by Brenda Novak
The expression on her face was thoughtful. He got the feeling she was about to ask him about something—likely their kiss. He could tell by her reluctance.
Fortunately, she must’ve changed her mind at the last second. “Sure.”
He breathed a sigh of relief as he returned to the kitchen. She was going to let it go. Good. Now they could pretend it never happened.
8
She’d kissed another man—for the first time in almost a decade! Harper couldn’t believe it. Something she couldn’t have conceived of doing just a few days ago had happened so easily and naturally. And at no point during the encounter had she considered pushing him away.
Why? How had she been able to enjoy that kind of contact with Tobias when she’d thought it would be months, or possibly years, before she could even think of touching—or being touched by—another man?
Was she trying to prove that she was desirable? Rebuild her self-esteem on the heels of the rejection she’d suffered? Get some sort of misguided revenge on Axel?
Or was she acting on even baser impulses—a craving for physical pleasure after going without sex for six months?
She didn’t have any answers, but she knew she had to be careful. She couldn’t get into another relationship this soon. Everly and Piper were still struggling to adjust to life without their daddy living in the house. She had to be sensitive to that, especially because something that flared up so quickly was bound to be a mistake.
Taking her phone with her, she stepped out of Tobias’s house to call her girls while he cleaned up after breakfast. Since neither of her children was old enough to have a cell phone, she couldn’t call them directly, so she dialed Karoline’s number.
“Hey,” her sister said.
“Hey,” she responded.
“You’re up, huh?”
“Yeah. Have been for a while.”
“I didn’t want to wake you, which is why you haven’t heard from me, but I’ve been worried about you. You okay?”
Guilt bit deeply, making Harper pause. Karoline would be surprised to learn she wasn’t alone—or even at home.
Should she say something about that? She didn’t want Karoline to think she was abusing her compassion. But at the same time, her sister had taken the girls to give her the chance to recover, and she was feeling much better. She hadn’t called Axel once, had barely thought of him. Did the method matter as long as it didn’t hurt anyone else?
She decided to keep her mouth shut. She had only a few more days before she’d be forced to face reality again. If she spoke up, her sister might rush home to be sure she wasn’t getting herself in trouble, bringing it all to an end, and she wasn’t ready for this small reprieve to be over.
Axel had abandoned them to pursue his fabulous career. Surely she could have a guilt-free week while her children spent time in LA going to Disneyland and other fun places with her sister.
“Yeah,” she said into the phone. “I’m doing much better.”
“You are?” Surprise filled Karoline’s voice. “Why do you think that’s the case?”
Of course Karoline would demand specifics. “I’m...trying to look at things from a different perspective,” she said.
“That’s good!”
Harper seized the opportunity to change the subject. “How are the girls?”
“They’re fabulous. Having a blast.”
She was about to ask to speak to them when her sister lowered her voice. “Have you heard from Axel?”
“Not since you left,” Harper replied. He hadn’t called her—usually didn’t call very often. He didn’t like the guilt it created. And she was proud of the fact that she hadn’t broken down and called him. For the past eight months it had been almost impossible to stop herself.
“Everly keeps asking if she can phone him,” Karoline explained. “So far, I’ve put her off. But...should I let her do it?”
Harper had no problem with her daughters contacting their father. She wanted them to remain close to Axel. He’d been such an integral part of their happiness. Her only hesitation was that she was afraid they’d discover what she’d already learned: he didn’t seem to care as much as he had before—about any of them. “I guess. Hopefully, he’ll give them a few minutes. If not, blame the time change. That’s what I’ve been doing.”
“I think I should place the blame squarely where it belongs!”
“No, that’ll just hurt the girls, Karoline.”
“Then maybe I should have a talk with him first.”
Harper gripped her phone more tightly. “Don’t. You know how touchy he can be. If you set him off, you’ll get into an argument. And maybe it’ll be for nothing. Maybe he’ll get his head on straight before Piper and Everly have to accept too many harsh realities.”
“I get the impression he’s drifting further away, Harper. Anyway, I don’t believe in walking on eggshells for anyone. Just because he’s more emotional than I am, or some big star these days, doesn’t mean I should have to treat him any differently than I do anyone else.”
Harper tucked her hair behind her ears. “I know you think I’m being too much of a pushover. You’ve made that clear. But I’m trying to keep things as pleasant as possible for the sake of my kids. That’s important—especially now, at Christmastime.”
Silence.
“Karoline?”
“Fine. I understand,” her sister said with some reluctance. Karoline was so eager to come to her defense. Sometimes that helped; other times it only made matters worse. “I won’t get involved. I’ll just let her use my phone and hope for the best.”
“He might surprise you.”
“I doubt it,” she said dryly.
Harper had been pacing back and forth with her head down. As she came toward Tobias’s truck, she spotted movement out of the corner of her eye and looked up to see Uriah, dressed in work overalls and a ball cap, walking toward her.
