Daddy's Girl - Coming Out (Patreon)

I'm pretty tired. Spent the last few days editing so I don't have a lot to say. I like this chapter though. It's another one from Harper's POV before we go back to Steven for awhile. Anyways, please enjoy while I go take a nap.

***

I was no stranger to comfort. If anything, I was a connoisseur of it.

Even in something as simple as the way that I slept, I took every aspect of it seriously. After all, why have a half ass night of broken sleep when you could have a full blown goddess rest. Which is why my plush, pillow top bed had Egyptian cotton sheets with soft, thick blankets and only the fluffiest pillows to lay my head on.

And yet, even with all of those expensive elements to give me the ultimate comfort this human life could offer, it all paled in comparison to waking up with my head on Steven's chest while his thick, muscled arms wrapped around me and kept me warm. Mostly because when he held me close to him, as if I were the most precious thing that he was sworn to protect–okay, a little much but still–it made me feel like a princess.

Just like he calls me. I mused with a happy little wiggle of my butt against his semi hard cock.

Steven always woke up with a bit of a chub, if not a full blown erection. It was like the guy was always having sex dreams or something. Whatever the reason, I took great enjoyment in being able to bounce back on his slightly rigid cock when I was first waking up.

I always wondered how long I could tease Steven like this before he woke up. Sometimes I was convinced I could just slide his cock inside of my pussy and ride him to orgasm before he even cracked a single lid.

Something I'll have to ask him about eventually. I thought to myself with a little hum in my throat. Not that it's ever been my thing, per se, but I am curious... I pushed back against Steven's cock a little harder before I ground his shaft up and down between my asscheeks a few times. And it's always so much fun to tease Steven, so maybe.

"Someone's in a mood this morning," Steven said in a sleepy growl–like the big bear he was–before he laid a long kiss to the top of my head.

"Aren't I always in a mood?" I giggled and bounced back on his cock playfully.

Steven's arm gripped around me tighter before he pulled me flush with his body and nuzzled along my neck with his lips against my skin. "Yes," he muttered before laying a trio of kisses at my pulse point, "you definitely are."

I turned my head enough to meet his sleepy chocolate eyes with a grin. "Aren't you also always in a mood?"

"Mm," Steven hummed before biting the crook of my neck, just hard enough to make me squirm and whine in his grasp. "I think that I'm slave to your desires. I can't help but move when you ask me to."

"That's a lot of power," I breathed, feeling overwhelmed between his talented lips and the big, warm hands that were beginning to explore my body.

"It is," Steven husked into the shell of my ear before one of his hands found a nipple and began to stroke it slowly. "I hope you use it wisely."

"Oh, fuck," I whimpered, unable to stop the way that I was twisting and wriggling from the unhurried torment that Steven was laying across my body.

"I know that's hard though. It's so much more tempting to just do what you want..." Steven continued on as if he hadn't heard me while his other hand–the one that wasn't torturing my nipple–slid down my belly to toy with the tip of my clitty.

I turned my head so I could look at Steven with narrowed eyes. "You're the one that's tempting, lover."

Steven's worshiping lips and searching hands came to a stop before he hummed and kissed my cheek. "I like that."

"Being tempting?" I scoffed. "Yeah. I bet."

"No," he said, his chest rumbling in time with his low, husky voice. "Hearing you call me lover."

"You are my lover," I said and reached up to ruffle his short dark brown hair. "Didn't you know that, silly?"

"That's not what I meant," Steven sighed and grabbed my hips so he could flip me over to face him.

I blinked a few times as I refocused on Steven while a light blush crept up my neck. Apparently it really got to me when he manhandled and moved me how he wanted me.

"I like..." He trailed off with a throaty hum while he stared so deeply into my eyes that I was helpless to look away. "The intimacy of the word," he finally finished in a low breath.

"Oh," I whispered.

The word was an automatic reaction to the way Steven was talking–all low and husky and way too sexy for this hour of the day–but as those words became words and not just fuel for my overactive libido, I began to understand what Steven was really saying.

"I guess I like the thought of being, I don't know..." Steven shrugged and trailed off as he pulled me closer to him by the hips while refusing to meet my eyes. "Something that's not so...temporary in your life."

Ah. I see. He doesn't believe what I told him last night.

"Steven, baby, I told you," I said with a soft sigh as I slipped two fingers under his chin to make him look up at me. "You're the only guy I wanna see anymore. I'd say that's quite the opposite of temporary."

"You really meant that?" Steven asked, his melted chocolate eyes searching mine with a desperation that I had never seen in him before.

I leaned in to kiss his forehead twice before pulling back and nodding.

"Yes. I really meant it," I said in the most assuring voice I could muster. "And that's why I couldn't just watch you walk away from me without doing something about it."

Steven's eyes softened and his lips pulled up in a gentle smile as I spoke.

"So you did something about it," he said softly.

"I did," I said and smacked his chest playfully with one hand. "I came over here and claimed my man."

Steven's smile grew at this comment. "Your man, huh?" he husked and squeezed me tight to him with one powerful arm.

"Uh-huh," I said as my fingers curled into his chest hair and tugged gently while a thumb brushed back and forth over one of his nipples.

"Mm," Steven growled deep in his chest and bent his neck to claim my lips in a sudden, sloppy kiss.

Oh, fuck. I thought deliriously as I felt Steven's morning stubble tickling my chin and cheeks while his thick tongue forced its way through my lips so it could explore and own my mouth.

When Steven pulled back, he delivered a quick nip to my lower lip before he looked deep into my eyes and said, "I really like hearing you call me your man."

"Something told me you would," I murmured before taking his lips back against mine while my hands explored his massive chest.

A throaty chuckle flowed past Steven's lips and into my mouth before he pulled back and set me with a look. One of his no bullshit looks. A daddy look. I thought with a growing grin.

"As if you don't like it when I call you my girl," Steven scoffed.

"Oh, I do. I like it a whole lot," I assured him and pressed my body as close as possible to his so he could feel my stiffening clitty sliding against his hard cock. "It makes me feel pretty and desirable and, you know, all the good dopamine and stuff."

"That's saying something since you're already gorgeous and so, so desirable," Steven husked and rocked his hips back so his cock rubbed along the length of my clit.

"More," I breathed.

Another one of Steven's chuckles slipped past his lips before he kissed along my neck. "I should know by now that you'll always want me to tell you that you're even prettier and more desirable."

"No," I gasped with a shake of my head before jerking my hips up into him. "More!" I moaned and squeezed my thighs around his cock so I could thrust my desperate clitty against his thick, hard shaft.

"Ah," Steven uttered in understanding, while his massive hand slid down between our bodies before wrapping around both his cock and my clitty.

"Oh my God," I whimpered as my eyes rolled in the back of my head at the mere touch of Steven's strong hand engulfing my clit.

"Is this what you wanted, pretty girl?" Steven cooed before he blew my mind further when he started to stroke and pull his cock and my clit together.

"Jesus...fuck!" I cried at the amazing sensation of his velvety cock skin sliding along my aching clitty.

This was a whole new experience for me. I hadn't even thought of doing something like this let alone trying it in practice. Now that I was experiencing it, however, I couldn't understand why such a thing had never crossed my perverted mind before.

"Harper," Steven said in a low and demanding voice that immediately pulled my attention to him obediently. "I asked you a question," he husked as he squeezed both of us between his huge hand tightly, "answer it."

He asked me a question? What the fuck is he talking...oh!

"Yes, daddy!" I gasped and grabbed his strong shoulders in both of my hands.

Steven chuckled and squeezed my clitty a little harder so that it pushed against the sensitive ridge underneath his cock. "That's a good girl," he husked as his hand started to stroke our combined sex faster.

