by Jeannie Moon
“Another time?” He was pissed. She could see it on his face.
“Yes. I am working, and that boss of mine can be so difficult.” The last part was said just for Jason, who was coming up behind Kevin.
“She’s right, I’m a slave driver. How’s everything going over here? Has everyone arrived?”
“Everyone but your starlet. Did you have to invite her?”
Kevin’s ears picked up. “Who did you ask?”
“Kari Martin.”
Kari Martin was the hottest thing in movies right now. She’d been landing plum roles and getting a lot of attention. And if she wasn’t getting enough attention for her acting, she was getting it for her barely there dresses and her questionable taste in men.
That moment is when Kari decided to make her grand entrance. She didn’t disappoint. Her dress was so short and so low-cut, Harper, who was far from a prude, wondered how she was going to stay in the scrap of fabric.
She flew into the room with a half-drunk glass of champagne, dramatic makeup, and her red-gold hair styled in a short pixie cut. There was nothing subtle about the woman, and her loud Southern twang filled the room. Everyone knew when Kari Martin had arrived.
“She sure makes an entrance,” Kevin said.
Jason nodded. “Come on, I’ll introduce you.”
Kevin grinned at Harper and then without hesitating followed Jason toward the actress, who looked to be sizing up all the bankbooks in the room. Granted, she was successful in her own right, but Kari was just the kind of woman to go for a trophy husband. Someone so rich she’d never have to think about money again. She could do every obscure indie film and suck at it, and still be living high and easy forever.
Harper couldn’t stand women like her. Her own mother was all about men. God knows she’d sacrificed Harper for the last man she married. And that was why Harper would never do the same thing.
After moving through the different groups of people, making sure they all had drinks and were enjoying the hors d’oeuvres, Harper decided to put down her clipboard and relax for a few minutes.
Meg was at the bar, ready to order her second glass of wine in twenty minutes, when Harper stepped up next to her. “Really?” she said before turning to the bartender. “Mrs. Campbell will have a Pellegrino with lime.”
“Dammit,” Meg said. “No more, huh?”
“You have to be careful. You don’t want to be the drunk wife, do you?”
Meg shook her head, happy for the intervention. “They’re just so boring.” Jason’s wife was anything but boring. She had more personality than most of the people in the room, combined. She always said keeping twenty kindergarteners interested in what she had to say required her to be more outgoing than a normal person, and Meg didn’t disappoint. When she tipped her head toward her brother and Kari, she didn’t seem happy. “What’s going on?”
“He’s being a jerk,” Harper said. “They deserve each other.”
Meg cocked an eyebrow silently questioning the term. Harper tamped down the jealousy that was bubbling up and realized she couldn’t let Kevin’s antics throw her off her game.
“A jerk?” Meg repeated.
She cringed at her friend’s question, which was basically asking why Harper cared if he was coming on to the movie star. She didn’t. Not really. Kevin could flirt with whomever he wanted. He could sleep with whomever he wanted. Just because Harper’s chest tightened at the thought and her heart hurt when she saw him talking with the pretty actress in the corner of the room, didn’t mean she cared.
“Typical man. Throw a bombshell in his path and everyone else in the room ceases to exist.”
“Jocks and actresses,” Meg mumbled. “Bad combination.”
“That actress and anyone is a bad decision. Why did Jason invite her?” Harper took a sip from a glass of Veuve Clicquot she’d grabbed off a waiter’s tray and let the bubbles tease her throat. She turned when she heard a high-pitched giggle followed by a low, sexy laugh.
“I have no idea,” Meg responded. “But it looks like my brother is going to steal her from the clients.”
Kevin and Kari were still laughing it up in the corner and Harper was more certain than ever that she’d made the right decision regarding him.
He didn’t have any interest in a family right now. He was too busy. With everything.
He glanced over and caught her looking, but instead of his usual confident grin, his face grew serious as his eyes met hers. Those eyes of his would be the death of her self-control.
