I roll my eyes. “Or maybe he’s keeping an eye on me because he feels guilty about how Asher treated me.”
“Yeah, because his lips on yours really helps him see you better, right?”
I toss a pillow at her and point toward the kitchen. “Go try the cake I had to walk in the snow to get for you.”
“Ford and Harper, sitting in a tree. K-I-S-S-I-N-G.”
My lips tingle at the memory of his kiss, and I can’t help but smile. He really does know how to kiss. But it’s wrong. Right? Right?
Chapter 12
Harper
Istruggle to carry my camera equipment along with the box Gina insisted I pick up from the post office while scouting locations near her wedding venue. “Stupid wedding errands,” I mutter as I nearly stumble, trying to keep the surprisingly light box from tipping off my shoulder.
Suddenly, Ford’s large hands take the box from my arm. “Careful. You don’t want to hurt yourself before your sister’s wedding.”
“You always seem to show up just when I need help. Except the other day when Kenzie cornered me on the street. You really dropped the ball on that one, Crawford Stokes.”
He laughs, the deep sound sending a thrill through me. My stomach twists into knots as an unfamiliar ache stirs between my legs, something I haven’t felt in ages.
“Sorry. I’ll do better. Promise,” Ford replies. “But it might be easier if you remember to send up the bat signal when you need help to keep things running smoothly.”
“Oh, so it’s my fault now? I see how it is,” I say, chuckling. “But seriously, how are you always around?”
A cocky smirk spreads across his face, and I can’t believe I’ve never fully appreciated how attractive Ford is. His nearly perfect teeth, kissable lips, and stunning eyes framed by long eyelashes make my heart race.
“Maybe I’m keeping my eye on you, Harper Wallace.”
My stomach flips. Was Gina right? Why does it feel like Ford has suddenly switched to flirting mode?
“Are you?”
He laughs, gesturing across the street. “I had to fix the trim along Dr. Cabot’s counter. Some kids have been rough with their big trucks, and it cracked in half.”
And just like that, he’s back to normal. “Oh.”
“I doubt anything in there has been replaced since before we were born, so the snow and rain have really taken their toll,” he continues.
For some reason, I feel drawn to watch him work. “I never realized you liked building things.”
“There’s a lot about me you don’t know, but I enjoy working with my hands.”
The flirting returns, accompanied by a glint in his eye that sends shivers down my spine. I can’t meet his gaze any longer and look away. Ever since our second kiss—the sober one—I haven’t been able to stop thinking about Ford. Now, all I can imagine is how his hands would feel exploring my body. His fingers are long and muscular, and I quickly push those thoughts aside. What is happening to me?
“Do you just take on all sorts of jobs, or do you have a specialty?” I ask, my voice cracking slightly.
He smirks but thankfully doesn’t comment on it. “I do what needs to get done, but I love creating things. You’d be surprised at some of the stuff around town that I’ve made without even realizing it.”
“Yes, I probably would be. Like what?” He gestures toward the church, where workers are carefully maneuvering an intricately designed wedding arch through the large doors. “Wait, you built that?”
“I carved that,” he replies confidently. “It started as one giant tree.”
My jaw drops as I take in the arch’s beauty. “You’re lying.”
“I’m not.”
A flood of questions rushes through my mind. How did he find a tree that enormous? And how on earth did he move it to carve?
