by Kim Law
Harper hurried back through the concession area, finding most everyone either already gone or within minutes of leaving, but her gaze finally landed on one seller who hadn’t quite packed everything up. Only, when she made it to his cart, he had exactly one hot dog and one package of cotton candy remaining. She took what he had, knowing she’d insist Jewel eat it all, and headed back the way she’d come. But as she made her way across the dirt floor, her feet slowed at the sight of the tall, lean cowboy leaning against the far post. His hat was pulled low, and she could feel his eyes on her.
Her pulse sped up.
Nick didn’t push off the side of the building, so Harper kept moving in his direction—trying not to look excited to see him. When she reached his side, her eyes went to the funnel cake in his hand, and her mouth watered. And not just for the deep-fried sugary snack.
“Hey,” she said causally. She swallowed. “I figured you’d be off with Betsy by now.”
His brows inched up. “Betsy wasn’t here tonight.”
“Some other woman, then?” She set her features to unconcerned, but she wanted to smack herself for momentarily letting her jealousy show. What did it matter who he slept with?
Instead of letting himself be baited, Nick held up his paper plate. “Want a bite?”
She wanted a bite, a lick, and a whole lot of other things.
She wanted the funnel cake, too. Her stomach growled.
“I know you like it,” he murmured, waving it beneath her nose.
“And how do you know that?”
“Because it’s what you tasted like the night you kissed me.” He popped a bite into his mouth and chewed around a smile, while heat teased at her cheeks. But she didn’t take any of the funnel cake. Her stubborn streak had sparked to life with the mischievous gleam in his eyes, and she wouldn’t give him the satisfaction.
“Then I’d say I’ve tasted like a lot of things over the years,” she taunted. “Doesn’t mean I like all of them.”
His laugh was low and sexy. “So you still busy?”
“Jewel’s waiting for me.” She accidentally eyed the funnel cake in his hands before jerking her gaze back up. It was a shame when her head was torn between flirting with a hot cowboy or begging for his high-calorie treat. “But we’ve already got the bulls loaded,” she finished lamely.
“I meant after tonight.” The mischievousness faded. “What are you doing tomorrow?”
Oh. He was referring to her being too busy this week to do anything with him. She bit back a smile. “Depends on what you have in mind.”
And damn, hadn’t she made that sound inviting?
She swallowed and pretended not to notice her unintentional come-on, but the corners of his mouth hitched up. He finally pushed off the post, but he didn’t go far. Just far enough to stand directly in front of her. He kept the funnel cake between them.
“Dinner at my sister’s house?”
Harper’s eyes went wide. “Dinner? I thought you meant . . .” She trailed off. She’d thought he might mean a number of things, but none of them had involved dinner with his sister.
“What?” he asked. Then his own eyes widened. “You thought I meant sex?”
“No!” She gulped. At least, she’d been trying not to think that. “I thought you meant doing something fun. Like you suggested the other day.”
Another low chuckle hit her ears. “Sex is fun.”
“Nick.”
He tugged off another bite of the snack and wiggled his brows at her. “Harper.”
She couldn’t quite pull her eyes from his mouth as he chewed. When had chewing become sexy? And why did she now want to be that bite of funnel cake? “You know what I mean,” she breathed out.
“Yeah, I know what you mean.” He licked the sugar off his fingers, and she feared a groan might slip out of her. “So you doing okay?” he asked.
She frowned at the subject change. “I’m fine.” Were they now going to small talk? “Looks like you are, too. Nice riding tonight.” She flailed about, looking for something else to say. “I saw Ben and Dani here watching you.”
Surprise lit his eyes. “You know Ben and Dani?”
“Sure. I knew your brother Cord in school—he was a couple years ahead of me—and I’d see Dani at footballs games cheering him on. I see Dani around town now, too. And I know Ben because I’ve taken him up a couple of times.”
Ben had once been a celebrity photographer, but had changed direction when he’d discovered he had a daughter last year. He was currently working on his second coffee table book. She’d put him down in several gorgeous locations for nature shots during those two trips.
