Until Harmony

  “Maybe.”

  “Not complaining, just wondering what you do with yourself when it happens?”

  “Vibrator,” she answers, shocking the shit out of me with her honesty, and I feel myself tense as visions of her masturbating fill my mind.

  “Gonna have to see you take yourself there sometime,” I warn softly, and she shivers. Tipping her head back toward me, I cup the back of her head and study her face, thinking I was wrong last night. Seeing the soft, sated look in her eyes right now makes her look even more magnificent than I have ever seen her before. “You gonna shower?” I ask, and she nods. “All right, I’ll make coffee.”

  “You coul—”

  “I could baby, but you’d be late for work if I did,” I say, cutting her off before she can even finish her suggestion, and her eyes go half-mast. Dipping my head, I touch my mouth to hers, give her neck a squeeze, and then let her go. “I’ll meet you in the kitchen.”

  “‘Kay,” she agrees.

  I grab my jeans from the floor, pull them on, and then leave the room, not looking back at her, ‘cause I know I won’t be able to stop myself from following her into the bathroom if I do. I go down the hall and use the restroom there. Once I’m out, I head for the living room, with Dizzy dancing at my feet, spinning in circles and hopping. Stooping, I rub his head then open the back door to let him out, watching as he takes off down the steps, chasing a bird out of the yard. I leave the door open and move to the kitchen to make a pot of coffee and find something for breakfast. Not surprising, there’s coffee but no food in the fridge other than one egg, a few slices of cheese, half-and-half, butter, and nothing much else. Resting my hand on my hip, I study the empty fridge, wondering when the last time she went shopping was.

  “I haven’t had time to go to the store.” Turning my head, I see her on the other side of the island, her wet hair up in a ponytail and her body encased in a thin black robe. “I’ll go tonight when I get off work. I think I have a couple bagels that we can eat though.”

  “You don’t have any cream cheese.”

  “I have butter.” She shrugs, coming around the island, opening up one of the cupboards, and lifting up on her bare feet to reach the coffee cups on the second shelf.

  “What time do you get off work tonight?” I ask, and she looks at me over her shoulder.

  “Eleven.”

  “I’ll go to the store,” I say, and she sets two cups on the counter then looks at me again.

  “I can go when I get off. I’ve done it before. It’s not a big deal.”

  “You can, but that’d mean you’d have to make a stop late at night instead of heading straight home after work,” I tell her, leaving out the fact she’s a Mayson and that last name seems to be a magnet for trouble.

  She studies me with a look I can’t read flashing in her eyes then turns to the coffee pot. “If you don’t mind. I’ll give you a key.” I grab the carton of half-and-half before shutting the fridge, then go to her and fit myself against her back. Dropping the carton on the counter, I slide one hand around her waist to rest against her stomach, the other on the counter near her hip. Touching my mouth to her neck, I watch her pour coffee into both cups.

  “When’s your next day off?” I ask, breathing in the scent of her clean skin.

  “In three days,” she answers, and I nod. “You could…” She pulls in a breath and lets it out. “If you want… I mean, if you want you can hang around here until I get off,” she offers, and I know by her tone she wants that, and fuck if I don’t want the same thing.

  “Sounds good.” I kiss her neck then let her go to grab the sugar that’s across the kitchen.

  “I’m going to tell my parents,” she warns, and I stop halfway to her and her eyes come to me. “They’ve been asking about us and, well, if this is happening, I don’t want to keep it from them. That didn’t go over too well when my cousins kept their relationships from their parents.” She bites her lip then mutters, “Unless you don’t want me to tell them.”

  “Not hiding us, Angel, but heads up. I’m not going to let your dad intimidate me. He’s tried that before, and as much as I respect him, I won’t like it if he tries that shit again.”

  “He tried to intimidate you?” she asks, and I study her, wondering how she missed it when he made it obvious he wasn’t happy she was spending time with me, even if there was nothing happening between us at that time.

  “Yeah, keyword: tried. I’m not easily intimidated, especially when I want something. And now, after we shared what we shared last night and this morning, I know I want more of that. And your dad isn’t going to get in the way of me having it,” I tell her, watching the look from earlier come back, this time stronger than before.

