Stealing Harper (7 page)

I watched her walk inside before putting my car in drive again; once I pulled into the shop’s parking lot, I pulled my phone out of my pocket and called Brandon.

“What?”

God, he sounded rough, “Just thought you’d like to know where Harper is.”

“What’d you do to her?”

Thank God I was already stopped or I would’ve slammed on my brakes. “What did I do to her? I’m not the one who had her crying!”

“I know that, Chase! I feel like shit enough as is; but you have her. Why do you have her?”

Had her.
Had.
And I pushed her away. Again. “Don’t blame me for being there to pick her up when you broke her heart. She’s in her dorm room, by the way; you’re welcome for getting her there safe.”

“Damn it”—I heard his keys through the phone and knew he must be getting ready to go over there—“Chase, I didn’t do anything, I swear—”

“I know.”

“You have no idea what Harper means to me.”

My stomach tightened, and I ground my teeth together as I pulled the phone away from my ear. When I was sure I wouldn’t snap at him, I brought it back, “I’m pretty sure I have an idea. I gotta get in to work. Talk to you later.”

“Thank you.”

The sincerity in those two words didn’t help the jealous knot in my stomach one bit. “Uh-huh, see ya.” I hung up, tossed my phone on the passenger seat, and rested my head against the steering wheel.
What the hell is wrong with me?

“C
HASE!
W
HERE WERE
you this morning?”

I looked up from waxing my board to see all the guys from the house and one of Bree’s booty calls making their way toward me, “Stayed at my parents’ last night.”

Six boards dropped near me, and Derek snatched the wax from my hand before going over to his own board. “Thought we were going to be short you and Brandon. If it weren’t for Harper finally kicking him out of their bed, I don’t think he would have come with us.

Their bed?
If she’s
moving in,
I’m
kicking him out.
Okay, maybe not, but still.
I’d had more than enough time of bitching to Brian and my parents about what had happened last night to know I’d made the wrong move by helping them out. I ground my jaw and searched until I found another piece of wax to finish up.

“She that good that you can’t even leave the bed to go surfing?” Drew snickered, and Brandon and I both froze. “Bet that whole virgin thing was just a play; girls like that are freaks in—”

“Swear to God, you talk about my girl like that one more time, and you won’t be talking anymore, got it?”

I wanted to be happy Brandon was defending her rather than talking about her in a way I know Drew was searching for, but the fact that Brandon was defending her instead of me just made my already pissed-off mood explode. “That little body sure does feel good in my arms though.”

Brandon sat back on his heels and turned to look at me. “The hell did you just say?”

I smirked and went back to waxing my board. “Having her run back to me and fall into my arms last night was just what I needed. I’d missed being able to hold her.”

His hands fisted on his legs, and I tried to contain my smirk from going into a full-blown smile. “I don’t know what your deal is, but I’m tired of this bullshit with you, and I know you’re lying, so just give it up.”

“Chase,” Brad hissed, and when I looked back at him, he was shaking his head. “Stop.”

“You can think I’m lying all you want”—I glanced back over to a red-faced Brandon—“you know I’m the one that had her since I called to tell you where she was. Just think about all the time in between when I got her and when I called you. Don’t believe me? Go ahead and ask
my
princess what we were doing before I called you last night.”

I’d barely gotten the last word out before Brandon was knocking me over and holding me down in the sand with one hand against my throat, the other fisted in the air, “Let’s get this straight right now. You didn’t want her, I made sure of that before I pursued anything with her. Now she’s mine, and I don’t care that it’s been a week since I met her. I’m telling you I am
never
letting that girl go. Don’t talk about her, don’t go near her, and don’t push me because I swear, brother, I am five seconds from ripping into you even though I know you’re full of shit.”

I couldn’t swallow or speak, and he knew it, so when he felt I had gotten the message, he let up and started to sit back up; too bad I wasn’t ready for this little heart-to-heart to be over yet. “Damn, the way she moans my name, though.”

“Chase!” Brad barked, and Brandon’s fist connected with my temple faster than I thought possible.
Shit, that one hurt.

