You’re Mine by Penny Brooks

Harper

"But I didn't fuck her, baby,"

Easton says, his hand moving to my face.

“I didn’t touch her at all.” I want to push him away, but the sound of his voice is what I cling to.

The softness, the rawness, the truth I see in his eyes.

"I couldn't do it,"

he continues.

"I got to her house, I told her how much you mean to me, and that I'm willing to take whatever punishment comes my way but to leave you out of it.” The ache in my stomach turns to something else.

Relief? Tingles? There's so much emotion running through me, I'm not sure I can differentiate my feelings anymore.

But I know I need to hear something again, I need to hear it over and over until it sinks in.

"You really didn't have sex with her?"

He shakes his head.

"No, baby."

His other hand joins my face.

“I didn’t kiss her, I didn’t touch her—nothing happened between us."

His stare deepens.

"I care about you, Harper, more than you think I do.” I fall against his chest and his arms wrap around me, his scent, his warmth, his breath—all giving me so much comfort.

This morning, I didn't know if I'd be here again with him and now I can't imagine being anywhere else.

My eyes close and after a few seconds I ask, “How are we going to get out of this mess?"

“It's my mess, not yours."

I squeeze him tighter.

"You're not in this alone."

"I am because there's no way I'm dragging you into it.

You got enough shit from WHGOSSIP, you don’t need anymore."

I bury my face in his neck.

"What's going to happen?"

"Mrs.

and told me she has a meeting

drag me in and ask all the questions, but I'm not going to

thing I need is for anyone to press charges and for this to go to court.” "Does that mean things between you two will go

be cordial, but I assure you I won't be asking for

being this late to class.” I tilt my

can live with

my eyes, back and forth, his hands holding my face

all have skeletons in our closet,

met one

hearing that he slept with

Scott.

so much older than us and married and all the guys think she's so hot—things I'm trying not to focus on, those layers will

have a past and his is just much more sexual than

doesn't change how I feel about you, but I'm pretty sure you're going to have to explain this all to my

the thought of Ryan's face this morning on the

wants to kill you—

to talk to Blake, too.”

"Blake?"

I turn around, he's there, trying to get with

it needs to end or we're just going to

seem to always

hand lowers

can't blame the bastard, you're

of my nose, a gesture so sweet it makes my

to

conversation going

He smiles.

"I'll be good.

up here to the roof, but there are still things

"Do you think Mrs.

we left school? I know that sounds so trivial considering what you're about to face, but I want to prepare myself

I sigh.

Easton, and I feel like there's a new

on me right now.” His face

I'll

He comes even closer.

before I

lips crash against mine and my

surrounds me and pulls me in and

"Harper,"

he moans.

a sound I can't get enough of, a security I've needed since the

of my mouth, and he separates

much as I don't want to ever leave, we