“Where do we start?” I ask as I step backbesideher.
“How about we throw a pizza into the oven, and while that’s cooking, we enjoy some caviar and sparklingwater?”
A smile twitches on my lips. Harper Shelton has a body that looks like it was designed by Ferrari and a mind that perfectly meshes with my own. If I didn’t know better, I’d say fate just threw me the idealwoman.
“Sounds like the perfect start to the perfect evening.” We put away the rest of the groceries and I pull out a couple of champagne flutes Trixiegaveme.
“I’ll grab the cheese and crackers—the caviar, ofcourse.”
“I’ve got the fake bubbly.” I hold up the green bottle and glasses as we head over to the sofa. I flip on the TV, not really paying attention to where it lands, and both Harper and I sit so close our legs aretouching.
“You do this often?” She hands me the caviar, and I pop it open before pouring us each a glass full of sparklinggoodness.
“Only on days that end in Y.” I touch my glass to hers, and the sound of the crystal chiming makes Fish look up from hisslumber.
“You wish.” She hands me a cracker, and we both dip into the tiny reserve of sturgeon eggs. “On three.” Her lips part, revealing that glossy pink tongue of hers, and my mouth waters on cue. “Three.”
We pop the crackers into our mouths at once, and I savor the feel of the caviar detonating onto mytongue.
“I love it when it pops like that,” I grunt with approval. “So, where’d you grow up? You a Bel Terra girl?” If she is, I haven’t seen heraround.
“Nope. Hollow Meadows.” She wrinkles her nose as if she disapproved of her upright, uptight upbringing. “Boarding school whole nine years. I’m still close to my sister and brother, though. Harley will be at Briggs next year, and Henry’s finished his graduate work. He’s not exactly able to join the workforce, so he’s working on a book—a joke book.” Her cheeks darken as if embarrassed for him. “He’s a great guy. You’d like him. Helovespie.”
“Sounds like we’d get along. So, your mother’s the artist, huh? You mentioned she had her work in agallery?”
“She couldn’t get in one, so she did the only sensible thing a socialite can do—she bought one.” She shovels in another cracker with a healthy mountain of caviar, and her eyes roll to theceiling.
My dick starts to knock against my boxers. If Harper keeps having food orgasms, I might be moved to excuse myself to catch a littlerelief.
She clears her throat before taking a quick sip. “I bet all the cheerleaders are sure glad you’re single. Are they knocking down thedooryet?”
“No. They all think I’m in a relationship with you, remember?” I give a sly wink before downing mydrink.
“So—at the supermarket you mentioned something about your mom.” Her brows flex with worry. Harper grows quiet and shrugs her shoulders as if she couldn’t get the rest of thequestionout.
“Oh yeah, it’s fine. I can talk about it. Trix and I were just kids when it happened. We didn’t really understand what was going on. All I knew was that Saturdays were spent at Mom’s new home, a correctional facility a couple hours from where we lived. She essentially took the fall for something my father did with his company. It wasn’t anything either of them could help, but when she got out, they were pretty much done. It was tough, but we powered through it. She remarried last summer toLawson’sdad.”
“Oh!” Her eyes brighten the color of springtime, and I get caught in their spell a moment. “So that’s the connection,yes.” She flicks off her shoes and brings her feet underneath her. And there she is—spread eagle in those tiny little shorts, and my gaze darts south withoutmeaningto.
“My eyes are up here, honey.” She blinks up at me as I meet withtheirgaze.
“Sorry.” That I gotcaught.
“That you gotcaught.”
As soon as the words leave her mouth, we share alaugh.
“So tell me something about yourself.” I study the curve of her cheek, nothing but a sheer cliff. I’ve never seen cheekbones that high. “Something nobody else knowsaboutyou.”
“You’re into secrets, huh?” She bites down on that full, luscious lip, and my dick perks to life. “I’m afraid of heights.” She shrugs it off as if it’s no big deal. “But who isn’t,right?”
“Me.” I give a slight wink and she swats me over the knee. Something in me cinches at the thought of being swatted byHarper.
“Seriously. Half the people in the world are. It’s not some obscure phobia or anything. Just don’t make any plans to drive me to the nearest ledge and expect me to throw my arms in the air and screamI’m the king of the world. Nothappening.”
“Duly noted.Anythingelse?”
“I love to stuff my face with gummy bears.” Her eyes dip to my crotch as if I’ve got a big one tucked out of sight. And hell, I wish I did. “I’m also part Blackfoot Indian on my father’s side. People think that’ssomething.”