  “Okay,” she agrees quietly, opening the creamer and dumping some in her cup, leaving mine black but adding sugar. Handing me a cup, she leans back against the counter with hers. “Is this weird?” she questions, and I rest my hip against the counter opposite her.

  “Weird how?”

  “I don’t know. This just feels normal. Even when I’ve been with a guy for a while, I feel anxious. With you...” She shakes her head. “I don’t feel that. It’s weird.”

  “We’ve spent a lot of time together,” I point out, and she nods, taking a sip of her coffee. “You know how I like my coffee without me having to tell you, know what kinda shows I watch, what I do with my free time. And I know the same things about you.”

  “I guess you’re right,” she replies.

  “All that means is now we getta move onto the good shit without the anxiety.”

  “Good stuff?”

  “Yeah.” I grin, and her eyes drop to my mouth. “Now I get to find out how wet I can make you just by whispering in your ear, find out how fast I can make you come with just my fingers. I get to discover things, like I found out this morning that you’re just as beautiful when you wake up as when you go to sleep. Good shit,” I finish, seeing her mouth is softer and her eyes are darker than they were before I started speaking.

  “Right,” she whispers, taking another sip from her coffee.

  Sipping from my own cup, I watch Dizzy run into the kitchen and jump up, placing his paws on her bare leg. Reaching down, she picks him up. “You ready to eat?” she asks him, and he answers by licking her jaw, making her laugh. I lean back and watch her wander around the kitchen in her robe. Knowing I can kiss and touch her whenever I want, all I can think is, Yeah, this is the good shit.

  Chapter 5

  Harmony

  SEEING AT LEAST A DOZEN missed texts on the screen of my cell phone, I bite my lip and start going through them one by one. Apparently, no one missed Harlen tossing me over his shoulder and leaving with me last night. Obviously, they were all okay with him taking off with me, since no one even attempted to rescue me from him.

  I need to finish getting ready for work, so I send everyone a quick text letting them know I’m okay and will call as soon as I have time to explain everything that happened, and there is a lot to explain. I lift my head when I see a shadow fall over me and watch Harlen, who’s still shirtless, wearing only jeans, put a hand on the bed at my hip and his face close to mine. “Gotta get to my place, shower, then get to the shop.”

  “‘Kay.” I study his eyes and handsome face up close, loving that I now know exactly how his lips feel when they are pressed against mine and how his beard feels against my skin.

  “I’ll see you when you get home tonight.”

  “‘Kay,” I repeat, watching him smile.

  “Kiss me, Angel.”

  “‘Kay,” I breathe, lifting my hands to his warm, rock-solid bare chest then sliding them up to his shoulders, using the leverage to lift myself up to kiss him. I may start off placing my mouth against his, but before long, he takes over and turns the kiss into something else… something better… something hotter. God, I didn’t know anyone could kiss the way he kisses. I had no idea a kiss could take the oxygen out of your lungs while at the same time filling
you up with life.

  Dragging his mouth from mine, his hand wrapped around the back of my neck squeezes. “Tonight,” he says, and my eyes flutter open while I pull in a breath.

  “Tonight,” I agree, and his lips touch mine then the tip of my nose before he stands. I watch him in a daze as he puts on his shirt, and then keep watching him as he grabs his boots and leaves the room, giving me a smile over his shoulder as he goes.

  I fall to my back in the bed and stare up at the ceiling, feeling nothing but happiness. No fear, no worry about the unknown, just happiness. Smiling, I get up and finish getting ready for work, and then head out with that same smile still on my lips.

  ***

  “Hey, you,” Mimi says, and I look up from the chart I’m working on and meet her gaze. Mimi and I started working here a few weeks apart, but she’s been a nurse for over six years. The first time I saw her, I didn’t know what to think. She’s edgier than any other nurse I’ve met. She has lots of tattoos, black hair that’s cut in a short bob with sharp bangs that brush her almond-shaped, and unusual colored blue-green eyes. I wouldn’t have guessed she’s as sweet as she is by just looking at her, but she is, even if she is a little blunt.

