Stealing Harper (Taking Chances #1.5)(14)

“We have nothing to talk about!”

We have everything to talk about. “I’m sorry I hurt you, but I was just so damn mad!”

“Do you know how immature you sound right now? You decided to hurt me because you were mad? What did I ever do to you, Chase? And why do I always end up with your hands on me? Let. Me. Go.”

Maybe because I want to touch you, and you’re always running away? “Because you won’t stop and talk to me for five minutes!”

“Then you should understand that I don’t want to talk to you. Answer me! What did I do to make you mad?”

She thought she was making me mad? SHE WAS! But she wasn’t. Hell, I was confusing myself! I was making me mad, Brandon was making me mad even though he’d asked me too many times if there was anything going on between me and Harper. I didn’t want them together, I wanted her for myself, but I couldn’t be with her. Wait, what? Why the hell did I drink so much tonight? The way I feel for this girl is confusing enough on a normal, sober day; but tonight I feel like I need someone to put me in a straightjacket and a padded room. “Nothing! You did nothing; I’m not mad at you!”

“Seriously, you’re hurting me! Get off me and leave me alone!”

Hurting her? How am I hurting her? I’m trying to protect her!

“What the hell, Chase!”

Oh my God, what now? I turned and had barely made out Brandon, Bree, Brad, and Derek all in the doorway before Brandon’s fist was flying toward me. Aw hell, this is going to hurt like a bitch.

WHY IS IT so bright? Did I leave the light on in my room? I groaned and rolled over as I smashed my face into my pillow. What the hell? My eyes snapped open to see green underneath me, and I leaned up quickly to see grass. Who the hell put me outside? With another groan, my arms gave out, and I face-planted into the wet grass. “Ow.” Turning my head to the side, I rubbed at my jaw, and last night came rushing back to me just as I heard someone yell my name from inside the house.

Pushing off the grass, I stumbled to get myself upright, then stayed still for a moment to make sure I was steady. God, I still feel drunk.

“Chase, open the damn door!”

And that would be Brandon. I looked toward the house, and sighed. “Gladly,” I mumbled and sauntered over to the sliding glass doors. Ugh, someone needed to tell the sun to go away for a few more hours. I rubbed at my burning eyes and opened the door to see Brandon pounding on my bedroom door, “What’s with all the yelling?”

“You son of a bitch!” Brandon yelled, and started stomping toward me.

Seriously? This bastard must not have had anything to drink last night; it’s way too early for fighting.

“Brandon!” Harper hissed, and stepped in front of me.

That woke me up. Hell. No. I grabbed her around the waist and pulled her back before situating myself in front of her. I didn’t know what was happening that morning, but whatever it was obviously involved the three of us. And while I knew Brandon wouldn’t hit a girl, I wasn’t letting Harper get anywhere near a fight, let alone in the middle of one. I prepared myself for when Brandon hit me, and the damn girl moved back between us.

“No. Brandon, just stop!” she said, exasperated, and I reached out to grab her and pull her into me; but she put a hand on my chest.

“Harper,” he snarled, “please move.”

“No.”

Oh my stubborn princess. I got ready to pull her into me again when she moved away and went to Brandon, placing both hands on him. That hurt worse than face-planting on my already sore jaw.

“You have got to be kidding me! He—”

She cut him off, but I wish she hadn’t since I really wanted to know what I’d done this time.

“Will someone tell us what’s going on?” Brad asked from somewhere on my side.

I almost said I wanted to know the same thing when Harper pulled Brandon’s head down toward hers and kissed him. Screw being partly still drunk and partly hungover. I’m ready for this fight.

Brandon’s gaze glanced up to meet mine quickly before looking back at my princess and exhaling loudly. He whispered something to her and picked her up, walking her out of the living room and toward the hall that led to his room. She wasn’t a child! She could walk just fine.

“Chase, what did you do to her now?” Bree asked accusingly.

I didn’t respond because not only did I not know, but I was still itching to have my fight with Brandon, and anyone who got in my way wasn’t going to enjoy being around me until then. I walked up to Brandon’s room and heard low murmurs as I knocked and opened the door. Brandon was sitting on the bed but shot up off it when he saw me, and for a split second, I got excited that we were going to get our round. But then my gray-eyed princess put her hand on his chest, and the bastard stopped walking.

“Well, you just woke everyone in the house. Care to clue me in?”

On the one hand, Brandon looked ready to kill me; on the other, he looked like he wanted to take Harper away from me. I knew exactly how he felt.

Harper sighed and broke the silence, “Chase, how drunk were you last night?”

Enough to still be slightly drunk now. “Not drunk enough to forget why my jaw hurts.”

“Well, you deserved that one, you were being rude.”

Apparently that’s all I knew how to be around her! My arms flew out to the side in exasperation. “I was just talking to you!”