“Then you should fit right in.” Nick disarmed her with his made-for-sin smile. He pulled off another bite and moaned as his teeth sank into it. A small dot of confectioner’s sugar now clung to his upper lip. “So, dinner?” he asked around the treat. “Tomorrow night?”
“You were serious about that?” Why would he ask her to dinner with his family?
“Sure. I was told I could bring a date.”
“But I wouldn’t be a date.”
He tilted his head then, but he didn’t say anything. His eyes simply stayed on hers. So long that she began to twitch in place. He could somehow say so much without saying anything at all.
“I told you that I don’t want to date,” she reminded him. Her fingers itched to swipe the sugar off his lips.
“So now you’re telling me that you don’t eat steak either?”
“I don’t go to random guys’ family dinners to eat steak.”
Hurt flashed across his face. “And you’re saying I’m a random guy?”
“I’m saying”—she sighed—“that me showing up at Dani’s with you would be odd.”
He suddenly focused more on his food than her, and Harper didn’t know what to do. She wasn’t sure why her pointing out the obvious would have offended him, but she was fairly certain that’s exactly what she’d done.
“I’m just saying,” she tried again, “that they might read more into it than is there.”
“Or maybe they’d read into it that I don’t want to be a third wheel.” He wiped off his mouth, and the sprinkling of white disappeared. “You know how weird that can be. And as a bonus, I have it on good authority that Ben can grill a mean steak.”
“Yeah? And who told you that?”
“His daughter.” He smiled again, and danged if her chest didn’t squeeze tight at the sight. “I’m her favorite uncle, so she wouldn’t mislead me.”
Harper couldn’t get over the softness that overcame him simply by talking about the little girl. Jewel had been right. He would make a great father someday. “Then it sounds to me like she should be your date. Imagine how thrilled she’d be with that.”
“She’s cute,” Nick acknowledged. “But I prefer my women older. Preferably with blue hair.” He lifted a hand, capturing several strands of her hair, while the backs of his fingers grazed over her ear. “I remember pink when I was just a kid. There was the summer of red. Then your rainbow phase.” His gaze returned to hers. “I always wondered if you were making a personal statement with that one.”
“Simply a statement,” she said, filling in the space when he paused. Since the day her mother had insisted Harper and her sisters wear matching dresses for Easter Sunday, Harper had started dying her hair random colors.
“But I do have to admit,” Nick continued. He released her hair, and his eyes fastened on her lips. “Blue is my favorite.”
“Quit trying to charm your way back into my pants, Nick Wilde,” she breathed.
“But I like your pants, Harper Stone.” His eyes inched lower. “Those jeans fit you really, really nicely.” When he finally dragged his gaze back up her body, she literally throbbed in front of him.
And oh, sweet Lordy goodness. That fast, and he had her completely undone.
“Come with me tomorrow night,” he urged.
She would like to get out of the house.
&nbs
p; “I’ll even ply you with beer,” he said. “I know you like beer.”
“I do like beer.” And if she did go with him, that wouldn’t necessarily make it a date. Just a night out with two other people she already knew.
“What else do you like?” He slid the tip of a finger over her bottom lip, his voice lowering to that belly-quivering octave he was capable of. “Tell me, and I promise I’ll make it happen.”
Her tongue touched the spot where his finger had traced, and she found a path of powdered sugar in its wake. She licked at it while considering him. Because she didn’t for a second think they were still talking about a steak dinner.
“I’m still not sleeping with you again,” she finally managed, but her voice had turned shaky. And she wasn’t 100 percent certain she could back up her statement. Not if she found herself alone with him.
“So you’re saying your steam situation remains under control?”
This time there was definite heat in her cheeks at the reminder of their prior conversation. “My steam is definitely in check.”
His gaze lowered to his plate, and one corner of his mouth hitched up in a tiny smile, and Harper found herself squirming in front of him. He was laughing at her.
