Saving Us (The Billionaire Brothers of NY Duology #1)

15. Harper

CHAPTER 15

Harper

D reams. They can tell you a lot about yourself. For example, I have a repeated dream of falling down the stairs. It’s a terrible feeling, but I learned it doesn’t mean I’m clumsy and need to always live in a first-floor apartment. Rather, it usually means you’re missing control over something in your life or maybe it’s going in the wrong direction, both very logical possibilities with me. And the fact that it’s a recurring dream, analysts say that I’m really avoiding the problem that falling dream is telling me.

However, the past couple nights, I wasn’t falling in my dreams. Well, not falling down any stairs.

I was having sex. A lot of sex. With Gage.

It doesn’t take an expert to analyze what those mean.

And when the dreams woke me, I’d grab my phone and reread some of the texts he’d sent me.

Gage - Hey we talked about dinner, does Tuesday work

- I’m glad fate stepped in and put us on the same path three times last week

- Btw did you know you have the cutest dimple on your left cheek

- I’m looking out my office window and the sky is reminding me of your eyes

- When do you think I can be knuckle deep in you again

- OK, ignore that last text, we’re going slow, right?

- But it will happen again

And I might have done some other things when the dreams woke me as well…but he’d never know about those.

The sun wasn’t even up yet, but I was wide awake. I was pretty sure it was because Tuesday finally arrived. When Gage walked me home, we talked about going out on some dates and getting to know one another, taking it a bit slower. And I really appreciated that, considering most guys, well, would rather just get right back to business.

But here I was, only a little over a week since last seeing him, and my mind was consumed with sexual thoughts and passionate dreams. It didn’t help that I didn’t work at the club Sunday nights, and the shop was closed on Mondays. And Victoria was in class all day yesterday. Having nothing to distract me from my own thoughts these past couple days other than a spicy book or a show filled with sex wasn’t working.

There were three hours to go before I needed to be at the shop. That was too much time to sit around my tiny apartment. Going for a walk in the park would be just the thing to start the day right.

Once I was dressed for the crisp morning air, I made sure I had my safety whistle and pepper spray. My mother hated that I was living in NYC alone and sent me self-defense gadgets all the time. These early morning walks were times I made sure to take some along.

And I could catch up with my mom. She was always up early, and it was a perfect time to check in.

She picked up on the second ring.

“Hey honey. Out for a morning walk?”

“I am, and it’s finally starting to warm up a bit up here. I bet you’re already out on your lanai having your second cup of coffee, aren’t you?”

Her chuckle into the phone made me smile, but the slurp of her coffee made me laugh.

“You know me so well. Are there other people around you? You’re not completely alone, are you?”

Washington Square Park was beautiful. Though nowhere near the size of Central Park, its size was decent. It had plenty of green space to give you the feel of nature when you needed it. But the main attraction was the arch and fountain in its center. During the day, all year long, the number of people in the fountain area was immense. This early, it was locals only, but it still attracted enough people to make one feel safe.

“There are plenty of others out walking and running right now, no worries.”

Her hum of approval was all I was going to get.

“Weather good, Mom? Have you been getting to the beach?”

One thing I was super jealous about her living in Florida was the year-round beach weather. Growing up in New Jersey, we spent our summers and vacations on the Jersey Shore. But it was such a limited season. May through September were the only months bearable to sit on the beach. Maybe October. But the water didn’t get truly warm enough to enjoy going in until well into July. But some of my best memories from childhood are of us renting a beach house on Long Beach Island in NJ.

But we stopped doing that once my dad died.

We couldn’t spare the money for vacations. But any chance I got to take a day trip down there, I went. And I still loved it.

“It’s already starting to get really hot here. I’ve only got about another month before I’ll start my hibernation.”

As much as my mom loved living in Florida, she didn’t truly love the heat and humidity. And not having enough money to have a house up north as well, she wasn’t a typical snowbird and lived in Florida full-time. So, during the hottest months, she rarely did much outside.

“Well, it’s that or come back and deal with subzero temps and snowy winters. I don’t know what to say, Mom.”

