Page 98 of Gamebreaker

"How much longer?" Harper asked, her voice ruined.

I checked my phone with shaking hands. "One minute."

"That's too long."

"It's one minute."

"Still too long." She kissed me again, and I could feel the desperation in it. The need. The wanting compressed into every press of her lips. "I need you so much it hurts."

"I know. Me too." My hands were still under her jersey, on her skin, and I couldn't make myself let go. "Sixty seconds, and I can have you properly. Can make up for every second of the last three days."

"Promise?"

"I promise."

The car slowed. We broke apart reluctantly, and Harper climbed back into her own seat on unsteady legs. Her lipstick was completely gone. Her curls were wild from my hands. The jersey was askew, rumpled from my hands underneath it. Her eyes were star-filled and absolutely beautiful.

I probably looked worse.

The car stopped outside my house. It was a modern structure perched in the hills with floor-to-ceiling windows. It afforded the kind of privacy that came from having money and good real estate.

Tonight, it was the place I was about to take Harper DuBose and lose every shred of control I'd spent a lifetime building.

We climbed out of the car. I thanked the driver with a voice that sounded steadier than I felt. The car pulled away, leaving us standing on my front steps in the cool night air.

Harper looked up at my house, then at me. "Nice place."

"Thanks."

"Very you. Modern. Minimalist. Probably has a gym."

"Two gyms, actually."

"Of course it does." She was nervous now, fidgeting with the hem of the jersey. She was looking at me like I might disappear. "So. This is happening."

"Unless you want to stop."

"I really don't want to stop." She looked at me, and her eyes were honest and scared. "But Cam? I need you to know that I know exactly what I'm doing."

"And what are you doing?"

"I'm choosing you. For tonight. For however long we have before reality catches up." She stepped closer. "So let's make it count."

I pulled out my keys, and my hands were shaking.

Harper noticed. "You're nervous."

"Yeah."

"Good. So am I."

I unlocked the door, pushed it open, and stood there on the threshold with Harper DuBose looking at me like I was either salvation or destruction.

Probably both.

"Last chance," I said.

Harper took my hand, laced our fingers together, and smiled. "Stop stalling, Captain. Take me inside."