Temptation Trails (The Haven Brothers #3)

Although maybe what I needed was her.

I poured two fingers into a glass and took a sip. It slid down my throat, warming me from the inside. I couldn’t deny that just the thought of Harper coming over was already calming me down. There was a tug of desire, sure, but even more than that, the anticipation of relief. As if the moment she walked in the door—as soon as I touched her—the tension would melt from my shoulders and back.

She had that effect on me.

I was moving too fast with her. I couldn’t deny that, either. And not just because we’d been sleeping together. The physical connection was only a part of it. I craved her. And instead of trying to maintain control, I was giving in.

It wasn’t responsible. I had a son to think about. Sure, he liked Harper, but that didn’t mean he was ready for me to bring someone into our lives. I wasn’t sure if I was ready for that.

Would she be interested in something long term? Or was this just a temporary stop for her. Could she see herself with a man with a son—a teenager who still had a lot of growing up to do?

The problem was, I didn’t know. And I didn’t want to put that kind of pressure on her.

I pinched the bridge of my nose against the beginnings of a headache. I had trust issues. I knew that about myself. Harper hadn’t done anything to make me doubt her. But trust didn’t come easy, and I was letting this get out ahead of me before I could be sure it was right.

It was possible I was careening headlong toward a cliff and I was going to go down. Hard.

The sound of a car in my driveway got my attention. It stirred something in my chest, sent a pulse of anticipation through me. She was here, and I absolutely ached to touch her.

I was in so much trouble.

A moment later, there was a knock on the door. I tossed back the rest of the bourbon and went to answer it.

She stood on my doorstep, wearing a pink dress with a beige cardigan. Her long hair was down in soft waves around her shoulders and her lips looked so kissable, I almost devoured her right there.

But I didn’t. I held back.

“Hi.” She tucked her hair behind her ear.

“Hey.” I stepped aside so she could come in and shut the door behind her. Although I could sense the cliff looming, I couldn’t resist her. I slipped my hands around her waist and brought her in for a kiss.

The feel of her lips against mine was almost too good. The knots in my back loosened and the blissful relief of an addict getting a hit poured through me. I’d missed her.

Too much.

She pulled away and rested her hands on my chest. “It’s good to see you.”

“It’s good to see you, too.”

“I know we don’t really have plans tonight, but I thought maybe we could… um… I don’t know… Just hang out?”

“Honestly, after the last couple of days, that sounds great. Do you want a drink or anything?”

“I’m fine for now. But what happened? Did you have a bad day?”

I thought about pouring myself another bourbon, but she was taking the edge off more than a drink would. I took her hand and led her to the living room so we could get comfortable.

“Today wasn’t terrible, but yesterday, not so much.”

“I’m sorry. What happened?”

I sat on the couch and drew her in next to me. She smelled like vanilla and sugar and her body was soft and warm.

“It’s kind of a long story, but I’m sort of in trouble at work.”

“For what?”

“There have been several complaints lodged about me. One was anonymous and it’s clearly bullshit. Another one I’m not sure about. Seems like a guy who’s disgruntled over something. He claims I harassed him, but I don’t know what he’s talking about. The third was that guy, Matt. He says I threatened him that day at the bakery when he was creeping you out.”