Stealing Harper (Taking Chances #2)(5)
Author: Molly McAdams

His eyes shot back to mine, and he leaned closer. “Then Harper’s fair game, bro. You know I won’t hurt her.”

One of our friends, David, started asking him something from next to me, but I couldn’t focus on him. All I could think about is if Brandon wanted her, I had no doubt he would have her. And I couldn’t let that happen. Without realizing why, I turned to look at her and found her confused eyes looking at me. For once, she wasn’t looking at me like I disgusted her, and having her look at me at all had my entire body relaxing for the first time since I sat down. I would do anything to keep that girl safe, and I had no idea why, but deep down I still knew the first part of keeping her safe was keeping her from looking at me like she was at that moment. I nodded at her and finally started eating.

Zach asked the girls if they were coming to the party that night, and I couldn’t help but laugh when Princess started grumbling about it and looking terrified. Looks like I’d have to keep her safe again, and this time I wasn’t letting her jump out of my arms first thing in the morning. I may need to keep her from wanting me, but that doesn’t mean I couldn’t enjoy her while I did it.

“Looking forward to sharing my bed with you again, PG.”

Brandon abruptly stopped talking to David and narrowed his eyes at me. I just raised an eyebrow at him and waited to see what he’d do.

“Thanks, but I’d rather share a bed with Drew’s blow-up doll.”

Ooo, my snarky and sweet-as-sin girl. You just had to go and remind me why I want you so bad. I turned to look at her and silently cursed her for driving me f**king crazy. I never thought about a girl this much anyway, but to make me feel like I’m going insane because I can’t make up my mind with how much I wanted her and how bad I want to keep her safe and from me was literally making me feel like I was crazy. How could one little girl cause this much turmoil?

Kristen sat down on my lap and her lips were instantly on my neck and jaw. My fingers dug into her hips, but I couldn’t force my eyes from Harper. Her narrowed eyes had widened as soon as Kristen sat down, and I watched as pain flashed across her face for a split second. Shit, I didn’t want to see that; I didn’t want to know this bothered her in any way other than disgusting her. There went my Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde personality again. Half of me wanted to push Kristen off and grab Harper, pulling her into my arms instead; the other was telling me to keep going, to make her think she meant nothing to me.

“I’d be happy to share that bed with you, Chase,” Kristen said like a freaking toddler seconds before her mouth was on mine.

My princess looked like someone had hit her, and I watched as she tore her eyes from mine and looked across from me. I shut my eyes, so I wouldn’t have to watch her look to Brandon after I’d just crushed her. He was right, he wouldn’t hurt her. I didn’t want him to have her, but he would never do what I was doing to her at that moment.

My fingers flexed against Kristen’s h*ps when I heard Harper’s soft voice; I had done that, taken the sass from her and brought her right back to the shy, unsure Harper. “Um, I’ll uh—see you all tonight then, I guess. Bye, everyone.”

“Harper,” Brandon called, and it felt like someone had just punched me in the chest. I needed this to happen, them meeting, but God I didn’t want it to.

I held Kristen’s head away and turned in time to see Harper’s eyes grow wide and her cheeks get slightly pink as she watched Brandon walk up to her. He held out his hand to her and said something, but they were already too far away for me to hear them. She smiled brightly at him, and again it felt like someone was punching me. I don’t think I’d ever really seen her smile until just then. And it wasn’t even directed at me. Brandon couldn’t keep his eyes off her as they walked to the doors and outside. I really couldn’t let this happen, I decided.

“Up . . . get up, Kristen. Up.” I more or less pushed her off me and took the few steps toward Bree, who was talking to Zach about that night’s party. “You girls planning on staying all weekend or coming and going for the parties.”

She looked up at me like I was dumb. “Uh, staying. And we get your room.”

“Always. Go pack for the weekend, we’re leaving within half an hour, I’ll go get Princess.”

“Don’t be mean to her, Chase!”

I shook my head as I quickly walked toward the door. I couldn’t decide how I was going to be toward her yet. I just needed her away from Brandon. As soon as I was out the door, I saw them, and I couldn’t stop the growl that climbed out of my chest. They were standing close and just staring at each other. Stopping this. Now.

Grabbing her arm, I didn’t stop walking, I just took her with me, “Come on PG, let’s go.”

“Chase! Stop!” She pulled her arm free and looked up at me like she wanted to go off on me. Such a fierce little princess. “What is your problem?”

“I’m taking you and Bree to the house, and you need to pack for the weekend, so let’s go.”

Harper dodged my hand when I went to grab her again and looked at me, clearly confused, “The weekend, what?”

“You’re staying with me; go pack.”

“Fine, hold on.”

“Harper.”

“Go away, Chase, I’ll meet you in the room in a minute. Go find Bree.”

Yeah, not a chance. I stepped up right behind her and kept my gaze on Brandon. He was looking at her like she was the damn world, and I wanted to put a football field between them.

