She Loves Me (Harmony Pointe #3) - Melissa Foster Page 0,37
took her in another plundering kiss.
He continued ravaging her for so long, she lost track of space and time. Her world blurred together. Eventually he slowed his efforts, kissing her softly, making one appreciative noise after another, and it was so luxurious, being in his arms, being kissed by him, it was like icing on the most delicious treat she’d ever had.
When their lips finally parted, hers tingled and flamed, and it was all she could do to try to remember to breathe.
Wow . . .
She thought she’d had great kisses before, but holy cow, she’d been so wrong.
He brushed his beard along her cheek. “Say you’ll go out with me, Pipe,” he said in a gravelly, lustful voice, bringing her down from the clouds.
“I . . . wow . . . that was some kiss.”
“I was saving it just for you.” His lips curled up in a sexy, playful grin.
She laughed softly. “Harley . . . I like our friendship, and I’ll ruin it.”
“You can’t. I won’t let you.”
“You can’t stop me. I’m not right for you. You might think I am today, but in a month, or a year, or five, you’ll feel different, and then you’ll sleep with some chick who comes into the bar, and I’ll be left with a broken heart, hating you. I don’t want to hate you, Harley.”
He pressed his hands to her cheeks, making her eyes meet his, and said, “What are you talking about? The only reason I’ve gone out with anyone else—and you know it hasn’t been often—is because I’m waiting for you to see the light.”
She sat up straighter, facing him. “You know I’m not a forever girl. I’m not looking for a husband. You’re a family guy, Harley.”
“I’m not asking you to marry me, Piper. I’m asking you for a date.”
“You’re willing to risk our friendship when you know this can’t lead to anything?”
“That kiss tells me it can.”
“Harley, I’m being serious.”
“What are you so damn afraid of? That you’ll fall in love with me?”
She rolled her eyes, but that was her way of trying to pull herself back to reality. Her heart was racing and her senses were reeling. She wasn’t thinking straight, or maybe she was thinking the clearest she ever had. She didn’t know, couldn’t know, because even though she was saying all the things she believed, that kiss was tempting her, begging her to give them a try. But her walls had been up for so long, she was afraid of what letting him in might bring. So she let the truth come out. “It’s not what I’m afraid of. It’s what I know. Every guy I’ve ever gone out with has eventually—after one date or three—done or said things to try to get me to change, and I like who I am. They’d say my nails would be pretty if I grew them longer or got manicures. One guy literally ordered food for me at dinner because he didn’t think I ate healthy enough. Oh, and the best one? The guy who suggested I find a career that was less physical because I was such a pretty girl, it was a shame I wasn’t more feminine. Another guy bought me a gym membership, as if my job isn’t physical enough?”
“They were assholes,” he said adamantly, his eyes locked on hers.
“No shit. But don’t you see? It wasn’t just one or two guys. It was almost every one of them, including your brother, who I was stupid enough to try to change for. Did you know I was going to sign up for cheerleading because I noticed how much he liked to watch the cheerleaders?”
Amusement sparked in his eyes, but it quickly turned to something darker.
“I know. I was an idiot, right? In my defense, I was only sixteen. But I actually considered giving up the work I was doing after school—the work I loved, helping people with renovations—to try to be who I thought Marshall wanted me to be. I will never do that again.”
“I’d never ask you to, Piper. I like who you are.”
“I know, but I’m afraid to risk it. If we take our friendship to another level, eventually you’ll realize you don’t want me to be so . . . well . . . Piper. That would be worse for me than Marshall cheating on me.”
He leaned closer, his breath coasting over her lips as he brushed her hair from in front of her eyes. “I like that you know