HarperThe rest of the evening is a blur. Michael has to circulate, of course, but he comes back to Damien and me frequently to check in. He asks where I’m showing my work. I blush and say, “The Witch’s Brew coffee shop on Lake Street in Minneapolis.”Michael grins at me. “A perfect place to start.”“You’ll have to give some pieces to a proper gallery now, though. People will be wondering where to find your work,” Damien whispers in my ear.“Because you announced it in front of the press!” I reply.Damien gives me an innocent look. “Did I do that?”I squeeze his arm in gratitude, and he laughs.It’s late by the time we leave Michael, Julian and the rest of Damien’s acquaintances at the gallery. I can’t help but note that Damien didn’t call any of them his friends.“Do your friends not attend gallery openings?” I ask.Damien winces at me. “Caught that, did you? I don’t have a lot of friends, Harper. A man like me makes a lot of enemies. I do have one good friend, Laurence Killian, but
HarperI cry out, pleasure radiating through my body as Damien reaches around and thumbs my clit in time with his hard, deep thrusts.“How does it feel, little red bird?” he asks as he makes me come again.“S-So good.” My teeth chatter, and my knees are weak.He forces a third orgasm out of my body. Then a fourth. And still he doesn’t cum.“Damien,” I beg. “Please.” Damien must be close. I know he has to be close. “Please, Damien, cum inside me!”“Mmm, my good girl.” He slaps my ass, and my whole body tenses. I come again, and this time, as my body spasms around him, he finally grunts a few times and joins me.He groans, and his whole body shudders, but he’s still holding me up when my knees give out and I would have slid down the glass. He keeps pumping in and out of me until both our tremors cease.I can’t believe I just fucked a billionaire! I look back over my shoulder, and Damien is giving me a dirty look, as though he can read my mind.“Do you always last that long?” I ask him.
HarperOn Thursday, I get another ding on my phone from At a Loose End. I sigh. If it weren’t for the fact I haven’t been paid for my date with Damien yet, I’d have taken down my profile by now. I need that payment to process and hit my bank account!I look at my screen. Tomás. He’s offering less than anyone else I’ve dated for me to go with him to a quinceañera on Saturday. I know I should decline, but a message pings right away, and I feel compelled to read what he has to say.EspanolEsVida1: I know I haven’t offered a lot, but please hear me out @ArtIsMyLife33. My ex-wife is going to be at my niece’s quinceañera this Saturday, and she’s bringing a date. I absolutely, positively have to bring a younger, hotter date. I know that sounds shallow, but this woman destroyed my life. She destroyed me. She cheated, and my niece still wants her at her quinceañera. I’m desperate. Help!Thinking back on what Rafe did to me, I am galvanized into action.ArtIsMyLife33: Please, call me Harper. An
HarperIt feels just like old times. Except, instead of sitting in a beat-up old Corolla, we’re peeling through the city streets in a brand new red Ferrari.Rafe guides my hand expertly on the stick shift, his hand warm on mine, his strong fingers fitting right where they used to.“How’ve you been, Harper?” he asks. “How’s the painting going?”“I just actually had a big break,” I reply. ‘So, that’s been nice. I might be getting busy pretty soon.”“But not too busy to see me.” He gives me puppy-dog eyes.“No,” I reply softly. “Not too busy to see you.”He grins as we pull into the parking lot behind a sports bar. It looks like a bit of a dive, but then, he used to like those. Especially when people started to recognize him from college football. These types of places, nobody bothered him.Rafe takes off his seatbelt, then leans over to undo mine, following it all the way to the other side of my body. I can feel his breath on my cheek. He smells the same, like musk and the same cologne
HarperScott Bauer: Hey, Harper. What are you doing this weekend?I roll over and look at my phone. My adrenaline spikes with both excitement and trepidation. It’s Scott!We haven’t corresponded all week, and this is the first time I’m realizing it. I am such a bad girlfriend.Potential girlfriend.Hey, wait, why hasn’t he texted me before now?I might be a little indignant, actually.Harper Ward: Hey, stranger. How’ve you been?Scott Bauer: Missing you. *cheese emoji*I laugh.Harper Ward: LOL, liar. You been busy?Scott Bauer: *pouty face emoji* I really have missed you. But yeah, busy. Some asshole crop duster was a little off on his aim and sprayed pesticides on a small area of the farm.I wince, and text back quickly.Harper Ward: Oh, Scott, I’m so sorry. That sucks big time.Scott Bauer: Yeah, well, I had to rip out that crop. It’s all fix
Tomás¿Ella está aquí para mí? I couldn’t believe who I was seeing. Helena, perhaps the most dedicated, intelligent, beautiful student I’ve ever had the pleasure of teaching, had walked up to my car. I thought for a moment she’d been heading for the tan Ford, but no. Helena is my date.Helena is my date!I have to keep checking that she’s here next to me in my Volvo. It’s just surreal.Helena puts her hand on my thigh. Mi chile is not immune to this, even though I know it’s meant to be a comforting gesture. I mean, the most sexy woman that I’ve ever seen has her hand six inches from my huevos. “I’m here, and I’m going to be right here the whole time, Tomás.”Of course. I need to remember she’s doing this as a favor for me because of Carmen.Por Dios, I hate that woman. Sitting there, naked, on my bed with that pendejo she’d