Finishing her champagne in one gulp, Harper excused herself and left Meg chatting with the wife of a Korean banker. The language barrier would make that conversation more than a little bit interesting. Looking at her watch, she knew she should check the kitchen and make sure dinner would be served on time. There were a million things that could go wrong, but she didn’t want to go off schedule because more than anything, Harper wanted to go home on time tonight.
Naturally, she wanted to be home with her baby, but what she really wanted was to take off these shoes. A couch in the private lobby outside the terrace was a perfect place to rest her feet. It was also empty. No actresses to piss her off.
“Hey.” Kevin’s voice wafted through the silence, soothing and agitating her at the same time.
So much for being alone.
***
Harper was sitting on a long sofa, her legs crossed and rubbing one of her feet. She seemed to be in pain. God knew he was in pain just looking at her. She made everything in him catch fire. It made him crazy.
He sat at the opposite end of the sofa and watched her rub her feet. She didn’t say anything, didn’t look his way, and Kevin still didn’t know what he’d done to drive her away. “Shoes hurt?”
Harper nodded. “Too tight.”
Silence. More awkward silence.
“Are you ever going to tell me why you ditched me?”
Harper froze in place. Turning her head, he saw something in those big eyes of hers. They were more green today than brown. Gorgeous, soulful. Hurt?
Taking a breath, she answered. “I didn’t see it going anywhere. And since you left . . .”
Was she kidding? How could she not have seen it going anywhere? He spent every minute he could with her. “You broke up with me before I took the offer in California. One minute we were together, then nothing.”
Raising an eyebrow and cocking her head to the side she asked, “So you would have stayed if we were still sleeping together?”
“We were doing more than just sleeping together.” Shit. “I really liked you. I still do.”
“Seriously, Kevin? Our relationship was one booty call after another. Sometimes we went out to dinner or had drinks, and then it was off to bed.”
He’d stuffed his hands in his pockets and looked at the floor. Maybe she’d had more reasons to break it off with him than he thought. He had no answer to what she’d just said.
“I guess I handled it badly,” she said. “I should have told you why.”
“I’m sorry you felt that way. I didn’t know.” He moved closer and she stiffened. He liked that he could still get to her. She wasn’t scared, but she definitely had her guard up. “You look beautiful.”
“Thank you.”
Still, she wasn’t giving him an inch, and Kevin knew he should cut his losses, but he sensed something else was going on. He was about to ask when Kari burst into the space. “Kevin! Where did you run off to? They’re seating for dinner, and the bitch running this thang won’t rearrange the table so we can sit together.”
Harper stood, her back ramrod straight. “Actually, I’m the bitch running this thing.” She extended her hand to Kari. “I’m Harper Poole, Reliance’s director of operations. The table seating can’t be changed at this time. I’m so sorry.”
Thank God, Kevin thought. The last thing he wanted was to be trapped at dinner listening to Kari’s neuron-killing chatter.
“That’s not very hospitable. Fix it.” Kari flic
ked her fingers through her hair, brandishing her long nails like they were weapons, and then folded her arms in an attempt to intimidate Harper. That was actually pretty funny.
“I beg your pardon?” Harper took a step forward, and Kevin backed away from the two women. This had the potential to get ugly, and while Harper was still being the gracious event hostess, he could see her jaw tense.
“I said you should fix it,” Kari snapped.
“Ms. Martin, perhaps you’re forgetting why you’re here?”
The transformation happened in a flash—in one second the hostess was gone and the hard-nosed executive stepped in.
“I understand—I’m supposed to mingle with the guests. Well, I want to mingle with that guest,” she said and pointed her red fingernail right at him.
Harper chuckled. “Unfortunately, you are being very well paid to mingle with the company’s clients. I suggest you remember that little tidbit of information or I will let your agent know you are in breach of contract.”
“You really are a bitch,” Kari spat out. “Trying to keep him for yourself, is that it?”
