Page 73 of The Beekeeper

“Good night, Blaze.”

I made it to the hallway before I stopped to listen to make sure I heard her door shut, and then I continued upstairs. I’d made plenty of mistakes in my lifetime to recognize all the signs of one of them. Crossing this line with Harper was a mistake, there was no doubt in my mind. Just like there was no way I could undo it. No way I could stop it now. Now, my only recourse was making sure I wasn’t making the biggest mistake of my life.

And in that vein, I pulled out my cell phone and messaged Aria. I knew it was late but I didn’t care. I needed to start house hunting. The sooner Harper came with an expiration date, the easier this would be.

Chapter 17

Harper

“Hi.” I fumbled the single syllable as Blaze walked into the dining room, my feet rooted to the other side of the kitchen counter from the moment I heard him coming down the stairs.

“Morning,” he drawled, his voice husky as his eyes raked over me.

I had on sleep shorts and a tee—the end result of five different morning-after attire that I’d tried on earlier. I didn’t want to look too sexy—like I was trying too hard. I also didn’t want to look like a slob. I also didn’t want to look too put-together like I was worried about what I was wearing…I overthought it until I threw on something I’d worn a few weeks ago, the morning after the thunderstorm.

Blaze, on the other hand, wore nothing but his gray sweatpants. Those, I’d seen before—lucky me—but not without a shirt. Not with his broad chest and stacked abs laid out like a buffet or the deep V down to the low-hanging waistband or lower…

My tongue pushed against my teeth, trying to get out words but none came.

“Are you…okay?” he finally asked, coming closer to scrutinize me and my answer.

“Yeah.” My head bobbed. “I just…umm…do you want breakfast? Coffee? I can make eggs or pancakes or waffles⁠—”

“You don’t need to make me breakfast, Harper,” he drawled with a tipped smile, one that curled straight down between my thighs and teased my sore muscles. “It’s just sex.”

“Right.” My exhale whooshed out. “Sorry.”

Just sex. I got that. I just didn’t get this part—the after. How did I go back to normal after what happened last night? It had been surprisingly…simple to watch him leave my room last night and head to his own even though they were in the same house. But I’d been in a stupor of post-orgasmic bliss, and this morning, that fugue had cleared, and I wasn’t sure what to make of what was left.

Did we just pretend it didn’t happen? Or did we only pretend around Paisley? Did we just casually talk about the four orgasms he’d given me or the things he’d said as he’d done it?

God, why did breeding kink have to be so hot?

“Harper.” Blaze walked up to the counter, flattening his palms on top and leveling his stare into mine. “Do you want to stop?”

The sincerity in his voice was like a gavel, knocking everything else out of the way except for this: what I wanted.

My eyes bugged. “No,” I rushed to assure him. “No.”

My inhale fired into my lungs as he reached out and grabbed my chin, pulling my face closer to his until his eyes bored into mine. “Then stop apologizing.”

“O-okay,” I agreed, unable to stop myself from looking to his mouth. “I’m⁠—”

“Next apology voids the contract.”

My jaw snapped shut, and I licked over my lips like I wanted to seal them closed. Instantly, his pupils dilated and his hot focus homed in on my mouth like a dog with a bone. And then it was gone.

“Thank you,” he grumbled and released me. Driving a hand through his tousled hair, he stalked over to the cupboard to grab the box of cereal.

Why had I even suggested eggs? I never did a big egg breakfast and I’d never seen Blaze make them either.

“I’m just…I’m not seasoned at this,” I offered nervously, deciding on a packet of oatmeal for myself. “I’ve never even, well—I’m just new to all this.”

Just stop talking, Harper.

Blaze stilled at the counter, the cereal box tipped but not far enough for anything to come out. “Never what?” He stared at me.

“I’ve never…experienced a lot of the things you have,” I said lamely, not wanting to dig myself into an even deeper hole.