Mine for a Moment

by Catharina Maura

This one is for anyone who’s ever tried their best to be worthy of real love, only to be found lacking. You are enough. Sometimes, things simply aren’t meant for you—not because you don’t deserve them but because better things are on their way. You will never be the one for the wrong person, but you will be everything to the right person.

There’s no way he could recognize me in this getup, but Archer has always been oddly observant. He’s perhaps the only person other than my brother who truly sees me, without judging, never allowing his prejudices to distort who I am.

I should turn and run, and never look back, but when he looks at me like that, I can’t deny him. Archer has always been steadfast and confident, an unshakable force in my life, so to find him standing here like only I hold the answers to questions that keep him up at night leaves me shaken.

Tyra wasn’t just Archer’s girlfriend—she was Ezra’s best friend and the big sister I never had. She was my biggest supporter, and the only one who truly believed my art was valuable and worth pursuing. Painting her felt like honoring her, and though it didn’t close the gaping hole in my heart, it took away the edge of my pain.

He doesn’t understand that Muse gave me something to look forward to throughout one of the hardest periods of my life, when darkness threatened to consume me. Something about her art made me feel like she understood what I was going through, like she too just wanted someone to see and acknowledge her pain, her grief. I’ve watched her art develop, watched her tell a story I doubt anyone else could decipher, and because of it, I feel connected to her in the strangest way.

“Archer, where did you get that?” he asks, cutting me off midsentence, a hint of shock in his eyes as he reaches for the charm on my desk. I raise a brow and rise to my feet, swiping it out of his hand in one smooth move before hiding it away in my suit pocket. “It’s Muse’s,” I murmur, feeling defensive. “She lost it last night.” I don’t tell him that I’d been holding her wrist and that the charm came loose when she pulled her hand away. I’m not sure why I feel the need to hide that, but something about that moment, the way she looked at me…it seemed private for reasons I can’t quite convey.

“I guess you saw something I didn’t want to acknowledge, but I can’t deny her raw talent, the pain in her work,” he says eventually. “I just didn’t recognize it for what it was.” “And what might that be?” He shakes his head before handing my phone back, his expression grim. “A cry for help.”

Painting is the only thing that’s ever truly allowed me to stop overthinking—it’s the closest thing to peace I’ve ever found. Without my brush or a spray can in my hand, I feel vulnerable, an unwilling participant in the real world and all its accompanying worries.

My heart wrenches painfully, and I let my eyes flutter closed briefly. This is exactly why I fell for him—because he always makes me feel so special. He made me feel like I was his person, the way he is mine.

He looks at me like he genuinely believes there’s nothing I can’t do, and I can’t help but wonder how I misread the signs as badly as I have. I was so certain that the way he looks at me meant he had feelings for me too, and I’m not sure what’s worse: the fact that I was wrong or the knowledge that I simply didn’t know him as well as I thought I did.

“What happened, Serenity?” I ask, my voice harsher than intended. I study her face, taking in her red eyes and the pure despair in her gaze. “Who did this to you?” She shakes her head, and it fucking guts me to see my best friend’s little sister like that. I wordlessly pull her into my arms, holding her tightly, and she begins to cry in earnest. I push my fingers through her hair in response, cradling her head as she presses her forehead to my chest, hiding herself away as her small body rocks from the force of her sobs. “Please,” I whisper, my heart aching. “Tell me why you’re crying, sweetheart. Tell me how to make this right.”

“You wanna know what I used to tell my sister each time she’d cry over a broken heart?” She nods and balls her hands into my T-shirt. “You’ll find someone who will see your worth, Serenity. You’ll occupy his every thought, and you’ll be everything to him. The kind of love you’re after is out there, and you’ll find it—with the right person.”

“She’s getting married next week,” I tell her, the words bittersweet. “It’s an arranged marriage, but that marriage will fix what time couldn’t.” “How can you be so sure?” she asks, sounding skeptical. I grin at her, relieved to find some luster back in her voice. It’s ridiculous how beautiful she still is despite the tears that stain her face. Her pain hasn’t dulled her gorgeous hazel eyes at all. “Because the man she’s marrying truly loves her as much as she loves him, even though they both claim to hate each other. Someday, you’ll find someone who loves you the same way—unconditionally, despite the odds, despite the obstacles life might throw your way.”

I’ve always loved this about her—the way she cares so deeply. Not even her own pain is enough to push aside her instant concern for me. She’s so fucking precious, and she doesn’t even seem to realize it.

Serenity’s hand wraps around the back of my neck, and a thrill runs down my spine. She has no idea how long it’s been since I last had someone in my arms like this. I didn’t even realize how badly I’d been craving that kind of connection.