“Yeah, no, I’m good with my hot, gross, sticky summers down here. So how’s my favorite daughter?”

Our little running joke considering I’m an only child.

“I’m gooood,” I responded. And with that, she knew I’d called with a hot topic.

“So, is this work related, or does he have a name?”

I laughed out loud. “He has a name.” And then I didn’t know what I wanted to say next. My mom and I were close, but we didn’t really talk about my sex life. Yet this directly involved that. What was I really going to ask her?

“His name is Gage, Gage Parker. We don’t know each other that well yet, but things moved kinda quick the first time we met. And, well, now he wants to slow things down.” After pausing for a second, I realized she wanted me to keep going. “And that’s not necessarily the problem, although it might have made me second-guess if he was truly attracted to me.”

I hadn’t realized that was a concern of mine until I spoke those words aloud. Insecurity wasn’t something I was plagued with normally, but it hit every now and then. But why would a guy, who had gotten as far as Gage did with me, not want to keep it going?

“I’m wondering how you knew. When you first met Dad, when did you know he was the one you wanted to spend your life with?”

Wanting to focus on our conversation, I plopped on a nearby bench. It took a minute for my mom to start talking.

“Let’s unpack this, Harper. First, the whole sex thing. You haven’t been with someone in quite a while, so I get that you would want to, you know, keep it going.”

Jesus Christ.

“Mom, this is not supposed to be about my sex life. And how do you know when I do and don’t have sex?”

There was a slight chuckle through the phone line. “Oh, honey. Moms know. Besides, you don’t keep secrets well and I’d know if you were hanging out with anyone, and you haven’t in almost seven months. You keep yourself too busy working both those jobs.”

This would be a topic for another day, but I’d learned to keep my mouth shut about certain things.

“Now, regarding your father and me. I don’t know if love at first sight is really a thing, but I knew early on that we would be together, that we’d get married. It’s just something I felt in my gut, my heart. When I was around him, I felt whole. And when we were apart, it was as if some part of me stayed with him, and I never felt whole unless we were together.”

My tears fell silently.

There was no way I was going to turn this into me crying about my dad, or us losing him. But my heart broke for my mom realizing that she felt…part of a person without my dad with her.

“That’s a beautiful way to describe your love, Mom.”

And then I heard her blowing her nose.

My dad’s been gone for thirteen years, but she hasn’t stopped loving or missing him. That’s true love.

“So, if you’re asking me this, Gage must be pretty special,” she said. I could hear the smile in her words.

Sitting back against the bench, I noticed the sun starting to come up over the tall buildings surrounding the park. Looked like it was going to be a perfect day, again. Gage told me he was picking me up at 6:30. I had to push for that extra half hour considering the shop only closes at six. There was no way I could be picked up from work to go out, not on our first official date.

“I don’t know, I think he could be, Mom. We’ve had somewhat of a rocky start, but he’s got promise. I’ll, uh, keep you posted.” Realizing it was getting late, I stood and started heading back home. “Enjoy the beach today, Mom. Find a shell or piece of sea glass for me.”

“Love hearing your voice, babe. Love you.”

And she hung up.

Thankfully, the day was flying by at the shop since we were swamped with walk-in orders as well as a corporate order that was due tomorrow. Fiona was busy handling the walk-ins while I worked in the back.

Fiona questioned why my hair was in loose curls when I came in this morning. Didn’t take her long to figure out I had a date tonight. Since I was going to be so short on time, I needed to do my hair in the morning, before work, for this evening. The amount of hairspray I put in it gave me a headache, and I still wasn’t convinced it would hold. When I asked Gage, in our numerous text conversations since leaving the bar on Sunday, why we had to leave so early, he was elusive. And the “picking me up” part was interesting as well. Maybe we were taking a car service? He was wealthy, so maybe that was how they did things. Unlike us common folk who walk or use the subway.

As quick as the day was going, it still wasn’t quitting time. Three more hours to go yet. I couldn’t remember the last time I was this excited to see a guy again. But these floral arrangements needed to be finished by day’s end, so I needed to hustle.

“Harper?” Fiona yelled. “Can you come up front? You have a visitor.”

