I fume as I watch everyone around us. My goal was to ruin this for the Wallace family, but I’ve clearly underestimated my adversaries. Harper and Gina are much harder to embarrass than I expected, especially with a room full of backup. But this party isn’t over yet.
Chapter 28
Ford
Harper and I slip away from the chaos of the party, where empty bottles clink against the hardwood floor and drunken laughter echoes off the walls. People have started to find their spots to sleep on the floor so inebriated that the shouting around them doesn’t deter them.
The crisp night air hits my face like a welcome slap, stars scattered across the inky sky above us. My breath forms small clouds in front of me as I exhale. I’ve spent most of my life avoiding gatherings like this, preferring solitude to small talk.
“You’ve really joined in tonight,” Harper observes, her cheeks flushed pink from the cold and maybe the two glasses of wine I watched her nurse all evening.
“It’s easy when I’m with you.” The words tumble out before I can stop them.
She beams up at me, her smile creating small dimples I want to touch. I wrap my arm around her slender shoulders, feeling her shiver slightly beneath my touch. Her hair smells like flowers and something uniquely her.
“Same here. Thanks for joining me in being a chicken.”
“If you’re a chicken, I’m a chicken,” she replies, a playful glint in her eyes.
“And you say you haven’t seenThe Notebook.”
I chuckle. “Don’t tell anyone. It’s a secret.”
“Cross my heart.”
Sighing, I gaze out at the frozen lake. “I know Asher’s not over you.”
“It doesn’t matter. When I look at him, I don’t see the man I once loved. I’m not even sure he was ever that man, and that’s on me.”
“You’re really over him?”
“Completely. The pain from what happened? Not yet. But I don’t want any reconciliation like I did when I first found out about him and Kenzie.”
A wave of relief washes over me, and I smile. The noise from inside has almost completely died. “It’s gotten pretty quiet inside.”
She checks her phone. “It’s two in the morning. I bet anyone who wasn’t already asleep has passed out from drinking by now.”
“It’s past your bedtime. Let’s get you tucked in,” I whisper.
We head back inside, where the floor is a maze of bodies, bottles, and suitcases. I realize now I should have marked a spot to sleep early on. There’s not a spot large enough for me to sit on, let alone sleep.
“I might have to crash in my truck,” I say.
Harper pulls a key from her pocket, unlocks her door, and leans against it. “Come on.”
“Are you sure?” My heart races with hope and desire.
The lock clicks into place. Harper’s fingertips brush my arm—tentative at first, then tracing the curve where bicep meets shoulder. She rises onto her tiptoes, her breath warm against my lips before they meet mine. The kiss deepens, and I taste wine and possibility.
My flannel falls away. The hem of her sweater bunches beneath my fingers, soft wool against calloused skin. I inch upward until I feel the underwire of her bra. Harper breaks away, arms lifting skyward in silent permission.
Moonlight spills through the window, painting silver across the lace that cups her breasts. My throat tightens. “Harper,” is all I manage.
Her smile creates shadows at the corners of her mouth as she tugs at my shirt. The cotton slides up my torso, cool air raising goosebumps where her knuckles graze my stomach. I step closer until I can count her eyelashes, my fingertips discovering the constellation of freckles along her forearms.
“Do you want me to stop?”
She shakes her head. My fingers find the clasp of her bra, fumbling slightly against the warm skin of her back. The straps loosen. I trace them down her shoulders with my light kisses as the garment falls away.