I bucked my hips up against him, loving the way that my clitty was sandwiched between his hard, velvety cock and his strong hand. Whenever he was able to entirely engulf me in any way I was in absolute bliss. Nothing turned me on more than being absolutely suffocated by a strong, handsome man–especially if said man was Steven.

God. It would be so hot to have him sit on my face. Rub his tight ass and big balls all over my lips and chin until I can make him cum all over my chest and...

"Fuck," I whined and jerked myself against Steven even harder until I was running toward my first cum of the day.

"That's it, baby girl. Just let it out. Let daddy take that cum from you," Steven encouraged me in a low, raspy voice.

The voice that never failed to turn me on and make me stiff. The one that I was incapable of ignoring or denying. The one that made me cum so easily.

"Oh God, daddy," I moaned and humpd up aimlessly as I felt my body clench and tense while my clitty spurted cum all along Steven's cock.

"Mm," Steven hummed and petted my hair with his free hand while the other continued to stroke the two of us together. "There you go, princess."

I blinked and let my head loll back as the orgasm subsided within me. "Mm, fuck," I slurred and willed myself to pull my neck upright again so I could look at Steven.

"That good, huh?" Steven asked, his voice thick with amusement and lust intermingled together.

"Uh-huh," I whimpered and looked up at him with big, pathetic puppy dog eyes. "I definitely wanna try doing that again, daddy."

"Me too," Steven husked before his hand, which had been playing with my hair, tightened in the lock and urged my head downward. "But first I'm gonna need you to take care of something for me."

I didn't need Steven to guide me any further toward his cock than he already had, I simply dove down and gobbled him up.

"That's my girl," Steven sighed as he pulled my head on to his cock while bucking up into my throat. "Get all of your cum off my cock, baby."

At this specific instruction, my hungry tongue went hunting for the deposit I had left on Steven's shaft. I was persistent in my search, sliding back and forth along the underside of his cock to make sure I got every last drop, and even dipping down to tongue and suck on his balls, just to be certain he was clean.

"Look at you, little overachiever," Steven said with a throaty chuckle, one that sounded much more breathless than his usual composed laughter. "Trying to gobble up all that cum."

I hummed against Steven's cock, pressed against my lips as I slid my tongue back up the underside before flicking my gaze up to him from under my thick lashes. "And yours is next, daddy," I mumbled before swallowing his cock down my throat.

"Fuck, yes," Steven groaned and held my head at the base of his cock so I was forced to breath in the musky, masculine scent of his public hair until he decided to release me.

It's okay if he doesn't though. I'm perfectly fine to be his cock sleeve for as long as he needs. For life, even.

"The best mornings always start with your sweet lips wrapped around my cock," Steven sighed as his hands finally loosened their grip on my head.

Instead of coming right up for air, however, I swallowed a few times so he could feel the added pressure in my throat before I came up with a gasp. I looked at him, my mouth wide open with a trickle of drool at the corner of my lips, before I smiled and winked.

"You bet they do," I purred and took the head of his cock back between my lips and sucked hard, letting the precum drip from his head and onto my waiting tongue while I anxiously awaited the real thing to flood my mouth.

"Fuck, fuck, fuck, Harper!" Steven growled and gripped my hair to keep me from moving. "Just like that. Keep sucking, baby girl."

Silly Daddy. As if I would stop. I thought to myself as I hollowed my cheeks out and sucked harder while my tongue swirled around the slit on his head to encourage more of Steven's yummy precum to ooze out.

"Uh, God. You're tongue is so fucking good," Steven rumbled and fucked my mouth with punctuated little thrusts of his hips.

Mm-hm. Gimme that cum. Wanna roll it around on my tongue and taste you all over my mouth before I swallow the whole load.

Steven let out several deep, throaty grunts while he continued to fuck my mouth until his body seized up and he gasped, "Oh, fuck. Okay. Okay. Oka...fuck!"

The first satisfying string of cum flew right past my uvula and splashed against the back of my throat right after the final 'fuck' that Steven uttered. It was followed by several more that I collected on my tongue until he was finally finished. I let that strong, salty taste linger there for several seconds before I pulled myself off of his cock and showed him my prize.

Steven groaned when I showed him my tongue before he–to my surprise–leaned in to give me a kiss. I drew my tongue back into my mouth and yanked myself away with a shake of my head before I swallowed the whole load.

"Mine," I declared with a fiery stare at Steven when my mouth was empty again. "I worked for it."

"Uh-huh, yeah," Steven muttered and tugged me up his body so he could take hold of my lips whether I wanted him to or not.

Only downside of having a strong boyfriend...wait...

Steven was dipping his tongue between my lips and licking up everything that I wasn't able to swallow while my thoughts spun in new and interesting directions.

Okay this is starting to escalate pretty fucking fast. First I was attached, then I committed and now I'm labeling it? This is a dangerous road, girl...

"Harper," Steven breathed against me as his hands ran over my body greedily.

"What?" I mumbled and kissed him, finding comfort in his lips despite the slightly troubling thoughts I was having.

"Nothing," Steven muttered and then let out a single, soft laugh–almost an embarrassed sound–before he nuzzled his nose against mine. "I just like saying your name. It makes me feel close to you."

I pulled back a few inches from Steven and looked up at him earnestly. He glanced back at me with a warm dopey smile and nothing but adoration and affection filling his melted chocolate eyes–an expression that was honest and utterly smitten in every way.

Goddammit. I thought to myself and let out a big sigh. He really is my boyfriend. When the fuck did that happen?

"Whatcha thinking about, beautiful?" Steven murmured and brushed a hand down my bare shoulder.

"Just wondering," I mused and ran my hand up his throat so I could play with the short hairs at the base of his neck. "When I started to look at you like my boyfriend."

Steven's brows raised into his hairline. "I, um, didn't know that, that...uh, that was a thing."

"Neither did I," I admitted as I twisted the hairs just above the nape of his neck around my fingertips.

"Oh," Steven said and drummed his fingertips along my back. "Um...okay."

I glanced up at his perplexed expression for a moment before I laid my head on his chest and decided to throw him a bone.

"I was just running through my thoughts and the idea sort of popped up," I said, pulling my hand down from Steven's neck to rest next to my face.

"Of me being your boyfriend?" Steven prompted curiously.

"Mm-hm," I hummed and slid my fingers along his chest hair.

"And..." Steven trailed off, obviously expecting me to answer a question he hadn't asked. When I didn't, he cleared his throat and tried again. "How did you feel?"

"I'm still kind of processing the idea," I said before flicking my eyes back up to Steven's. "But if I have to fall for someone, you'd be the guy I'd pick."

Steven looked down at me with that awed and reverent stare that always left me feeling a little guilty and unworthy–mostly because it made me feel like a literal fucking goddess–before he slowly let out a breath and asked, "Any reason why?"

I shrugged nonchalantly and smiled. "You're the perfect guy. Why wouldn't I pick you?"

Steven let out a loud, embarrassed laugh while he shook his head. "Perfect? Me? No. No, no, no. Nowhere near."

My grin widened as my fingertips crept over to Steven's nipple before giving it a playful little tug. "I think the gentleman doth protest too much."

Another laugh erupted out of Steven, only this time it was a little high and awkward and not at all him.

I can fluster him so easily when he's outside of his 'daddy' space. I thought with a grin as I watched him squirm and rearrange his features to look more controlled and at ease.

"Do you know you're the cutest damn thing that's ever existed?" I asked Steven with a big, shit eating grin before I crawled up his chest so I could plant a kiss on his parted lips. "This is why you're the perfect man. The only one that's worthy of the title of boyfriend."

