“I might have been a bit hasty just now,” she admitted. “You’re right that a new job might be good for him. And that it might expand his horizons.” But she’d still ask if Jeremy wanted the job as badly as Will needed to give it to him.
“It might be good for you, too, Harper.” He came close again, his body heat enveloping her. Cupping her face in his hands, he held her steady, captured her with that dark, commanding gaze. Mesmerized her. “Your brother has you to protect him. But who looks out for you?”
“I do.” But she honestly didn’t know if she was any better at that than she was at taking care of Jeremy.
“Let me help.” His voice was just short of a whisper.
She felt herself weakening, bending, needing, longing. But if she allowed Will to take over even a little, what if she lost herself completely?
And then, when he was gone, what if she couldn’t manage to find her way back?
“You’re doing enough already for Jeremy,” she said softly. She had to draw on the iron will she’d developed over the past few years to force herself to step out of his arms. “Thank you for picking him up and feeding both of us. Thanks for cleaning up my house, too. You went above and beyond tonight, Will, and I appreciate it. But it’s been a long day, so...”
He stared at her for a long moment, one where she got the sense he was trying to decide between kissing her—or letting her kick him out again. She knew it was bad that she was secretly hoping for the former...and that she was so disappointed when he chose the latter.
“Say good-night to Jeremy for me.”
“I will.”
“You won’t be coming to work on the car this weekend, will you?”
How could she when she desperately needed to take a long, hard look at what she was doing? Because it was one thing to tell herself she was having a fun, sexy affair—and that she deserved to have something so delicious for once in her life. But it was another thing entirely to watch how easily Will could take over if she wasn’t careful. Especially when the only thing that had held Harper and Jeremy together for the past several years had been her tight grip on their lives.
“I think it would be best if we skipped this weekend.”
Will’s eyes were as dark and intense as she’d ever seen them. Full of disappointment, and something that looked like regret, too. “I know I screwed up,” he said softly, “and I’ll do whatever it takes to make it up to you.”
Before her conflicted brain could even try to think of a reply, he was gone.
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
Will didn’t blame Harper for pulling back to reassess things—he had completely screwed up by forgetting that she was the boss when it came to her brother. Will might be able to make suggestions, but he’d never again make the mistake of taking decisions out of Harper’s hands. She was too strong, too smart, for that kind of behavior. He knew he had a lot to prove, and a lot of ground to make up, but he wasn’t giving up.
They quickly established a routine over the next few days. His driver Benny picked up Jeremy from school, and Will drove him home. Fortunately, Harper’s brother loved his new job and he also loved the people he worked with. Will checked several times each day to make sure his employees were treating Jeremy right. He’d promised Harper he wouldn’t let anything hurt her brother, and he would die before he broke that vow.
The first night, Harper thanked him for bringing Jeremy home—and then shut and locked the door.
The second night, he brought takeout and made sure the bags he was holding at her front door smelled so good that it would be really hard for her stomach, at least, to turn him away. She’d been quiet as they ate together in her kitchen that night, mostly letting him and Jeremy do the talking, but even if it was just a baby step, at least it was one in the right direction.
The third night, while they were eating another takeout meal, he wanted to tell her that she and Jeremy filled up all his empty places. He wanted her to know that he’d drop anything at a moment’s notice when one of them called. He wished he could tell her that taking care of them had grown into a need inside him, on a deeper level even than the bond he had with his fellow Mavericks. His friends—his brothers—weren’t kids anymore, and they hadn’t needed anyone to fight their battles in years. But Jeremy and Harper needed him.
Although sometimes he felt like he needed them even more.
By Thursday night, he couldn’t stand it any longer and asked her if he could take her out again. She told him she needed to think about it, and he wasn’t sure he managed a full breath all the way through until Friday night, when he brought Jeremy home from work again...
...and she finally said yes.
Will couldn’t remember a time he’d ever been happier, or more relieved, in his life.