She pushes off me and rises to her feet. Even with her hair a mess and red eyes, she looks like a fucking goddess. She’s effortlessly beautiful, and I’m not sure why I never noticed it before.

“Don’t test me,” I whisper, my lips so close to his that I could reach out for a taste—if I wanted to. Would he let me? Ever since he held me in his arms that night, I’ve wondered what he might taste like. The thought came suddenly, and I haven’t been able to get it out of my mind.

If I’m truly honest with myself, he occupied my thoughts more this weekend than Theo did. Him finding that list took the edge off my heartache, gave me something else to focus on. Over and over again, I replayed the moment that Archer told me I must know him better than he knows himself, effectively telling me I was wrong to think he couldn’t want me. His words just ignited my fantasies, and all weekend, I kept thinking about what it’d be like to be with him. He kept my mind off Theo without ever even touching me at all.

She bites down on the edge of her bottom lip, and something hot and heavy unfurls in my stomach. Fuck. I’ve tried my best not to notice how fucking sexy she is, but I knew it was a lost cause when I saw my name on that list of hers. Ever since, all I’ve been able to think about is what she’ll taste like, how she’ll sound when I make her come…over and over again. The feeling is almost always accompanied by guilt of different kinds, but even so, it’s inescapable, all-consuming. It’s been years since I’ve wanted a woman the way I want her, and fuck, I don’t know what to do with that when I know I can’t have her.

Longing hits me hard and fast when she looks at me like that, and fuck, I don’t think I’ve ever wanted to bury my hand in a woman’s hair this badly—pull her in, brush my lips against hers, feel her soft sigh against my mouth in the moments before I kiss her.

“So…?” Emma says, her eyes filled with hope. “Is there any chance at all that you’d be willing to go on a date with him?” I look up at Theo, my heart aching. I have to make a conscious effort to get over him or I’ll end up ruining our friendship. “No,” Archer says before I can answer at all, his hand sliding farther up my thigh, his touch oddly possessive.

“Sera,” I murmur. She lifts her head, our eyes locking. “Let me take you home.” I can’t help but grin when she nods, sweet victory rushing through me. I don’t know what she does to me, but whatever it is, it makes me feel more alive than I have in years.

I watch her as she clutches her notebook, my gaze roaming over her wild curls and her sexy full lips. It’s odd, but somehow, guilt doesn’t eat at me when I imagine her in my bed, her hair spread all over my pillows. The same guilt that kept me from dating anyone else is absent when it comes to her.

“Do you understand that if we do this, you’ll be mine?” I ask, my tone harsher than I’d intended. “I don’t want anyone else touching you.” “You’re asking for fidelity?” she asks. I nod, and she raises a brow. “Are you willing to give me the same in return?” “You won’t have to worry about that, darling. I’m yours.”

I glance at Ezra, guilt settling deep in my stomach. He can never know that I’m silently counting down the minutes until he leaves for his next business trip, so I can invite his little sister over and finally kiss her, slide my hand underneath her skirt like I’ve been wanting to, and listen to her panting my name. I haven’t been able to think about anything but her, and it’s driving me crazy. It’s been so long since someone occupied my mind like that, and I’m not sure how to feel about it.

All the while, I try my best not to think about Serenity and the way she looked at me that night I had her in my lap. Coffee dates, talking until the sun rises, making out in the back seat of a car, and being truly wanted. This thing between us isn’t supposed to be more than sex, but fuck, I want to be the one she does all of that with.

“You’re all I’ve dreamt of every single night since I found that list, Serenity. Do you have any idea what I’ve done to you in my dreams? What I’ll do to you tonight?” I rise to my tiptoes, my lips only an inch from his. “I want you to show me, Archer. Let me be your living fantasy.” He pushes a hand into my hair and grips tightly. “You already are,” he whispers, and then he kisses me, his touch slow at first, hesitant, until I respond. He groans, parting my lips to deepen our kiss, and for the first time in weeks, my mind quietens.

She pulls away a little to look at me, her eyes brimming with a mixture of insecurity and need. It just makes me want to give her everything, do anything to make sure I don’t lose the trust she’s placing in me.

“Don’t hide from me, darling.” She searches my expression, and it fucking kills me how she seems to anticipate rejection when the mere thought of any man having her in his lap and not wanting her is ludicrous.

The red lace panties and garters she’s wearing complement her skin beautifully, and for a moment I just stare at her, unable to comprehend that I get to have her, that she’s mine, even if only for a moment.

Her list told me she thinks she’d enjoy being praised, and I have every intention of lavishing her with compliments. I’ll show her what she deserves, how she should be touched, so she’ll never settle for less again.

I smile to myself as I lay my head on her stomach while she catches her breath, feeling oddly pleased with myself. I can’t remember ever taking such great joy in pleasuring a woman, but fuck, when it’s Serenity, it just feels like such an accomplishment.

