Page 42 of Nothing to Tell

If that was true, she’d made a misstep crossing paths with Whey.

“You were talking to Ricardo Whey.He would say anything to take you home to his bed.”

Another smile, and, shit… Time to check out the others again.Anything to distract himself from the stunning sight.Resisting an urge to growl and squeeze her closer wasn’t easy.

“Bed didn’t come up in the conversation, and he didn’t make a move.”

Talking was move enough.Too close.Whey had been on the approach, of that he had no doubt.

Harper didn’t understand she belonged to him.That wasn’t her fault, he hadn’t told her yet.

“You’re a beautiful woman deserving of attention.Too many other men know that.”

If he’d known her intention to be there, he’d have picked her up and kept her on his arm all night.How was it she’d never been at one of these parties before and then she was there with him?

It couldn’t be that he’d never noticed her in this crowd before.He wasn’t blind; he’d have noticed.Many would.The same faces passed every time.They all attended these events, spent their money, then saw each other again the next time.The butter was always churned.Everyone knew the steps to this dance.Polite.Smiling.Dancing.Mind-numbing… until Harper.Yet if she moved in circles with Roxie and Zairn…

The party started two hours ago.Had she been wandering through the crowd all that time?Any man could’ve picked her up and he wouldn’t have been around to interrupt the seduction.

“You don’t have to look after me,” she said.The heat of her delicate hands seeped through his shirt.“You helped me out at my family party; I thought I would return the favor.”

Wait… what?

He stopped.Her presence wasn’t serendipitous, it was orchestrated?

“You’re here for me?”

The glitter in her eyes dazzled him.“I said that, didn’t I?”

SIXTEEN

Bastian

THIS WAS GETTING COMPLICATED.

He’d never refuse any opportunity to dance with Harper, to hold her.Any excuse to put his arms around her worked for him.The only downside?The more he held her, the harder it became to comply with his hands-off policy.Especially when she looked at him with that intimate adoration and pressed her body into his.

“Our families think we’re dating,” he said because they’d have to address it.

One conversation in a hotel basement had flung their lives onto a totally new tangent.Permanently or temporarily?It was no longer a one-off illusion; their connection was turning into something.

Brave and fearless, Harper didn’t shrink.“I know, you don’t have to remind me,” she said, brushing her fingers across his jacket.“Though my parents are out of town, so we’ve caught a break there.”

Standing still on the dance floor was conspicuous.Shit.He picked up the dance again.What was she thinking?Bringing up their families was supposed to start a conversation that would give him an idea of her position.

Being uncomplicated meant not pushing her.It didn’t mean he shouldn’t encourage her to share.Her home life had to be fraught, and it was his job to listen to her worries.

“You’re left at home with Adara?”

“And Carnell, Charissa, and Damon, yes.”

Every time he heard that dickhead’s name, he regretted not taking his chance to punch the jerk.Forget that, Harper was opening up, trusting him, without hesitating.This was good.Time to return the favor.

“I don’t like you staying with him.”

“Damon?”Harper asked.“He wasn’t happy that I was coming here tonight.”

No surprise there.“Damon?”