He urged her up. “Grab the headboard to brace yourself,” he said and then groaned when she immediately obeyed and her pussy was just right there. “So wet already.” He pulled just a bit more so he could reach easier and then he settled her, partially supporting her weight with the grip he had on her legs.

  Eating pussy this way…no…eating her pussy in this position was his favorite because he loved the way she trembled as he did. Her thighs and belly started first as he began to lick and nuzzle.

  Her clit was swollen and each lick sent a shiver through her.

  “I’m going to break this headboard,” she gasped.

  He doubted it. He’d given it a quick look earlier just to see if it was sturdy enough for this purpose. But he liked the idea of making her so hot she broke things.

  “If you did, it’d be worth it,” he murmured against her pussy. That would be an expenditure he’d gladly pay for.

  She giggled and it faded on a groan as he tickled the underside of her clit with the tip of his tongue. Yes, ma’am, this is what I bring to the table.

  Harlow struggled to stay balanced as he absolutely devastated her with his mouth. He was just so damned good at oral sex he took it to the next level. She held on so tight to the spindles of the headboard they creaked slightly while her entire body began to tremble.

  He did this thing with his tongue and upper lip against her clit that had her upper body jerking like she’d touched a live wire only instead of electricity he sent a bolt of pleasure searing through her system.

  It wasn’t too long before she found herself churning her hips, stroking herself against him with abandon as little waves of pleasure washed through her, preparing for the tsunami of her climax. He’d never content himself with a small orgasm for her. No. Miles paid attention to detail, and he was a perfectionist. Which meant every time he put his mouth on her pussy, he made her scream his name by the end.

  There was nothing else but sensation as she let her head drop forward after closing her eyes. There was no hiding. No pretending away the things he made her feel. With Miles she could be wanton, and her desire was beautiful and worth the effort.

  That freedom was something she didn’t take for granted. It was more than sex with nice orgasms. Wanting more, demanding more was part of this connection she shared with him. Another layer to their affection and trust. Private and absolutely perfect.

  Soon there was nothing else to do but let loose the sounds from deep in her throat as he sucked her clit between his lips over and over and over again until she came so hard her lips tingled and her hands hurt from gripping the headboard.

  She opened her eyes as he helped her to lay down next to him, the muscles in her legs still jumping here and there. He kissed her and she wrapped her arms around him to hold him to her for long seconds. He was warm and firm and tasted like her. He was safe and strong and someone who would always be on her team.

  So absolutely sexy.

  “We’re supposed to meet Omar in an hour,” he said, starting to roll from bed. Lightning quick, she grabbed him, pulling him back to her.

  “Where are you going? You’re not done,” she said and sounded slightly drunk.

  “I didn’t want to rush,” he said.

  “We can rush out the door to meet Omar. After you put your dick in me.”

  “An offer I cannot refuse, my good lady,” he said, reaching under his pillow to pull out a condom.

  “So prepared,” she said, very much pleased he was.

  “I confess that I like to put condoms in places we might need them. Under my pillow, in the bathroom near the shower.”

  And then he rolled her over and situated himself between her thighs. Again.

  He thrust, entering her body in one movement, stealing her breath. Then he grabbed her ankles and pushed her legs up, holding them at the knees where he pushed them further up and apart.

  It kept her open for him to get extra deep. Each time he bottomed out, she grunted with him. There was little else she could do because the position kept her in place for him but she was bent in a way that kept her stationary. It was overwhelming in the best sort of way. Helpless but not really. Just enough to get the thrill without the fear.

  It didn’t matter that they should speed up so as not to be late. Miles would take his time. And once he started fucking her, he often teased about never wanting to leave. But beyond the teasing was the way he touched her, the way his eyes took in every detail of her face. He didn’t want to leave her pussy and showed her without hesitation. He touched her—always—as if she were precious. Like there was nothing he wanted more in the universe than to be touching her.

