Hopefully that explanation would suffice. When David was injured, so many police officers had responded and stayed with his parents at the scene and checked on his progress at the hospital, they became very close. Some had brought them food and arranged for him to be picked up after school and taken to the hospital to see David. At Christmas they’d brought gifts and a tree, as his parents had neither the strength nor the desire to celebrate the holiday. The officers became like a second family to him, and joining the force was his way of giving back.
But Colson was no fool, and those blue eyes pierced right through him, searching to the bottom of his shattered soul. Luck was on his side, as the bell rang.
“Food’s here.” He smiled and took a sip of his water. “I’ll put out the napkins.”
Colson shot him another searching look, then left him. Harper blew out a relieved breath and had the place settings on the kitchen island by the time Colson returned with their food. As they ate, he decided to do a little personal digging of his own.
“So I have to ask—what’s behind the name Colson? You have to admit it’s not something you hear every day.”
Colson made a face. “It was my mother’s maiden name. A few people call me Cole, because let’s face it, Colson is a mouthful.”
“I know that. I have it on firsthand knowledge.” He finished his burger. “Speaking of mouths…”
“Were we?” Colson asked with a wicked grin and a twinkle in his eye. “I thought we were talking about my name.”
“Be quiet, I’m trying to segue.” His hunger sated, Harper pulled Colson’s stool over with his foot until they were close enough to share the air between them. “Your mouth has a bit of ketchup, right there.” He leaned in and licked the tiny dip at the top. “Mmm. Delicious.”
“Thank you for being my personal napkin,” Colson teased.
“I’m not finished yet.” He slid his tongue in to meet Colson’s, and they sat kissing as the sun set outside.
“I should go.”
“You should?” Colson bit his earlobe, and his dick filled. “I don’t think so.”
“Yeah, I really should.” But he didn’t move. He couldn’t leave. Not yet.
“Why? You could spend the night.”
One last kiss to Colson’s sweet mouth, and he rose to his feet. “I can’t. I’ve got to get the rest of my clothes and my gun. Could you open the safe, please?”
Colson slid off the stool, his mouth set in a grim line. “Can I ask you something?”
“Ask away.” He shoved his hands into his pockets.
“You said you’re not married, but…are you involved with someone else? Getting out of a relationship? I’d rather know than not.”
Harper frowned. “No. I’m not like that. I’m not sleeping with anyone else.”
Colson opened the safe, and Harper reached in for his gun. Fully dressed, he could still see doubt etched on Colson’s face.
“I don’t know what else I can say. I’m not married, and I’m not with anyone else but you. I don’t want to be.” He didn’t know how else to let Colson know he wanted only him.
But Colson was stubborn and wouldn’t let go. “Yet you can’t stay the night. Do you have young children at home to take care of? Is that it?”
Little by little Colson was chipping away at the walls protecting his damaged heart, but Harper still couldn’t give in to what might be nothing more than physical desire. Several nights of amazing sex weren’t enough to let Colson into the tumult of his life. He sensed Colson was a good man, not someone to play with his affections, but recalling how Ronnie had fooled him so badly and upset their family dynamic, Harper still rebuffed him. “No. I don’t have children. Is not spending the night together a deal breaker?”
“I just don’t understand. We’ve had sex—you can’t be more intimate with someone than sharing your body—yet you won’t share my bed. Make it make sense.”
“I-I can’t. This is how it has to be.” The damage Ronnie had done to his trust in people might be the death knell of anything possible with Colson, but Harper couldn’t make himself take the chance to let Colson into the most important part of his life. “I’ll talk to you.”
His head hung low, he was halfway to the door when Colson called out to him.
“Harper?” He peered over his shoulder. “Feel like getting dinner soon? In a restaurant?”
And despite the serious conversation they’d had, Harper couldn’t resist teasing him. “Are you asking me on a date, Boy Scout?”
Colson made it to his side in three long strides. “After everything we’ve done together, you’re still calling me that?”