“Morning,” he said as he passed, but he looked tired and drawn, and she felt sorry about what he was going through.
“Morning,” she replied.
“Who was that?” Karoline asked.
Harper caught her breath. She’d spoken without thinking. Her sister, who believed she was home alone, was on the phone.
As Uriah disappeared into the garage, she was tempted to come clean. She was usually such a transparent person. But now that she’d waited until they were so deep in the conversation, she knew Karoline would read too much into the fact that she was with the guy who’d given her the flower. “I’m out for...for breakfast,” she fudged, telling herself that her words were at least partially true; she was out and she’d just had breakfast.
Fortunately, that seemed to satisfy her sister. “Oh, that’s nice,” she said. “You need to get out and start circulating again. That’s what I’ve been saying all along. Let go of the old and embrace the new.”
Harper bit her bottom lip. She’d been embracing another man when she first woke up. She might’ve done more than embrace him had Maddox not interrupted when he had. Although she was glad she and Tobias hadn’t gone any further, there was a part of her that figured people had one-night stands all the time. Why would it be such a big deal if they slept together?
Maybe it would’ve been smart to break through that barrier while she’d had the chance. She couldn’t imagine being interested in anyone else; that she was interested in him came as a shock. Not because he wasn’t appealing. She just hadn’t met a man since she’d gotten together with Axel who could even remotely tempt her.
But Tobias was different. Not only was he sexy, he was also kind and easygoing and patient—all things that Axel typically was not, she noted grimly. Had Tobias not been so intent on keeping her at bay, she probably would’ve gone to bed with him last night.
“I’m glad you feel that way,” she said to Karoline.
&n
bsp; She’d walked back to Tobias’s truck. She couldn’t see Uriah anymore, but she could hear him tinkering inside the garage. And when she looked the other way, down the drive, she could see a younger man standing on Uriah’s back porch.
That had to be Carl, didn’t it? She could see the family resemblance. If he’d required bail to be released from custody, Uriah must’ve arranged it while she and Tobias were having breakfast.
She glanced at Tobias’s door, which stood partway open from when she’d come outside. He wouldn’t be happy when he learned Carl was back.
Carl seemed about to chase down his father. Perhaps he wanted to talk about what he’d done. With one hand raised to block the sun, he squinted while looking toward the garage. But the moment he saw her, his expression turned sour. She got the impression he didn’t want her on the property—or maybe seeing her reminded him that Tobias was on the property, too, and that was what he didn’t like. Either way, he dropped his hand and stomped into his father’s house.
“Can I talk to the girls?” Harper asked her sister. She’d interrupted Karoline, who was going on about the shopping they’d done yesterday, but she was suddenly eager to get off the phone.
“Um, sure,” her sister said.
Karoline put Everly on first, and then Piper. They both gushed about all the fun they were having. They told Harper they loved and missed her, but Harper felt reassured when she disconnected that her choice to stay behind in Silver Springs wasn’t causing her children any distress.
“Everything okay?” Tobias asked.
Harper whirled around. She hadn’t realized he’d come to the stoop and was looking out at her. With a nod, she slid her phone into her pocket. “Yeah. Everything’s fine.”
“That’s good.” He held the door as she came in. “Do you want a shower before we go?”
It was a practical question, not a come-on. That was what got her. He wasn’t trying to entice her into his bed. After that heated kiss this morning, he’d backed off completely—and for some strange reason that only made her more interested in touching him, especially now that she’d been reassured that her children were safe and happy, and she didn’t have to worry about them.
“Carl’s been released from jail,” she said, still trying to talk herself out of what was going through her mind.
Tobias frowned. “What do you think I should do? Should I go have a talk with him? Or let it go?”
The muscles in his arms and chest moved appealingly under his smooth skin as he combed his fingers through his hair. Harper knew she shouldn’t be noticing such things, but she was suddenly very preoccupied with his body.
“I guess I don’t have any business getting involved,” he went on, oblivious to her thoughts. “But if someone doesn’t do something...” He shook his head, visibly frustrated by the fact there was no clear answer.
“It’s a tough call,” she said. “Maybe wait a bit? Feel your way through it? I would guess Carl’s contrite at the moment. So maybe everything will be all right for today.”
He walked over and peered out the window over the sink, where he’d been keeping vigil during the night. He must not have seen anything that concerned him, though, because when he faced her again, he seemed to be of a different mind. “Yeah. Let’s get out of here. I’ll figure it out later.”
He obviously expected her to go get ready, but she didn’t. She was thinking about that kiss on the couch. His lips had been so warm and soft, and they’d molded perfectly to hers. “My kids will be back in four, five days, tops,” she announced.
Confusion creased his forehead. “And that’s a problem?”
“Not a problem. I’ll be anxious to see them. It’s just...” She gathered her nerve. “Are you sure you want to leave?”
“You don’t want to go to the beach anymore?” he asked, cocking his head.
