More Than Anything (Broken Pieces #1)(100)

And now . . . so many years later, she knew she could trust that this man, who had once inadvertently hurt her so badly, truly had her best interests at heart. He had been nothing but kind and supportive. Generous and loving.

“Your mother is way too obsessed with weight,” he was saying, still reflecting on their disastrous dinner with her family. “She’s bordering on malnourished herself—you guys should stage an intervention or something.” His words startled a laugh out of Tina. She could just imagine her mother’s reaction to that. The woman was petite but not underweight, yet Harris looked perfectly serious.

“My mother’s weight is fine, Harris. She’s got a nice little body for someone her age. I reckon a lot of guys would think she’s quite the MILF.”

He shot her such a truly appalled look that she choked on another laugh. “Dear God! Why would you put such an awful image in my head?” he asked, aghast.

“No, seriously, I’ve seen guys check her out.”

“Jesus! Stop! You’re being gross. You don’t see me telling you my dad could very well be a stud if he wasn’t so devoted to my mom, do you?”

“I wouldn’t argue with you. Your dad is pretty good looking. He’s like a sexier version of George Clooney or something.”

“Why are we talking about this?”

He sounded totally disgusted with her, and she laughed, pushing herself up and straddling him in one smooth motion. “Why don’t I do something to get those distasteful images out of your head?” she asked on a seductive purr, and he growled a sexy assent, his big hands stroking down her waist to settle on her hips.

“Yeah, go for it,” he said invitingly, and she trailed a finger down his chest, over his rib cage, and then to his side.

Without any warning, she prodded his ribs, and he jumped.

“No!” he gasped, and she grinned before launching into a relentless tickle attack, targeting his ribs and sides in particular. He convulsed into helpless laughter, punctuated with the occasional No! while attempting to buck her off. He finally succeeded in flipping her over and pinned her hands above her head.

“That wasn’t nice, Tina,” he scolded. “Taking advantage of my weakness like that . . . now, how do I punish you?”

Tina smiled trustingly up into his beautiful face.

“I don’t know . . . but I’m sure it’ll be good.” His expression softened, and he kissed her until she was breathless. She couldn’t quite believe that either of them was capable of another session of lovemaking after their last marathon.

But they both proved very capable.

It was hard and fast and intense. So very different from before. She lost herself in their mutual passion. Relishing the weight of his body on top of hers, his lean hips pistoning between hers, the thick, hard thrust of him inside of her. It was indescribable, and her fingernails dug into his back when she gasped her way into another amazing orgasm. Her climax triggered his, and he lowered his forehead to her shoulder as he plunged into her a final time.

“Oh God, Tina.” His voice was dazed and breathless and a little lost. “I love you. I love you so much.”

He went limp and collapsed on top of her for a few seconds before sluggishly removing the condom. He shifted to the side but tugged her close, his arm draped across her stomach and his head resting on her chest. His body slackened and grew heavy with sleep mere seconds later.

While Tina lay there, trapped by his weight and unable to get his final, groaning confession out of her head. She fell asleep with the words still ringing in her ears.

“Whachu doing?” Harris’s voice was muffled by a pillow, and he peeled open his good eye to catch Tina’s gaze as she dragged on her dress.

“Getting ready to do a walk of shame down to my car.” Tina had driven him home the night before. With his eye swelling at an alarming rate, he’d been in no fit state to drive himself.

“Whazza time?” he slurred. He looked shattered, which reminded Tina that he was probably still suffering from jet lag.

“Just after eight.”

“Fuuuuuuck!” He pushed himself up reluctantly and blinked sleepily. “I have a meeting at eight thirty.”

“Postpone it—you look far from professional right now. You look like a prizefighter. It’s kind of sexy but definitely not professional. And you have jet lag. Take some time to get acclimated, for heaven’s sake.”

He cracked his neck and opened his mouth with a jaw-popping yawn. “Where are you off to?”

“Back to my hotel, for a shower and change. I have a meeting with a real estate agent at nine.”

“See you tonight?” he asked, his voice deliberately nonchalant.

She sauntered over to the bed and bent at the waist to kiss him.

“What time?” she asked huskily.

“Eight. Meet at my parents’ place?”

“Sounds fine. Thank you for coming with me last night and . . . you know? Everything else.” She tried to keep the blush at bay but failed miserably, her face heating up at the memory of what “everything else” had entailed.

He grinned wickedly, the smile combined with his swollen blue eye and crooked nose giving him a decidedly roguish appearance.

“Oh, Bean, it was most definitely my pleasure.”

Harris was in the shower when he first realized it was there. He was so used to its weight that he didn’t notice it at first. In fact, his hand must have brushed over it a few times while he was soaping his chest before he registered its presence.