The tension was thick and it was apparent as Harper hesitated at the door before following James into his penthouse. He turned on his heel raking his hand through his hair, his eyes shuffling all over the place before finally settling on Harper. Standing near the far wall of the kitchen she held her arm as she waited in patience for him to speak.

"Are you hungry?" He asked. Harper nodded in response to her growling stomach. James pulled his phone out from his trouser pocket dialling a number upon his phone. "You...don't mind takeaway?"

"Surely...I could cook us something." She said, jerking her chin to the fridge. She had quite remembered ordering in stock this morning at work so there was plenty of food to be working with. James agreed without discussion placing his phone on the counter. "Then...I'll do it." He said, rushing around the counter to her side towards the fridge.

"Are you sure? I could help?" She piped in. James shook his head. "No, you just go relax. I can manage." Harper hesitated to protest though instead stepped out of his way heading out of the kitchen.

James raked his hand through his hair sighing to himself before opening the fridge. He needed to cook something that was fast and required hardly any washing up after, he only necessary cooked when he had to; usually Manny was in charge. Undoing his sleeves he pushed them up his arms then grabbed out the necessary equipment. It had to be pasta on the agenda. He felt partly responsible for the whole Duke thing, not finding out before that Duke was still in her apartment, if he had known before he would have stopped this all.

Harper sat uncomfortably in the living room looking around her remembering the last time she was here, it made her spine shudder. How could she not forget waking up to him? So much has happened she thought, she would have not had thought months ago she was taking the interview to get in the firm and now she...well she didn't know what was going on. Trying to get comfortable she moved further into the cushions then taking a deep breath trying to settle down her nerves. Her phone began ringing and she instantly ended the call as soon as she saw the caller ID was no other than Duke.

"Stop bugging me Duke." She grumbled to herself. A lot of cluttering was going on around the kitchen, the sound of saucepans bashed together before she heard a rumble of curses coming from the kitchen. "Shit, Shit. Ah you f**ker!" Harper instantly jumped up rushing back into the kitchen where James was sucking on his index finger before pulling it out and waving it frantically. Harper spotted the problem as the pasta itself was draining from the colander onto the counter as it appeared he must have burned himself trying to pour into the sink.

"What happened?" Harper almost shrieked as she approached him. James pulled away shaking his head. "I'm fine, nothing I can't handle. Just go sit back down." Harper cocked her eyebrow reaching for his hand failing the second time before he sighed in defeat and passed his hand over for her to examine. "You're obviously not okay. I guess the pasta got the best of you." She chuckled slightly to herself. James liked to see her smile and it almost instantly disappeared as soon as soon as she felt his heavy glance upon her. Pulling him with her, she pushed his finger under cold water.

"Ow!" He whined.

"Stop your complaining, how else are you gonna stop the irritation?" She said, rolling her eyes. James bit back his snarky comment as he watched her dare to roll her eyes in front of him. Harper removed his finger from the cold water meeting his brown eyes. It took a moment to realise she was just standing there holding onto his finger, that then quickly letting go of his finger she looked down to the floor before suggesting. "I'll help you clean that mess up. I think you'll be off the hook for you injury." James snorted. "I'd like to finish off what I started." Harper chuckled at his comment then stopped realising he was just staring her. It appeared to mean something more as James just remained still not once removing his eyes from off her.

"Well...I-I will clean up that pasta." She muttered heading to the pasta as she shook the colander into the sink making sure all the water was drained whilst James made no movement whatsoever and was fixated on her. He watched her back as she moved before she jerked her chin to the oven that was beeping. James cleared his throat, nodding as he brought out a glass dish containing the sauce and minced beef.

By the time they had both finished, Harper sat opposite James as he poured himself a glass of wine as she ate quietly trying to supress from looking over to him. The food was delicious and she was rather surprised, for a starter surprised he could cook and managed something so tasty besides burning his finger in the process.

"How is it?" He asked, this time Harper had to meet his eyes. She nodded smiling politely feeling a shudder upon her spine as she watched from the corner of her eye as his lips met the glass as he swallowed the red liquid. He didn't even need to do anything as such to impress her, everything about him made her feel intimidated but mostly certainty turned on. There she was going on again she thought. Screw it up why don't you? Thinking about him like that, you're supposed to be moving on she thought to herself.

Eventually their meal was over and James protested as she tried to clear up after. "I'll do it." He commented as he picked up both plates heading to the kitchen. She sat there not sure whether to move but most instantly started missing his presence. Tonight he had practically prevented her from making a huge mistake and entering the apartment with just only Duke there. James entered back into the dining area, his hand stretched to the nape of his neck, he appeared almost a shy for a second not knowing what to do before he piped in. "Can we talk?" Harper parted her lips before closing them again, she was being cautious knowing her own words could become consequences.

