“Sure,” I said, “when were you thinking?”
“How about tonight?” I closed my eyes, feeling a headache start. “We could go to this really cute place…”
He had more to say, so much more, but I just let it all wash over me until I got a time and a place.
“OK, so did you want me to meet you there?” I asked.
“A gentleman always picks a lady up on a date,” he said. “Text me your address and I’ll be by around seven.”
“Sure,” I said. “Great.”
“And Harper…” His voice had gotten low and throaty. “Wear something sexy, babe. If you’re a chip off the ol block, I’d be proud to walk into a restaurant with you on my arm.”
I rubbed at my forehead.
“Done, now I’m sorry to cut this call short, but I’ve gotta grab an Uber or I’ll be late for work.”
Twenty minutes later, I was riding in the back of one, towards the pub, wondering where all the good vibes had gone. Last night was a fever dream of fun, but of course once the afterglow had faded, I was left here, dealing with harsh reality. I paid the driver, then got into my car…
After checking my texts.
No morning messages, no missed phone calls, nothing. Just as I suspected. Mack’s big speech was obviously yet more bullshit. I turned the ignition on and then drove out of the car park.
Chapter 14
Mack
“Where’s Harper?” Tor’s eyes raked the interior of the kitchen, as if he’d find her hiding in a cupboard or something. I just took a long sip of my coffee. “Is she in the shower? Did she?—?”
“What happened?”
For a moment, Kieran looked completely smug. He ambled in wearing just a pair of shorts, stretching and scratching at his head.
“Harper—” Tor started to say.
“Left.” I finished that for him with a shake of my head. “Snuck out in the middle of the night.”
Yeah, I remembered that really well. The messy hair, the puffy lips, I could see them clearly in my mind, and if I took a deep breath, I could still smell the sweetness of her scent. I barely suppressed a smirk as I recalled her parting jab.
Fur Face…
“What?” Kieran’s face fell. “Why? What happened?”
You two rushed things, I wanted to say. You just assumed she’d fall into your laps and ask to be mate marked, after falling on their dicks. But I didn’t, and my restraint now won me favours.
“What’re you asking me for?” I stared each of my packmates down. “I just came out when I heard a noise in the hallway. Harper was obviously making a break for it.”
I spared them the details of what else Harper had said. She’d made clear that she just saw this as a one time thing. Trouble was, my wolf had a completely different idea of how this would go. We’d do this right, make clear we were serious, and?—
“She just left?” Tor looked like someone had taken his favourite toy away, sinking down into a chair. “Like… did we do something wrong?” He glanced at Kieran. “Harper seemed into it. Wasn’t she?”
For fuck’s sake, Tor was thirty years old. Too damn old to be acting like a five year old.
“I think…” Kieran shook his head. “I mean… Her scent…” He frowned. “You didn’t hurt her, did you? Go too fast with that spiky dick of yours.”
“So she would’ve been better off with the one big spike in yours?” Tor shot back.
“No, we?—”