Harper rubbed a hand over the back of her neck, and Kevin’s first instinct was to jump in and come to her defense. This girl had a serious case of nasty, and although Harper was keeping it together pretty well, she didn’t deserve this.
Harper had taken a long pause and the way Kevin saw it, it looked like Kari thought she’d intimidated her, but he knew better and saw Harper’s strength when she leveled a stare at the girl. “I’ll see you at dinner, Ms. Martin. You’re seated with some very nice executives from a French bank. I think you’ll enjoy their company.” Damn. She was one cool customer.
Kari glared at him, waiting for some support.
Yeah, not happening.
After all his years in the public eye, the years of being treated like he was something special because he could hit a ball, he still couldn’t get his head around the way some celebrities acted. Kari was the perfect example—spoiled and entitled were just two words he could apply to her.
She stormed out when he didn’t respond fast enough, and Harper let out a long breath and rubbed at her temples. She looked like she needed a hot bath, a glass of wine, and a mind-blowing orgasm, and Kevin would have been more than happy to help her out.
Instead he stood in front of her and let his hands travel around her neck. She started to pull away but stopped as his fingers gently rubbed at the tension in the muscles. “Stay still for a minute and let me help.” She was about to object, but stopped when he pulled her a little closer. “You handled her really well.”
“Thanks. I could still have a scene on my hands, but I guess I’ll see,” she said softly, letting herself relax into his hands. He expected when she finally thought about how close they were, she’d run like a scared rabbit, but right then, touching her felt good, and he guessed for the first time that day, someone was taking care of her. It was a win for both of them. It took a few more seconds before her body straightened and she looked into his eyes. “I should get back,” she said.
“You are the one in charge,” he joked.
“The bitch in charge.” Harper added. She gave him a wide smile and Kevin felt his heart squeeze tight.
He released her and offered his arm, figuring she couldn’t complain about him simply acting like a gentleman. What was he thinking? Of course she could, but the look in her eyes told him she wouldn’t.
Hesitating, Harper finally let him take her hand and bring it through his elbow, amusement flickering in the sly grin that ticked at the corner of her mouth. “I guess if Kari’s going to have a tantrum we might as well give her a reason.”
That was true enough, but he didn’t give a shit about Kari. He couldn’t think of anyone else he’d rather walk in with. “She’ll deal.”
They stopped as they entered the expansive glass room, and the formality and good manners took over. “Enjoy your evening, Kevin. Thank you for keeping me company. And . . .” She hesitated, her eyes looking sad. “I am sorry.”
“Me, too.” He meant that. He really wanted them to work.
Harper took a step back and he caught the shy smile she shot at him before heading to a table with a group of executives and their significant others. Kevin went to the table where his sister and Jason were sitting.
Kari was shooting daggers at both of them.
Chapter 3
Grocery shopping was a daily event for Harper. She was still nursing, and it seemed no matter how hard she tried, there was never enough food in the apartment. When she discovered she was pregnant, her days of keeping only Greek yogurt, an apple, and lactose-free milk in her fridge were over. Now she made sure to eat right because keeping her baby fed and being able to keep up with the demands of motherhood and her job required more than take-out Chinese and fruit snacks.
Her neighborhood Gristedes was crowded, as it usually was at five thirty every afternoon. It seemed everyone had to get something for dinner, so as Harper navigated around the narrow aisles, dodging people with carts, baskets, briefcases, and babies, she planned her attack.
First she’d head to the deli for a rotisserie chicken, then to the bakery for some bread, and then to produce for salad fixings. A balanced meal. Oh, and she needed cookies. And toilet paper. And soap.
Looking at her little handheld basket, she realized what she needed was a cart. Too late for that.
She managed to snag the last chicken, but the whole-grain bread she loved was sold out. As she looked at the tomatoes the pickings were slim. Just about to grab a container of cherry tomatoes she felt a warmth crawl up her back. It pricked at her skin and made her flush all over. There was only one person who triggered such awareness. She’d felt it the other night at dinner, that same delicious warmth.
“Harper?”
