It was written all over her face, the joy she got out of teaching, and he wondered when she would actually come clean and confirm what he’d already guessed.
“Is she passing yet?”
“Not yet, but I know she’s going to do great,” Harper said, going back to cleaning the dish.He wanted to push.Ask her more.But tonight wasn’t the night.
Though her apartment was a little on the small side, she’d done a great job of decorating the place.It felt homey.Like someone actually lived a life here.Would she ever go back to where she came from?The thought kicked him in the gut.Where was home for her anyway?The other night, she’d mentioned getting on a bus.He was desperate to know more about her.
Harper walked around from the kitchen and stood before him, the gray-and-black-striped jersey summer dress showing off her curves perfectly.
“We have a few minutes before I can plate up our appetizers.Want to go sit on the sofa or something?”
Trent put his arms around her waist, pulling her between his legs until her thighs touched the stool.“The ‘or something’ sounds promising.”
His lips brushed hers as his hands roamed over her butt, giving it a squeeze for good measure.His tongue brushed across hers, stroking the tip gently.Man, she tasted so freakin’ good.All sugar and spice.
Harper reached up to slide both hands into Trent’s hair.She could mess it up all she wanted, the feel of her fingernails softly dragging against his scalp worth whatever damage she did to it.
A groan resonated deep in his chest as she leaned into him and he felt her sexy smile against his lips.
“You have that effect on me,” he murmured against her lips.
A loud buzzing came from the kitchen, and Harper moved her lips from his.Ovens, he hated them.
Over dinner he learned so much more about her.She hated horror movies, loved Christmas, and had been junior chess champion in her school.
She was also a natural flirt.The way she held his eyes while he talked to her about setting up Second Circle with Cujo, laughing at the stories of their mishaps along the way.Stroking his arm with her fingertips as he took a break to drink his wine.He’d been hard since the moment he’d walked in and seen that dress clinging to her delectable curves.
It was clear she was still avoiding details about her past and had outright set him straight twice when the topic had veered too close to where her hometown was and what she did before she’d moved to Miami.
He knew enough of what happened but didn’t pretend to understand why she had felt the need to run.The guy had been put in jail—so why had she still felt so threatened and scared afterward?So terrified that she’d left her whole life behind.
“That was the most impressive home-cooked dinner I’ve had in a really long time, Harper.”
“Glad you enjoyed it.There are leftovers you can take home for tomorrow.”Harper got up to clear the table.
Trent put his hand on her wrist to stop her.“My mom would kill me if she knew I let you cook for meandclean up.Sit.I got this.”
He watched as she carefully picked her glass up by the stem, gently swirling the rich, blood-red wine around in the bottom.The way her lips opened to sip and the soft moan as she savored the wine made him groan.Shaking the thought, he gathered the plates and rinsed them under the tap before returning to his chair.When had his life turned into a fucking romance novel?
***
“So I gotta ask: After a meal like that, what’s for dessert?”
He looked at her intensely.Maybe it was the wine, but Harper felt a sudden surge of confidence.“Me?”
Trent spluttered as he sprayed his red wine across the tablecloth.Wow.Was it that crazy of a suggestion?Had she misread the situation?It wouldn’t be the first time.Maybe this was too fast for him.Or too serious or something.Embarrassment engulfed her.
“Never mind,” Harper said, trying to stop the burning in her eyes from turning into tears.Trent was still coughing.Getting up, she laid her napkin on the table and headed to the kitchen.
“It’s chocolate molten lava cake,” she called back over her shoulder, hoping he couldn’t see the mortification on her face.
Harper’s breath was stolen from her lungs as Trent grabbed her arm.“You surprised me is all.Don’t ever think for one minute I don’t want you.Ever.”The burn of his gaze heated her insides.“Going slow has been killing me,” he said, his voice low and husky.His lips crushed hers as he lifted her into his arms, wrapping her legs around his waist and pushing her up against the living room wall.
“Getting you naked is all I have been able to think about since that night on the beach.”
His strong arms held her up like she weighed nothing.Gripping his flexed biceps, Harper leaned her head back against the wall as his mouth blazed a trail down her neck.
A shiver brushed through her as his fingers pushed her dress up higher, stroking the soft skin of her inner thigh.