When he picked up another piece of the fried bread and her stomach growled a third time, his gaze shifted back to hers. The devil danced in the blue depths as he hovered the bite a half inch from her mouth. “Sure you don’t want any of my treat?”
“I’m positive I don’t want any of your treat,” she whispered hoarsely.
“Okay,” he said. He slid the bite between his lips then, and after he swallowed, he once again licked his fingers clean. “But feel free to call me if your steam situation changes.”
Harper’s throat went dry. The man was evil. Yet his taunting only cranked her stubbornness higher. She lifted one hand slowly and waggled her fingers in his face. “It’s been a while,” she began, the boldness in her voice misleading, “but I’m quite confident I could remember how to use these if my steam needs to be released.”
Deep laughter instantly circled her, and she almost died of embarrassment. Good Lord, she’d just blatantly told the man that she wouldn’t have a problem masturbating.
Jewel’s truck and trailer pulled up at that moment, and Harper quickly glanced over Nick’s shoulder in relief. She was breathing heavy, her nipples had hardened, and a few more seconds of this particular form of foreplay, and she might have agreed to anything the man suggested.
Nick followed her gaze, and at the sight of Jewel, he waved. Then he turned back to Harper. The humor disappeared from his eyes, replaced with pure heat, and he leaned in—so close that she could smell the sweetness on his breath and feel the faintest touch of his chest rub against hers. And danged if her legs didn’t quiver.
His mouth brushed across her ear. “You be sure to let me know if those fingers don’t quite do the trick.”
She nodded.
Then she groaned as she realized what she’d agreed to.
Nick straightened, heat still the only thing on his features, and slipped a bite of the funnel cake between her lips before she could even guess at his intent. His fingers lingered for an extra second, and this time, he was the one who watched her chew. And she had no doubt that the action turned him on just as much as it had her. There was something innately hot about watching someone’s mouth. Especially when that someone’s mouth had been on your body.
After she swallowed, he pulled his gaze back to hers. His eyes looked drugged. “Let me know what you decide about that steak,” he scratched out. Then he turned and walked away, and Harper slumped where she stood. Because what he hadn’t figured out was that at that very second, he’d had her.
Chapter Eleven
Incredible steak, Ben.” Nick gave his brother-in-law a slap on the back. He grabbed the loaded-down bag of leftovers his sister had packed for him and winked at his favorite person in the room.
Haley giggled and climbed onto an island barstool to wrap her arms around her his neck. She planted a sloppy kiss on his cheek and turned to whisper in his ear, “I didn’t tell no one about your blue-haired girlfriend.”
“Thank you,” he whispered back. He didn’t correct her on the girlfriend part. “I knew I could count on you.”
“And I’m sorry she didn’t come with you.”
“Me, too.” Nick ignored his sister’s clearly nosy look. Sometimes a man and his niece had to have secrets.
And sometimes a man kept his own secrets. About blue-haired women who were too chicken to come to dinner with him. Harper had texted an hour before he’d left the house to tell him that she couldn’t make it. Which had been a letdown. Yet not surprising.
He pulled back from Haley and winked at her, changing from a whisper back to normal volume. “You have a good trip to Canada, okay? Your Uncle Gabe will be very sad that he missed you.”
“Gabe’s coming in?” Dani asked.
“Yeah.” Nick glanced at her, surprised their oldest brother hadn’t shared his plans. “Next week sometime.” Gabe had let him know a few days ago.
Dani glanced toward Haley, and Nick noted the girl’s suddenly long face and felt guilty for bringing it up. Gabe’s daughter, Jenna, was Haley’s best friend. The two girls had only met the year before, but the friendship had been instantaneous. However, since Jenna’s mother had pretty much forced Gabe into relocating to Los Angeles before the school year started, the girls had rarely gotten to see each other.
“But from what I understand,” he began, once again talking to Haley, and hoping his words would cheer her up, “they’re planning to stay all summer.”
Her mouth formed an O. “All summer?” she whispered. She looked at Dani. “Does that mean I’ll get to see Jenna?”
