All Because I Met You (Morgan's Bay, #2) Read online

  Her cries mingled with his harsh breaths as he took her away from the cold feel of the fridge and held her completely in his arms. He pumped up, her body sliding against his, and with one final thrust, he let out a carnal groan.

  Her head fell into the crook of his neck, and she held onto him, taking in his scent of sea and man. Her breathing evened out, and he lifted her off him and placed her on the counter.

  His hair was a tangle of brown, and his eyes hung heavy with satisfaction.

  “That was fun,” she said.

  He bent down and picked up their clothes and handed her shorts to her. She placed them on her lap, not ready to get dressed yet. They still had an hour before anyone was supposed to show up. Milo didn’t look at her as he stepped into his shorts.

  “Hey,” she said, and his eyes crashed into hers. She expected a comment about how they needed to wipe the counters down or how Jasper would kill them if he knew what they did where he kept his food. But instead she got silence. “You okay?”

  The conflicted look in his eyes vanished and the smile she knew and loved blossomed on his face. “Couldn’t be better. But you drained the life out of me, and I have a ton of people expecting me to be on my game.”

  She slid off the counter, and her legs wobbled. She instinctively reached for Milo as if her body knew that he would never let her fall.

  His hand latched onto her waist and steadied her. “Looks like you’re not the only one who can drain the life out of someone.”

  “Shut up.” Confident in her legs, she shoved at his chest. “I’ll make you a cup of coffee.”

  “You don’t have to,” he said. “I can—”

  She pressed a finger to his lips. “Do it yourself?” She motioned to her body. “I can take care of myself too, but you offered to help me out, anyway. Besides, it’s just a cup of coffee.” She kissed his cheek. “Go do what you have to do, and I’ll find you when it’s ready.”

  His lips parted like he was going to say something, but before he did, he snapped them shut and pressed them into a smile. “Thanks.”

  He disappeared out of the house, and she leaned against the counter, letting the aftershocks work their way through her. With a content sigh, she grabbed his coffee mug and focused on the task instead of the emotions that had consumed her when Milo was inside her.

  Chapter 11

  Milo made his rounds, yakking it up with family and friends and avoiding Harper. He knew it was a kickoff to summer party, but why did she have to be strutting around in that tiny bikini top? All he could think about was ripping it off and watching her nipples harden as he brushed his thumb against them.

  God, he needed to get it together. There was a reason he avoided friends with benefits situations. He got attached. This time though was different. He wasn’t just attached; his mind had been blown, his world had been tilted on its axis, and there was no going back. Now that he felt the silky goodness of Harper, heard her moans of pleasure, and tasted her sweetness, there was no going back to the way things were. Especially not with her looking so damn good.

  He ran a hand over his face, trying to force the movie reel of her body arching beneath him out of his mind. Unfortunately, the images were imprinted in his brain, and no matter how hard he tried to shove them away they reappeared, over and over again.

  He watched Tom take a turn on the slip and slide and everyone cheer him on. Harper’s smile competed with the sun, and Milo wasn’t sure which was brighter. He loved seeing her like this—carefree and happy. She didn’t have the weight of her career, her family, or anything else dragging her down.

  Man, she was beautiful. No. He had to stop thinking about her like that. He never meant to sleep with her again. Jasper was supposed to be around to slap him upside the head, but of course he was out when Milo needed him most.

  All Milo could think about was that hot liaison in the kitchen that had blown his mind and made him feel things he shouldn’t be feeling. For years, he’d managed to ignore how amazing Harper looked in a bikini and how sexy she was when she smiled. He just needed to remember how he did that. He’d done it before, and he damn sure could do it again. In the meantime, he’d continue to avoid her.

  He said hello to a few people and stopped to chat with Olivia and Shane. Shane shook his hand and patted his back. “The party is awesome. You weren’t kidding when you said you pull out all the stops.”

  Milo bowed. “Why thank you. Did you check out the slip and slide yet?”

  “Not yet,” Shane said. “Tom has been tearing it up, and I’m afraid I’ll bust my ass and make a fool of myself.”

