You’re Mine by Penny Brooks
Chapter 72

Chapter 72

Easton

“Good morning, gorgeous,” I say to Harper the moment I reach herlocker, leaning against the one beside hers, so I have a full view of her.Goddamn it, she looks sexy in the morning.

Hair still a little wet and wild, like when I get done fucking her. Skinsmelling all tropical. Lips covered in gloss, so they look plump and juicy.I cinch her waist with my fingers, and she immediately slaps them away,practically growling, “Morning.” She slams her locker shut and takes astep back.

What the fuck?

I don't let her get very far, catching her before she’s no more than apace away, and I turn her around to face me. “What's wrong?”

She laughs in a way that tells me none of this is funny. “Really? Youcan't tell what's wrong?”

Women.

I can't for the fucking life of me ever figure them out.

But all signs point to her being pissed about something.

“You're mad.” I search both of her eyes. “But what about?”

“It's sorta mind blowing that you're just noticing. That you didn't see Iwas mad last, night.”

“Last night?” This time, I grip her waist, ignoring when she tries towiggle away, and I pull her into the quiet entrance of an unusedclassroom. She stays, but moves back, putting distance between us. Iwait for her to look at me before I continue, “Let me get this straight.You instigated sex at your house, you texted me before you went tobed. How am I supposed to know you're angry?”

“Every indication was there, Easton. You just weren't paying attention.”“What?” I look at her like she’s speaking a different language. “I have noidea what you're talking about.”

“Because you were too sexed-up and orgasm-high when you left myhouse to notice that I practically kicked you out.”

I thought back to my exit and it was a little rushed. “What about yourtext?”

“It was one word-night.”

I'm tempted to pull out my phone, but it isn't worth it. She isn’t backingdown until she wins this.

"Harper,"

“No,” she says, cutting me off. “You need to understand that I gave youwhat you needed last night to calm you down. I was afraid you weregoing to do something stupid, like go over to Blake's house and knockhim out to the point where you got arrested. But that doesn’t changethe way I feel and how much it sucks that you chose Ryan over me.”

I sigh.

This argument is a giant waste of our time.

“That's not what happened.”

Her top lip curls. “Seriously? That's what you're going to come backwith when we both know that's exactly what happened.” She points herfinger at my chest. “The second you got that phone call, you rushed usinto your Jeep, you drove across town like you were competing inNascar, and the minute I got out at my house, you practically peeledout.” II try to intervene, and she stops me. “I wanted the pizza dinner,the alone time with you, and to feel like it's more than just ..” Her voicecuts off and emotion begins to fill her eyes. “Sex.” She swallows. “I feellike that's all you care about, that you don't give a shit about how Ifeel.”

I shake my head. “I can't fucking believe this ..."Iglance toward thehallway, making sure no one is listening to us. “Everything was finebetween us, it was perfect. We had a great time when we ditchedschool, you were screaming your little lungs out when I was making youcome in the hot tub. And now? We're here? Where is this even comingfrom?

We're fighting about something that doesn’t even matter.”

“That's the problem, Easton. It does matter. It's the whole base of ourrelationship. If you run off to Ryan every time we're in the middle ofsomething, we're never going to work. I need to know I matter too.”Her voice lowers. “I need to know you care.”

I don't like her assumptions.

I don't like the hurt in her eyes.

And I don't like that she’s been sending so many mixed messages-fucking me, texting me, hating me-that I can't even keep up.

“Tell me what you want, Harper.”

“Communication.”

“That's it?"

Her hands push against the wall behind her. “That would be a start. Ifyou're going to go

all Nascar driver on me, then at least tell me why you're driving thatway and where you're going.”

I go to reach for her and decide to cross my arms instead. “But I didn’tknow why Ryan needed me.”

“The point is, he needed you, he told you where to meet him, and yousaid nothing to me about it.”

She's asking me to be fully transparent, something I've never been withanyone. I don't normally do relationships, I just fuck. That means I'venever had anyone to report to, no one to answer to. I come, I go, I dome.

Harper wants to change that.

I take in a deep breath, holding it in. “I'll do my best.” My arms dropand I surround her waist, pulling her closer. “Does that earn me a kiss?"She rolls her eyes. "How much of that was the truth and how much wasbullshit just to get me into the janitor's closet so you can fuck meagainst the wall?”

I've missed her smile.

I'm happy it's back.

I pull her in closer, our bodies now touching. “The janitor's closetdoesn't have any good walls, they're all covered in supplies.” I growl as Ipress my lips to hers, taking in her

taste.

She gives me a small kiss and says, “You know, an I'm sorry’ would be anice, added touch.”

Damn it, she's relentless.

“I'm sorry.” I kiss her again. “I shouldn't have ditched you for Ryan.” Itaste her one more time and say, “Can I walk you to class now?”

She nods and I slip my arm around her shoulders. We haven't walkedmore than a few feet when I come across a face in the crowded hallwaythat makes my fucking teeth grind, my free hand clench.

Blake.

That fucking cocksucker.

“Down boy, we're in school,” Harper whispers in my ear, sensing mychange in temper. “Think of how much it'll suck if you get suspendedfor a week and you can't see me after every period.”

I don't give a fuck at this moment.

All I can think about is my fist meeting his nose.

“If he so much as glances in this direction, he's dead.”

I wait for the look.

For the visual goading.

For any excuse to fucking pummel him in this hallway.

But I don’t get the chance because Harper grabs my face, turning myattention toward her, and says, “What are you going to do to metonight?”

"Excuse me?”

“Tonight ... when I strip off my clothes and let you do anything youwant to me.”

I know what she’s doing.

And, fuck me, it's working.