Chapter Sixteen
Harlow
Slamming the door open without a second thought, I’m not prepared for the sight that reaches my eyes.Holy fuck. Declan is on his bed, clad in only his boxers briefs, with a little chocolate point kitten on his nicely defined chest, syringing food into its mouth, all the while cooing to it. Fuck me, I think my ovaries spontaneously combusted. I mean, I know it’s an animal, but hey, I'm a vet. Not to mention the seriously important question of how he stays so tan when he works in an office building all the time. I can’t wait to unravel the mystery that is the Summers brothers, but I need to tread carefully with this one. Still not really sure where he stands.
He hasn’t even flinched though I know he’s seen me. Finally lifting his head, he casually raises one eyebrow at me. “Yes?” His voice is low and gravelly so as not to scare the kitten. Taking it all in, I feel a little sheepish now.
“Ah, yeah, I was trying to get a little payback,” I explain as I move across to the bed.
“Harlow, if you want to see me naked, you only have to ask.” He smirks at me. “Preferably on your knees.”
“Keep dreaming, asshole,” I scoff, but the idea of how that could go is in my head now, ready to cause all kinds of problems for my panties. Thankfully, I manage to school my face and change the subject to what I’m really here for instead. “Is this little one doing better now?” I ask, reaching over and taking the kitten from Declan’s chest, and yes, my fingers might have brushed against his skin by accident.
I examine the kitten all over, and its tiny plaintive squeaks are loud and enthusiastic, as is his squirming. His skin has the full spring back you would expect from a well-hydrated kitten. “Have you seen him on Princess yet?” I ask, looking around the room for the enclosure. He climbs off the bed, syringe in hand, and gestures to his closet. Walking into it, I'm hit in the face with that exotic scent that is all Declan. I have no clue what it is, but it makes my nipples pucker under my cami. It really is mouthwatering, and I have no idea how our brief time alone together has me as thoroughly trained as Pavlov’s dog.
On the floor in a quiet corner is the cat enclosure. Looking in, I can see Princess with her other three kittens where she looks up at me with a meow. Unzipping the mesh lid, I place the other kitten back with its siblings and watch as it nuzzles instinctively, finding what it needs, and starts feeding. “I think you can be happy now that this one is back to normal,” I tell Declan, standing back up. “You can do away with the feeds now, and it should survive on what Princess can provide. Also, leave the enclosure open. The kittens won't go anywhere, but Princess might need to stretch her legs or just get away for a little bit. She’ll return.”
I feel a heat at my back, so I spin and find Declan inches from me. “Good morning, Harlow. Sleep well?” His words are so suggestive that I start to blush, and his eyebrows raise in surprise. “Oh, what doesthatblush mean?” He leans in and whispers in my ear, the stubble on his chin brushing across my cheek, “Could it be that one of my brothers made sure you had a good night?” I push at him, my blush deepening, to get him out of my space.
His chest is a solid wall of muscle, but he easily moves out of my way with a laugh, and I push past him, not wanting to be trapped in a confined space while we still have issues between us. I’m not sure I wouldn't jump his bones if we’d stayed there any longer.
Once I get back out into the wide space of his bedroom and can breathe easier, I whirl around to face him, hands on my hips. Time to ask the hard questions again. “Would that be a problem?”
He raises his eyebrows as I step toward him slowly. “Would it bother you if I spent the night with one of your other brothers worshipping my body?” I push as I run my hands over my curves, his eyes locked to their path. He can’t hide his reaction, and I see his cock harden under the thin fabric of his briefs, watching his chest quickly rise and fall as his heart rate increases.
“No, surprisingly it doesn’t. Anyone else, I’d be jealous as fuck, but strangely enough, it makes me happy thinking about you and my brothers. As long as you're willing to throw a little sugar my way as well.”
His hands slide to my hips and he pulls me even closer, his eyes twinkling playfully. I like this side of Declan; it’s such a contrast to what I’ve seen previously.