Yup. It was him. Shit. Turning in the direction of the steady baritone, Harper faced Kevin Rossi for the second time in a week. It would be wonderful if seeing more of him would mute the attraction between them, but it only seemed to worsen it.
After their encounter at the Reliance dinner party two nights before, Harper had had gone back to dreaming about him, and considering her sex deprived state, it was no surprise the dreams were wonderfully erotic. Harper could still feel his hands, feel his breath and his mouth . . .
If it was possible, he’d gotten better-looking since the other day. Not that she’d ever complain about seeing him in a dark, tailored suit, but Kevin was much more a jeans-and-thermal kind of guy and he wore them well. Tall and broad, his wavy brown hair looked soft and touchable, but it was still his eyes, those damn sapphire blue eyes, that drilled right into her soul.
Just looking at him made her hot. And really nervous because he was the one person who could destroy her life. That had become evident the other night, when she realized she had no control when Kevin was around.
Remembering there was a box of infant cereal right on top of her basket, Harper grabbed the biggest eggplant she’d ever seen and covered up the baby food, all while praying he’d make this quick. Truthfully, she didn’t want to make it quick. Not seeing him for a year had been the hardest thing she’d ever done, but it was necessary, because if Harper had learned anything growing up, it was that she couldn’t depend on anyone. Her life had been one letdown, one disappointment, after another until she learned that she couldn’t trust anyone. Even her family.
But then Kevin smiled and she went all warm and soft inside just like she did the other night. Weakling. “How are you?” he asked. “The party seemed to go well.”
“It did go well, and me, um, I’m busy. So, so busy. You know.” Don’t look at him, Harper. If you do, you’re toast. She looked. Ohmygod.
“Are you too busy for drinks or dinner sometime? We didn’t have much of an opportunity to talk the other night.” He’d stuffed his big hands in the pockets of his jeans, and his posture was relaxed and charming. Damn him.
“Um, sure.” Wait. What? “I’d love to catch up.” No
, you wouldn’t! Shut up!
“Really? Okay. Great. How about tomorrow? I can pick you up at your place—”
“NO! No. Uh. Tomorrow . . .” Holy shit. She had to calm down. What was she thinking saying yes? How to get out of it, was the problem. What could she say?
That’s when it happened. He touched her.
And just like that, her resolve was gone. Whenever he touched her, he owned her.
Nothing about Kevin had ever been easy. No, that was a lie. Everything had actually been too easy. From simple conversations to their chemistry in bed, when he was around, all the armor was off. He relaxed her, centered her. But it was when he touched her that the magic started swirling around.
He was doing it again. It was innocent. Nothing coy or flirtatious. His touch was featherlight, just a brush against her temple as he pushed back an errant lock of hair, and everything shimmered inside and out. Saying no to him was impossible.
She was working from home tomorrow, and Anna’s nanny was back from vacation . . . Why not? It was just a drink, and, okay, they had wicked chemistry, but she could control herself.
“I’ll meet you for a drink.”
“Don’t want me to pick you up?” Oh, that grin. His single dimple revealed itself on his left cheek, and Harper wished she could have words with his genetics for not playing fair. “How about we meet at Harry’s?”
Harry’s was a favorite bar on the Upper West Side. They’d gone there a couple of times when they were dating, before she had her oh-my-God-I’m-pregnant moment.
Definitely not one of her better moments. She left the doctor’s office, went home, ate a pint of Häagen-Dazs butter pecan ice cream, gave away all the wine she had stored up to her neighbors, and then proceeded to cry for six hours. Alone.
When she got through the storm, she came out on the other side with a decision. Kevin Rossi was a bad idea and it was a good thing she broke it off. She and her baby would be fine without him.
Kevin was waiting her out. He watched her every move with his deep blue eyes, and she shivered. Shivered right to her toes and right then, she had the urge to tell him everything. He was staring down at her, waiting for an answer, willing one out of her, and Harper had this sudden need to unburden herself. Right in the middle of the market.