Never Say Never (Haven Harbor #3)

Chapter 25

TWENTY-FIVE

ENJOY WHAT’S MINE

T ucker

“How’s it going with Daisy?” Jake and I are sitting at the bar, waiting for the others while Daisy, Briar and Everly are in the restroom.

“She’s perfect.”

Jake makes a big show of looking shocked. Head tilted backwards, a smile on his face like he’s just witnessed the birth of Jesus Christ himself.

“You act like a moron sometimes,” I say before taking a sip of my scotch.

“I just never thought I’d see the day. Can it be real? Tucker Collins is finally settling down?”

“You’re hilarious,” I mutter. “But you should probably settle down. I’m happy and I’m committed, but it’s not like I’m proposing.”

“Yet.”

I raise my brows with a smirk from behind my rocks glass.

“What’s going on with Holden and Aubrey?”

I grimace. “He didn’t tell you?”

“I haven’t seen him, but I’ve heard rumblings that things aren’t going well.”

“They broke up.”

Jake throws me a curious look. “I’m not surprised. Seems like things have been bad for a while. How’s he taking it?”

“I’m honestly not sure. He’s hardly ever home.”

“Sounds sus.”

Just then, the girls return from the restroom. Daisy comes to stand next to me at the bar and I slip my arm around her waist. We hear a burst of noise at the front of the restaurant and look to see Grayson and Sierra, Beckett and Jules and Holden crowding into the restaurant foyer.

I raise a hand in greeting, and they all come meet us at the bar before we’re taken to our table. A waitress soon drops off a round of shots for the group, with mocktails for Everly and Sierra. “Happy birthday!” Grayson yells, raising his shot glass in the air. “To Daisy and Tucker. Can you guys believe these two are finally together? It’s about fucking time.”

“Cheers to that,” Holden agrees, holding up his drink. “You two are cute as fuck!” The table erupts in laughter as we all stand to click our glasses before knocking back the shots. I smile as I look around the table. I fucking love my friends and I’m so excited to have Daisy here tonight to start to get to know them better. When we sit back down, I rest my hand discreetly on Daisy’s thigh under the table, and her fingers intertwine with mine. Just being out in public with her with all my friends makes everything feel right in the world.

“Tuck,” Grayson says, stealing my attention away from my girlfriend. “I hear that you agreed to cat sit for Jake and Ev. What the fuck is that about? I didn’t take you for a cat guy.”

“I’m cat-sitting for Birdie,” I correct him. “You try saying no to that sweet little face.”

Jake is taking Everly and Birdie on a babymoon. I have no idea what the fuck a babymoon is, but the three of them are going to Florida for a week. When they had no one to watch the kitten Jake bought for Birdie, I stepped up, forgetting that I sort of hate cats.

“It means the world to Birdie-girl,” Jake says with a slick smile. “She somehow believes Lucy is in good hands over at Uncle Tuck and Uncle Holdey’s. You two better not fuck it up.”

“Geez, man, have a little faith,” Holden says, grinning. “Tucker and I are very responsible, upstanding young men.”

“Debatable,” Jake scoffs.

“Don’t listen to my husband,” Everly says, kissing Jake on his cheek. “He just likes to give you guys the gears. Now, back to the two of you.” She looks from me to Daisy. “I’m really happy for you guys. I heard a little about your history, that you’ve been friends since forever.”

“Yup,” Daisy smiles next to me, squeezing my thigh. “Which has made things amazing but also sort of… complicated. Our families are so close that our parents tend to treat us like we’re siblings.”

Beckett leans in to join the conversation. “Do your parents know…”

“That we’re together? No, but I did tell my mom, and she supports us.” When Daisy told me earlier today that she told her mom about us, I wasn’t surprised that Aunt Vic was so cool about it. My dad, on the other hand, is going to flip the fuck out.

My expression must reveal my worries about my dad, because Grayson suddenly claps a hand on my shoulder. “Relax, man. Once your dad sees how happy the two of you are together, he’ll change his tune. You’ll see.”

I nod before taking a sip of my drink. “I hope you’re right.”

I can’t help but notice the way Daisy fits in so effortlessly with my friends. She’s been laughing and smiling all night, and of course they all seem to adore her. I love seeing this side of her.

She sets her drink on the table and leans in closer to me. Her piercing blue eyes look at me through dark lashes, her mouth only an inch or so away from mine, and I instantly unravel from the eye contact. I press a kiss to her mouth, but it isn’t nearly enough. I’m already wanting more.

“You look so hot. Do you have any idea how bad I want you right now?” I growl, my mouth only an inch from her ear, my hand in her hair.

A small sound escapes her lips. “I think I have an idea, but it’s going to have to wait. Think you can hold off for a little while, Coach Collins?”

I should take her up against the wall in the bathroom for sassing me like that, but instead, I murmur into her ear, “You’re so sweet around my friends, but if they only knew the filthy things that are running through your mind right now, rebel.”

My girl– fuck, I love the sound of that– wraps her pretty pink lips around her straw and sips from her drink with a smile on her face. My dick perks up in my pants.

“I’m going to take my time with you tonight, Dais. Fuck you slow and steady before I fuck you hard and fast. Enjoy what’s mine.”

She gives me a wicked smirk that sends a bolt of lust straight to my cock. And that’s all that needs to be said between us. We both know I will make good on my promise.

When the night ends, we walk toward the beach where I parked my truck. As soon as we reach it, I grab her by the back of her neck and pull her face to mine, erasing the space between us.

We kiss with the urgency of two people who’ve been waiting all night for this exact moment. Every minute of pent-up desire bursts in a merciless kiss up against the door of my truck. Her tongue searches for mine. My hands grip either side of her neck like I never want to let her go. I groan into her mouth as my cock grows painfully hard behind the zipper of my jeans.

When we finally break the kiss, we’re both breathless. And I know without a shadow of a doubt that my obsession with Daisy has turned into a full-blown addiction. How did this happen so quickly?

As I pull away, I whisper, “So, are you going to invite me back to your house?”

A quiet laugh escapes her lips, making my entire body light up “Tucker, would you like to come back to my house?”

“I would love to.”