged, sending spikes of lust skating through her core. Just when she caught her breath, he crushed his mouth to hers again, as if he’d been trying to hold back and lost the battle. She had never gotten lost in a man, but she felt herself floating away, lost in the overwhelming sensations, and she didn’t fight it as he devoured her mouth, nipping at her lips, rubbing his beard along her cheek, and then