“After I graduated from the Naval Academy, followed by a lot of training, I served as a Navy SEAL.” He felt her body tighten, and he hugged her a bit harder. “Working for Chase Security, I did similar work. Some of the people I encountered were bad. They were not happy when my team ruined their plans. The Chase Group is a multibillion-dollar company. Combined, it makes the company and every partner a target.”
She pressed against him and placed a consoling palm against his cheek. “I didn’t put it together. Chase Group. Alec Kunzulmen,The GNN Report. Troy Bremen is a colleague. He was badly hurt.”
Kip sighed. “More than a colleague, he’s my friend. A brother. Family. I was in San Diego to cover for him for his surgery and recovery.” He closed his eyes and opened them. “That’s one of the reasons I am working on a short time clock.”
“I’m sorry, I can see it’s still painful.” Harper sighed.
Kip rotated his lips to kiss her palm. “It is. But I can say he’s back to work, and the surgery was successful. And what he did… working undercover, it’s not a usual occurrence. That’s one excuse down. So what about the age thing? I’m fourteen years older than you?”
“Your age doesn’t matter to me.” She looked down.
“What is it?” Using two fingers, he gently lifted her chin to make eye contact. “Nothing you can say will make me think less of you.”
“You are going to think…” Her body froze. “I’ve never been with a man,” she blurted out.
His features softened, and his tone was rich with understanding and acceptance. “Hey, there is no timetable on that but yours. I would like to date you. If I do something that makes you uncomfortable, tell me. Men as a whole are dense.”
Harper giggled. “I’ll take that under advisement.”
His eyes twinkled. “Would you let me kiss you?”
“Yes, please.”
Taking her face between his hands, he slanted his lips against hers and seized her mouth, gently taking control. Harper sighed and opened to him. He dropped one hand to wrap his arm around her and broke the kiss, smiling. “Not too bad?”
Her eyes met his. “No.”
A knock on the door broke their moment. “Come in,” Kip said, his arm remaining around Harper.
“Boss, you’re going to be late to your noon meeting,” Josh reminded him.
Kip sighed. “Well, sweetheart, we will drop you off at the cottage. Dinner tonight? Tomorrow is a heavy day for me. And how about breakfast Saturday?”
“Dinner? I’m working a day shift tomorrow. It will need to be an early night.”
“Early night it is. I’ll see you at 7:30. And I will get you home by ten?”
“If I’m tired tomorrow, I’ll have my boss call you,” she joked.
Chapter 7
Stunning was the word Kip used to describe how beautiful Harper was. He sat an extra beat in the Tahoe before stepping from the driver’s seat to meet her as she walked from her house. She wore a simple black dress that extenuated every one of her curves and red heels he imagined dangling over his shoulders as he…Don’t go there, or Harper will see that Raven’s prediction about my anatomy was right.
“You look stunning.” He pressed his lips softly to hers, took her hand and helped her into the front passenger seat.
“No big SUV and no Josh tonight?” Harper asked before Kip reached across her to secure the seat belt and close the door.
In the driver’s seat, he turned to see her. “There is security with us, but I do get a bit of privacy.”
“I’m sorry if that sounded snarky.” Harper sighed. “My upbringing rearing its devil head.”
“We’re good.” He reached for her hand.
After they were seated at an intimate corner table, a waiter took their drink orders. “Kip, I’m falling all over myself with you. It’s…just… I don’t want to mess things up.”
“Harper, you’re not messing anything up.” Kip placed his hand on hers.
“Today, I told you about being uptight around guys. I never told Channy, and I made the mistake of telling my mother. I was in college. I thought this one boy was sweet and a bit nerdy like me. It turned out to be an act. I only found out because, in his words, I wasn’t putting out in return for his attention. Turns out it was part of a frat game. How many whales could they harpoon? I told my mother, and she said, ‘the truth hurts.’” Harper looked at the candle on the table.