"Worthy, huh?" Steven asked. "That sounds like a really big deal."

"Well I haven't found anyone that's met my standard of what the perfect guy should be until now so, yeah," I shrugged, "I'd say that it's a reasonably sized deal."

Steven's brows furrowed before he rotated a finger and said, "Wait a second, back up. Are you saying that I would be your first boyfriend?"

"No, dummy," I said before pinching his nipple hard enough to make him jump. "I'm saying that you are my first boyfriend."

"Hey!" Steven shouted and swatted my hand away.

I ignored Steven's cry of pain and put my hand on his shoulder so I could prop myself up over him. "And if you're my boyfriend that means I trust you enough to let you in. So if you hurt me now the only option is sudden death."

Instead of the confusion or fear or, hell, even exasperation that I expected from Steven, I received only amusement. He smiled slowly, until it stretched to his eyes and made them twinkle knowingly. It unsettled me that this was his response after I threatened his life but I kept my cards close to the vest and waited to see what his next move would be.

"Is that what you've really been worried about all this time? Letting me in close enough to hurt you?" Steven asked.

I shook my head with a low bark of self deprecating laughter. "It's much too late for that. What I'm worried about now is what you're gonna do with that power."

"Nothing," Steven said softly before he reached up to touch my face, something he often did when he felt close to me.

It brought me some comfort to feel his hand on me but it didn't take away the anxiety the conversation was filling me with.

"I want to believe that but," I shook my head and laughed darkly again, "well, I'm twenty four with no dating experience and now you know why."

"Harper," Steven said, breathing my name in a way that made me whimper and feel weak all over.

He leaned up and pressed his lips against mine so softly it felt like they were ghosting over mine. Another kiss, harder this time and another, that lingered longer than the other two had.

"I'm not going to hurt you," Steven murmured against my lips, kissing me between each word with that soft ghost that made my lips tingle in want. "I just want the chance to know you," another harder kiss, "and to love you," another lingering press.

"L-Love," I stuttered, feeling dazed by such a powerful word with the way that he was kissing me so intimately.

"Mm-hm," Steven hummed with a nuzzle to my nose and kissed me again before he wrapped an arm around my lower back and eased me down on top of him once more.

"I don't know anything about love, Steven," I said in a breathless voice while he guided me down to his chest again. "I mean I like you and I care about you but that's a really big deal and-"

"Harper. Harper. Baby," Steven said, his steady, powerful voice quickly putting my ramblings at silent ease. "I never said I was in love with you. I just meant that I want to love on you. Big difference."

I rolled my eyes. "This is just clever and intelligent all over again," I muttered under my breath. "Same thing but you're trying to pass them off as different."

Steven stared at me with a single brow cocked for a long time before he asked me, "Do you want me to just say it? I will if that's what you really want but I don't think that it is."

Please don't. All of this is already a lot and I'm afraid if you push anymore that I'll run away and ruin things before they even have a chance to go anywhere. So please, please just keep it to yourself for now.

"No," I whispered and shook my head before burrowing my head back into Steven's chest. "I'm not ready for that." I paused and then breathed, nearly inaudibly, "Not yet at least."

"Alright then," Steven said softly and rubbed up and down my back with one hand–a hand that was so big that it nearly covered the entire width of my back.

I listened to Steven's heavy, thumping heart and steady breaths for several minutes before I finally felt brave enough to look back up at his face. When I did I saw that his eyes were closed and his face was calm, as if he could be asleep.

"Steven?" I said, keeping my voice low just in case he really had dozed off.

"Hm?" he hummed and opened his eyes to look at me while his lips pulled up in an inviting smile.

Why is his face so damn handsome? Stupid fucking perfect man. Luring me in and making me think about loving him. Jesus. What an asshole.

I was well aware that I didn't believe anything that I was thinking but it was hard not to rely on my irritation and exasperation to see me through instead of having actual feelings.

What I need is time. A few minutes to understand what the hell is happening all of a sudden. My eyes searched Steven's curious brown ones before a wistful sigh escaped me. Just enough time to ground myself so I don't come up with a reason to bolt from him forever.

"Do you think you could do me a favor?" I asked him, doing the whole under the lashes trick that always got me my way.

Steven had been around the block with me a few times now and he was starting to learn my tricks. His smile turned into an amused grin as he looked me over, clearly seeing how I was trying to convince him with my cuteness.

"Of course," he said and then raised his brows before asking, "What do you need, baby?"

I climbed off of Steven and sat up beside him on the bed. "Would you grab my purse? It's out in my car."

Steven sat up automatically and slid off the bed before he went hunting for his pants on the ground.

"Where is it in the car?" he asked as he stepped into the slacks he had worn last night.

"Should be in the front seat. You won't miss it," I instructed him as I watched Steven tuck his dick in and zip up his slacks with a frown.

Always sucks when he puts it away. I thought with a mental sigh before a little grin tugged at my lips. But I always get to suck it when it comes back out.

I rolled my eyes at my own horrible joke before I forced myself to focus while I composed my face again for Steven's sake.

"If that's all the information I need then I'll be right back," Steven said with another one of his swoon worthy smiles shot my way before he turned on his heel and walked out, leaving me alone in the room.

When I was sure that Steven was far enough away that he couldn't hear me anymore, I flopped back on the bed and simply uttered, "Fuck."

It wasn't even that I was particularly unhappy with all of these revelations regarding Steven. The problem was that they left me feeling incredibly vulnerable and I didn't know how to handle that. I had perfected the art of never showing my vulnerability to anyone and now I was stuck in a situation where another person could not only see that sensitive piece hanging out of me but they also had the power to affect it. That was something that was completely unheard of until now.

That means he could just waltz into my fortress and fire all the guards before he dismantled it brick by brick. And then what do I do if he leaves me after that. Rebuild? Would it even be possible to rebuild after so much destruction? 'Cause I have my doubts...

It felt silly to jump to the conclusion that Steven would take me apart and leave me broken for no purpose. With the way he talked to me and looked at me and touched me told me that he would do nothing but care for me as long as I let him.

No idea why he wants such a load of baggage and distrust like me though. You'd think he would have chosen the easier option last night by turning me down and choosing something safer. Like Linda.

The mere thought of the woman I barely knew made my lips curl back in a sneer as the same possessive feelings I had felt for Steven last night flooded back into me. Whether it was the best thing for him or not, I couldn't stand the thought of Steven being with anyone that wasn't me.

Is that so bad though? To want him all to myself? I mean, he wants me all to himself so...isn't this just the natural progression of things?

"This is why I don't do relationships," I groaned and pressed my hands to my eyes. "They're so complicated."

"Hey, babe?" Steven's voice rang out, surprising me into sitting up as if I had been doing something wrong by thinking to myself.

"Yeah?" I called back.

"There's like four bags in your car. I grabbed the red one, is that-"

"Yeah, that's the one," I said in a softer voice full of amusement.

I heard Steven mutter, "Oh thank God," before he appeared in the doorway, holding up my dark red leather bag.

Seeing him standing there, wearing nothing but his slacks–he hadn't even donned shoes for the mission it looked like–while he held up my bag triumphantly made me realize why I was willing to deal with the complications.

'Cause he's the perfect guy. What other man would jump out of a warm comfy bed to run outside and get a purse? And he didn't even get a tiny bit mad about it either.

"Thanks, lover," I purred and held my hand out for the bag.

Steven swaggered over to me with a big grin on his handsome face. "I thought I told you that I liked that other thing you called more."

"Oh you mean," I murmured as I leaned up and grabbed the bag from Steven's hand, "my man."

Steven visibly shivered in response to my breathy words as he released the bag to me and kissed me on the forehead. "Yeah, that one," he husked.