  “What’s up?” I ask as she rolls her chair closer to mine.

  “I’m exhausted.” She yawns, grabbing her coffee and taking a sip. “These hours are kicking my ass.”

  “I hear you,” I concur, picking up my Coke and twisting off the lid. “We only have a couple more hours left though, so not much longer.”

  “Thank God. I feel like I could fall asleep standing up.” She yawns again. “This coffee isn’t doing it for me anymore,” she mutters as she pushes out of the chair to stand, sending it rolling back a few feet. “I’m going to go grab a 5-hour ENERGY out of my bag in the break room. Do you mind watching my rooms?”

  “Not at all,” I say, and she gives me a small, tired smile before she walks off. Going back to working on the chart in my hand, I lift my head when I sense someone getting close to the nurses’ station then feel myself tense when I see it’s Dr. Hofstadter. Dr. Hofstadter was one of the first doctors I met here at the hospital after I started. When I met him, he gave me the heebie-jeebies. He’s creepy when he’s trying to be charming, and even though he’s good looking, he’s the kind of man whose position as a doctor has given him a false sense of power.

  “Hey, Harmony.” He winks, and I fight to keep myself from gagging.

  “Hi, Dr. Hofstadter.” I give him a fake smile as he leans against the double ledge counter in front of me.

  “How are you?” he asks, and I watch his eyes drop to my chest.

  Total creep.

  “I’m good. How are you?”

  “Been good, spent part of the weekend on my boat, the other part playing golf at the country club.” He smiles what I suppose would be an attractive smile if he didn’t make my skin crawl.

  “That’s nice,” I mutter, praying silently that one of the patient’s call light turn on so I have an excuse to get away from him.

  “Have you ever been out on a boat?”

  “Yep,” I answer, not giving him anything else, since I don’t want to engage him and drag out this conversation.

  “Maybe we shou—”

  “Hey, Dr. Hofstadter,” Mimi says, sounding upbeat and peppy, and I watch his eyes go to her and twitch with annoyance.

  “Mimi.” He lifts his chin in her direction.

  “Did you see the football game?” she asks, moving herself to stand between my chair and the counter, blocking him from view.

  “I didn’t,” he mutters.

  “Bummer, it was a great game.”

  “Yeah.” He clears his throat. “I gotta head out. If you ladies need me, you know my number.”

  “Yep,” Mimi agrees, and I see his eyes come to me from around her shoulder and watch him smile.

  “Have a good night.”

  “You too.” I don’t smile back. I just watch him turn and leave.

  “God, he’s so creepy,” Mimi says, turning to face me once he’s disappeared down the hall and through the double swinging doors at the end.

  “I know,” I agree, because he is, and I’m glad I’m not the only one who thinks so.

  “Was he going to ask you out?”

  “I don’t know, but I hope not.”

  “You don’t want to be on his radar. You need to avoid him.”

  “I’ll avoid him,” I assure her.

  “Good.” She opens her 5-hour ENERGY and tips it into her mouth.

  “So who played in the game yesterday?” I ask with a smile, and she grins at me.

  “Fuck, I don’t know, but it’s the only thing I could think to say when I saw the look on your face and him leaning over the counter.”

  “Thanks for saving me.”

  “Don’t mention it.” She shrugs, taking a seat in her chair, pulling out a chart, and opening it up.

  Looking from her to the clock on the wall, I hold in a sigh of disappointment. I still have an hour and thirty-four minutes before I can go home. Damn. With no other choice, I get back to work.

  ***

  I pull into my driveway at a little after eleven p.m. and notice the lights on inside. Something I’m not use to, but something I really like. I shut my car down and grab my bags off the passenger seat. The minute I open my door, I watch Harlen step out onto the front porch with Dizzy in his arms.

  “Hey.” I slam my door behind me and head his way.

  The moment I’m close enough for him to reach, the arm that’s not holding Dizzy slides around my waist and his mouth drops down to mine for a soft kiss. “Hey,” he says there, and I smile. “You hungry?”