James approached closer to her sitting on the chair next to her, as he leaned onto his elbows on his knees facing her before he sighed. "Harper, I just want to know why you didn't tell me about him still...being there?" Harper looked down. "There's nothing to talk about." She muttered refusing to meet his eyes. James failed to step back down and instead reached for knotted hands upon her lap. "Harper? Please talk to me. You know what he tried to do and I bit back my tongue telling your friend but I thought you would have told her by now." Harper didn't retreat from his hands, in-fact she was comforted by them knowing the person her heart had felt belonged to was here. "I-I-I can't bear...the burden of knowing I ruined a friendship." She stuttered, before tears started to fall free from her face. "What if she doesn't believe me or worse, Duke turns it on me?" James shook his head. "Don't you dare Harper. There's no friendship when someone does that. He did something unforgiveable, you can't protect him. He needs to go." His tone softened as he moved his hand towards her cheek stroking back the tears. "Harper, I don't want to see him even try again, why didn't you just tell me?"

Harper looked down to his hands held over hers. "How could I? You... shoved me away after I played your girlfriend. Then you came back expecting you can have a go with me anytime when you feel like it." She complained, removing her hands away as she wiped back the sodden tears. "I can't do this." Getting off the seat she stood up, the reddening patches forming around her eyes. "Thank you for the meal but I have to go." James refused instantly. "No, Harper." He followed after into the living room towards the hallway then grabbed her wrist pulling her back into him.

"Why won't you just let me go?" She cried. "I can't take it no more. My heart hurts too much for all of this." James confronted his cowardness head on and snapped. "Cause I...feel something for you Harper! I can't take these goddam feelings! Its so hard, please you got to understand. I...need you." He sighed, his head dropping down as he wetted his bottom lip. Harper just froze, she moved his hand away from her wrist brushing his shoulder as she moved on towards the door. James looked over, watching as her hand touched the door handle refusing it no more as he paced towards her, grabbing her hand and swinging her around to face him. He held her hands to his chest. "If you walk out that door...you'll regret it. Let me prove to you. Please Harper, you're killing me. Stay..." He pleaded. Harper felt her eyes prickle with tears, but felt her heart rate increasing and the overwhelming pull towards him.

She watched as he closed his own eyes, his chest rising up and down. Harper bit her lip, she was sick and tried of fighting anymore, so she breathlessly said. "Kiss...me then." James opened his eyes not registering in what she said and watched as she entwined her fingers through his. "Please." She urged, tears escaping her eyes. James' heart was in his mouth, taking in the beauty of the woman before instantly crashing his lips against hers. Harper refused to listen to her protesting thoughts and instead kissed back knowing there was no turning back. James engaged further wrapping his hands around her waist pulling her into him. He needed this. He had to prove to her. He needed to change. Harper wrapped her own arms around his neck as she felt him turn her around walking her backwards until she felt herself flop onto the couch. James soon followed after, his hands squeezing her thighs as he pressed her deeper in. Tears escaped more now falling down her cheeks but her heart agreed as she felt nothing but electric shocks spark upon his every touch.

Her best achievement was his returning moan from his lips as she bit down on his lip as he became more rough pressing his hardened chest against her. Before eventually the time came and his shirt was nearly off. She couldn't give in, she needed him. If he was saying the truth that he was going to change, then her heart was all in. These feelings were lethal, the thought that she couldn't bear to be a moment without him and that was the truth. She was just going to have risk it.

~~~

James sat on the couch, Harper's head lay resting upon his shoulder, the sound of her soft breathing as she slept. His arm embraced her back refused to leave, the feeling if he was to do so she would run off. His shirt was ripped at the front, the fond memory how things escalated quickly as Harper clawed her hands through his shirt tearing on the buttons. However he had his own fair share noticing the top buttons of her blouse undone revealing her cleavage. It was a intense session, like both in desperation for one another but James had made personally sure he didn't take it too far and feed on her vulnerability as much as he would have loved to take it further with her. Slowly he kissed the top of her forehead causing her to turn in her sleep and embrace further into him. He didn't ever want to let her go. Now was his time to prove he could change.

This was woman was driving him crazy and there's was nothing he could do but embrace these feelings. He had to try. A risk he must take.

Thanks for reading. Hope you enjoyed this chapter just as much as I loved writing it!! And may I just thank all my readers for the fact we have reached 100k views, this is beyond amazing!!! So I am guessing a lot of you will be glad that finally they made up but will this last? Is James going to turn back to his ways, I mean you got to give it to him, he actually admitted, well slightly. But its a start.

And guys, let me know but I was thinking, should I try going for the Wattys?

Thank you as always, please VOTE, COMMENT and SHARE for more updates. Thank you and I mean it :)

VAMPIREFANGSRULES xxx