14. Harper #4
Staying in that same frame of mind, I close my eyes and lean my head back, determined to enjoy every second of this bath.
I don’t even think about moving until I feel the water start to grow tepid and I know I’m at serious risk of falling asleep.
Forcing myself out, I wrap myself in the towel that’s somehow even softer than I remember before draining the tub and looking around.
There’s a door on the other side that I can’t resist opening, and when I see it’s a large, walk-in closet, my feet are crossing the threshold before I can convince myself not to.
Rows of suits fill the space, along with leather shoes, racks of ties, and a velvet-lined case filled with watches that look so expensive I don’t even want to touch them.
It would be just my luck I’d drop one and break it.
I’d put it back and deny I was ever in here, but it would still be embarrassing and make me feel bad.
Walking around the expensive clothes, I step further in and smile when I see a huge section of what I call comfy clothes.
Gone are the suits that cost thousands, the wardrobe he shows the world and hides behind.
Here are rows of sweatpants, gym shorts, T-shirts, sweatshirts, and jeans.
This is Ev when no one is watching, and it’s my favorite part of his closet.
Running my hands over the shirts, I stop when I get to a shirt that’s so soft and worn in, I know it must be a favorite.
It’s a black hoodie, nothing special or brand-name about it, and I can’t help but love that this is what he’s decided to come back to time and time again.
I’m glad he’s not as snobby as his clothes make it seem he’d be.
Running my hands over the soft fabric, I can’t resist reaching up and plucking it off the hanger.
I forgot to bring clothes up here with me, and this would be perfect.
It’s big enough to cover everything, and it’ll make it so that I don’t have to walk around in nothing but a towel.
Dropping the towel, I pull it on, grinning when it almost hits my knees.
He must’ve hung it up without washing it, because I’m suddenly surrounded by his cologne, the scent so familiar to me but also oddly comforting.
I’m not sure how to process that last thought, so I ignore it and shove my hands in the front pocket, freezing when my fingers hit paper.
Pulling it out, I’m surprised to see a very colorful drawing, obviously done by a child, and not at all what I expected to find hidden in Ev’s pocket.
Opening it reveals a cute drawing of a little girl and a grown man.
The girl has long, dark hair, and the man is in a suit like Ev wears, but instead of the serious face I’m used to, the man in the drawing is smiling so big it’s hard to believe it’s supposed to be Ev, but the blue-green eyes and dark hair are a dead giveaway.
Well, that and the fact that some child has written I love my Uncle Ev in a bright red crayon along the top with hearts and butterflies.
It’s adorable, and it chips away at the wall I’m trying to keep around my heart. Feeling guilty for snooping, even though this time it really was by accident, I fold the picture back up and slip it into the pocket of one of the other hoodies, hoping he won’t notice.
Stepping out of the closet, I shut the door and make sure I haven’t left a mess in the bathroom before walking through into Ev’s bedroom.
I assumed he’d be downstairs, but when I see him sitting in the chair in the corner, drink in hand and eyes on me, my steps falter as I stand frozen in place.
He sets the drink on the small table next to him, choosing to drink in the sight of me instead.
I watch his eyes rake up my body, starting with my bare feet and then sliding up my legs, taking in the visual of me in his hoodie before his eyes finally land on mine.
“I see you found something to wear.”
I look down at the hoodie, suddenly feeling self-conscious and like I’ve maybe crossed a line I shouldn’t have.
“Yeah, I hope you don’t mind,” I say. “I forgot to bring in clothes, and it seemed like a better option than just walking around in a towel.”
“Definitely better,” he says, and I can’t tell if he’s just agreeing with me or if he genuinely likes the sight of me in his favorite hoodie. As if sensing my confusion, he adds, “I don’t mind that you snooped around and found it, Harper. I expect nothing less at this point.”
“I’m not that bad,” I mutter. “I could’ve done a lot worse.”
“Believe me, I know. I expected you to ransack my whole house as soon as I left this morning. You showed remarkable restraint. I’m still a little stunned by it.”
He makes no move to get up, so I take a hesitant step closer.
When he still doesn’t move, I keep going until I’m standing right in front of him.
He looks up at me, and my breath catches in my throat at the intense gaze.
There’s always been a pull between us, an underlying sexual tension that has yet to fade away.
I’ve never experienced anything like it, and when his legs widen ever so slightly, I take it as an invitation and step in between them.