I grinned as I watched Steven shimmy off his slacks before he went on a hunt for his boxer briefs across the carpet. How could I think for even a second that this big, silly man would ever hurt me intentionally. He doesn't have a mean bone in his body.

"Hey, so," Steven grunted as he did a little dance to pull his boxers up while trying to turn around and look at me at the same time. "Got a question for you."

"Mm-hm," I hummed and looked down into the bag Steven handed me to root around for my glasses. These contacts were well due to be taken out and the thought of a chill morning with glasses sounded pretty good actually.

"It's a bit short notice but I was wondering if you wanted to go to the office party with me," Steven asked in a voice that was trying to be nonchalant.

I blinked my contacts out of my eyes and dropped them into the small waste basket under Steven's nightstand table before I opened my glasses case and slid the black plastic frames onto my face.

"When is it?" I asked and turned my face back to Steven.

"Well it's..." Steven began before his voice trailed off when he met my gaze. "You wear glasses?"

"Yes," I said slowly and lifted a hand to touch the arm of my glasses unconsciously with my fingertips.

Steven nodded his head as he continued to stare at me dumbly. "Yeah. I, uh, just didn't know."

I smiled slyly at this reaction from him before crawling forward on the bed toward him. "Steven," I said, making my voice sound low and scandalized. "Do you have a glasses fetish?"

"What? No!" Steven said, a little too loudly, and waved me off.

I wouldn't have been inclined to believe him in a normal circumstance but seeing him try to brush me off in nothing but a pair of socks and his underwear made it impossible to take him seriously.

"Mm-hm. Sure," I purred as I got off the bed and strutted over to where he stood, naked as the day I was born.

Steven automatically circled his arms around me and pulled me tight to him in an embrace when I got close enough–like the good boyfriend he was.

"It's not a fetish, I just think you look very attractive in glasses," Steven explained before dropping a kiss to the top of my head.

"So you wouldn't want to, I dunno," I flicked my eyes up to Steven's with a steamy stare, "cum all over my face while I wear these?"

Steven made a strangled sound, as if he were holding back a moan, while his face distorted with desire for a quick moment before he forced his features back to composure.

"I mean, that's pretty fucking hot no matter what you're into," Steven said in a low husk.

"Uh-huh," I said, still remaining unconvinced at his explanations.

Not that I had a problem with the idea of this particular fetish. It wouldn't be the first time I had indulged in it and, like all things that I had tried once and enjoyed a little, I knew it would be phenomenal with Steven.

"We really should sit down and talk about all these hidden kinks and fetishes of yours so I'm not caught off guard by anything," I murmured and ran my hands down Steven's sculpted chest. "But first, maybe you should tell me when that office party is."

"Right," Steven said and cleared his throat. "It's tonight."

"Tonight?" I asked, my voice coming out a little loud in my surprise. "Sheesh. That is short notice, Steven."

"I know," he said and slid his arms down to my lower back so that his hands were resting on the curve of my bare ass. "It was something Linda and I had talked about going to together if our date went well but," he grinned at me ruefully, "that didn't really go to plan."

I rolled my eyes. "As if you didn't prefer the alternative," I scoffed.

"Oh, I very much did," Steven assured me with a vigorous nod of his head. "Which is why I'm asking you to go to this party with me instead of calling up Linda to see if she's still interested."

The simple idea of Steven wanting anyone else on his arm for the public to see–even at a bullshit event that I'd had no interest in attending until now–made me see red. It was especially rage inducing thinking of Linda, who had somehow become my arch nemesis in all of this, taking my rightful spot next to Steven.

"No need to involve Linda further. I'll be happy to go," I said, rather tightly, before I put on a big, authentic smile for Steven–my man.

"Glad to hear it," Steven said in that sexy husk that sent delightful chills up and down my spine. "Now do you have something semi formal to wear that doesn't cut at your panty line or are we gonna need to go shopping?"

I had plenty of dresses that met the criteria that Steven requested but I had no intention of telling him that if he wanted to take me out so I could find something new and pretty.

"Well I have a few that cut above the panty line," I mused with a devious glint dancing in my eyes as I looked up at Steven. "Is that any better."

"Not even a little bit," Steven said with another kiss to my forehead before he smacked my ass with both hands and released me from his grasp.

"Darn," I said and sighed with as much enthusiasm and exasperation as I could muster. "Guess we gotta go shopping."

Steven barked out a laugh that told me he wasn't at all fooled by my tactics. That didn't mean that I wasn't going to get my way but it did mean that it was twice now that he had been able to avoid my trickery.

You gotta learn some new shit, girl. He's getting too smart for the typical tricks.

"Do you wanna grab something to eat before we go or on the way?" Steven asked.

"If you're gonna treat me I really oughta let you go all the way with it," I remarked in a thoughtful voice. "So, yes. You can buy me an overpriced muffin at a snobby coffee shop."

"Specific, aren't you?" Steven asked while he pulled his belt tight through the buckle.

Seeing Steven's strong hands on the leather made my brows raise as a spike of lust shot down to my clit all of a sudden. Well. We're having all kinds of fun and interesting kinks poke their heads up lately, huh?

"I find it makes things simpler for everyone," I said with a shrug as I took two steps back to plant my ass on the edge of the bed so I could watch Steven get dressed.

This was allowed for a few minutes while Steven flipped through the shirts in his closet until he found one that pleased him. After that though he turned around and looked at me with a single brow cocked.

"You're not going out in that, are you?" Steven asked with a hand motioning up and down my still naked body.

"What? You don't like this?" I asked while I stuck my chest out and gave my tits a little shake.

"I do," Steven said with a hand pressed against his chest. "But I don't think that other people will really appreciate the avant-garde fashion choice you'll be making."

"I'm sure there would be more than a few folks that would get it," I argued before putting on a smile and coming over to Steven so I could plant a kiss on his lips. "But I'll try not to make you too jealous when you're being so sweet to me."

"That might be for the best," Steven husked against my lips before he turned me around with another pat to my butt. "Now go get dressed or I'll spank you till your ass is pink."

"Mm, yes, Daddy," I murmured with a steamy look over my shoulder and a little wiggle of my ass.

Yup. Definitely some interesting kinks that have been coming up lately. All kinds of new things we'll have to try soon. I flicked my eyes back over to Steven, putting a light blue shirt on in the mirror. If we can survive our first date that is.

***

"I can't believe you choose to come to things like this on purpose," I muttered from the corner of my mouth as we entered the hall that the firm had rented out for the annual spring office party.

"I'm a senior accounting manager. I don't have a choice," Steven deadpanned beside me.

I rolled my eyes and scoffed, "I'm sure you have a choice."

"Let me rephrase," Steven said. "I don't have a choice if I want to keep my balls from getting chopped off by Sanders on Monday morning."

"Sanders? Who's that?" I asked with a single brow cocked while I took Steven's lead of easing into the room.

It was almost as if he were dipping his toe into the water to make sure that the temperature was just right, only instead it was like he was feeling the climate of the room.

"Just the ball busting bitch that's run every aspect of my professional life for the last seven years," Steven said before clicking his tongue and looking over at me with a smile. "In other words, she's my boss."

I grinned up at him and nudged his shoulder with mine. "Yes well, you do seem to have a type, Steven," I remarked.

Steven shook his head and let out a bark of laughter that caught the attention of a few partygoers. "You're a relentless tease and you're really good at making me work for it but you're not exactly a ball buster, babe. At least you're not like that with me."

"No," I mused and narrowed my eyes at him. "You make me weak."

Steven's lips stretched into a big smile before he leaned down to kiss my neck and whisper in my ear, "I'd like to think that I make you sweet."