TomásI’m sure Carmen’s humiliation was masterful and her exit the perfect end to a toxic relationship. I was only tertiarily aware of it, however. As soon as that disgusting cerdo of a man began eye-fucking Helena, I was only aware of the blood rushing in my ears.It’s a good thing Alex is a dentist, because if they hadn’t left when they did, I was going to knock his teeth out. “I’m sorry, Helena. I didn’t expect that man would be such a pig.”She slides her hand into mine and squeezes it. “I kind of did, so don’t worry about it.”I bring her hand to my lips and kiss it. “You were spectacular.”“You weren’t even paying attention,” she replies shrewdly.“No.” I brush my fingers through the hair at the back of her neck, the part she’s left down. “I wasn’t.” I lean close to her.She cups my cheeks, k
Harper“Lie back,” Tomás tells me, and I lay down on the cold, hard surface of his desk. It’s kinda hot.He leans over me, pressing his palms to the desktop on either side of me. “God, you are so beautiful,” he whispers, kissing my shoulder. He latches onto my nipple next, and I whimper, gripping the edge of the desk and arching my back.“Profe,” I beg. “I’m ready. Please, fuck me.”Tomás groans and one hand disappears behind the desk. He lines his head up to press against my entrance. While he’s still sucking my nipple, he starts to push inside of me.He’s so wide. Not as long as Scott, but definitely thicker, if that’s even possible. He stretches me wall to wall and I throw my head back, gasping as he goes in to the hilt.“Do you like that?” he asks.As if I’m going to tell him no! “Si, profe,” I reply.&l
*Scott*Harper’s been acting different all afternoon. It’s subtle enough that most people would miss it, but I know her too well. She’s smiling too tightly, laughing with a little too much energy, fidgeting in the way she only does when she’s trying to hide something. I could probably write a field guide to Harper Ward’s anxious ticks, and they’re all fully on display today.We’re hanging the last of her paintings in the studio, lining up each piece she’s created for her gallery showing. Harper’s perched on the step stool, holding a canvas while I measure and mark the wall. She’s so focused now, she’s barely breathing.“All right,” I say, stepping back. “That’s level.”“Great,” she says, but the smile doesn’t quite reach her eyes.I hand her the hammer, and she drives the nail into place with more force than necessary, her knuckles tight around the handle.“Okay, what’s going on?” I ask, leaning my shoulder against the wall. “Because if you hit that nail any harder, we’re gonna end up
*Harper*I stare at the dining table, wondering if I’ve overdone it. I’ve definitely overdone it. McKenzy, Melody, and I are the only three having dinner, but I’ve cooked enough for a small army. Roast chicken, garlic mashed potatoes, a side salad, and fresh bread with this fancy herb butter that McKenzy made sit on the table ready to be consumed. I even baked a peach cobbler because I remember Melody liking peaches when we were kids.I know it’s ridiculous since this is just a dinner to discuss baby shower plans, but my anxiety has forced me to create something that feels warm and welcoming, even if this entire situation is about as awkward as it gets. McKenzy peeks over my shoulder as I straighten a fork for the fourth time.“You want to tell me why you’re acting like you’re hosting the damn royal family?” she asks sarcastically.I snort. “Because I have no idea how this is going to go, and if it’s a disaster, at least I can feed her into a food coma,” I tell her honestly, laying
*Tomas*I know Harper well enough by now to see when stress is eating her alive, even when she tries to hide it behind that bright, brave smile. Her art show has been consuming every spare second of her time, and on top of that, she still acts like Carmen is going to jump out at her every time we’re out together.That’s why today is all about her.She has no idea what I have planned, and the look of surprise when I show up at her door with a coffee in one hand and a bag of pastries in the other makes me feel like I already won the day.“Buenos días, preciosa.” I kiss her cheek as she opens the door, stepping inside before she can protest. “I’m stealing you for the day.”She blinks at me, still in her robe, hair a messy knot on top of her head. “Stealing me? What do you mean?”“I made an itinerary.” I wave a folded piece of paper in front of her face, then set it on the counter. “You deserve a ‘you day,’ Harper. No painting, no stress. Just you being pampered like the queen you are.”H
*Harper*I’m practically vibrating with excitement when I burst into the apartment, nearly knocking poor McKenzy off the couch. She’s got paint in her hair, a bowl of popcorn balanced on her lap, and her laptop open to some DIY tutorial. The moment she sees my face, her eyes go wide.“Okay, what’s got you bouncing off the walls like a caffeinated squirrel?” she asks, grinning as she sets her popcorn aside.“We’re doing it!” I practically sing, spinning in a circle. “We’re having our art show. And it’s going to be huge.”McKenzy gasps and leaps off the couch to grab my hands. “Shut up. Are you serious? How did this happen?”“Damien,” I answer, breathless from my impromptu happy dance. “I mentioned it to him, and before I could even finish the sentence, he had this whole plan. He said he’s going to blast it all over social media and call in favors from every art critic, influencer, and high-society snob he knows.”McKenzy’s jaw drops. “Holy shit. You know what this means, right?”“That
