no clue where her awkward, messy-haired Konstantine Vetrov was but the man standing in front of her was not him. “Koz?” She could be ashamed about how high her voice had gone later...much later.
“I’ll be calling you that forever .” Konstantine grinned down at her, and Harper remembered a time when they were the same height. Those were the days when she could smack him for calling her Sweetsand get away with it. Being that he stood a foot and a half over her now, his shoulders so wide that she couldn’t even see past him, she wasn’t going to try her luck. Besides, he was too pretty to be smacked.
Koz was the reminder of why she’d had a thing for dark-haired men all her life. His wavy mop of inky black locks fell just to his shoulders, a little less out of control than they used to be. His features had broadened, the angles hardening and forcing out the baby fat that had once taken up residence on his face. His lips were full and a soft pink. His skin was just sun-kissed enough that it put her in the mind of soft, sandy beaches. But those eyes...after all this time those eyes had managed to hold her attention like nothing else.
During the strangest times, Harper had thought about the ice-blue orbs currently staring down at her with a softness that made heat build in her lower belly, chasing away the butterflies. Video calls hadn’t been the same as seeing those eyes face to face, actually feeling his gaze as it scanned her.
God, she’d missed him. More than she’d actually thought before. Having him stand in front of her, one hand constantly moving hair off his forehead, the other holding onto his book bag for dear life, she wanted nothing more than to throw herself at him and never let go. That shit was just weird. So instead, she punched him in the shoulder.
“Ow! Viper woman!” Konstantine dropped his bag then wrapped his arms around her, squeezing as hard as possible.
Harper kicked her legs, gasping, “You...giant...bastard...stop...”
His chuckle sent a shiver down her spine. “Is this what you wanted, Sweets?” he teased in a patronizing voice. “For Kozzy to hug you nice and tight?”
“I...hate...you...”
“I love you too!” He then proceeded to plant kisses all over her face until she started screaming.
When her feet finally touched the ground again, she swiped at her face. “Oh, my God! You just gave me some foreign STD, didn’t you?”
Konstantine waggled his brows. “For that to happen I need to kiss more than your face.”
She blinked at him. “Do I need to reach for my mace? I will reach for my mace.”
Lips curling, he swiped a finger down her nose. “You’re so cute when you try to threaten me.”
Harper smacked his hand. “Is there any way for me to stop the pilots and put your ass back on the plane?”
His gaze was wide and innocent when he said, “But then you would miss me, because I am, in fact, the light of your life.”
“You’re the bane of my existence.”
“You adore me.”
“I loathe you.”
“You want me here.”
“I don’t know why you’re here.”
They stopped, staring at one another for what seemed like an eternity when it was just a few short seconds. Konstantine held his arms out, and Harper easily walked into them. This time the hug wasn’t teasing or playful. It wasn’t forced or done for annoyance’s sake. It was warm and honest and something she needed more than anything.
The sound of his heartbeat steadily drumming through her ears, the feel of his arms embracing her, the smell of his cologne—they were all things that settled her soul. It didn’t occur to her maybe that should’ve freaked her out. All she knew was her best friend was holding her, rocking back and forth, and it had been nearly six years since she’d had this pleasure.
When they pulled back, she was surprised when he cupped her cheeks and swiped tears away that she hadn’t known escaped.
“You crying, Sweets?”
Harper snorted. “Its all that
“I’ll be calling you that forever .” Konstantine grinned down at her, and Harper remembered a time when they were the same height. Those were the days when she could smack him for calling her Sweetsand get away with it. Being that he stood a foot and a half over her now, his shoulders so wide that she couldn’t even see past him, she wasn’t going to try her luck. Besides, he was too pretty to be smacked.
Koz was the reminder of why she’d had a thing for dark-haired men all her life. His wavy mop of inky black locks fell just to his shoulders, a little less out of control than they used to be. His features had broadened, the angles hardening and forcing out the baby fat that had once taken up residence on his face. His lips were full and a soft pink. His skin was just sun-kissed enough that it put her in the mind of soft, sandy beaches. But those eyes...after all this time those eyes had managed to hold her attention like nothing else.
During the strangest times, Harper had thought about the ice-blue orbs currently staring down at her with a softness that made heat build in her lower belly, chasing away the butterflies. Video calls hadn’t been the same as seeing those eyes face to face, actually feeling his gaze as it scanned her.
God, she’d missed him. More than she’d actually thought before. Having him stand in front of her, one hand constantly moving hair off his forehead, the other holding onto his book bag for dear life, she wanted nothing more than to throw herself at him and never let go. That shit was just weird. So instead, she punched him in the shoulder.
“Ow! Viper woman!” Konstantine dropped his bag then wrapped his arms around her, squeezing as hard as possible.
Harper kicked her legs, gasping, “You...giant...bastard...stop...”
His chuckle sent a shiver down her spine. “Is this what you wanted, Sweets?” he teased in a patronizing voice. “For Kozzy to hug you nice and tight?”
“I...hate...you...”
“I love you too!” He then proceeded to plant kisses all over her face until she started screaming.
When her feet finally touched the ground again, she swiped at her face. “Oh, my God! You just gave me some foreign STD, didn’t you?”
Konstantine waggled his brows. “For that to happen I need to kiss more than your face.”
She blinked at him. “Do I need to reach for my mace? I will reach for my mace.”
Lips curling, he swiped a finger down her nose. “You’re so cute when you try to threaten me.”
Harper smacked his hand. “Is there any way for me to stop the pilots and put your ass back on the plane?”
His gaze was wide and innocent when he said, “But then you would miss me, because I am, in fact, the light of your life.”
“You’re the bane of my existence.”
“You adore me.”
“I loathe you.”
“You want me here.”
“I don’t know why you’re here.”
They stopped, staring at one another for what seemed like an eternity when it was just a few short seconds. Konstantine held his arms out, and Harper easily walked into them. This time the hug wasn’t teasing or playful. It wasn’t forced or done for annoyance’s sake. It was warm and honest and something she needed more than anything.
The sound of his heartbeat steadily drumming through her ears, the feel of his arms embracing her, the smell of his cologne—they were all things that settled her soul. It didn’t occur to her maybe that should’ve freaked her out. All she knew was her best friend was holding her, rocking back and forth, and it had been nearly six years since she’d had this pleasure.
When they pulled back, she was surprised when he cupped her cheeks and swiped tears away that she hadn’t known escaped.
“You crying, Sweets?”
Harper snorted. “Its all that
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