"Hey, hey, hey! No nookie in here!"

I whipped my head around aggressively–ready to tear apart anyone who would dare to try and stop Steven's warm, husky breath from caressing my neck–and caught the owner of the voice in my narrowed gaze.

"Shove it, Gerald," Steven growled at his friend before I could even think of what I would say to the husky, mustached man.

"Ah, don't be like that, Steve-O. I'm just having a bit of fun with you," Gerald said, a big grin on his face and his hands deep in the pockets of his khaki slacks as he came around to stand in front of us.

I glanced up at Steven's stony face, which was a far cry to the sexy smile he'd been wearing minutes prior, before looking back at Gerald with a grin.

I might be able to have a little fun with him...

"Steven doesn't know what fun is," I remarked with a blase shrug.

"Hey!" Steven cried and turned his outraged face toward me.

"Well I knew that," Gerald scoffed and shook his head. "But I thought you were working on giving him a sense of humor."

"Hey!" Steven said, louder and to Gerald this time. "I have a sense of humor," he swung his gaze toward me sharply, "and I do know what fun is, thank you very much."

"Oh, I'm sure you know all about fun," Tom said loudly, announcing his presence as he strolled into the empty spot on Gerald's left while Ned, who had been close to Tom's heels, took the vacant space on the right.

"Yeah, sure," Ned scoffed and threw a hand out toward me. "As long as it's behind closed doors with his cute girlfriend."

I cocked a brow up at this statement from the usually quiet but otherwise mildly annoying Ned.

Someone sounds jealous. Or hard up. Or both. I flicked my eyes up to Steven, who looked exhausted at the united front that was forming against him. I've gotta talk to him about getting that boy laid. Hmm. I could always ring up Kassandra and see if she wants something new to play with. It'd be double good if I could find out if Neddy has a mommy kink first...

"Are you gonna let them talk to me like this?" Steven asked with an exhausted hand thrown out at the guys.

I snapped out of my thoughts of getting the young accountant railed–something Ned looked like he definitely needed–and turned to Steven with a grin. "I didn't know that you needed me to defend you."

Steven narrowed his eyes at me before he threw his hand toward the snickering boys again and amended his original statement. "Are you gonna let them talk about you that way?"

"Mm," I hummed and shrugged nonchalantly. "Can't say much about something that's true."

There was a low chorus of 'oohs' from Gerald, Ned and Tom but the sound was quickly snapped off when Steven turned one of his hard, fiery glares on the three.

"Oh, come on," I said and grabbed Steven's shoulder for support so I could lean up on my five inch heels to kiss his cheek. "We're just trying to have a little fun with you, babe."

Steven turned to me with that same hard expression he had used on the guys. The moment his eyes caught mine, however, all of that put on steeliness melted away and he was my man again. Romantic, considerate and super sexy.

"Yeah, alright," Steven conceded after a moment and laid a quick kiss on my forehead before turning back to face the guys with a sigh.

"Okay, since no one else is gonna do it, I'll be the first one to ask," Tom said with a raise of two fingers that he then pointed between Steven and myself. "When did this happen? I'm gonna be honest, and I mean this with no disrespect, but I did not see the grumpy old accountant and the smoking new secretary being a thing."

You'd understand if you saw his dick. I mused to myself before my eyes traced Steven's chiseled jawline, his high cheekbones and across his strong brow before settling on his beautiful brown eyes. Or if you could see him the way I do...

"First off, I resent the description," Steven said gruffly.

"If the shoe fits," Ned interjected with an unapologetic shrug of his shoulders.

"Secondly," Steven said loudly with a pointed look at Ned–who shut right the fuck up under the weight of that stare–before he turned his gaze back to Tom. "You're looking at all of this on a very surface level so it's no wonder you don't understand."

"You're right, I don't," Tom replied with a shrug that suggested he didn't care either.

Ned glanced between me and Steven a few times with narrowed eyes before he shook his head and muttered, " I don't get it either."

"I do," Gerald piped up suddenly.

Steven looked at his friend in surprise. "You do?"

"Sure," Gerald said and nodded. "I mean, honestly you two aren't so different then me and Susie. Opposites attract and all that."

A small, amused hum vibrated in my throat before I smiled up at Steven. "We are polar opposites in a lot of things, so he might be onto something here."

"Lucky bastard, that's all you are," Ned muttered under his breath before he took a drink from the red plastic cup in his hand while he attempted–badly–to subtly eye up my legs.

I knew that Steven had seen the way Ned looked at me because the grip he had on my waist tightened a little bit. He didn't puff his chest out and put on some macho show of ownership over me though. He just held me a little tighter and smiled wryly at his friend.

"Damn right," Steven declared and kissed the top of my head. "I'm lucky she chose me when she could have had anyone."

Is that flattery I hear? Public flattery? Hm. If he's gonna make a habit of talking me up like this then I think I could get used to all these ideas about boyfriends and dates.

"Too bad she has horrible taste," Tom chimed in and held his hand up behind Gerald for Ned to high five.

"Yeah 'cause she picked you!" Ned said and gave Tom's hand a hearty slap.

What a couple of dickweeds...

"Why do you hang out with these jackasses again?" I asked Steven with a sour look shot between Tom and Ned–who both looked more perplexed than chastised from my expression.

Steven shrugged. "Becuase they're young and dumb and don't know any better. Gerald and I are hoping our good influence will rub off on them but so far, no dice. They're still a couple of morons."

"Whoa!"

"Hey!"

Tom and Ned exclaimed simultaneously.

Both of their cries were ignored by Gerald who turned his sympathetic paternal smile toward me. "But it's okay 'cause Steven and I always make them do the most mind numbingly tedious jobs we can think of to keep them in check."

"Wait..."

"Seriously?"

This second chorus was ignored as quickly as the first, only by Steven this time. "Pretty much. Yeah."

"Wow. Can you seriously believe these old farts?" Tom asked with a thumb jerked over to Gerald.

Ned scoffed and crossed his arms over his chest tightly. "Some mentorship program."

"C'mon, Neddy," Tom said as he stepped around Gerald so he could slap Ned on the shoulder. "Let's get a drink and leave these bitter old boys to themselves."

"Sounds good to me," Ned agreed with a single nod of his head before he marched after Tom's heels in the same manner that he had when they came in.

I watched after the two for a few moments before I turned my attention back between Steven and Gerald with a muttered, "Wow."

"Hm?" Steven hummed, obviously jaded by the drama queen behavior his young friends were well practiced in.

"Well for a second there I was thinking that I could hook those guys up with some of my friends but now I'm wondering if they just wanna fuck each other," I admitted with a thoughtful hum at the tail end of my sentence.

I didn't receive any verbal confirmation or denial to this theory, only Gerald and Steven letting out loud barks of laughter that got several guests around us whispering and scoffing in disdain.

No wonder Steven doesn't have a sense of humor. This has been his environment for God knows how long. This dry, stuffy, suffocating world that seems to suck away any sense of fun.

"Those two'll come around by Monday," Gerald said with a sigh while he rocked back on his heels. "If not, they better figure out their shit by next Saturday 'cause we gotta hammer out character deets before the campaign."

I blinked several times as I tried to decipher the words Gerald had just said before realizing that I was incapable.

"I'm sorry, what?" I asked with a perplexed expression shot between Steven and Gerald.

"He's talking about Burrows and Bugbears," Steven explained with a touch of exasperation.

Almost as if he didn't want me to know...

"Steven," I said in a soft, inquisitive voice. "Are you a nerd?"

"Well, I mean, I don't know if I would call myself a nerd, per se," Steven said, stumbling over his words in that adorably awkward way that never failed to bring a smile to my face.