“It sure does.” Dani scooped Haley onto her hip. “And she can spend as many nights here with you as you want.”
“And I can spend nights there with her, too? And with Pops and Gloria.” She shot a toothy grin Nick’s way. “And with Uncle Nick?”
Nick chuckled. The child could get anything from him that she wanted. “I won’t actually be around all summer, sport. I go home in a few weeks, remember? But I’m sure Pops and Gloria will love to have you. And I’ll be back to visit, too. I’d miss you too much if I didn’t.” He gave Haley another wink, making her giggle again, then turned back to Dani. “Been a while since you talked to Gabe?” Dani typically badgered all of them weekly.
“She’s a slave to the job these days,” Ben said. He moved to stand behind his wife and daughter. “It’s sad when she’s too busy to harass her own brothers.”
Nick agreed.
“My workload has definitely increased.” Dani owned her own marketing company. “Which is great. Happy clients talk, and I like them talking. But part of the problem is that I’ve been trying to get ahead due to this upcoming trip, and I’ve yet to hire a receptionist to field some of the calls.”
“Hiring someone is first on the list for when we return,” Ben told him. “If she doesn’t get on it herself, I’ll take that one over.”
“My hero.” Dani patted Ben on the cheek and smiled up at him, and he gave her a look that Nick—frankly—wished he wasn’t able to interpret. But thankfully, Dani remembered they weren’t alone in the room, and returned her focus to Nick. “Are Gabe and Jenna coming alone?” Her tone changed from hero worship to subdued.
“Who knows?” No one was a fan of their sister-in-law. Gabe’s marriage had been on the rocks for as long as they could remember, and Nick and the rest of them were pretty much holding their breaths, waiting for it to collapse. “All I know is what I got in the text. They’ll be in by the end of next week. Before Dad gets home.”
Dani nodded as if a decision had been made. “Then I’ll call him before we leave. Nate, too. We never know if Nate will make it in for harvest, so I’ll start bugging him now.”
“Of course you will.” Nick rubbed his knuckles on the top of his sister’s head. “But don�
��t be surprised if he doesn’t answer.”
“I never am.”
He headed to the door, reaching it and looking back in time to catch Haley’s yawn. Her face was now tucked into the side of Dani’s neck, and Dani peered down at her.
“We let you stay up way too late, didn’t we?” Dani spoke softly to the little girl.
“I’m not tired,” Haley denied around an even larger yawn.
Dani smiled fondly at her stepdaughter, and Nick felt a pang of jealousy as he stood there. The utter look of contentment on his sister’s face knocked him for a loop. She’d found it all here with Ben and Haley. While Nick still struggled to believe “all” existed.
He pinned Haley with a look. “You be sure to bring me back a present, okay? Since you’re going to Canada, I’d like an igloo.”
Giggles once again filled Nick’s ears. He loved her laugh. “I can’t bring home an igloo, silly.”
“Then how about you just don’t forget that I’m your favorite uncle while you’re gone?”
Berry-colored lips curled up. “I could never forget that.”
Dani moved toward him then, Haley still in her arms, and caught him in a hug before he could get away. “You’ll be okay while we’re gone?”
“I’m always okay.” He kissed both her and Haley on the tops of their heads. “Have fun and don’t worry about any of us.” Then he turned to Ben. “Take good care of her.”
“Priority number one.”
Nick knew Ben would see to it that Dani was fine, but he was continually caught unaware at how much he worried about his sister these days. He’d always worried, but until their skeletons had come out of the closet, he’d been a master at ignoring it. Yet now he found himself wanting to check in on her as much as she did him.
He left and slid behind the wheel of his truck but took a minute before driving away to take in the setting sun. That pang of jealousy hit again. This was nice. And not just the lakefront view. It had been interesting watching Dani and Ben together tonight. They’d grown closer over the months they’d been together. So close that they seemed like a fully contained unit now. They fit. And Haley only complemented what the two of them had.