  Olivia laughed. “Then you have to! I’ll make sure to have my camera ready to go.”

  “How about you give it a go, and I film?”

  Olivia’s lips twisted. “Do you know how long I spent on my hair this morning?”

  Shane rolled his eyes. “God forbid you mess up the hair. Besides, I told you, you look just as good with your hair messy in a ponytail.”

  “You’re sweet, but I’m still going to pass.”

  “I’ll have it up for a few days,” Milo said. “If you want to stop by tomorrow morning before you do your hair.” He winked, and Olivia gave him a playful shove.

  She laughed. “Shut up.”

  “Heard the parade didn’t disappoint,” Milo said.

  Shane’s lips curved upward. “Oh, it lived up to the hype. Liv warned me that something always goes wrong, but I wasn’t expecting anything too crazy until shit hit the fan.”

  “I heard Sean O’Shay accidentally let go of his balloon and started chasing it into the parade route, causing the baton throwers to lose track of their batons and a few to get clunked in the head.”

  “Then the entire parade tried going after the balloon, but it was a futile attempt. That balloon sailed off into the horizon, and little Sean cried bloody murder until my uncle gave him another balloon,” Shane added.

  Olivia laughed and nodded. “I swear they secretly plan this stuff behind closed doors to keep people coming to the parade. After so many years this can’t be coincidence anymore, right?”

  Milo had thought about it before, but even though it all seemed convenient, he couldn’t imagine how a select few could make it possible. “It would be kind of hard to plan for Mr. Clifford’s dog to jump out of his car and go right for Lily Cain’s ice cream cone. And if they did, their talents belong in Hollywood or on Broadway.”

  “I’m already excited for next year,” Shane said.

  Milo pointed to Shane and looked at Olivia. “Have you not told him about Fourth of July? Halloween and Christmas?”

  Olivia smiled, and Shane’s head turned to her. “What else happens?”

  “We have a boat parade for the Fourth of July. All the boats are decked out in red, white, and blue decorations and lights. Two years back Sam Williams dressed up in a bald eagle costume and was dancing on the bow of the boat when he took a dive right into the canal. Then Munro, the marina owner, went to help him out, but the costume was so heavy it weighed him down, and he fell in the water, too. Then Munro’s elderly father, who is a large man, saw his son and thought he was drowning, so he jumped in after him only to land on his head. Then it took five people to get Mr. Black out of the water.”

  “Why didn’t I move here sooner?” Shane asked.

  “I’m happy you didn’t.” Olivia looked at Shane with love and joy in her eyes. “You arrived when I needed you most.”

  Shane wrapped his arm around Olivia’s shoulder and pulled her tightly against him. “And how lucky I was to get to sit next to you on the train that night.”

  Milo laughed. “I picked you up from the train station that night. It must’ve been love because Livy looked like the walking dead.”

  Olivia laughed. “Not one of my best moments, that’s for sure. But he saw me at rock bottom, so it was only going up from there.”

  Shane smiled and looked at Olivia with a passion fueled gaze.

  “And that’s my cue to leav
e,” Milo said. “You two have fun.” Their lips were on each other before Milo walked away. He made his way across the side yard to the front of the house where a few groups had congregated.

  He came across Mrs. Garrick sitting on one of his well-placed benches, looking out to the bay. A red silk scarf covered her head and complimented her blue and white sundress. Her long blonde hair that made her recognizable in a crowd was gone after chemo.

  She lifted a thin, frail arm and waved as he approached. “Hi, sweetheart,” she said and, with what looked like all the energy she could muster, patted the spot beside her.

  He didn’t even think twice about continuing on his walk. He sat down and smiled at her. “What are you doing all the way over here by yourself?”

  “Isla went to get me something to drink. I wanted to stay and look at the bay. My entire life the bay was always a stone skip away, and I’m not sure I ever appreciated that fact.” Her eyes stayed focused across the way on the body of water.

