"You have got to be kidding me" Steph growled and turned to face her enemy"you know you deserve everything that is happening to you right now" she waggedher finger in front of Harper's face with a vicious grin "and don't worry,he'll cheat on you again and again and again, just like he's done in the past".Jared blew up at her "are you deaf? I told you to get the fuck out of my house"making her grab her bag and with a sniggering smile of contempt sheclick-clacked out of the room , swaying her hips extra obvious as if to tellhim what exactly it was that was walking out of his life. The door slammed,sending a shiver down her spine, Jared came walking up to her with a gleam inhis eyes that had been missing for far too long "you love me? Still? Youactually love me?" he licked his lips. Harper batted her eyelashes, he lovedhow she stood there blushing like a schoolgirl, nothing was fake with thiswoman, she could try all she liked but in the end she could never hide the truthfrom him. His hands slowly landed on her hips when he closed the distance andthey were toe to toe "I can say the same about you.." she nervously put herhands on his upper arms, "I've always loved you, Harper, then, now, always..Ican run to the edge of the world and still there's only one name pounding in myhead and that's you, Coco..you're tattooed on my brain, my heart, under myskin". Coco felt his words tug at her heartstrings, every inch of her skin feltlike it was covered in hot lava, and then he lowered his head and closed thelast distance between them, his lips covering hers in an electrifying, deepkiss. Time was no longer of the essence, nothing was, the emotion completelyoverpowered her as her tears started to run down her cheeks, it made him breakthe kiss "hey..don't cry.." his calloused thumbs wiped the tears from under hereyes. Her watery eyes locked with his compassionate blues "I love you" shewhispered, standing on her tiptoes to reconnect again with his hungry mouth, "Ilove you too.." he breathed, his hands wandering over her body wanting to lifther so he could carry her to his room. "No..not yet" reluctantly she broke thekiss and locked her hand around his wrist to stop him, "ok.." his hand stilledand he refused to break eyecontact with her "you're right, I'm sorry, I gotcaught up in the heat of the moment". The ringing of his phone startled themboth, looking at the screen Jared raised his eyebrows and handed the phone overto her immediately.
Jared heard her enter the kitchen behind him and instantlystopped with what he was doing, it had been a long call, "what did he say?" heswallowed hard trying to figure out the look on her face, god, don't let it be'that' call. She didn't say anything, she just sat down and buried her face inher hands with a deep sigh, "Coco?" he walked up to her and caressed her hair,making her lean into his touch "he wants me to come back to NY, he said it'sprobably my last chance if I ever want to see my father again..". Jared kissedthe top of her head "I see.." and enveloped her in a hug from behind,"I..just..it's just so..why does he keep calling me? I haven't heard from Arnoin years and now.." she muttered, her mouth couldn't keep up with the gesturesher hands were making in true Italian style. He let go of her and sat down nextto her, grabbing her hands as he looked her in the eye "Coco, look at me" shewas still too jittery and locked inside her internal struggle to look at him "will you just look..at..me.." he slowly repeated while squeezing her hands toget her attention. Finally her head lifted and he had what he wanted "what do youwant to do? Forget about your brother oryour family, alright? What does Harper Coco want?" he rubbed his thumb over theback of her hand, "I don't know..part of me wants to jump on the first planeover there, but another part just doesn't want anything to do with themanymore..they fucked up my life so much..my father, he's..all that abuse..it'sjust". Abuse..the word was out, it was unthinkable that anyone would ever wantto raise his hand to her, "every time I let the film of my youth inside my headroll and I feel his hand hit me, my stomach turns and I think: 'you don'tdeserve my tears or attention, you only deserve to fuckin' rot in hell" shegrowled, clearly overpowered by the memories. "I understand..take your time,but whatever the decision, I'm behind you all the way" he raised her hand tohis lips and kissed it, "thank you" she whispered as she pulled her hand freeand snuggled up close to him, she needed to be as close to him as she possiblycould right now.