It had never occurred to me that someone other than Theo knew me well enough to know what I’m thinking, but more than once now, Archer has proven that he knows me better than I ever thought he did.

“Promise me,” he says, holding himself up on his forearms. “Tell me that you’re mine, Serenity. For as long as this lasts.” There’s something so thrilling about seeing Archer like this, showcasing vulnerability that makes this moment feel even more intimate than it already was. “I’m yours,” I whisper, my voice shaking. He nods and reaches for me, brushing my hair out of my face. “That’s right,” he whispers, his knuckles moving over my cheek. “You’re mine.”

the way his breathing changes makes my entire body sing. Watching Archer Harrison lose control over me is something I suspect I’ll never get enough of.

Archer reaches for one of my curls and twirls it around his index finger. “Please stay,” he whispers, surprising me. “W-Would that be okay? I, um, I don’t want to cling to you or do anything that would annoy you. I’m already asking for so much.” He chuckles and pulls me close, enveloping me in a tight hug. I relax into him, my nose pressed against his throat. “Stay,” he murmurs, cupping the back of my head. “Right here, in my arms.”

She’s such a good fucking girl, obeying my orders like that. This connection between us, the way she looks at me as she rides my fingers…it’s fucking addictive.

I never even meant to touch her today. This was supposed to just be a friendly get-together, it wasn’t meant to be a date, but fuck, I don’t think I can be around her anymore without wanting her.

He parts my lips, and a soft moan escapes the back of my throat when he kisses me in that way that just steals away all my thoughts—deeply, leisurely, like I have his full attention, like there’s nothing but me.

“Archer,” she whispers, rolling her hips against mine. “Yeah, baby? Tell me what you want.” She grabs my hair and pulls my mouth to hers, and I go eagerly, reveling in this connection between us. It’s been so long since I felt this way—fully immersed in someone, my attention undivided. When I have her in my arms, there’s no space for anything else. Only her.

Fuck, I don’t think I’ve ever wanted to please a woman as much as I do her. I want her to think of nothing but me—I want to be the man she’ll always compare everyone else to.

She looks at me with so much faith, like I’m her lifeline, her escape, and fuck, I’ve never wanted to be someone’s safe haven, but I do when it’s her. I want to be the one she turns to, the one that takes away all her worries, replacing them with pleasure instead.

She has no idea what she does—every single touch breathes life back into me, and it’s fucking terrifying. My best friend’s little sister was never supposed to affect me like this.

He reaches for me and gently pushes one of my curls out of my face. “I thought I made it clear that you’re mine for the time being, Serenity. I have every intention of treating you as such, so you’ll never accept anything less than you deserve.” “You’ll ruin me for everyone else,” I murmur, hiding my face behind my coffee cup. It’s strange to be sitting in bed with him in the morning. It’s almost like the time we spend in his bedroom is sacred, like he’s an entirely different person between these four walls. Right here, right now, he isn’t my brother’s best friend nor is he my boss. He’s just mine.

Something about falling asleep in his arms soothes my aching heart. It makes me feel wanted for more than just my body, and though I’d never have dared ask for it, it’s exactly what I needed.

Being with her was supposed to be simple, but somehow, the thought of this thing between us being temporary doesn’t sit well with me.

She looks up and finds me staring at her, her expression instantly showing that she’s flustered. She doesn’t know, does she? She makes me want to live again—fully. I’m enthralled as she rises from her seat, her eyes moving around furtively as she walks past me and looks back, our eyes locking before she disappears around the corner.

“Archer,” she breathes. “I just…I…um… You seemed like you needed—” “You,” I tell her, my head dipping down. “I needed you.” More than I even realized. I don’t know what it is about her. Maybe it’s the fact that she knows me like no one else does, the way she’s been there through it all and the way she shares my pain. I’m not sure what it is about her that allows me to let her in like I’ve let no one else—not even Tyra.

I know I only have a few moments with her, but fuck, I wish I could carry her to my desk and make her scream my name for everyone to hear. My need to claim her, to mark her…it’s new, not something I’ve ever felt before. This isn’t escapism, like I thought it’d be. It’s so much more, and it’s everything she doesn’t want. I know exactly why Serenity chose me—because she didn’t think I’d ever be serious about her. She thinks I’m emotionally unavailable, forever tied to Tyra, and I’m starting to wonder if that’s true.

“God, I love making your dreams come true,” he says, cupping my cheek. “There’s nothing better in life than being the reason behind your smile. Nothing at all.” I look into his eyes and wrap my hand around the back of his neck without thinking. He chuckles as I pull him closer, my lips finding his. I’m not sure what I was expecting when I put his name on my list, but this is so much more.