Unsure if it was a customer or not, I removed my dirty apron and walked through the doorway.

Standing next to Fiona was the most handsome, sexy guy in a business suit I’d ever seen. His five o’clock shadow was always perfect. He must trim it that way. Always just the right amount to not look like a full beard but grown in enough to look groomed. And his suits looked like they had to be custom, fitting his thighs and arms just tight enough to see he was muscular, but not so tight that he couldn’t move.

I swear he was a full foot taller than me, and standing next to Fiona, I could get a sense of how tall he really was. He towered over her, and I was even shorter.

And I was going on a date with him that night.

His warm brown eyes sparkled as he smiled when I walked in.

And I made sure to smile back.

“I’ll, uh, give you two a minute. I think he’s here to pay an invoice,” Fiona said. But her sideways look as she walked past me told me she could see something between us beyond customer and client.

“Hey,” I said.

“Hey, yourself.”

His voice. I didn’t think I’d ever get tired of that smooth, deep timbre that almost made my insides vibrate every time I heard him talk.

“What are you doing here?” But as soon as I said it, I wanted to take it back. “I mean, I’m glad you’re here, I just wasn’t expecting to see you until tonight.”

He stalked over to me, his slow measured steps echoing against the tile floor. I’d never felt more like prey in all my life.

And it excited me.

“When the invoice came across my desk this morning, I figured, why not bring it to you in person. What a perfect excuse to see you,” he said as his hand moved a stray curl behind my ear.

And my body tingled. Everywhere.

“I like the curls,” he said.

I felt the blush start on my face and cover me all the way to my chest. A simple compliment from him had me speechless and thinking about the other things his hand had already done to me.

“Thanks, and it’s nice having an impromptu visit from you.”

He undid the button on his suit jacket and put that hand in his pants pocket.

Why is that such a sexy move from a guy in a suit? And why do I think he put his hand in his pocket to stop himself from touching me again?

“Yeah, I’ve been having trouble concentrating in the office today. I’ve been, uh, looking forward to tonight.”

A boyish grin spread across his face as he looked at me through half-hooded eyes. I didn’t trust myself with the way my mind had been betraying me all day with thoughts of him, but the physical pull he had on me currently was strong. My hands went up to his chest, gripping his lapels, hoping that would stop me from doing what I really wanted.

“Yeah, me too,” I said. I looked to the back room, and he understood completely.

“I won’t keep you. Here,” he said. In his hand was an envelope, with I was sure his company’s payment due for the floral order. “I’d like to see that dimple before I go.” He leaned in, his lips close, the words tickling my ear. “I mean, this place does bring back memories of other parts of you that I’d, of course, like to see, but the dimple will do for now.”

His words warmed my entire body. My smile must have given him what he wanted since he smiled in return. Then, leaning in, he placed a tender kiss on my cheek, on my dimple.

“I’ll see you in a little while.”

Watching him go was a fun activity, his swagger accentuating his features in that suit. But the moment that door closed, she emerged.

“Well, well, well, looks like someone has a suitor.” She stood, an accusatory look on her face. “When were you going to tell me?”

She was showing her age.

“Fiona, who calls it a suitor these days? And it’s nothing, we are going on a date, that’s all.”

She went back to making an arrangement that was due to be ready in the next few minutes. Standing by her side, I admired her work. She did beautiful work, still. Regardless of her being in the business for over thirty years, she kept herself current and on trend. For example, we had more wildflowers in stock than we did roses.

I was going to miss her when I got my own shop.

She was still quiet, but I assumed she was concentrating.

“Just be careful, Harper.”

Her words caught me off guard. Stopping mid-step, I spun toward the table, leaning on it. Yeah, the exact spot.

“What do you mean?”

“Well,” she started. But then she hesitated, seeming to really think about her words. She put the stem in her hand on the table and gave me her full attention. “I don’t know him, but I know his type. He’s a big executive downtown. His lifestyle is so different from what we can even begin to comprehend. So, just go in with your eyes wide open, that’s all.” She went back to her flowers, and I slowly stepped away from the table.

“But you both look gorgeous together, thought I should tell you that.”