  He kept deep, allowing most of his body weight to hold them in place. His kisses were feverish, a gnash of lips and tongue, swallowing one another’s breath. Here with him she could lose herself. Give over to whatever it was they created together.

  Miles shifted a little, breaking their kiss and Harlow took that opportunity to stare up into his face. In the shadow of the dying daylight, he looked a little dangerous, his dark hair tousled, lips swollen. His eyes had gone glassy and fuckdrunk. His beard, the ink on his shoulders and chest and the septum piercing combined with the snarl as he got closer and closer to climax pushed all her bad boy fantasy buttons. He looked reckless and sexy and mysterious. It sent a thrill through her.

  He added a circular grind to the end of each thrust as he pressed against her clit. Each time was nearly percussive as the wave of sensation echoed through her. Miles was all about her pleasure and he wasn’t going to let himself come until she did first. A very fine quality.

  She dragged her nails down his back, careful not to leave marks as he took his shirt off at the pool and ocean and on stage and she didn’t want to announce to the world that she’d dug her nails into his skin because he fucked her so good.

  Each tortuously slow circle, over and over was a slow dance that left her panting. Left her so fucking close to climax every single cell in her body seemed tense and ready.

  He knew it of course, she realized when his gaze cleared and focused on her face before smirking a moment.

  Miles hummed low and obviously pleased. “Do you know you just got hotter and wetter? I think someone finds confidence very hot,” he teased while doing the aforementioned circle, sending little jolts of pleasure skittering through her.

  There’d been a smart assed comment on the tip of her tongue but that last sex swirl had stolen her words. All but one. “Please.”

  He groaned. “I’m helpless to deny you anything,” he murmured, increasing the pressure, and driving her higher and then right up over the top as she came in a hot rush that would have bowed her spine if she wasn’t pinned by his weight.

  A snarled curse and he came, continuing that slow press for a while afterward until he rolled free with a sigh. “Don’t move,” he said as he disappeared into the bathroom and returned shortly.

  “Like I could even if I wanted to,” she told him lazily as he got into bed at her side and pulled her close. It was a good thing the dress she’d had on resisted wrinkles.

  “I love you,” he said, kissing her with aching sweetness and she melted.

  CHAPTER

  THIRTY

  Miles stumbled into the kitchen the following morning, following his nose and the sound of Harlow’s voice. She stood at the stove while Ryder perched on a nearby step stool watching as Richie and Harlow cooked.

  Harlow looked up from the bowl she held, smiling widely when she saw him there. “Hey.” She put the bowl aside and came straight to him for a hug and a kiss. “Morning.”

  He breathed her in and let that settle his worry. “Morning. Smells good down here.” He kissed the top of her head. “What can I do to help?”

  “Nothing right at the moment. Come get a cup of coffee. Ryder’s been looking forward to seeing you,” Harlow told him with a wink.

  He smiled a hello at Jenna as he grabbed a mug from the cabinet over the coffeemaker and filled it.

  “Morning, Richie.” He put his mug down and squatted a little to get face to face with Ryder. “Hello, Ryder. I really like your pajamas. Your sister told me how much you love Bigfoot.”

  “I watch with Pop!” Ryder said of the endless Bigfoot television shows Harlow said she watched with Richie every night when he was home. “Haryo too.”

  “Yup. When I’m around, we watch together,” Harlow told her sister with a wink. “Oh, Poppy will be back shortly. She went for a swim earlier.”

  “A poppy is a flower! She pretty like that!”

  “Right now, nearly every sentence ends in an exclamation point. I’m hoping it’s a short phase,” Jenna muttered, making Miles laugh.

  “It is a flower. Very good. My mum had a baby doll when she was a little kid, and her name was Poppy. When my sister was born, our mum looked at her and said she was as pretty as a doll and that’s the name they chose,” Miles told Ryder.

  “I didn’t know that story,” Harlow said. “I love that.”

  The moment Miles had seen Poppy’s sweet little face he’d appointed himself her protector. Sometimes though, it snuck up on him that she was the one doing the protecting.