  “I guess when something is always there, you just expect it to always be there,” he said. “Never changing, always reliable.” The bay was no different than his relationship with Harper. She was always there, and he never had to worry about that changing, but now… he wasn’t so sure.

  “Exactly. And I know my time is limited; I want to absorb it all. I don’t want to take a single moment for granted.”

  Milo didn’t take a second with Harper for granted, which was why he was in this predicament. He appreciated her every day, was grateful she was in his life, and to jeopardize that… he couldn’t.

  “Which is why you’re sitting over here alone,” he said.

  “I’m not alone. I’m observing, watching everyone who I have known for so long and savoring all the little things that make them special.” She pointed down the side yard to Jasper. “As soon as the warm weather hits, there is always a shift in Jasper. He’s happier, some would say lighter.”

  “That’s because he knows he’s almost done with the school year.” Milo laughed.

  “Yes, but he’s always been that way even when he was a little boy, no more than six. He was always the first to change into his bathing suit and jump into the water.” Her hand moved slowly, her boney finger shifting to Harper.

  Milo inhaled as his eyes landed on Harper’s face lit up in laughter. She’d always been beautiful, but in that moment, it was as if the heavens themselves were shining down on her, highlighting every perfect attribute, and making it blaringly clear to him.

  “Harper is a classic beauty who is full of warmth and strength. Her strength is admirable, but it’s also her biggest weakness.”

  Milo turned his head to Mrs. Garrick. “Why do you say that?”

  “She’s gained that strength from everything she’s endured, and because of that, she tends to hide behind it. Most people don’t even realize, and I doubt she notices.”

  “No, she doesn’t,” Milo said.

  “But I bet you do.” She smiled. “A good man always does.” Mrs. Garrick pulled her sweater tighter despite the sun beating down on them. “I miss the ocean.”

  “Then you should go,” Milo said.

  “I’m too weak to get there, and the wheelchair doesn’t work on the sand.”

  “I’m sure we can figure something out.”

  She took his hand, and the contrast between the two were unmistakable. Mrs. Garrick was once a strong woman full of life, now she was wilting away to skin and bones. “You were always the resourceful type.”

  He held onto her a little longer than necessary, fully aware that it could be the last. He refused to think that though. “I promise you’ll see the ocean.” He had no idea how, but he’d find a way. She deserved it, and Isla deserved to have the memory to hold on to.

  Isla came back and offered her grandma a water. Isla’s blonde hair was down, one side brushed behind her shoulder and the other draping over. “Thanks for keeping her company.”

  “It’s been my pleasure. Enjoying the party?”

  “Of course. Though, I’m still waiting for you to bust out the karaoke machine.”

  He laughed. He was known to take the mic and put on a full-blown show with his favorite hits, including Born in the U.S.A. by Springsteen. “In due time.”

  Mrs. Garrick took a sip of her drink and lowered it to her lap. “Can I make a request?”

  “For you, anything.”

  She smiled, and it pained Milo to see the effort it required her to make that gesture that was once so simple for her. “Summer of ‘69.”

  “Bryan Adams fan?”

  She nodded. “That man can sing, and those lyrics bring me back.”

  “I’ll add it to the set list.”

  An unmistakable voice floated across the peaceful day, and Milo spun toward it. Harper’s mom stumbled up the driveway, arms in the air while Hal tried to help steady her.

  “Harper is going to flip her lid,” Isla said.

  “Excuse me.” Milo took off across the lawn and intercepted a very intoxicated Judy. “Hey Judy, thanks for coming.” He steered her toward the house, hoping to get her in the kitchen with a glass of water and some food before Harper could see her.

  Hal tailed him. “I picked her up from Schmidt’s, and she said you invited her.”

  “I did.” If it was anyone’s fault, it was his, but when he had seen Judy last, she was sober, and he had hoped that she’d actually stay that way. He should have known better. Harper was going to kill him. “Thanks for making sure she got here safely.”

  “Anytime. If you need me to bring her home later…”

  “I’ll call you. How’s business otherwise?”

  “Booming. Had two more calls come in on my way here.”