*Harper*McKenzy’s perched on top of a step stool, paintbrush clenched between her teeth, holding two wildly different knobs up to a half-finished dresser. One is sleek brass, the other shaped like a ceramic lemon.“I’m thinking weird fruit motif,” she says around the brush. “Or is that too quirky farm wife?”“Knowing you,” I say, smearing cobalt blue across my latest canvas, “it’s exactly the right amount of quirky farm wife.”She grins and tosses the lemon knob into her tool bag. “Perfect. If Scott hates it, I’ll tell him to take it up with my creative genius.”The studio feels especially bright today, sunlight spilling through the windows, illuminating the organized chaos we’ve turned it into. My corner smells like oil paint and turpentine. McKenzy’s side smells like sawdust and wood stain.McKenzy spins on her stool, eyeing my painting. “That’s new.”“Just started it last night,” I say. “It’s about Melody. Sort of.”She leans closer, frowning slightly. “It’s angry.”“It’s complica
*Harper*My third cup of coffee sits half-finished on the table, paint still clinging to the edges of my nails from a morning spent lost in my latest piece. McKenzy’s out running errands, the apartment is quiet, and I’m riding the kind of creative high that only comes when everything just clicks.I’m about to dip my brush into a streak of deep teal when my phone buzzes. I grab it without thinking, expecting McKenzy or Scott or maybe one of the guys.It’s the gallery in Chicago.My stomach flips.“Hello?” I answer, trying not to sound like someone who just inhaled a cinnamon roll while juggling a paintbrush between her teeth.“Harper! It’s Stephanie at the Whitney.” Her voice is bright, almost bubbly. That’s already a good sign.“Hi!” I tuck the phone between my ear and shoulder, scrambling for a notepad in case I need to write anything down.“I hope I’m not interrupting, but I wanted to call personally,” Stephanie says. “We’ve had some really wonderful interest in your work after that
*Scott*The house feels too quiet when Harper’s not here. Even with Milo chasing his tail in the living room and the soft hum of the radio in the kitchen, it’s not the same. There’s no burst of laughter from the next room, no clatter of her paintbrushes or the sound of her humming off-key while she raids my fridge.I knew when we started this wild, unconventional, what-the-hell-are-we-even-doing relationship that Harper would never belong to just me, and I accepted that. Most days, I’m fine with it. But when she’s in San Francisco, it’s impossible not to feel like I’m missing a part of her. Still, that’s my problem, not hers.So the second I hear she’s back in town, I text her.Me: Dinner at my place? Home-cooked. I promise.Her response comes almost immediately.Harper: Does this include puppy snuggles? Because I miss Milo. (And you, I guess.)I laugh out loud, shaking my head.Me: I’ll allow it. Be ready at six.When she slides into my truck, Milo goes ballistic, wiggling all over t
*Harper*Flying with Damien never stops feeling opulent. The jet is sleek and perfect, just like everything he owns. The leather seats are softer than my actual bed, and the flight attendant knows my drink order before I even ask.Damien’s beside me, dressed too well for travel, effortlessly handsome in that “I own the world” way that still leaves me slightly breathless.I sip my champagne, curling my legs under me as the clouds drift past the window. “So, just out of curiosity, what do you think regular people do when they want to visit their boyfriend in another state?”Damien grins, stretching an arm across the back of my seat. “I have no idea.”I laugh, leaning into him, the bubbles already fizzing pleasantly in my bloodstream.Before long, we’ve landed and made our way through town to Levi’s Stadium. The place is loud and alive, fans decked out in red and gold, chanting and waving banners. Damien’s private box is, as always, the best seat in the house.Rafe looks incredible on th
*Harper*My phone rings as I’m balancing a coffee mug in one hand and my sketchpad in the other. I almost ignore it, but the Chicago area code catches my eye. It’s the Whitney Gallery. I set everything down and grab my phone just before the call rolls to voicemail. “Hello?”“Hi, is this Harper Ward?”“This is she.”“This is Stephanie from the Whitney Gallery in Chicago. I’m calling with some incredible news.”I blink, my heart leaping into my throat. “Go on,” I squeak out, annoyed by how amateur I sound. “We sold your piece,” she says, her voice bubbling with excitement. “It went for considerably more than the asking price. You’ll be receiving a huge check from us.”“Oh, my God,” I breathe, my knees weakening until I have to lean against the counter. “That’s… wow. That’s amazing.”“It’s well deserved,” Stephanie says warmly. “We’d love to have more of your work if you’re interested.”“I’m definitely interested,” I manage, my mind spinning.We wrap up the call, and when I hang up, I j