“Your jacket.” Harper slipped it off, holding it forward. “It’s not really my size. There’s no point in me stealing it.”
Maya looked at her, head tilted. Then she smiled again, accepting the jacket.
“That’s very honorable of you.”
“I think you’re the more honorable of the two of us. Especially since you stuck around. Tonight kind of sucked, even before Kieran showed up. You were a pleasant surprise.”
“I’m usually called worse things, so thank you.” Maya hooked the jacket over her shoulder. “If you don’t mind me asking, what made tonight so awful? Did someone else bother you?”
“I’m used to people bothering me. That’s kind of standard around here.” Harper’s smile stiffened. Then fell. “It was a friend’s birthday, and she’s not around to celebrate it, so…”
Maya’s expression softened. “Ah. That kind of awful.”
“Yeah. That kind of awful.” Lowering her eyes, Harper moved back towards the car. “I’ve taken up too much of your evening. Don’t want to keep you more than I already have.”
“You were just doing the world a favor. I was hanging around in a bad part of town. Being heroic kept me from all my wicked plans.”
“So you admit you were up to no good?” Harper said with a grin. “I knew it. You do the whole tall, dark stranger routine too well to act effectively innocent.”
“You know something about acting innocent?”
“Perhaps. It tricked you enough that you came to my rescue, didn’t it?”
Maya’s smile eased back into place, returning to that enviable version that could produce a shower of singles if used as a weapon.
But it didn’t seem to be that, exactly. It was too surprised. Too curious.
Harper cleared her throat.
“Thanks again. For the help.” She backed up a step, bumping into the car. “I appreciate it and you, um… you take care.”
Wow, just fuckingnailingthis conversation.
She reached for the car door, but then Maya was by her side again, placing a hand on the hood.
“One more question. What’s your name?”
Harper paused. Maya was still smiling, though it was different now. More inquisitive than charming, and there was a strange excitement in her eyes. As though she had been presented with a riddle and was close to figuring out the answer.
“Harper. Harper Montgomery if you want to be formal about it.”
Maya fully grinned. “Really?”
“Yeah?” Harper crossed her arms. “Do I know you?”
“Not yet. That might change soon, though.” Maya stepped away from the car. “Stay out of trouble, Harper.”
She wasn’t sure what caused her reaction. Maya’s satisfied expression, her humorous tone, or those unexpected words. Whatever it was, it made Harper purse her lips in a smirk.
“And your name is Maya. Right?”
Maya’s grin turned amused. Like she’d noticed the challenge in Harper’s voice, and rather than be annoyed by it, she was intrigued.
“That’s right. Maya Novak, ifyouwant to be formal about it.”
“I don’t.” Harper opened the car door, showing off a teasing smile. For once, it appeared entirely on its own. “Don’t tell me what to do.Maya.”
Chapter 3
