Page 36 of Country Contract

Not knowing what to do with my embarrassment, I say the first thing that comes to mind.

“Why is your door unlocked?!”Stupid.

Harlow barks out a loud laugh. “I don’t know, I’m on acres upon acres of private property that require someone to get through a main gate for entry. I kind of thought I was safe here.” She crosses her arms, and her perky chest sits at higher attention.

I inwardly groan. Why can’t she be ugly on top of being a witch?

“You are safe. There’s a cold front coming through, and I wanted to make sure your heaters were turned up.”

“That caused you to barge in here like a bat out of hell?” She doesn’t set the candleholder down; it rests against her hip while her arms are crossed, looking heavy and dangerous. Harlow’s feet make their way across the creaky floor toward me.

“I was joggin’ to stay warm and was just testing the door. You should lock it. Regardless of being safe on the property.” She’s standing in front of me, and I catch her scent. She smells like she just had a shower, and the scent is like a soap from Franny’s family shop. Rosewater? Jojoba? It smells great on her. It’s light and wispy in contrast to her natural dark aura.

“That’s ridiculous. I turned the heater up in here and my room, no need to worry.” She unwraps herself and presses the holder against my chest. It’s hard enough the cause pressure as she slides it down to brush across my nipple.

Are men’s nipples sensitive too?I’ve never had a woman touch my nipples.

“Best jog back so you don’t catch that chill, Harrison,” she states, and against everything inside me I let out a groan.She hears me and flashes a quick, sinister smile. Her long lashes blink as she looks up at me.

I start to back up, feeling intimidated and more aroused than ever before. The next thing I know, my back is against the wall and Harlow is holding the candleholder to my throat. She drags the metal down along the thick muscles of my neck and it bobs when I swallow. She smiles in appreciation. Down it goes, back to my pebbled nipple and she flicks it.

I clench my jaw to hold in any sound; she sees my internal struggle. Slowly, so damn slowly, she drags it across the other hard nipple, and I bite the inside of my cheek.

“Hey, kid,” she starts, and I shiver. “It looks like you’re a little scared.” Her voice is raspy and so fucking hot. I try to think of something to say, but then I feel long, delicate fingers and a firm palm cup me through my pants. Without underwear, it feels like almost nothing at all separates her hand from me.

My hands are fisted at my sides, fighting to take hold of what I want. The slightest shift in her hand in combination with the candleholder is driving me wild.

“Are you nervous, kiddo?”

Fuck. It.

I snap, growling before I grab her wrists firmly, causing her to drop the holder. It loudly clangs against the hardwood floors, but it’s muffled by the blood rushing my ears. Before she can say another word, I flip her and pin her back against the wall. Her wrists are captive in my hands, my erection pressing firmly against her pelvis, and my eyes boring into her. We’re a breath apart, and I have one last rational thought left in me.

“Stop me, Harlow,” I say through gritted teeth.

She only gives me a challenging look.

“Or what, ki—” My mouth slams against hers, and I finally elicit a reaction from her. I feel her shiver under me before she meets me. Her teeth nip at my bottom lip, and I growl in approval.

I want more, so I take what she’s willing to give.

Chapter 16

Harlow

Holy shit.

One kiss.

One fucking kiss and I finally wrote something I’m happy with. How does one kiss lead to constructive writing? By motivating and inspiring me, that’s how.

I’ve written little poems and a few short stories in the past but nothing substantial. I thought my dreams of creating literature had died, but apparently, they were just hibernating. With one kiss, Harrison woke that all up.

In the past, I have had passionate lovers, relationships that satisfied me, moments that made my heart skip a beat. The feeling I had in the hallway with Harrison was much different from all that.

I knew I was egging him on, I knew that it was going to set him off. I wanted to. I wanted to get under his skin and see what he would do. How far wasHarrison willing to go?

He’s obviously looking for hisforever girl, and Lord knows I can’t be that with Heath breathing down my neck. But that doesn’t mean I can’t use this vacation to loosen up and inspire myself.

---