Page 106 of Pining for Pierce

“I was hoping you’d say that.”

“I kinda wish I hadn’t, though.”

“Why?” she says, sounding worried.

“Because I’m bone hard now, and you’re not here.”

I hear her let out a slight moan. “I wish I was.”

“So do I.”

“See you later?”

“You can count on it.”

We end the call, and I sit back, smiling to myself as I eat my sandwich.

Fortunately, by the time I’ve finished, my arousal has subsided to a contented thought of what’s to come when I get Harley home tonight… and that’s more than enough for now.

As it’s Saturday, I have to total up the week’s sales, and I take advantage of a lull in customers and get that done, saving the figures for Bridget and Rob to look at on Monday. This has been the best week since their departure, but I don’t think my newfound fame – if it can be called that – has done any harm, and I chuckle, fixing myself a coffee, just as my phone rings. I pull it out, frowning slightly when I see Harley’s name on the screen. It’s just after three, and I’m due to see her in less than an hour… so what can’t wait?

“Hi,” I say, answering. “Is something wrong?”

“Not necessarily wrong, but…”

“What’s happened?”

“My parents got back about an hour ago,” she says. “And although I know we agreed we’d tell them about us together, I…”

“You’ve told them already, haven’t you?”

“Not exactly. They guessed.”

I smile, shaking my head. “How did they take it?”

“They couldn’t be happier.” I can hear the relief in her voice, and my smile widens, although I’m not surprised. It’s exactly what I’d expected.

“They’re okay with you living here?” I say, just to be sure.

“Yes. It seems they’ve always known about my feelings for you… just like Ben. Which, I guess, means I wasn’t as good at hiding it as I thought.”

“You hid it well enough from me.”

“Only because you weren’t looking… and I’m not hiding anything from you now. I’m an open book as far as you’re concerned.”

“In that case, can I flick through a few pages when we get home tonight?”

She giggles, although the sound dies a lot more quickly than I’d like, and she says, “I—I told them about the accident, too.”

“You did?”

“Yeah. I forgot I couldn’t go to the grocery store for them because you have my car, so they said they’d go. It’s where they are now, actually, but I couldn’t afford for them to run into someone while they were there, and find out about the accident that way.”

“No. It was better that they heard about it from you… or me.”

“I know.”

“Are you okay, babe? I should have been with you. It can’t have been easy having to talk about it.”

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