She’d undone my jeans and pulled my cock out. Wrapping her hand around it, she began stroking me. “Yes, and you were gone so I took care of myself with BOB, but he’s never enough. Especially not when I make myself come thinking about you; it just makes me need you more.”

I groaned again; the thought of her using a vibrator turned me on, but her dirty talking took me to a whole new level of turned on. Grinding myself against her, I growled, “From now on, I’ll wake you up and fuck you before I leave for work.” As the words left my mouth, I lifted her so she sat on the desk, thrust my cock inside her and squeezed my eyes shut as her pussy welcomed me in.

God damn, my woman felt good.

She moaned and dug her fingers into my back. “Fuck me hard, Scott. Fast and hard,” she pleaded. Desire laced her words and caused me to move with clear intention. If Harlow wanted fast and hard, who the fuck was I to argue?

Her legs wrapped around me and we lost ourselves while we gave our bodies over to the pleasure we craved. There was no kissing and no gentleness to this sex; it was raw need, pure and simple.

Cock and pussy and cum.

A quick fuck that would get us through the day until I could fuck her until she passed out tonight.

As her orgasm shattered through her, she clung to me tighter, digging her fingers into my skin even harder. No words escaped her mouth, but her breathing had quickened and I watched as her eyes closed and she bit her bottom lip. And then my orgasm moved through my body, and I thrust one last time before coming.

Fuck.

I tightened my hold on her and dropped my head against her shoulder. We didn’t move for a few minutes, but eventually I pulled out and let her go. I pulled my jeans up and loved the fuck out of it when her hands took over and did them up. Her eyes didn’t leave mine, and hell if they didn’t promise me all sorts of sexy shit.

“Christ, it’s like you’re making up for lost time,” I said as she pulled her panties and jeans up.

“Are you complaining?” The playfulness in her tone told me she loved this conversation.

I dropped my lips to hers and kissed her. It was a long, deep kiss and when we finally surfaced for air, I said, “Fuck, no. Anytime you want to make up for lost time, just call me, and I’m there.”

She grinned and reached for her bag that she’d dumped on my desk. Pulling something out that was wrapped in tin foil, she placed it in my hands. “You need to eat this because I’m going to bake your other favourite tonight.”

I frowned. “What’s my other favourite?”

Shaking her head, she refused to tell me. “You’ll have to wait until tonight if you don’t know what it is. It’ll be a surprise that I guarantee you’ll love.” She pressed another kiss to my lips before slinging her bag over her shoulder and taking a step away from me.

I placed the cake on the desk and folded my arms across my chest. Watching as she took the few steps to the door, I said, “A head’s up, sweetheart – my dick is already hard for you again. That sweet pussy of yours is mine tonight and I plan on fucking you all night long, so take it easy today.”

Her steps faltered and when she turned to me, I could clearly see how much my words had affected her.

Almost as much as just thinking about her affected me.

“I love your filthy mouth, Scott Cole,” she said, and with that she left.

I pushed off the desk and looked out the window, watching as she left the clubhouse a few minutes later. So many thoughts filled my mind, but as they came and went, one thought remained. It’s good to have my woman back.

2

Harlow

Today is going to be a good day.

I repeated this over and over in my mind as I drove away from the clubhouse. Yesterday I’d felt like I could conquer the world, but today I felt like the world could conquer me. It made no sense to me because after a great day yesterday and an amazing night with Scott, I’d thought for sure I would wake up today and tackle everything head on. But then again, the thing I’d learnt over the past few months was that not much in my head made sense to me.

I’d woken up with that empty feeling in the pit of my stomach that I’d become used to. Empty and me were old friends. The difference now, though, was that it was a friendship I had become determined to end. So I’d plastered a smile on my face and gone to see my man because the other thing I’d learnt over the past few months was that Scott was there for me in any way I needed. I’d never known a man to be that loyal, but he’d shown me I could have full faith in him. He’d also made it clear he wanted me to lean on him and be open with him. I’d fully intended to do that this morning – to tell him my high from yesterday had disappeared – but when he’d been turned on just from being near me, it had made me feel so good that I went along with it and shoved the rest from my mind.

Today is going to be a good day.

Half an hour later, I sat at a table in the corner of a little café I’d discovered recently. Mum had given me the day off and I was at a loss as to what to do with myself. Life had been crazy busy lately between working at the café, which was hectic at the moment, and doing night shifts at Indigo. Between the two jobs and doing my best to get through each day, I hadn’t had much time to myself. Today was a gift from my Mum and I didn’t want to waste it, but the options of how to spend my time jostled for my attention and I felt overwhelmed trying to choose.

In the end, I’d decided to find a quiet corner at the café, drink some coffee and do some journaling. Getting my thoughts out of my mind and onto paper always helped give me some clarity.

I was deeply engrossed in my thoughts when my best friend, Cassie, phoned. “I just spoke to your mum and she told me you have the day off. What are you doing?”

“I’m sitting in a café, journaling. Apart from that, I have no idea what I’m going to do.” I sighed. This should not be so hard.

She remained quiet for a moment. “You could go make some art.” She’d been quietly suggesting this to me for weeks and I had been avoiding discussing it with her. Picking up a paintbrush had been the last thing I wanted to do.

“Cassie,” I started and then stopped when she made a strange noise on the other end of the phone – it was the noise she made when she was about to argue with me. I leant my elbow on the table and rested my head against my hand. “Go on, say what you need to say.” I settled in to listen to her thoughts; she’d been far too quiet on this for far too long and I was sure she had something to say.

“Girl, you know I love you and I would do anything for you, and that’s why I have to say this to you now. I truly believe your art will help you cope with everything you’re struggling with at the moment. We were working towards selling some of your paintings and then you got pregnant, which caused you to put everything aside while you were making plans for the baby. And I get that, but art to you, Harlow, is like air to me. It’s how you used to get through your days, and I think you’ve forgotten that.”

I sat up straight and let her words circle through me. “I’m not ready to start selling my art, Cassie.” She’d been the one working towards selling my art - the thought actually struck fear through me. What if people hate it?

“I’m not saying you need to sell it; I’m just saying you need to make it. For you. For your soul.”

My psychologist had said the same thing, but she didn’t know me as well as Cassie did, so she hadn’t pushed me on it. My best friend, on the other hand, would push me. Best thing I could do right now was tell her I’d consider it. “I’ll think about it, Cass.”