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.

me she has a meeting with the

they're going to drag me in and ask all the

to press charges and for this to go to court.” "Does that mean things between you two will go back to the way they were?” He kisses the top of my

this is over, things will be cordial, but I assure

to class.” I tilt my neck back to look at his face, more

can live with

my eyes, back and forth, his hands holding my

skeletons in

just met

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

a past and his is just much

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

wants to kill you—

to talk to Blake,

"Blake?"

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

of it, it needs to end or we're just going to

seem to always

hand lowers to my

I can't blame the bastard, you're the hottest girl in our

kisses the end of my nose, a gesture so sweet it

putting a stop to it, he needs to set his

that conversation going to

He smiles.

"I'll be good.

so much more settled than when I was walking up

"Do you think Mrs.

left school? I know that sounds so

I sigh.

Easton, and I feel like there's a new

focused on me right

something, I'll give you

He comes even closer.

me before

lips crash against mine and my

me and pulls me

"Harper,"

he moans.

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

my

as I don't want to ever leave, we have to go