Game Over (On the Wild Side #1) Read online

  “You okay?” Donski asked, shooting him a side-long glance. “If you’re not feelin’ this we can bail.”

  Deke considered it, but when he saw Harper make her way towards him he felt rooted to his stool. “Too late now.”

  “Just like old times,” Harper said, giving Donski a hug when he rose to greet her. “Damn, it’s good to see you. I’ve missed you.”

  Deke could see the tears well up in Harper’s eyes and he questioned if she ever wondered what they could have been, if he’d had the courage to stick it out and face his fears.

  “I’ve missed you too, sweetheart,” Donski said, kissing her forehead. “Never thought I’d see the day we’d have the whole gang back together.”

  Harper’s gaze fell on Deke and a beat of silence passed between them that felt to Deke like heartbreak and regret. “Hey.” He cursed himself for not saying more, but the emotion welling up in his throat made it tough to speak.

  To the world he might look like a tatted-up bad ass biker with a chip on his shoulder, but this girl still had the power to rock his world.

  “Hey yourself,” she said, smacking his back. “Don’t I even get a hug?”

  Having her wrapped in his arms again was the only thing Deke wanted the year after he let her go, but when he heard through the grapevine she had a boyfriend he’d beat those fantasies into submission.

  He set his beer down and forced himself to stand, knowing their friends were watching their every move. He’d intended a quick hug, but as soon as she slipped into his arms it was game over. She still used that vanilla body lotion that made him crave ice cream… and her.

  The hug went on forever but ended too soon for Deke. His hands curled around her face and he looked into her eyes like he’d done a thousand times before. He knew he didn’t have the right to touch her, but he’d never been able to practice restraint with Harper.

  “You look gorgeous.” His voice was a whisper, loud enough for her ears only.

  Her cheeks were pink as she wrapped her hands around his wrists. “Thanks. You look pretty good yourself.”

  “Too many years.” And every one had felt like a decade to him. He knew he should pass on his regrets about her failed engagement but he’d never lied to her before and wouldn’t start now.

  “You know how it goes,” she said, clearing her throat as she took a step back. “I meant to get home more, but something always came up. I guess whenever I was here our paths never crossed.”

  He’d always been looking out for her whenever he heard she was in town, but he’d never been lucky enough to spot her. Probably just as well. He didn’t need to see her wearing another man’s engagement ring.

  “Uh, I’m gonna catch up with everyone,” Donski said, hooking a thumb over his shoulder.

  Deke had been so wrapped up in Harper he’d forgotten about his best friend.

  “Have a seat,” Deke said, pointing to the stool next to him. “Let me buy you a drink.”

  “It’s the least you can do,” she said, smirking as she hopped up beside him.

  He was glad she was as direct as she’d ever been. He was dying to clear the air, to let her know he wasn’t the same scared kid who’d dumped her. “You still like vodka?”

  She nodded. “Neat, please.”

  Deke waved the owner over. Joe was past retirement age, but claimed his wife would kill him if he was home all the time, and tending bar was the only thing he knew how to do, so he kept at it.

  “Hey buddy,” Deke said. “Can I—”

  “Well,” Joe said, grinning as he looked from Harper to Deke. “Never thought I’d see the day. You two back together again. The missus tried to tell me this little lady was the only one for you.” He laughed as he swiped a hand over his white goatee. “She said that was the reason you never got married or—”

  “We’re not together,” Harper said, looking horrified. “We haven’t seen each other in years… until five minutes ago. I just want a drink and he offered to buy me one. That’s it, Joe.”

  “Oh, that’s a shame.” He shot Deke a meaningful look before he added, “But as long as you’re still talkin’ I guess there’s hope.” Before Harper could argue, he asked, “What’ll it be?”

  “Vodka neat, please.”

  “You ready for another one?” he asked, gesturing to Deke’s empty bottle. “Or you have to pick the little guy up when you leave here?”