  “Did I hear my name?” Poppy came in, her shoulder length dark brown hair pulled into a bun. She looked more relaxed than he’d seen her in a while, clearly at ease around Harlow and her family.

  She paused to give Miles a hug before grabbing a cup of coffee and waving at Ryder, who waved a spatula back.

  “Let’s start taking this food to the table,” Richie said, pointing to several platters and bowls. “Ry, go with Mommy so you can supervise everyone.”

  Ryder skipped off with her mom and they joined her shortly. Harlow sat on one side and Poppy the other.

  There were pancakes, bacon and chorizo, fried potatoes, scrambled eggs, oranges fresh from the tree in the back yard along with strawberries, and some sweet breads Jenna had brought from a bakery nearby.

  “I’m going to need to nap after breakfast,” Poppy said as she filled her plate.

  Miles had wanted to get a chef in to prepare some meals, but Harlow had said she liked cooking with her father, and she thought it would be better if they just had groceries delivered. The following day they were all headed over to Omar’s house—he lived in San Diego when they weren’t recording or on tour—for a barbecue before their first show that night and Miles looked forward to time when Harlow was with his friends socially. Yes, they all hung out regularly backstage, but it was different and far more relaxed in someone’s back yard.

  And the invitation while Omar hosted meant he accepted Miles and Harlow’s relationship. That made a lot of worry go away too.

  That day however, Miles and Poppy were going to watch a movie with Ryder and Jenna while Harlow and her dad finally talked. The more they ate, the heavier the air became. He wished he could make this easier for her, but the only way out on this was through. So, he’d be nearby just in case he was needed.

  Finally when all the food had been eaten, Miles stood. “Poppy and I will clean since Richie and Harlow cooked. Ryder can supervise.”

  Harlow settled on a chair across from her dad in a library just a few doors down from the master bedroom. Earlier that morning she’d put a pitcher of water and some muffins along with an electric kettle and the ingredients for tea if they wanted.

  She nearly told him he didn’t have to do this. More than once. But if she did and he accepted, it would have broken something between them. Harlow needed to know.

  “I’m just going to start,” her dad said. “Jenna gave me a bunch of advice after she kicked my ass for letting this go on so long. I’m sorry for not telling you more when you were growing up. I guess I didn’t want you to feel bad if I brought it up.” He shook his head. “There’s a video Gloria put up. Most of what she said was a lie. But not all of it. I paid her over three million dollars. For you. To get custody.”

  Miles looked up from where he’d just put away the snacks they’d had during their movie as Harlow came in.

  “Jenna is going to play in the pool with Ryder awhile. Poppy’s joining them. You want to head to the beach? Just me and you? If you’re done, that is,” he said.

  He knew she was done. Harlow had been crying, but the heaviness that had been around her that morning had gone. There were still shadows in her gaze, but clearly, she and Richie had talked and worked through things. Otherwise, she’d be frantic to avoid everyone.

  “There are so many steps, Miles. Going down will be peachy. But coming back is going to hurt.” Her tone was faux outrage, but there was a thread of truth in it too.

  “It’ll be my workout for the day.”

  “Okay.” She rustled through the pantry and held up an insulated tote bag and filled it with some juices, cheese, crackers, chocolate, and a container of the fruit leftover from breakfast. Then she added towels, sunscreen and pointed at everything. “I’ll let you carry it. We have nowhere to be until dinner. I’m wearing my bathing suit beneath this dress, so I just need to get my shoes and I’m ready. Get sunscreen on,” she told him as she plopped a wide brimmed hat onto her head.

  About halfway down the steps, Miles agreed with Harlow’s joke about the climb back up. But he wasn’t going to complain because he had her all to himself. The little cove they headed to had beachgoers but nowhere near a crowd. Miles just went where she pointed and waited as she put out a big blanket to sit on.

  Though he was dying to ask about the conversation, he forced himself to be patient and wait for her to tell him.

