The rest of the day passed way too quickly. Harper became comfortable with my parents before breakfast was finished being made, and not long after she was done trying to avoid looking at me and staying away. By the time breakfast was over, she wasn’t leaving my side, and I definitely wasn’t complaining. We had a lazy day of just sitting around watching TV, and I couldn’t hold back my perpetual smile when she sat down on the couch with me, or an hour later, when she started to stretch out and I pulled her feet into my lap and she didn’t move them back. Instead, she just nudged my stomach with her foot and gave me a small smile before looking back at the TV. To me, this was perfect, and I never wanted it to end.

BRANDON SHUFFLED INTO the kitchen the next morning, and I smiled to myself, knowing that Harper was alone in her bed in the dorm.

“Morning.”

He grunted and grabbed a coffee mug, “Whoever made 8:00 A.M. classes on Monday was seriously disturbed.”

My brow furrowed, and I looked back at the microwave clock. “Bro, hate to break it to ya, but it’s almost eleven.”

“I know, I just got back from it. Doesn’t mean I’m actually awake yet.”

“Nice. Guess it’s a good thing Harper wasn’t here to keep you up all night then.”

“I’m not gonna talk to you about her.” He sighed and finished pouring the coffee.

“Don’t need you to now that I’ll have her all to myself on Sundays. Yesterday was . . . perfect.” Okay, yeah, I was laying it on thick. The day really had been perfect, but not like I was making it out to be.

“Chase, I’m serious brother, don’t—”

“You really should see the way she lets go when you’re gone.”

He put the coffee mug down hard enough that some of the liquid sloshed over the side, and he gripped the edge of the counter, “What is your deal? What do you gain from pissing me off?”

“Other than Princess underneath me when you’re not around? Not a damn thing.”

“You son of a bitch! If you ever touch her, I will kill you. Do you get me?”

“Little late for that one.” I watched as he tried to control his anger. “Does she moan that loud when she’s with you, too?”

“Are you serious right now?” he roared, and slammed a fist down on the counter.

I shrugged and began walking out of the kitchen. “I’ll take that as a no.” He was breathing heavily and obviously trying to talk himself out of this fight, but I needed it. I still hate that he has her, and I need the reminder that I never will. “Looks like you’re underperforming, brother. Better step your game up before she stays in my bed for good. ’Cause those moans and little noises she makes? God . . . sweetest f**kin’ thing you’ve ever heard.”

Brandon was already rounding the island before I’d finished with the last sentence, but this time I was ready for him. He was a skilled fighter, yeah. But this wasn’t the ring he was used to, this was over a girl I knew he had fallen in love with just as much as I had; so he wasn’t thinking strategy. He just wanted to hit something. And that’s exactly what I’d been hoping for. He grabbed the collar of my shirt and slammed me up against the wall. I’d been expecting a blow to the head, but he smashed his fist against the wall near my head instead.

“I will end you if you touch her! Stay the hell away, Chase!”

I waited until he took a step back before landing one on his jaw. Payback. “Sorry, no can do.”

He slowly looked back up at me, worked his jaw a couple times, and spit blood in my face. “You can, and you will. She’s mine. I’m not doing this with you; you’re like a brother to me.” Brandon took a step back and shook his head before turning toward his hallway.

“No wonder she comes running for my bed. Obviously, you can’t finish what you start.”

He froze midstep and stayed like that for a couple seconds before turning and charging at me. He plowed into me, and I felt like all the air was knocked out of me from having him land on top of me. Before I could take a deep enough breath, he rolled off and punched me hard in the stomach.

“Stay. Away. From Harper!”

“Not my fault—” I wheezed and tried to take a deep breath—“you can’t make her—scream your name.”

Just as Brandon leaned back to deliver another punch, arms were around him and pulling him back. He turned and kicked my side as Derek and Drew pulled him away. “We are done! You hear me?”

I struggled up and winced at the pain in my stomach. God, these guys really need to quit stopping the fights. Brandon ripped his arms from the guys and scrambled up quickly before Zach was there, helping the first two keep him back, and Brad was in my face, pushing me toward my hall.

“You’re such an ass, Chase. Why can’t you just leave him alone?”

“Because he’s with my entire world.”

Chapter Six

“WHAT ARE YOU working on today?” Princess leaned over the back of the couch to look at my sketchpad.

I flipped it onto my stomach so the drawings were covered and turned to smile at her; her face was so close to mine, I could smell the mint from her gum, and it took everything in me not to lean in and taste her.

“Hey now! That’s not nice. Is this one top secret?”

“Maybe, or maybe I just don’t want you looking at my drawings.” Not true, the way her face had lit up as she spent time going over every single one of my pieces from the sketchbooks I had at my parents’ had made me fall in love with her that much more.