  “Go take care of those. I got her.”

  Hal hurried off, and Judy spun out of Milo’s arms and teetered toward the backyard. “Party’s this way!” She pointed. “And I’ve come to see my perfect daughter. Where is she? Being a perfect angel, drinking water and eating fruit salad.”

  Milo had no idea what she was talking about, and it didn’t matter. All that mattered was sobering her up. “I think she’s in the house. Come on. Let’s go find her.”

  Judy took a second to think about it. Her lips pursed together and swished back and forth. She raised her finger and booped Milo on the nose. “Are you trying to hide me?”

  “Why would I hide the most fun person I’ve ever met? You’re the life of the party, but I’m pretty sure Harper is in the house.”

  She pouted and tilted her head. Her brown hair was curled, but at this point the curls were coming undone. She ran a hand over her face and smushed her nose. “Okay. In the house we go.”

  Milo followed as she stumbled backward and guided her toward the front door. She kicked off her heels, and Milo scooped them up.

  “I told you not to come!” Harper’s voice echoed behind them.

  Judy spun, lost her balance, and Milo grabbed her before she fell but dropped a shoe in the process.

  “There’s my daughter!” Judy threw her arms up and sauntered toward Harper.

  Harper held her hand out. “Don’t. You show up here, drunk off your ass, and you think I’m going to hug you? You’re out of your damn mind.”

  Judy scoffed. “Can you believe her? I’m her mother. She treats me like trash.”

  Both were getting loud, and he needed to diffuse the fuse before it detonated. In the moment, Harper wouldn’t care, but afterward, she’d beat herself up about it. The guilt and embarrassment Harper felt was a vicious cycle, and if Milo could prevent one cycle from playing out, he was sure as hell going to try.

  Venom poisoned Harper’s gaze, turning the pretty brown to deathly black. “I treat you exactly how you portray yourself. You don’t want to be treated like trash then don’t act like it.”

  Judy’s eyes widened, and Milo went to step between them, but before he could, Judy’s lashed out and slapped Harper across the face.

  Harper yelped and grabbed her cheek. J
udy recoiled, hand smacking against her mouth. “I’m sorry I didn’t mean to.”

  “Get the hell out of here,” Harper said through gritted teeth. “Now.” The one word filled with so much ice Milo got a chill.

  “I’ll take her home,” Milo said.

  “And leave your own party? That’s fucking ridiculous.”

  “Then how do you expect her to get home? You sure as hell can’t drive her,” Milo said.

  “She can walk for all I care.”

  Milo glanced around Harper and noticed people migrating toward them. Luckily, Olivia and Isla took charge and corralled people out of view by announcing a water balloon fight. Milo was disappointed he’d miss the all-out battle since he spent all night and half the morning filling those damn balloons, but the balloons were the least of his worries.

  “Then I might as well get Tom, and you can take him home too, so you don’t have to make two trips.”

  “And let him miss the water balloon fight? Now you’re talking crazy. He stays. Judy, let’s go.”

  He helped Judy to his car and helped her in, grateful he parked in a place where he wouldn’t get blocked in. “Stay here,” he said. “I have to grab my keys.”

  He hurried in the house before Judy escaped and joined the party. Harper stood in the kitchen, her back to him, and he could see her shoulders shake. Women crying was his weakness—the one thing that made him uncomfortable and incapable of saying the right things without immediately going for a joke. He could sneak out; she didn’t even know he was there.

  She wouldn’t walk out on him, though. His heart clenched as he went to her. He gripped her shoulder and turned her around. Tears lined her lids and her cheek had the lingering red imprint of Judy’s hand. He took her chin in his hold and angled her head to look at her face. “You okay?”

  She swatted his hand away. “Fine.”

  “Harp.” He moved closer and cupped her face this time so she couldn’t so easily push him away. “Talk to me. Are you okay?” A tear slipped from her eye, and he brushed it away with the pad of his thumb. “I’ll take that as a no.”

  “She just has to ruin everything, and now you have to leave your own party.”