  “Turns out Gloria wasn’t lying about everything in that video. My dad paid her a settlement of three million bucks to essentially take full custody of me,” she said at last.

  Miles was grateful to be wearing dark sunglasses and a hat that hopefully hid some or most of his shock.

  “He left her because of me. He denies it,” she said before Miles could speak. “But he said he noticed she was never affectionate with me. Never paid attention at all aside from the basics of clothing and feeding. I had a speech delay because of it.”

  Cold washed through him at Harlow’s words. Gloria was a fucking monster.

  “So he wanted out and wanted custody of me and my brothers. She handed me over, he said right there on the spot when he told her. But she said she’d fight him on my brothers. And take me just to punish him. He fought as hard as he could to be sure he got visitation and access, but he feels guilty, like he chose one child over the others.”

  “He did.” Miles reached out to slide a fingertip down her cheek. A brief touch to comfort. “Baby, he looked at his children and saw that for two of the three, Gloria was a decent mother. They’d be safe with her. But you were absolutely not. He knew it and got you out. That’s what a parent is supposed to do. He wouldn’t have gotten full custody of you three anyway. He was a musician. On the road half the year. Having met Gloria and seen her in action these last months, I can say I believe she absolutely would have kept you from him just to be spiteful. He made the best choice he could for everyone given his circumstances. It’s not a perfect choice. But there weren’t perfect options. I’m certainly not going to be anything but grateful your father pulled you out of an abusive household.”

  “He also said some stuff that leads me to believe what I’d suspected. She grew up in a strict household. One where all women were sluts. He said she always had negative reactions to other women. Even at the beach. Always covered me up too.”

  “Fuck Gloria. Really, Harlow, she’s absolute poison to you and your life.”

  “I told him about the stuff she used to say and do. I hurt him a lot. He blames himself for this situation. He doesn’t have a close relationship with two of his kids because of me.”

  “Bullshit. You didn’t make Gloria into who she is. Sounds like she grew up that way. And you didn’t make Gloria abuse you to the point you had a speech delay.” The thought of it made him sick. That she was still abusing Harlow was not acceptable. At all. “She moved to another state and didn’t even tell your dad. Gloria is the reason they have a strained relationship with your father. And, let’s be real, your brothers are assholes. While I’m bummed your dad feels bad, they watched you grow up and be treated differently and haven’t said boo about it. No, you can’t blame a kid for their parent’s behavior. But they aren’t kids. And they haven’t been for a long time. And they still treat you like shit.”

  Her mouth wobbled a bit, and he regretted the vehemence he’d used. He meant everything he’d said, and it needed to be spoken out loud. But he knew she was upset, which pushed his buttons and made him upset. But his tone only made it worse.

  He took her hand. “I shouldn’t have snarled that last bit at you. I know you’re overwhelmed right now. Relieved probably. But it’s years’ worth of stuff and you can’t process it as quickly as it was revealed.”

  “He wants to have his attorney deal with this. In the divorce agreement, she wasn’t supposed to say anything about the payoff,” she told him, not addressing anything he’d said. She would be mulling it over, he knew. That’s how she dealt with the big stuff. He blurted, but she was more measured.

  She felt more guilt about it though. And that had to stop.

  “What do you want him to do?” Miles asked.

  “If he does push back, she’ll use my brothers to hurt him. I hate that.”

  “What do you want him to do about Gloria continuing to abuse you even though he paid a huge amount of money and spent your whole life trying to prevent that?” He couldn’t have cared less what her brothers thought or felt. But he thought his question to her was nicer than saying it how he really thought it.

  “I don’t need an investigator any more at this point. Now I know the truth. But, Ben and my investigator said the more fuss you make with Gloria, the more attention she gets. My dad already had his lawyers respond to her cease and desist. Now he’s going to slap at her again. I’m worried about what she’ll do next. Selfishly, Miles, god, I just don’t want to have to deal with stories about me being a fame whore latching on to famous men for advancement. I don’t think my heart can take it.”