Gerald took a step forward so he could smack Steven's other shoulder, the one that I wasn't hanging off of, before he scoffed, "Dude you're the biggest nerd. You have like every B and B second edition book." He looked over at me and said, "The physical copies too. That shit is worth more than my house."

I had no idea what any of that meant except that it confirmed exactly what I had suspected about Steven for some time. He was definitely a closet nerd.

And if he's a closet nerd like he's a closet romantic that means there's a huge nerd just waiting to burst out of that closet.

"So," I drawled with a sly grin shot up at Steven. "You play this Buggles and Burbears thing?"

"Burrows and Bugbears," Steven corrected instantly through gritted teeth before he shot a narrow eyed glare at Gerald. "And yes. I do play."

I let a beat of silence linger among the three of us before I broke it with a chipper, "Cool!"

Honestly I didn't give a rat's ass what Steven liked to do in his free time. Not that I didn't have any interest in the things he cared about, I just didn't have any room to judge them. If he liked to dress up like a wizard with his friends and have make-believe adventures why should I give a shit. It might even be amusing to watch if I had the chance.

"Cool?" Steven asked in a perplexed voice.

"Yeah, not the word Susie would use to describe it," Gerald said before letting out a big belly laugh.

"Well I don't know much about the game so I can't say much else," I said and shrugged.

"There's always room for another player if you want to learn," Gerald suggested.

I shook my head with my nose scrunched up. "No thanks," I said, to the utter dismay of Gerald. "But if it's alright with you guys, maybe I could sit in and watch sometime?"

"Uh..." Steven uttered, obviously looking for the right way to say no without being a dick.

Before he could find those magic words, however, Gerald nodded enthusiastically and said, "Sure!"

"Yay," Steven said under his breath and let his head hang.

I nudged Steven's ribs, getting his attention right away, before I looked up at him from under my lashes and whispered, "Do you not want me to go?"

"I..." Steven began before he shook his head and said, "It's alright with me if you want to hang out while we play our game."

"You know," Gerald said and lifted a hand with a single finger raised. "What we should do is have the two of you come over for dinner first so Harper can meet Susie and the kids without the rowdy boys."

"Yeah, good idea," Steven scoffed. "She can also see if she can stand to listen to you for more than a few minutes at a time."

Gerald nodded. "Yeah that's a good point, I hadn't even thought about that," he said, mostly to himself, before he looked over at me with a fresh grin, "So what do you say?"

My brows raised as I looked between the two men for a moment before I said, "Uh, yeah. Sure. I love free food."

"Excellent," Gerald said and clapped his hands together. "I'll talk to the wife and get back to you on what day next week."

"Please do," Steven said, a bit stiffly.

"Yeah. Well, I won't take all of y'alls time if you want to keep mingling," Gerald said with a nod to the both of us. "Maybe we'll run into each other again later."

Steven hummed and subtly turned me away from Gerald even as the husky man was making his backward retreat from us.

Jesus. None of these stuffy accountant types have any social grace do they? It's like they can't even say a simple hello or goodbye without it being a whole awkward ordeal.

"Sorry about that," Steven said once we were away from Gerald and alone again.

"Why?" I asked. "You didn't do anything wrong."

"No, I didn't," Steven murmured as he led me toward the open bar. "But I know how much my friends can be and I didn't bring you out tonight to exhaust you."

I smiled softly at Steven. He was so cute when he didn't know it. How he cared so much that he wanted to make every moment with me worth it. A worthy feat despite how improbable it was goint to be to accomplish in the long run of things.

"What did you bring me out here for then?" I asked him before slipping my palm against his with a gentle squeeze.

Steven shrugged and rubbed the back of his neck. "I dunno," he mumbled. "I just wanted to take you out and have a good time. I know this isn't either of our ideal dates but I just thought that..." He shrugged again before he let out a sigh and looked down at me ruefully. "I guess I just figured that you could make anything fun. Even a snore fest like this."

"Oh, I definitely could," I assured him. "But you may not appreciate how many boners I'll cause by breathing some life into this party."

"As long as it's all look and no touch I don't think I'll complain about it," Steven husked against the shell of my ear.

I released Steven's hand so I could run my hand down his thigh casually before I murmured, "Oh really? Should I add exhibitionist to your growing list of kinks, Mister Bradshaw?"

"I wasn't aware that you were keeping track, Miss Andrews," Steven said with a voice of interest.

"Somewhat," I said with a squeeze to his thigh before I scooped his hand back up into mine. "It would be a lot easier if I could conduct a formal study on all of the perverted little nooks and crannies in your brain though."

A throaty chuckle escaped Steven as he put a single finger up and told me, "Hold that thought," before he turned to the bartender and ordered us both drinks.

Typically I preferred to order my own drink, my own food or whatever the hell else I might be ordering in the presence of others but with Steven it was different. I felt like Steven knew me well enough not to fuck up but beyond that it was just nice to feel like he was taking care of me. Even if it was something as simple as ordering a drink, having Steven do it for me made me feel all warm and close to him. It put me in whatever was the opposite of his daddy space.

"You were saying?" Steven remarked with a big grin planted on his lips. "Something about conducting a formal study I believe."

"Something like that, yeah," I replied softly and took his hand back in mine.

It had only been a minute that it had been out of my grasp but I found that was far too long to be apart from him.

"I'm very curious to see what that would look like," Steven said before a thoughtful hum rumbled in his throat. "I'm guessing that you'll have to strap me to a chair so I can't get away from you as you perform all your little experiments on me."

A sudden bout of laughter erupted out of me at this visual that Steven painted. Not that it wasn't appealing, because it was, but just the sheer ridiculousness of what he imagined tickled my funny bone.

"Alright. I'm adding bondage to your list," I said with faux disappointment in my voice before I shook my head and muttered, "Maybe doctor play too 'cause that's suspiciously where it sounded like you were going with that sentence."

Steven was still chuckling in response to my words when the bartender dropped off our drinks with a confused, wary glance between the two of us. I could only imagine what we must have looked like to this guy, whispering back and forth before one or both of us erupted into gales of laughter.

It must be wild to see Steven and I from outside of our secret place...

"It sounds like it's really quite the list you're compiling there," Steven husked and handed over the cranberry vodka he ordered for me.

I took a sip and smiled at him from over the rim of my glass. "It's definitely growing," I purred and ran my tongue along the rim of my glass before placing it on the bar.

"Hm," Steven hummed and took a swig from his drink, which looked like his usual whiskey on ice. "Makes me wonder what else is on there."

I ran through the mental list in my head, both the things I had a suspicion Steven would be into and the things I would like to try with him, but before I could mention any of the kinky fetish fantasies I had mentally collected, a new body stopped behind us and made their presence known by clearing their throat.

Can anyone give me five fucking seconds to flirt with my boyfriend? Jesus Christ. No one has any respect in this place.

I was huffy as I turned around to see the new addition to mine and Steven's party of two so I didn't notice how stiff he had gone beside me. All I could really see was the statuesque brunette in the expensive tailored pencil skirt and blouse, looking down on me as if I didn't belong.

"Miss Sanders, so good to see you," Steven said, which finally pulled my attention over to him long enough for me to see how his entire demeanor and body language had changed.

His body was tense. His mouth was tight. His eyes were wary and cautious.

I had never seen Steven so coiled and ready to spring from a situation. It made me feel uneasy just to see him like this.

"Oh, Steven," Sanders said and waved Steven off with a smile that was leagues away from the uppity sneer she had been setting me with. "How many times have I told you to call me Marcia?"