Blinking back the black spots in my vision, I stopped his next punch and got him in the ribs before Derek and Zach were pulling him off me while Brad and Drew kept me on the ground.

Bree’s booty call walked past us, carrying his board and shaking his head. “Thought we came out here to surf. While your little catfight is entertaining as hell, I’d rather be in the water.”

Brad, Drew, and I all started laughing; I liked this kid.

“Chase, you are beyond stupid. Next time, I won’t try to stop him.” Brad looked up to Drew and nodded over to Brandon’s group. “Get lost.” When he was gone, Brad loosened his grip and let me sit up; his back was to the other guys, and he was looking past me at something while talking low. “Is it because she’s a virgin?”

I shook my head.

“Because she didn’t want you?”

“At first.”

“And now?” I didn’t respond, and he sighed. “It’s just her?”

I nodded. “Everything about her.”

“I hate to say this, but Brandon is right. How many times did he ask you before he did anything about it?” I growled, and he held up his hands. “I’m just saying man, you blew it. Stop making one of your best friends miserable because you missed your chance.”

Thank God Brad had stopped talking when Brandon walked past us to grab his board. Brad stood and watched Brandon walk out toward the water before offering me a hand to pull me up as well.

“Come on, let’s surf. You’ll both get over what just happened, and we’ll all go back to the house and have a hell of a party tonight. Maybe you’ll find another chick.” I glared up at him, and he stood up and took a step away. “Or maybe not.”

The waves were perfect that morning, and we were able to surf for hours. It was just what I needed after what had happened on the beach, and by then I had needed what happened on the beach for a week. It wasn’t enough, but it would keep my head on straight for a while at least. Like Brad predicted, all bad moods were gone within the first half hour, and I tried not to let the sight of Brandon practically lying on Harper when we all came up the beach get me pissed off again. Who was I kidding? Of course it pissed me off, but I just tried to look the other way. I stuck my board in the sand and toweled off while Harper talked to someone on her phone. I watched her easy smile and thought back to kissing the corner of her mouth in the shower that night, and wished I had just kissed her then, or even before that.

Next thing I know, Harper took off running away from our group, and I couldn’t figure out if I wanted to chase after her or ask Brandon what he’d done now. Before I could decide, I saw her crash into some guy and start talking to him while he kept his arms around her.
Who the fuck is
this?
Brandon stood up and walked calmly over to them, but when I saw his hands curl into fists, I looked down at mine and realized I was doing the same thing. I dropped the towel on the sand near the rest of the group’s and stood waiting to see what would happen. After all, I hadn’t gotten as much of a fight as I’d been wanting.

I watched as they all made their way back over to us, and I couldn’t help but glare at this guy I’d never seen before. I already had my best friend dating her, I didn’t need whoever this son of a bitch was who couldn’t take his eyes off her chest coming into the mix. Brandon must’ve been real pissed, because instead of standing with Harper, who was currently holding on to this new prick’s arm, he came and stood directly next to me.

“Who’s this clown?”

“Her best friend from back home. Carter.” He sighed and crossed his arms over his chest as he continued to burn holes through him.

“Carter. Clown. Same thing.”

Brandon snorted, and Harper looked at us. “And that’s Chase. He’s Bree’s brother.”

Clown held his hand out, and I didn’t even bother looking down at it. I just kept my eyes on him and almost smirked when his arm dropped, and he took two steps away.
That’s right, prick. Step back.
Brandon grabbed Harper and sat down on the main blanket, and I took my seat next to him so I could continue glaring. For once, I was glad Brandon was here with her. Princess kept leaning forward and touching Clown’s arm, hand, or leg, and each time, Brandon pulled her right back into his chest. Did she not see the way this guy was devouring her? I sat silently while he said things about Harper he really shouldn’t, and even insulted Brandon. When he tried to turn around Brandon’s being one of my housemates as us being partners, I swear I almost laughed out loud at how hard he was trying to piss us off. I was trying so hard to hold back, my whole body was shaking with silent laughter, but then he said the one thing that should never be said in front of Brandon, or me, and I went rigid.

“Consider this your warning, tool, the minute you touch
my
girl, I will end you.”