  “No, Mrs. Reynolds is watching Drew at my place tonight.” Deke could feel Harper’s eyes on him, but he tried not to look her way. “I can always walk home. Or hitch a ride if anyone stays sober enough to drive.”

  “Ah, your night to have a little fun then.” Joe winked. “Take full advantage, my boy. I remember when my kids were young and we were able to pawn them off on the babysitter for the night, that’s the only time Vera and I got to…” He wiggled his eyebrows. “Well, you know.”

  Deke chuckled as Joe placed their drinks in front of them. Being a caregiver to his nephew while his brother was deployed had put the kibosh on his love life, but Deke didn’t mind. He’d do anything to ensure that kid had a better life than they had growing up.

  Harper curled her slender fingers around her glass as soon as Joe set it down. “Jude mentioned that you’re looking after your nephew while your brother’s deployed. I think that’s amazing, Deke.”

  He didn’t look after Drew because he expected praise from anyone. He did it because it was the right thing to do. He was proud of his kid brother for putting his life on the line for their country. The least he could do was look after his little boy in his absence. Give him one less thing to worry about.

  “Thanks.” He tapped his bottle against her glass. “Here’s to resurrecting old friendships.”

  She raised an arched brow, like she was challenging him. “We were never just friends and you know it.”

  “No, I guess we weren’t.”

  He’d first spotted her when she was a freshman and he was a junior. He’d had a thing for her then, but things at home were so bad, and his head was so messed up dating hadn’t been on his radar. But she’d flirted with him every chance she got, and he couldn’t go on ignoring one simple fact: he wanted her. Bad.

  “Heard about your engagement.” Deke tipped his bottle back, washing the bitter taste out of his mouth.

  She raised an eyebrow, as though she was waiting for the rest. “What? You’re not gonna tell me you’re sorry it didn’t work out, like everyone else does?”

  “No.”

  “Why not?”

  He rolled his eyes, thinking he shouldn’t have to state the obvious. “Word has it he cheated on you. Idiot didn’t deserve you. Just be grateful you found out before the wedding.” His mother hadn’t been so lucky. His old man messed around before and after he got married, and showed no remorse. Made Deke sick just thinking about guys who could do that.

  “You’re right.”

  He studied her, looking for traces of sadness, but found none. “You’re not heartbroken then? No thoughts of forgiving him, taking him back?”

  Her laugh was short and hostile. “No way. If I ever see him again I’ll do what I should have done when I caught him in the act.”

  The air seeped through Deke’s teeth as he imagined her dropping that loser to his knees. “Ouch. You caught them goin’ at it? That sucks.”

  “Like you said, better I know now.” She side-eyed him. “So, why’d you dump me?”

  He coughed mid-sip and had to cover his mouth with his hand so he wouldn’t spew beer all over the bar. He suspected they might get around to this eventually, but not in the first five minutes. “Uh, I was doin’ you a favor, sweetheart. You wouldn’t wanna be tied down with all those guys on campus chasin’ after you.”

  She twisted her glass in her hand as she stared straight ahead. “I didn’t want anyone else. And if you didn’t know that you weren’t paying attention ‘cause I told you every damn day.”

  She’d never made her feelings for him a secret, but time an
d distance had a way of eroding the best relationships and he didn’t want to be the guy holding her back or trying to keep her locked down.

  “I know.” He peeled at the label on his beer while his gut twisted with pain and regret. A thousand times over the years he’d asked himself if letting her go was the biggest mistake he’d ever made, and with her sitting beside him, the answer he heard echoing in his ears was… Hell yes.

  Her eyes narrowed when she finally swung her head in his direction. “So what was the real reason then? And don’t give me some BS about—”

  “Never lied to you once, Harper.” His eyes locked with hers and memories of the best moments of his life, between the sheets with this woman, slammed him. “And I never will.”

  She inhaled before shaking her head and breaking eye contact. “You wrecked me.”

  Deke closed his eyes and let her claim seep in. He’d been wrecked when they broke up too, but he hated knowing he’d done that to her. “Didn’t mean to. Just did what I thought was best for you.”