"Too many to count," Steven said and put on his charming faux smile–the one that always left a bad taste in my mouth–with a shrug. "I've never called my boss by their first name so it's hard to change. I guess some old habits just die hard."

Sanders smiled in a way that curled my stomach uncomfortably before she put her hand on Steven's shoulder and said, "Well let's hope that you can kick that old bucket soon then, hm?"

I looked at Sanders, who was leaning much too far into Steven's space, and then over to Steven, who simply looked uncomfortable below his mask of calm.

What the fuck is happening right now?

"So," Sanders drawled as she stood upright again before turning her judgemental eyes back to me. "Who's your friend here, Steven?"

"Oh, uh," Steven began before I stuck my hand out to Sanders aggressively and smiled.

"Harper Andrews," I said with a cool confidence that rivaled Steven's. "I work in the administration offices."

"Hm," Sanders hummed in a way that made me think she didn't approve of spending time with someone so low on the company payroll.

Which means that she can't possibly understand why someone like Steven would want to hang out with me. I held back the desire to roll my eyes and gritted my teeth instead. Stuck up, shallow bitch.

"Administration?" Sanders asked and then looked over at Steven with an amused chuckle. "That's a long way from your office, Steven. Must be a really funny story as to how you two met."

"Actually we knew each other before Harper started working with the firm," Steven said with a flicker of a real smile shot my way before he was forced to look back at his boss.

Sanders nodded with another of those disapproving hums in her throat while she glanced between Steven and I. This scrutinizing gaze made me feel as if I were being looked down on by some kind of parental figure which only left me feeling even more adverse to this woman than I already was.

"How fortunate," Sanders said through pursed lips, as if this information burned her ass somehow.

"It really is," I said in a pleasant voice before I touched Steven's shoulder–opposite of the one the she bitch had laid her claws on–and smiled at him warmly. "Lunch hours would be really boring if I didn't have this guy to hang out with."

Two things happened in quick succession as a response to my words. First, a light blush crept up Steven's neck and colored his cheeks a soft pink. This then triggered Sanders to narrow her eyes and tighten her jaw.

Interesting. She either really looks at us lower class workers like we're trash or there's something else going on with her. Something suspicious that involves my man...

"Just as friends though, right?" Sanders asked in a voice that was sickly sweet.

Why the fuck do you care?

"Oh yeah. Of course," Steven said and let out a laugh that was even more fake than his smile.

I glanced at Steven from the corner of my eye with a speculative stare. What the fuck...?

Sanders' plump lips stretched into a smile that conjured images of a predator contemplating their next snack.

"That's good to hear," she said in a breathy voice that was directed solely at Steven. "Because you know the company policy on fraternizing-"

"Yes I do. Big no-no," Steven said with a vigorous nod of his head before he downed nearly half his drink in one gulp.

Jesus. She really stresses him out.

"It is," Sanders agreed before she turned her head to look at me with disdain for a quick moment before snapping her eyes back to Steven. "And I would hate to take disciplinary actions over something so silly."

Oh. Oh. This bitch. This fucking bitch. This devious ass fucking snake bitch.

"You know me," Steven said with a shrug and casually laid his arm on the bar, which caused my hand to slip off him. "I don't even have time to date."

The subtle way that Steven rejected my touch made every part of me want to throw up my guard and close the gates to him. When I looked at his tight face and fake smile though, I couldn't justify locking him out. Clearly this was an act for Sanders sake and even if I didn't understand the why yet, I knew Steven well enough to know I would get answers eventually if I played along.

"Time?" I scoffed and took a note from Steven's book by taking a big swig of my cran vodka. "I don't have the fucking energy to date?"

Steven's brows went up in surprise at this declaration while Sanders' smile grew until she looked less like a predator and more like a swamp toad.

"It's good to hear that we're all clear on the rules here," Sanders said with a quick, deliberate glance over at me before her gaze was glued back on Steven. "That'll make everything easier in the long run."

"Yeah," Steven said softly and looked down at his drink.

Sanders looked at Steven's defeated face for a few more moments before she put a hand on his forearm and said, "I really ought to make the rounds and see if everyone is enjoying themselves but it's always a pleasure to catch up with you, Steven."

"Mm-hm. You too," Steven said, disguising a sigh behind the lip of his glass before he finished his drink.

"Hm," Sanders hummed, letting her hand linger on Steven for far too long before she pulled it back and looked at me with a curt nod. "Harlow."

It's Harper you fucking bitch. My lips turned down in a frown. No. That's not quite mean enough. I need a word that's stronger than bitch...

I narrowed my eyes and shook my head as I watched this prissy bitch turn on her heels and walk away from us as if she didn't just come over, disrupt our good time, hit on my boyfriend and treat me like shit while she did it.

"I'm so sorry, Harper," Steven muttered beside me and put a soft, warm hand on my back.

"For sucking up to your boss or for denying that I was your girlfriend?" I asked him with both my brows raised.

"Both," he sighed.

I nodded in understanding, unable to really be mad at him with how pathetic he looked, and lifted a hand to rub the soft, short hairs at the nape of his neck. "What was with all that anyways? The whole 'no fraternizing' bullshit."

Steven shook his head. "Sanders has some stupid hangup on co workers dating. I have no idea why but she's been trigger happy with firing people over it before so I try to stay out of the crossfire." He looked at me with his warm and endearing gaze and smiled softly. "I never meant to hurt you by lying though."

"It's not even that," I said and took a long drink from my cranberry and vodka before I placed it on the bar behind us, where Steven's empty whiskey glass already resided. "I just thought this whole night was about, I don't know, coming out together or something. It just felt weird to be shoved back into a closet that I've never been out of."

"I'm sorry," Steven said again before he hung his head with a big sigh. "It was stupid to think that I could make something like this fun."

"Yeah," I agreed before slipping a hand around Steven's shoulders and laying a kiss on his temple. "Guess that's why we should get the fuck out of here and go somewhere we can have fun."

Steven flicked his hopeful eyes up to mine. "Did you have something in mind?"

"Not yet," I said. "But I'm sure I can come up with something."

"What are we waiting for then?" Steven scoffed and took his hand in mine, obviously not giving any fucks about who could see us anymore, before he squeezed my palm and dragged me toward the entrance.

Finally. Something I can actually get excited about tonight. No more nerd talk. No more creepy bosses. No more...ah, fuck.

Just as Steven and I were about to make our grand escape to the outside world that made sense, one more obstacle popped up and blocked our way.

"Linda," Steven said softly as he pulled me to a stop right before we could run into the middle aged blonde.

"Steven! So good to see you!" Linda exclaimed with a big smile stretched across her face for his sake.

Here we go again. Another woman to fawn and drool all over him while they push me to the side like I don't exist. I drew in a quick breath that I huffed out of my nose. This has to be some kind of cruel ironic punishment for how I made Steven feel. Not that I don't deserve it but...fuck. It really hurts.

"Hey, Harper," Linda said with a shy little wave to me. "Glad you could make it tonight."

That was...unexpected.

"Yeah," I murmured and looked up at Steven, who was staring down at me with the adoring smile that always made me feel safe and comfortable with him, before my glance met Linda's again. "Me too."

The three of us looked at each other for a few moments without saying anything before Linda cleared her throat and said, "Well, this is awkward isn't it?"

Immediately, Steven blew out the breath, he had been holding and said, "I'm sorry. This is all my fault. It wouldn't be like this if I wouldn't have messed things up with," he motioned his hand toward me and then Linda before he flapped his arms in exasperation and sighed, "everyone."

At the same time, Linda and I jumped in to comfort Steven.

"Baby, no. This isn't your fault."

"You didn't mess anything up, Steven."

