Chapter 10
TEN
Bastian
IF THE BEAUTY in his arms read his thoughts, she wouldn’t have said those last words. Holding her, stroking her hair, he breathed her scent in and out. Damn, it went deep, and so would his cock given half a chance.
Fuck. What the hell was wrong with him?
Lying in the dark with this woman felt inexplicably right; a part of her reached out and coiled around his heart.
Tight. Harper had zero expectations. The opposite, in truth, she relieved the pressure of life, business, family, all of it.
She didn’t need to be entertained or humored; he didn’t nod along with her as he had done with women in his past.
A friend. Were they friends? They weren’t clearly defined, which meant the lines weren’t either. Hence finding himself in bed with her, unable to make a move. Shit, he’d teed this up wrong.
Harper was a person he enjoyed spending time with, for no other reason than to share oxygen with her. When they breathed the same air, an odd closeness enveloped them. Friendship?
In that darkened bedroom, holding her, fully clothed, against him… He’d never even kissed her… not yet.
Couldn’t he be honest in his own head if nowhere else? He’d wanted to kiss her since he’d first caught whiff of that intoxicating fragrance. What wrung that scent from her pores? He’d find out if he slipped into her shower and—
Oh, he was going to her place now? Into her shower?
In what kind of friendship did one fantasize about the other naked?
Come on, he deserved some slack, the woman lay in his arms, that sweet little body tucked in so close he could feel the cushion of her breasts against his ribs, what else should he be thinking?
One of her shins lay over his. Temptation gritted his teeth. One smooth lift of his knee would urge her limb higher, he could keep on going until it made contact with the painful erection behind his fly.
Fuck. Jerk.
She’d been attacked and didn’t want to be in his home.
There was where they’d found themselves. No matter how tempting, he’d never take advantage.
In the hospital, his mother’s suggestion he should look after Harper startled him, no denying that, and he’d resisted… for maybe half a beat. He should’ve fought harder.
Their night at Adara’s party was perfect on its own. That’s what Harper said. If fucking only. Yeah, it was perfect, he agreed, with only an ounce of sincerity. She’d plagued his thoughts all week.
Whatever impression he gave her that night, he should’ve left it at that. Except the risk of ruining that perfection could reap the ultimate reward. Sex? Was that the sleaze he’d become?
But, damn, he had to know. He wasn’t good at letting things go or living with the unknown.
Until right then, he’d never entertained the idea of pursuing her.
His thoughts were of her as an apparition.
In that fantasy, because their contact had been so brief and intense, she’d be anything he wanted her to be.
Could be he was making her, them, into something they’d never be capable of sustaining.
Still, fate dropped this opportunity in his lap. When had he ever snubbed one of those?
Harper Scott wasn’t meant to be an unrealized dream. Reality, that’s where she belonged, in his reality. If he didn’t play this through, nothing in his life, no woman in his future, would live up to the prospect of Harper Scott.
The idea of seducing her unsettled him as much as it inspired.
Before he could insinuate himself into her life, and maybe her bed, he’d need to clear up their misunderstanding.
What was that? That this was no more than two platonic citizens helping each other out. No, they were something bigger.
She didn’t know who he was.
Damon did. When he’d introduced himself, the spark of recognition hit the prick. Oh, he’d seen it the world over. Not just recognition, but the flare of promise. Given what some of his associates endured, he wasn’t sorry his notoriety was limited to the business world.
Adara, or Carnell, must’ve figured it out too. They’d got in touch with him at work—thankfully. None of them, it seemed, told Harper, which made sense. Her family believed them to be in a relationship. People in relationships usually knew what each other did for a living.
From his limited experience, he’d gleaned Harper was a private person. If her family, or anyone, tried to butt into her life or bring him up, she would shut them down. And given their shared lie, that was smart. Wasn’t so easy to answer questions about someone you’d known for a couple of hours.
This woman needed someone on her side, looking out for her. And, fuck, it was clear she’d be capable of looking after what was important to her too.
Independence was her stalwart, along with guarding her vulnerabilities. He wanted to be her safe haven, needed to be.
That night in the dark Grand corridor, she’d opened up to him because she had no one else to open up to.
And despite being the younger sister, Harper proved she would defend her sister when Adara couldn’t do it for herself.
At the engagement party, she stood up to Damon.
The man she cut loose, refusing to accept his infidelity.
Hell, that night, she’d taken on a mugger. What did that tell him?
Harper was strong and used to being the only one looking out for her. Her relationship with her parents was so weak that it didn’t warrant telling them about her mugging. What else didn’t they know?
Adara had other things to worry about. Her relationship with Carnell, their engagement, their upcoming wedding. The woman’s life was full.
How could he wheedle his way in? Whatever it entailed, he’d be there for Harper Scott as much as she would let him.
Carnal impulses could wait. What she needed was uncomplicated. A friend. Someone to trust.
That was it. The first priority was friendship. A solid foundation they could build on.
Desire would be sated later. If that was what she wanted. Now he just had to make sure his dick controlled itself until it was time to take possession of this woman.