Page 16 of Improper Proposal
He closes his laptop. “Yeah.”
It’s hard to peel my eyes off him as he stands and unfolds his long, lean body. My gaze moves over him, takes in the sweater that does nothing to hide his muscles and the jeans that hug him in all the right places. While he looked amazing in his suit, I have to say he looks equally as good now. So good, in fact, my body warms, wanting more of what happened in the bathroom—wanting to finish what we started.
Is that wise, Harper?
No, and after I tell him the truth, he’s probably going to think I’m crazy and run for the hills. I mean, who sets up an adventure for epic sex, right? My throat squeezes at the thought of never seeing him again, and I force myself to look away. I can’t blame him for hating me, but at least he won’t think I’ve cheated on George, or that he did something wrong. Integrity is important to me.
Silence hangs heavy, taking up space between us as I follow him out to the car. I climb into the passenger seat, and Will adjusts the temperature before backing out of the long driveway.
I take in the pretty countryside as he drives along the lane.
“Which museum would you like to see?” he asks, his voice strained.
“I hear there is a great wax museum not too far from here. I’ve never been to one.”
“Really?”
“I’m curious.”
“It’s pretty cool, actually.”
With the small talk gone, silence falls heavy again, and I know it’s my opportunity to clear the air. I gather my courage and say, “Will, about this morning.”
He shakes his head and holds his hand up to stop me. “Yeah, we need to talk. Who are you?”
“I can tell you who I’m not.” His eyes narrow in on me. “I’m not George’s girlfriend. I’m not George’s anything. I wasn’t kidding when I said I’d never met him. In person or online.”
His face tightens. “What the hell is going on?”
“I’m not who everyone thinks I am.”
“What the fuck.” He pulls the car over and kills the ignition. “Okay, start talking.”
“This is all a huge mistake. I think. Or maybe it wasn’t.” No, meeting Will and becoming intimate with him was definitely not a mistake at all.
I fidget at the way he’s looking at me, like I’ve lost my mind. Jeez, maybe I have.
“So, you’re not George’s girl.”
“No.” I hold my phone out to show the message from Piper.
He reads the words out loud. “‘You’re not where you’re supposed to be!’” Then he says, “I still don’t get it.”
“I’m not George’s girl. I’m Harper Clark, here on an epic adventure. In my real life I’m a boring lawyer from Pratt and Whitney Law Firm.”
He grips the steering wheel and squeezes. “Holy fuck, that’s how I know you.”
“You…you know me?” How the hell would he know me?
“No, I just…I saw you before when I was doing work for the firm. A guy never forgets a beautiful woman like you. I just c
ouldn’t place you. I thought it might have been on the plane.”
“Oh,” I say for lack of anything else as my heart pounds, so worried about what I’m supposed to do now, and how much Will is going to hate me.
“I knew none of this made sense. George and I are close. We tell each other everything. At least we used to.” He looks down, like he’s trying to puzzle things out. “I still don’t know how you got mixed up with my family.”
“It’s like this. I’m here because well, because of a New Year’s Eve game I played with my friends.” He quirks a brow, and I go on to explain. “I thought one of my friends might have been impersonating me online, hoping I’d come here, fall into the role of George’s girl, and fall in love with him.”
