Blind | h.s. [COMPLETE]

Chapter Five

Paisley awakened slowly. The night came back to her in a rush. The elevator. Harry. The kisses. She smiled into the darkness.

She couldn't guess how long she'd been asleep, but it was long enough that her body protested the hardness of the floor. Her back began to ache, and she groaned in pain.

"Hey." Harry's voice was gruff, thick with sleep.

"Hey. I'm sorry if I woke you."

"No. I've been in and out of sleep."

"Oh." Paisley covered a yawn.

"You snore," Harry said after a minute. She could practically see the smile on his face as the words fell from his lips.

"I do not!" At least, she didn't think she did. It'd been a long time since she'd slept with someone else. She covered her eyes and groaned. When Harry chuckled, Paisley dropped her hand, turning her face in the direction of his.

"No, you don't. I just wanted to get a rise out of you."

"You suck," Paisley said through her own chuckle.

Harry shifted forward and pressed his lips against her throat. His kiss turned to suction as he drew her skin into his mouth. She gasped. After a few seconds he let go. "I can suck," he murmured as he kissed her again.

Oh my.

Her mind flirted with something witty, but all she could get out was a whimper as he pulled his lips away.

Harry shifted them, pulling Paisley onto her side facing him. She groaned, but not in pleasure. Her back screamed in protest.

"Are you okay?"

"Yeah, it's just...my back is kinda sore. Do you mind if we sit up?"

"Course not."

Paisley regretted losing the feeling of Harry's body, but sitting up relieved her back so much she moaned.

"Come here," Harry said, his voice now more distant from her.

"Where are you?"

"In the corner...you can lean against me."

Paisley smiled at his thoughtfulness—and his continued desire to touch her—and she crawled on her hands and knees toward where she thought he might be. Her fingers fell on a shoe, and she worked her way up his jeans-clad leg as she crawled between his bent knees.

Her hand touched his thigh, and he groaned. She bit her lip and smiled.

Carefully, she turned herself around and settled her body back against the hard plane of his warm chest. She hesitated for just a moment, then allowed her head to fall back onto his shoulder. He nuzzled against her hair. She could've sworn she heard him sniff which reminded her of a thought she had when she first walked into the elevator and smelled his cologne. Pleased she could finally do what she'd wanted, she turned her face toward him and inhaled the crisp, clean scent of him.

When he wrapped his arms around her waist, she sighed, then covered his arms with hers.

"Better?" he asked.

"Mmm, much. Thank you."

She felt him nod and smiled when he pressed a kiss onto her hair.

Paisley was tired, but didn't think she could sleep. It was stifling in the elevator. She suspected the heat was as responsible for her exhaustion as the hour.

"Got any more questions?" she asked after a while, wanting to hear his voice again.

Harry chuckled and his chest rumbled against her back. "Hmm...where do you live?"

"Meridian Ridge. It's an apartment complex downtown by the Boys and Girls Club."

"Yeah? Not far from me, at all."

"Yeah, I've been there about a year, now. I like to sit on my balcony a lot and watch the kids run around the playground and the people walk between the shops on the strip. How 'bout you, where do you live?"

"I have a townhouse. I work out of the firehouse just around the corner when I'm not in Dallas, so it's pretty convenient. Does your family live around here, too?"

"No. My dad, stepmom, Jeff, and Scotty still live in Washington, where I grew up. And David's in graduate school in Florida." Paisley hesitated for a moment, then said, "My mom died giving birth to David. I had just turned two."

Harry hugged her tighter. "Shit, I'm sorry, Paisley. I went on and on—"

"Stop, really. I didn't want to say anything before when you told me about your mom, because...well, I mean, this sounds kinda bad to say, but I don't remember my mom. So, for most of growing up, she was more of an idea than someone I actually knew enough to miss. It doesn't compare to what you went through."

"It sure as hell does," Harry urged. "I don't care whether you're three or fourteen—a kid needs her mom. At the age you were, you probably needed yours more than I needed mine."

"Veronica, my stepmom, was around. I was twelve when my dad married her, but she was around." Paisley nuzzled back into Harry's chest, loving the protectiveness she heard in his voice. Her mind was racing. "I don't know. Maybe. But that's the thing. I don't know how he did it, but my dad was so great, he managed to fill his shoes and hers for so long. Jeff is eight years older than me. He did a lot to help with me and David too. And my dad's sister moved to Philadelphia some time after my mom died. Aunt Gloria was always there when I had a problem I couldn't go to any of the guys with. So, while it's sad to think about not having had a mother, I had a good childhood. I was happy."

"Good," Harry whispered, "that's good."

Harry couldn't believe she'd lost her mother too. It explained a lot about her—she clearly understood loss, even if her experience was different than his. But he had no doubt hers had taught her the empathy and compassion she showed when he'd told his story. He thought maybe he finally understood what people meant when they talked about kindred spirits.

Paisley's back arched when she stretched and yawned, and Harry stifled a groan when her bottom pressed back into his groin. The friction was fantastic but too short. His imagination took off at a sprint. All he could think about was grinding himself into her ass and feeling the sensual curves of her hips in his hands as he held her to him. He was surprised out of his fantasizing when she didn't lean against his chest again, but instead shifted around to face him. He could tell she was sitting on her legs because he felt her knees press against the inside of his thighs. The contact made his groin tighten. He clenched and released his fists, trying so damn badly to let her take the lead. He didn't want to push her past where she wanted to go. But her initiative was fucking sexy. When her hands landed on his chest, his cock twitched and fully hardened. He shifted his hips to make himself more comfortable. She leaned into him. He moaned his appreciation when her breasts fell against his chest as her lips found his chin.

"Hi," she whispered.

"Hi." He wrapped his arms around her body and hugged her to him.

Then her lips found his. Her kiss was soft and slow, exploring, and he savored every pull of her lips, swipe of her tongue, and shifting press of her body. He ran his hands up and down her back enjoying the way the silk of her blouse skimmed against her body. When small moans and whimpers accompanied her kisses, Harry's erection twitched. He shifted his hips. He wanted more of her. He wanted to claim her, make her his.

But he also wanted to see her as he took her. He wanted to learn everything about her body. He wanted to watch her reactions as he used his mouth and hands to please her. And he definitely wanted her to have more than a quick fuck on a floor. She deserved better than that. Much better. And he thought maybe he wanted to give her everything.