  “How ‘bout asking me what I thought was best?” Her eyes flashed with anger. “Don’t you think I should have had a say?”

  Deke knew she would have told him they’d find a way to make it work, but he didn’t see how. She didn’t have to live with the crazy inside his head back then. There was no soothing those savage thoughts. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t get the visual of her with other guys out of his head. It tormented him. Until finally he had to put an end to it the only way he knew how.

  “Well?”

  He hadn’t realized she’d been waiting for an answer. Just like that he’d hopped back on the crazy train, not more than ten minutes after seeing her again. As much as he’d once loved her, this girl messed with his mind in a way no one else ever had.

  “It just seemed like a lost cause, Harper.” He pinched the bridge of his nose, feeling the stress building. He hated it when things didn’t make sense or when he had cause to second guess himself. He liked being in control, always knowing the right action to take.

  “A lost cause?” she echoed. “That’s how you felt about our relationship? Like it was a lost cause?” She slid off the bar stool, taking her drink with her. “Good to know. Glad we cleared that up.”

  Chapter Three

  Harper was swaying to a Luke Bryan song in the arms of a car salesman, wishing her best friend wasn’t chatting up her long-time crush, so she could get the hell out of Dodge. This night had been a train-wreck from the time Deke told her their relationship had been a lost cause, and she was just ready for it to be over.

  She’d faked her way through the rest of the night, catching up with old friends, laughing it up every time she caught Deke looking her way, like he hadn’t just ripped her heart out. Again.

  It was obvious from the way Deke watched her that he wasn’t done talking. But she was so done with him. There was nothing left to say. Those words, lost cause, echoed in her head, and she had to admit maybe he was right. Maybe they had been doomed to fail from the very beginning.

  “You mind if I cut in?”

  She’s been so lost in her thoughts she hadn’t heard Deke sneak up on them. Not that a guy who was over six feet tall and two hundred plus pounds of muscle could be accused of being light on his feet.

  Her dance partner stammered, his eyes grazing her ex’s bulging biceps and tatted up arms. Deke had a scowl on his face and his dark eyes were narrowed, like he might be bracing for a fight. Poor guy. Deke wasn’t really giving him a choice.

  “Uh sure.” He looked down at Harper. “I’ll catch up with you later, okay?”

  She smiled sympathetically. “It was nice meeting you, Mark.”

  He braved one more look at Deke before he said, “You too,” and ran-walked in the opposite direction.

  Deke was frowning at him before Harper grabbed the sexy brute’s chin and turned his attention her way. “He’s gone now. You can stop with the intimidation.”

  He rolled his eyes. “Please, you think I have to try to intimidate losers like that? I just have to look in their general direction and they piss themselves.”

  She couldn’t help but laugh as she smacked his rock-solid chest. “Shut up.”

  His grin was brief, but just as potent as she remembered. “What? I’m being serious.”

  “I know you are.” She bit the inside of her cheek as she looped her arms around his neck. “That’s the problem. Everyone’s afraid of you.” Her eyes caressed his face. “But I’m not. Because I know you.” It had been a long time, but a person’s heart didn’t change and the fact that Deke had stepped up to take care of his nephew proved that.

  “Yeah, you do.” His hands were skimming her ribs, his thumbs brushing the underside of her breasts.

  “There was a time you knew me better than anyone.” His lips brushed her ear when he whispered, “intimately.”

  This wasn’t the time or place for getting caught up in dirty fantasies about their time together. Deke may have been the best she’d ever had, but she wouldn’t give him the satisfaction of admitting it. Especially after he’d knocked some sense into her with his announcement he’d considered their relationship a lost cause.

  “That was a long time ago.”

  She looked over his shoulder, trying to make eye contact with her best friend, who was dancing in the arms of a guy she’d been crushing on since their senior year. He was recently divorced and Jude believed she was finally getting her chance. Harper hoped she wasn’t in for a nasty fall.

  “You ever think about me over the years?”

  Too many times. “Once in a while, I guess.”