“Sorry, apparently I have to go. I’ll see you tonight?”

Brandon smiled, and his hand trailed down her arm; I almost yanked her away from him and into me. “See you then.” I met his glare when his eyes flashed up to mine. I just raised an eyebrow, and he nodded before turning away.

Princess kept up her fierce-kitten act the entire way back to the dorm room she shared with Bree, who was already packing, and even as she packed, didn’t let up as she approached me where I was standing in the doorway.

She held another fake smile on her face, the only ones I seemed to get, and held up her duffel bag as she spoke in a sugar-sweet voice, “Why don’t you be a dear and carry this for me.”

My lips twitched, God did she not realize how damn cute she was? She tried to get past me, and I curled my arm around her waist, pulling her close to whisper in her ear, “Anything for you, sweetheart.”

Her body swayed toward mine, and I heard her breath catch as her hands relaxed against my chest. My heart started pounding, and I didn’t doubt she could feel it, if not hear it. Her large eyes looked up into mine, and suddenly they hardened at the same time she pushed against my chest until I let go. “God, you piss me off.”

“Whoa, whoa. Did you just say ‘piss’? I’m not sure if that’s PG approved.”

She gave her best glare and stormed down the hallway and toward the parking lot. By the time Bree and I got out there, she was sitting on the curb texting someone on her phone, but her seriously-pissed-off look hadn’t left her face yet. Oh well, I like her like this.

Once we were back at my place, she refused to look at or talk to me even though we were the only two in the living room, and she finally gave up by flopping onto one of the couches. I watched her bare legs sway back and forth as she watched—the news? Who the hell watches the news? Especially an eighteen-year-old girl! I shook my head and smiled to myself as my eyes found her legs again. Before I could stop myself, I was crossing the room, picking up her feet, and sitting on the couch. I laid her legs back onto my lap and had to force my hands not to run up and down them. Princess had stiffened momentarily, but she didn’t move her legs, and her body slowly relaxed back into the couch. I had to bite down on my cheeks, so I wouldn’t smile.

I looked slowly up her body and over to her red cheeks, her teeth worrying her bottom lip. I zeroed in on one of the new piercings I’d been catching a glimpse of all afternoon and suddenly wished I hadn’t put her legs in my lap. I’d have to thank Bree for her hand in that Monroe piercing, but I couldn’t see this girl letting someone talk her into something like this. “So I see my sister is already influencing you poorly.”

“Do I even want to know what you’re talking about?”

“This.” I touched just above her lip and had to bite back another freakin’ groan when she shivered against me.

“What, you don’t like it?”

“I never said that, it’s hot as hell.” That was an understatement. “But I’m disappointed you’d let her start talking you into stuff already. Figured you weren’t one to give in to people like that.”

She roughly withdrew her legs from my lap, and I’d turned to ask what her problem was when I saw her expression, and the question died on my lips. “Not that it’s your business, but I was the one who wanted them and brought it up. I didn’t know at that time that she would want to get them, too, and I certainly wouldn’t let someone talk me into something like that. Glad to know you think so highly of me.” Without another word, she hopped off the couch and went down one of the halls toward my room.

What the hell? Why does she do things like that? Like with Kristen earlier, why does she have to look like I’m hurting her rather than just pissing her off even more. I thought I needed her to stay away; I’d already come to terms with the fact that I couldn’t stay away from her even if I tried, so I needed her to leave. When she looked at me like I was hurting her, it just proved that everything she was showing me was just that—a show; and it was killing me.

I stood up to go after her when my phone rang. Brandon. I sighed and answered as I walked outside. “Yeah?”

“All right, I’m not going to ask you again after this, you’re like a brother to me so I need to know. Is there something going on with you and Harper?”

“I’m getting seriously tired of this shit. No. She’s just a girl.”

He laughed hard once. “Then why did you keep looking at me like you wanted a round with me?”

“I wasn’t,” I said through gritted teeth.

“Fine, then is she there?”

“What?”

“There you go again, brother.” He sighed, and I heard his Jeep start up. “I want to talk to Harper; can you give her your phone?”

I kept my mouth shut and ground my teeth together as I opened the sliding glass door, only to find her on the couch again. I held the phone out as I neared her, and she jumped slightly when I said, “It’s for you.”

She looked at me with confusion, and mixed in there was some of the same hurt from earlier, “He-hello?” Her eyes widened, and she glanced at the screen of the phone before bringing it back to her ear, a smile crossing her face as she relaxed into the couch. “I don’t mind, what’s up?” That gorgeous smile of hers got even wider before she could bite down on her lip to try to contain it. “I’d like that. Did you want me to meet you somewhere . . . ?” She sat up quickly before talking again. “See you.” She practically threw my phone back at me before taking off down the hall and pounding on what could only be my door.