She drew a deep breath. “What I want is standing right here.”
His Adam’s apple moved as he straightened. “And you mentioned four or five days because...”
“Whatever happens, it all ends there.” Filled with nervous energy, she ran her palms up and down her thighs. “I can’t... I can’t bring home another guy to my girls. Not this soon.”
“I see. So you’re saying...”
What was she saying? She should take advantage of this opportunity, shouldn’t she? Who knew how many months or years it would be before...before someone like him came along again?
“I’m saying we might want to make better use of our time.”
His jaw dropped. “Are you propositioning me?”
Feeling her face heat, she swallowed against a dry throat. “I guess I am.”
“Well...damn,” he said.
She could tell he was interested—at least, she thought so. But he also seemed stunned, and he was so slow to react she suddenly felt insecure. “What does damn mean?”
His caution evaporated as he moved—now quite purposefully—toward her. “It means that’s an offer I can’t refuse.”
Now that she knew she was going to get what she’d asked for, she took a step back. “We could wait until we get home from the beach if...if you’d rather,” she said, slightly overwhelmed by what she’d started.
“Are you kidding? The next four or five days will disappear quickly enough as it is.”
He didn’t crowd her. He stopped a few feet away and simply held out his hand.
Butterflies filled her stomach as she looked down at his big palm and long fingers. She could tell he worked with his hands. They weren’t nearly as perfect as Axel’s—they had a few calluses and scars—but they were very masculine, just like the rest of him.
“Harper?”
Was she really going through with this?
“It’s not too late to change your mind,” he said, and that was probably why she didn’t.
Putting her hand in his, she gave him a tentative smile and let him draw her into the bedroom.
* * *
Tobias was doing everything he’d promised himself he wouldn’t—everything he knew he shouldn’t—but he wasn’t going to miss out on this, not if Harper wanted the same thing. If they both understood the rules going in, it should be fine. Depending on when her kids came back, they just had the better part of a week to be together. No one could get hurt in that amount of time. Then the holidays would be upon them, so they’d both be busy. And after that?
She’d be gone.
Instead of taking her straight to bed, he pressed her up against the wall just inside his bedroom and kissed her. He wanted to let the heat between them grow slowly and naturally, to ease into their lovemaking in case she was nervous. But the second their mouths met, he could tell this wasn’t going to be a slow burn. She was as hungry for this kind of contact as he was.
She parted her lips, accepting his tongue, which sent such a flood of testosterone through his blood he had to prop both arms against the wall to compensate for the sudden weakness in his knees.
“I love the way you kiss.” She pulled the tie from his hair before tightening her arms around his neck. “Everyone should be kissed like this at least once in their lives.”
He hadn’t had a lot of practice with kissing in the past thirteen years, so he was glad to hear the positive feedback. But he could tell she liked it even before she spoke up. They seemed totally compatible. There was nothing awkward about kissing or touching her. It was the most natural, perfect progression on earth, which just went to show what great chemistry could do. “How is it different from other men?”
“It’s just so...focused. As if kissing me is the only thing that matters, the only thing you’re thinking about.”
“It is the only thing I’m thinking about,” he admitted and kissed her again, deep and long, before framing her face with his hands. “You’re gorgeous. You know that, don’t you? The first time I saw you, sitting up at that c
ounter...”
He let his words fade away. He’d been about to try to articulate how that moment had affected him—how she’d captured his attention from the very first. But he couldn’t explain why that would be the case, and he didn’t want to ruin it by being overly dramatic.
“What?” she prodded. “What did you think?”
He pressed his forehead to hers. “I thought you looked sad,” he said, remembering.
“I was sad.”
He toyed with her hair. “I also thought...”
Her hand trailed lightly along his jaw. “What?”
The excitement she caused when she reached his mouth and ran her thumb back and forth over his bottom lip made his heart pound. “You took my breath away. And it’s like that now. I can’t believe I’m with you—that I get to make love to you.”
“I can’t believe this is happening, either,” she said. “I never dreamed I’d want anyone else, not so soon. But you’re not like other guys.”
He knew why. How many other men had she slept with who’d finished growing up in prison? But he refused to think about Atticus or the past. A four-day fling didn’t demand full disclosure, which came as a bit of a relief. He didn’t want to tell Harper what he’d done, and hoped she’d never find out. It would change the way she looked at him. And he didn’t think he could bear to see her good opinion of him destroyed.
“Axel was crazy to leave you,” he said.
Her smile wobbled. “I’m just a woman. I can’t compete with stardom.”
He kissed her. “I’d rather have you.”
“You’re almost too good to be true, Tobias Richardson,” she whispered against his lips.
Those words hit him hard. He was too good to be true. She didn’t know what he’d seen and done in his life—the drugs, the violence, the loneliness, which had, at times, been so profound he’d thought he’d go mad before they released him. Touching her so intimately—as though he was just like any other man, just like she assumed he was—felt deceptive.