Steven looked between the two of us with an unconvinced expression and shook his head. "No. I really did. I just...it wasn't what I intended. And Linda," he turned to look at her, "I'm sorry if I led you on or hurt you. You've always been such a good friend to me and I would hate to think that I ruined something so special."

I cocked my head and watched as Steven apologized to Linda in an entirely authentic and honest voice. It was times like these that I wondered if I really deserved a man like Steven. Someone that was so good that he didn't seem to belong to this world.

But he chose me so no backsies. I thought to myself with a smug little smile that I tried to hide as I waited on Linda's response.

"I'm not mad at you, Steven," Linda said and smiled at him in a way that was a little sad. "And you didn't lead me on or hurt my feelings or anything like that. I was a little disappointed but..." Her eyes touched mine briefly before she looked back at him. "I think I knew what was going to happen before you did."

Well damn, Linda. I thought with an appreciative nod for the woman who I had considered to be my arch nemesis just twelve hours prior. Aren't you a smart cookie.

"Y-You did?" Steven stuttered with a look of surprise that he flicked between Linda and me.

Linda shrugged. "You'd have to be pretty oblivious not to notice the way you look at Harper," she said before glancing over at me with a genuine smile. "Not that you don't deserve it. I mean, you look amazing tonight, girl."

My lips pulled up in a big broad smile at this sudden and unexpected compliment from Linda. "Thank you," I said and motioned to her with one hand. "I love what you did with your hair by the way."

"Really?" Linda said and touched her freshly cut hair–which I noticed was much more flattering now that it was short enough to highlight her face. "I wasn't sure if I would like it at first but it's starting to grow on me."

"Well I think it shows off those pretty eyes of yours so I'd say you're killing it," I said and then looked up at Steven with a motion of my hand toward Linda. "What do you think, babe?"

Steven's eyes were furrowed as he looked between Linda and I with a confused expression dancing.

"So...no one is mad at me?" Steven asked after several seconds of looking between us girls.

"No," Linda said with a shake of her head.

"I might be if you don't tell Linda how nice her haircut looks," I remarked with a hand on my hip and an expectant look shot at him.

Steven blinked a few times before something in his brain clicked into place and I saw the light return to his eyes.

"Right," he muttered to himself before looking at Linda with a smile. "Your hair looks great. Harper's right, it really shows off your eyes."

There's my man. The good guy. A little grin tugged at my lips. Fitting that he would end up with the bad girl.

"Thank you," Linda said and looked at Steven and I with a soft gaze. "I'm glad you found someone that makes you happy, Steven. You deserve it."

Steven nodded while the embarrassed little blush started to make its appearance up in his cheeks again.

"Thanks, Lin," he mumbled and rubbed the back of his neck. "I really appreciate that."

Linda nodded for a moment before she looked at me with her soft smile that seemed so familiar. It wasn't until I was really looking into her eyes–which were such a similar shade of brown to Steven's eyes–that I made the connection.

She's just a female Steven. The smile. The eyes. The gentle demeanor. It's all the same.

I had to hold myself together so no one would see how much this revelation caught me off guard and knocked me on my ass. Not that it was life altering by any means but it was oddly curious. Especially when the thought of Linda and Steven being a thing was almost a reality.

God that would have been so boring. They probably would have driven each other insane without anyone else to add some fun sauce to their bland mix.

"You scooped up one of the last good ones, you lucky girl," Linda said, snapping me back to reality so quickly that I had to search inside my head to try and recall what had just been said to me.

When Linda's words clicked in the right order inside my brain, I smiled and let my gaze slide over to Steven, who was looking down at me with my favorite face. The warm, soft, endearing one that made me feel like I was being wrapped up in a big fluffy blanket, straight from the dryer.

"Yeah. He really is," I breathed as I smiled back at Steven with as much affection for him as I could muster.

I knew it was probably considered extremely rude for Steven and I to stare at each other like a couple of smitten kids but it was hard for me to tear away from his eyes when it felt so good to swim in them. Thankfully, Steven had more tact than I did and he was able to look away from me and morph his loving smile into one that was more friendly for Linda.

"Thanks for understanding, Lin," Steven said in an amiable voice before he reached out to touch her shoulder gently.

"Yeah," Linda said softly, that sad smile back on her face, before she flapped her arms once and rearranged her features back into a smile. "Well, I won't keep the exit blocked any longer if you want to make your grand escape."

"How'd you know?" I asked her in an amused voice.

"Oh, I don't know," Linda mused. "It might have been seeing Sanders crowd you for more than five minutes or the way you were running straight to the door afterward or, you know, it could have been something else that was altogether unrelated," she shrugged, "It's hard to say, really."

She's funny. Like, unexpectedly funny for someone who's basically just a Steven clone in a dress. I sucked my lips in to stifle the laughter that wanted to burst out at the thought of Steven in a dress–particularly his hairy pecs peeking out of the top.

Steven let out a single, humorless bark of laughter that made me think that he might be reliving the showdown with Sanders again before he grumbled, "I'd say D, all of the above."

"I figured," Linda said sympathetically before she shrugged. "You showed your face. They can't really ask for much more than that."

Steven nodded. "My thoughts exactly."

There was another silent standoff, like the one the three of us had shared at the beginning of the conversation, and just like that first one it was Linda that eventually broke the quiet with an exasperated sigh.

"What the hell are you two waiting for? Get out of here before Sanders comes back around this way!" Linda hissed and motioned to the door aggressively.

I grabbed Steven's hand from my shoulder. "You heard the lady. Let's go!" I said before I began to tug him past Linda and toward the door.

Once I got Steven moving, he picked up speed until we were both running and giggling like those smitten kids I had imagined earlier as we made our way to his car.

"You know, we really should help Linda find a date since you stood her up," I said with a sigh as I settled into the plush seat of Steven's new sedan.

"Wow," Steven said and turned to look at me with his brows raised. "I stood her up? If anything you stood her up."

"Steven, that doesn't even make sense," I scoffed and rolled my eyes as I grabbed over my shoulder for the seat belt.

"You know what I meant," Steven sighed and turned the ignition before grabbing his own seat belt.

"Yeah, I did," I said and looked at him with a big, cheeky smile. "I just like messing with you."

Steven shot me a side eyed glare before he growled, "Of course you do," and pulled out of the parking lot.

"So?" I asked Steven after we had driven in silence for nearly two minutes.

"So?" Steven shot back with another glance from the side.

"What do you think of setting Linda up with someone? I already have a girl in mind for Ned and I'm sure once I've taken that deadweight away Tom will be fine," I explained.

"And why are you so set on playing matchmaker with my friends all of a sudden?" Steven asked.

"I dunno," I said with a shrug. "I just figured since I'm so happy with you that I could pass the buck and try to make someone else happy."

Steven smiled at me for a second before he flicked his eyes back to the road. "Do I really make you that happy?"

I reached over the console so I could put a hand on Steven's knee with a little squeeze. "You make me pretty damn happy, Steven."

"Good," Steven said with a smile before he slipped a hand from the steering wheel and laid it on top of mine. "So," he squeezed my hand in his, "where to next?"

I shrugged. "I have no idea."

"Then I'll drive until you figure it out," Steven said.

Guess that depends. If I get a good idea quick enough, and I am known for my witty ideas, then we could be stopped in some parking lot trying something new in the back seat within the next fifteen minutes. Then again, I might think of something equally fun that won't require Steven to stop at all. Really up in the air on where my brain will take us tonight.

"Sound plan," I said, while my brain began to mull over various ways that Steven and I could occupy our time tonight. "But I doubt you'll be driving for too long."

Steven looked over at me from the side before he smiled wide enough for me to see the top row of his white teeth. "I'm counting on that."