Oh fuck this.
Brandon and I both started to stand, but my fierce princess grabbed the clown’s arm and practically started dragging him away before he was able to stand and follow her. Brandon started going after them, but I put a hand on his shoulder. “Don’t, let her handle it.”

We watched as she clearly ripped into him, and I couldn’t help but smile. She really was something else. Brandon laughed, and whispered softly, “That’s my girl.”

Right. His. Because I’d messed up, like Brad said. With a heavy sigh, I turned and went back to sit on the blanket and attempted to ignore Harper, Clown, and Brandon for the rest of the afternoon. I wanted to punch Brandon in the face when he invited him over to the party that night. But hell, I’d be at work, and, anyone was invited. So I gritted my teeth and kept quiet until I finally left.

“M
OM,
D
AD—
I
’M HERE,
so stop having sex.”

“That was earlier.” Mom laughed as she leaned around the kitchen to look past the bar.

“Ugh, Ma, seriously? I was joking, I don’t wanna know about that.”

“Well! You asked for it.”

I gagged and took a seat at the bar. “So what’s on the agenda for today?”

“Just hanging out.” She shrugged. “How are you? You sure have been spending a lot of nights here, which is weird and all because you know, I could have sworn you had your own house.”

“If you don’t want me here, I won’t—”

“Oh hush, Chase, you know we want you here. But it’s odd, don’t you think? You have this massive house, and yet you’re sleeping here most nights? What’s going on, baby boy?”

I bit on the inside of my cheek and drummed impatiently on the marble countertop. “Well, uh . . . Harper?”

Mom’s eyes got wide, but she stayed silent, even holding up a finger when my dad walked in so he wouldn’t speak.

“She’s dating Brandon.”

“Huh, well good for her. Brandon’s such a darling boy; he’ll be good to her.”

My hands stopped drumming, and I held them out, “What? No. I mean—yeah, he will. But that’s not a good thing!”

“You know what else I could’ve sworn?” she asked as she grabbed some cups from the cupboard. “You saying she was just another girl.”

“Because she— well now . . . the point is, she’s not.”

Mom squealed and clapped after putting the cups down, “I knew it! So why didn’t you do anything about it?”

“I don’t know. Because I’m an idiot? I thought she’d be better off without me, I still do, but I basically handed her over to him. And now they’re together, and I’m kicking myself every day. I swear if I have to watch them walk into his bedroom one more time, I’m going to throw him out.”

“No you won’t.”

“I know I won’t, but I want to.”

“So fight for her.” Dad shrugged. “You’re never going to get her if she doesn’t know you want her.”

“It’s useless; she thinks I just want to get her out of my system.”

“Well maybe if you just—”

“Mom, I already told her. I told her I knew I’d never meet another girl like her, and at the same time I told her she needed to find someone who deserved her, and that it wasn’t me. I’m telling you, I already screwed myself over with her.”

“That’s it then? You just give up?” Dad asked.

“No, I don’t know what I’m gonna do; I just know that I want her.”

“Want who?” Bree asked, and I turned to see her and my princess, who looked slightly uncomfortable and whose cheeks were turning red as she looked at me.

That girl, right there. I want her. More than anything.
“More like a what, I’m starving, and Mom wasn’t going to make breakfast until you got here. ’Bout time you showed up.”

“Oh, Harper, honey! It’s so good to have you back here!” Mom rounded the corner and pulled her into a big hug. Harper’s arms hung limp at her sides for a few seconds before awkwardly going around Mom’s waist.

“I hope it’s okay that I’m here. Bree said it’s family day, so I wasn’t going to come, but she didn’t really give me an option.”

Thank God for that.

“Of course it’s okay! You’re always welcome, especially on family day.” Mom winked at me, and I rolled my eyes. “Bree, honey, I need your help in the kitchen though . . . alone.”

Wow, Mom. Subtle.
Harper looked worried, and I wanted to tell my mom she’d just made it worse rather than helping like she’d thought. But then Harper came to stand right next to me, and I couldn’t be annoyed with Mom anymore.

“Chase, maybe I shouldn’t be here.”

“Trust me, she wants you here. Her pulling Bree in there has nothing to do with Bree’s bringing you, I promise.”