  “A little,” I answer as he trades my bags for Dizzy, who’s trying to get to me, and places his hand against my lower back to lead me inside the house.

  “Got you Lo Mein when I ordered Chinese for myself earlier. It’s in the microwave.”

  “Cool, will you heat it up for me? I’m just going to change real quick.”

  “Sure.” He drops his mouth down to mine again for another touch before taking my bags with him toward the kitchen. I go to my bedroom and kiss the top of Dizzy’s head one last time before I set him on the floor, watching him run right back out of the room as I head for the closet. I trade my scrubs for a pair of loose pajama shorts and a tank top, then grab a sweater and go to the kitchen, hearing the microwave beep.

  “You want one of your ciders?” he asks.

  “Sure.” I head around the island toward him then watch him open the fridge. The moment I see how stuffed full it is with food, I look at him.

  “I thought you were just going to pick up the basics,” I say, raising a brow, and his eyes come to me.

  “I did,” he answers, opening the cider and handing it to me. Moving around him, I open the door to the fridge and look in. I wasn’t wrong. The shelves are full, along with the meat and fruit drawer.

  “I hope you plan on helping me eat all this stuff,” I tell him, opening the freezer and finding it’s just as full, with different kinds of meats and frozen vegetables.

  “It’ll all get used,” he answers, and I shake my head.

  “I don’t normally cook on my days off, but now I guess I’ll have to.”

  “Stop complaining about having food in the fridge and come eat,” he orders as he pulls down a bowl from the microwave and hands it to me, shoving a fork into the noodles.

  “I’m not complaining,” I lie, and his lips twitch. “Whatever.” I take the bowl with me to the living room and take a seat on the couch, while he comes over, sitting next to me, with his own beer.

  “How was work?”

  “Good.” I shrug, figuring after his statement last night about being crazy jealous, it’s probably best to leave out anything to do with Dr. Hofstadter and the creepy vibe he gives me.

  “Just good?”

  “Yeah, nothing much happened. We had one new patient come in, but the rest of the night was quiet.”


  “Quiet’s good,” he says, reaching over and tucking a piece of hair behind my ear.

  “Quiet is good, but it also means time has a tendency to drag, and since I would rather have been home hanging out with you, quiet sucked.”

  “I see,” he murmurs, and I catch his smile before he takes a pull from his beer.

  “What did you do today?” I ask, blowing on a forkful of noodles before taking a bite.

  “Work, and your dad came by to see me.”

  “What?” I choke on a noodle and start to cough. Only when I’m done does he continue.

  “Apparently, he heard I took you home last night.” He shrugs like it’s not a big deal, when it is, since I wanted to be the one to tell my parents about Harlen’s and my new relationship status. I knew I should have taken time to call them this afternoon, but I didn’t, and now I’m sure they’ve heard about Harlen carrying me out of the bar, caveman style.

  “Oh my God,” I whisper, then ask, “What did he say?”

  “First, he told me to back off. When I ignored that suggestion, he told me that if I fucked you over, he’d have my balls.”

  “He didn’t,” I whisper as anger fills the pit of my stomach.

  “It’s all good. It’s not a big deal.”

  “It’s not all good.” I drop my bowl to the coffee table with a clank and stand. “And it is a big deal. I can’t beli—” My words are cut off and my breath leaves on a whoosh as I’m pulled down onto his lap and his arms go around me tight.

  “Calm down.”

  “Don’t tell me to calm down. I can’t believe he’d try to threaten you to stay away from me,” I say trying to get out of his hold that only seems to grow tighter.

  “Am I here?” he asks, and I let out a frustrated huff then glare at him.

  “That’s not the point.” Even though it does make me happy that he is here and not running for the hills to get away from me and my crazy father.

  “It is the point.”

  “It isn’t the point.” I cross my arms over my chest. “Sheesh.”

  “Christ, you’re cute when you’re pissed on my behalf.” He grins, and I continue to glare. Then he laughs hard, so hard his body shakes, and even though I love hearing it and feeling it, I’m still pissed.