“So...” I reply, my voice low, getting on my tiptoes so we're even closer now. “Did you have that little chat with Jacinta?” I ask, not letting him in on the fact that I’ve already spoken to her about my feelings. Nope, he needs to make his feelings clear as well.
“Not yet,” he says as he leans in to claim my lips, but I quickly dodge them and duck out of his hold, hurrying for the door before I do anything stupid like climb him like a tree.
“Well, let me know when you get that done. I know how badly you wanted to do that before we started something,” I taunt, a small smile on my lips as he groans in frustration and runs a hand through his silky strands.
“What the fuck was I thinking?” he mutters, but it’s loud enough to hear, spreading a huge grin across my face. This is so much fun and a kind of payback all on its own.
As I run downstairs, I'm happy that my knee doesn't seem to be giving me any more pain. I’m looking forward to the weekend, and I can’t wait to see what Kai has planned.And Jaxon,that thirsty little voice in my head whispers despite me being unsure whether he’s earned his own time with me yet.
* * *
Jaxon
Iwas nervous as fuck all night. thinking about our upcoming trip to Hawaii with Harlow, so I eventually gave up on trying to sleep. Instead, I swam laps in the pool. The early morning air was fresh, and it had the smell that it got when the seasons were starting to change. Late summer was leading into autumn, and although there isn't a huge change in California, you can still tell that it’s coming. The water was cool and refreshing on my restless body, and I don't know how long I lapped back and forth, but by the time I was done, the sun was poking its way over the horizon, lighting the sky a pale blue in what looked like another cloudless sunny day.
Breathing hard, I lean against the tiled wall, pushing my dripping hair back off my face
and trying to get some of my breath back. And while the swim has succeeded in wearing my body out, my mind hasn't stopped racing. My thoughts are stuck on every moment I’ve spent with Harlow and how things have changed since she appeared, beginning with that night I first met her at the club.
I was an idiot to let Jacinta get into my head when Dad had announced to us all that a biological daughter had come forward. Of course all seven of us were skeptical since we’ve all had our fair share of people trying to form relationships with us because of our money and success. Some of us have been burnt more than others; Thomas is about as closed off as anyone could be when it comes to women. But Jacinta was the worst of us. When mom betrayed her again the second time, she broke something in my sister, something that I’m not entirely sure can be fixed.
But Mom didn't just break something in Jacinta, she damaged something inside of me. I have a nearly terminal weakness for damsels in distress—a hero complex some might suggest—and time and time again, I have fallen for a sob story. Fallen for women who “needed” my help, usually with money, only to be used and cast aside, or more often they were chased away by my sister. I always figured if she was able to chase them away, they weren’t with me for the right reasons. Just once, it would be nice to be wanted for me. I think that's why I was so angry about Harlow. When we had met at the club, she seemed to be strong and independent, not the kind of woman who’d turn around and only ask about what I could do for her. It was like a breath of fresh air, a real chance that maybe I could have something for myself.
And then I fucked it all up, was a giant ass, and Jacinta did her usual. Well, actually, she might have done her worst; most of the girls never got quite as much of a public shaming as Harlow did. But lo and behold, she didn’t run away. Sure, she tucked tail for a little bit to get some of her fight back, but she’s still fucking here, and if that isn’t proof enough that she’s truly here for Dad and not someone’s bank account, then I don’t know what is. Why else would she be willing to suffer the way Jacinta and the rest of us treated her? She could get money from the Bostons and put up with far less bullshit.
Of course, I realize all of thisafterI’ve dealt myself a serious disadvantage. Story of my fucking life.
So I made a decision as soon as I invited myself along on Kai’s trip to Hawaii that I was going to sit down with Jacinta and have a chat with her. I love her, but I won't let her get in the way of me, or any of us now, pursuing a relationship of some kind with Harlow. Although it seems my sister has done a bit of soul searching herself, and probably a call to her shrink has helped, but she seems to be softening her stance. Especially after Harlow helped save Prada yesterday. And what the fuck is with that? Harlow’s a vet? I’m sure we talked about careers that first night, but when I think back I asked about her calluses on her hands, and she told me about horse training. I guess I just made the assumption there.
