Stealing Harper (Taking Chances #1.5)(21)

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?

“CHASE! WHERE 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?”