"Comes with the burger, sweetheart. And trust me, you want the fries. I make 'em fresh."
"Perfect."
Murphy heads back to his grill, and we're alone again. Well, as alone as you can be with two MC members in the corner and Murphy frying food ten feet away.
"So, you come here often?" Harper asks, and I can tell she's trying to sound casual. Trying to understand why this place, why now, why me bringing her here when I apparently never bring anyone else.
"Yeah, pretty regularly. Usually with Boone and the rest of the guys from the ranch. We'll come here after a long day, grab burgers, shoot the shit. It's our spot."
"And you've never brought a girl here? Seriously?" She's studying me now, those amber eyes searching my face like she's trying to figure out if I'm full of shit.
"Never," I confirm. "It's not exactly the most romantic setting."
"Then why bring me?"
It's a fair question. And I could give her some bullshit answer, something smooth and easy. But I don't want to do that with her. Don't want to play games or pretend to be something I'm not.
"Because I wanted you to see a part of me that others don't get to see," I say honestly. "The real stuff, not just the guy at the bar buying drinks and dancing. I wanted you to know about the tree I crashed into and the burger place I've been coming to since I was a kid and the town I've never left because I love it here. I wanted to show you that when I said I wouldn't prefer any of those other girls, I meant it."
She's quiet for a moment, processing this. Then that small smile appears, the one that makes her dimples show. "I still have no idea if you're an honest idiot or just an idiot."
I laugh, relieved that she's teasing instead of running. "Definitely an honest idiot."
"At least you're self-aware."
Murphy returns with two plates loaded with massive burgers and a mountain of golden fries. The burgers are perfectly cooked, juice running down the sides, topped with crispy bacon and melted cheese. My stomach growls just looking at it.
"Enjoy, kids," Murphy says, then heads back to his grill.
Harper picks up her burger, and I watch as she takes her first bite. The special sauce, Murphy's secret recipe that he refuses to share with anyone, drips down the side, and she catches it with her tongue. Her lips are full and plump around the burger, and there's sauce on the corner of her mouth that she doesn't seem to notice.
Fuck.
My cock throbs in my jeans, an immediate and undeniable response to watching her eat. Which is insane. It's just a burger. Just her taking a bite of food. But all I can think about is how those lips would look wrapped around my cock. How that tongue would feel licking me instead of catching burger sauce. How her mouth would stretch to take me, those plump lips sliding down my length while she looked up at me with those amber eyes.
I shift in my seat, trying to adjust myself discreetly. This is not the time or place to be getting hard. We're in Murphy's, for fuck's sake, but my body doesn't give a shit about appropriate timing. She leans forward to grab a napkin from the dispenser and dabs at her mouth, completely oblivious to the effect she's having on me.
"You were right," she says. "This burger is incredible."
"Told you," I manage, my voice shakier than I intended.
She takes another bite, and I force myself to look away. Force myself to focus on my own burger, on eating like a normalperson instead of sitting here fantasizing about her mouth on my cock.
This is going to be a long night.
A long, torturous, amazing night.
Chapter 7 - Harper
The burger is fantastic, but I'm more interested in Colt.
He looks so handsome sitting across from me, so carefree, so genuinely happy to be here as he munches on his burger like it's the best thing he's ever tasted. There's grease on his fingers and a smear of sauce at the corner of his mouth, and he looks completely at ease. Completely himself.
When was the last time I felt this cherished? When was the last time I went on a date, if this even is a date, and felt like the person next to me actually enjoyed my company? Actually wanted to be there instead of just going through the motions?
Derek never looked at me like this. Never smiled like this when we were together. He always seemed distracted, checking his phone, looking at other women, counting down the minutes until he could leave.
But Colt is here. Fully present. Focused entirely on me and this moment, and it doesn't even matter that we're in a run-down burger joint with peeling paint and questionable health code compliance.