  He chuckled, “You’re lying your sweet ass off.”

  He’d always been able to read her in a way her ex-fiancée never had, which could be dangerous if he figured out she was trying to beat her old feelings for him into submission. “Think what you want.”

  “Hey, guys,” Jude said, grinning from ear to ear as she held Jason’s hand. “We’re gonna head out now.” Her eyes were pleading as they locked with Harper’s. “If that’s okay?”

  It’s not like Harper could object, knowing how long her friend had been waiting for an opportunity like this one. “Sure, I’ll find a ride home. Don’t worry about it.”

  Jude squeezed her arm. “You’re the best! I’ll see you at home.” She winked at Deke. “You take good care of my girl here.”

  “Always.”

  Harper considered letting him have it, but decided it wasn’t worth the effort. “It was nice catching up, but I should go beg for a ride before everyone starts to leave.”

  “One more dance.” He smiled. “I’ll take you home.”

  “You’ve been drinking.” Not that it seemed like it. He looked stone-sold sober to her.

  “Only had two. Been drinking water ever since.”

  “Why?”

  “Because I was hoping for a chance like this.” He leaned in, his hot breath fanning her cheek. “To take you home.”

  “Uh, I don’t think that’s a good idea.” Being in a crowded bar with Deke was bad enough. If he got her alone in the confines of a vehicle no telling what she might say or do.

  “Come on.” He gestured towards the door. “We can go grab a coffee somewhere. Give those two a little alone time.”

  That was the downfall of having a roommate, Harper realized, lack of privacy. And if she knew Jude she’d be locked in her bedroom ‘til sunrise and Harper would have to sleep with a pillow over her ears to block out the noise.

  “Where are we gonna get coffee at this time of night?” Theirs was the kind of small town where the sidewalks rolled up at eight o’clock.

  “We could go back to my place.”

  She rolled her eyes. “Yeah, like that’s a good idea.”

  “What?” He smirked. “You don’t trust yourself alone with me? I promise I won’t let you do anything you’ll regret in the morning.”

  If she wanted to sleep with Deke she was pretty sure he wouldn’t try to ta
lk her out of it. “Yeah, right.”

  “Come on,” he teased. “My nephew’s there to act as a chaperone. What could happen?”

  “Pretty sure your nephew’s sleeping by now, but nice try.”

  “You ever tried to have sex with a five year-old who’s a light sleeper a few feet away?”

  “Can’t say that I have.” And the visual of Deke doing just that made her stomach roil in protest. Ugh! She had no right to be jealous or possessive of this man after so many years.

  “Look, if you’re not cool with that we could always hang out at my shop. There’s a lounge in the back for my staff.”

  That sounded even more dangerous, but Deke was right, she couldn’t go home if there was a chance Jude had taken Jason back to their apartment.

  “What the hell,” she muttered. “I have a feeling I won’t be getting any sleep tonight anyhow.”

  “Oh yeah, why is that?”

  He curled his arm around her waist as he led her off the dance floor, and Harper thought about telling him to keep his hands to himself, but didn’t want to cause a scene. “No doubt Jude and Jay will be goin’ at it by the time I get home.”

  Deke laughed. “Lucky them, huh?”

  Damn him. Why did he always have to say the one thing guaranteed to turn her on? It had been like that when they were together too. She’d be pissed at him for some stupid thing he did or said, then say something that made her want to jump him.

  She narrowed her eyes as she looked up at him. “Don’t think I don’t know what you’re doing?”

  He shrugged those broad shoulders, trying to look all innocent, but she wasn’t buying it. “What am I doing?”

  If she told him he’d think he had the upper hand and she couldn’t have that. “Never mind. Let’s just go say our good-byes so we can get out of here.”

  Their friends gave them a hard time when they announced they were leaving together, just like Harper knew they would, but she wasn’t sixteen anymore and was past the point of caring what people said or thought.

  “Did that bother you?” Deke asked as he walked her to a jacked-up black pick-up truck.