“Saying goodbye on your own terms is important,” Harper said quietly.
There were so many people she’d wanted to say goodbye to growing up, but never got the chance. It was as if as certain as the sun would rise, her world would change. Never once had her mother thought that maybe Harper didn’t want to leave, didn’t want to say goodbye. Wasn’t ready to move on to the next chapter.
“You only get one shot. If you mess it up, you have to live with it forever,” he said with so much intensity that Harper didn’t think he was talking about Selma anymore either. She wanted to know more, but he asked, “What is the second reason?”
“What?”
“You said first off, meaning there was another reason you think the man was better than the myth. What’s the second?”
“Are you fishing for compliments, Mr. July?”
“Just the truth, sunshine.”
Adam stepped forward and slipped his hands around her waist, linking them low on her back, and she had a hard time thinking. Because performing normal brain activity when this close to a meltdown was impossible. Almost as impossible as it would be to settle on just two reasons why she liked him.
Over the past week she’d compiled a complete and comprehensive list, which was why she’d almost declined when he’d asked her to stay for dinner. But the chance to spend time with him when his guard was down like it was now was too tempting to pass up. Now, here she was, adding him to her collection of people she cared for.
“You’re sweet.”
He laughed. “I said the truth, not fluff. If I wanted an ego stroke, I’d go back in the kitchen.”
“You. Are. Sweet. Adam Baudouin,” she said, putting a finger to his lips when he went to argue. “I mean it, the way you care for others and look out for them is amazing.”
“I get paid to care for people. It’s part of the job description.”
“Nope, it’s more than that. You care so much it scares you.”
“Sunshine, that I’m caring is the last thing most people would say about me.”
“I’m not most people, and too bad for them that they don’t take the time to see that about you,” she said, and meant it.
Sadly, Harper had been one of those people until recently. Now that she knew better, she couldn’t believe she’d ever let herself be fooled by the cape of swagger.
“People respect you because you take the time to see them so clearly for who they are,” Harper said. “Even more amazing, you call it out and recognize that.” He’d seen in her things that she hadn’t been brave enough to see in herself. “You find a way to celebrate traits most people overlook, just like you did today with Tommy. That’s a special talent.”
“It’s called making friends.”
“It’s called making connections, and the ability to connect with others is an impressive quality. If Lowen doesn’t see that, then he is missing out.”
His arms tightened until she found herself pressed against his chest, looking up at his lips, which were hovering over hers. “Is it crazy that the only person I care about impressing right now is you?”
“No, you’ve been tricked by science,” she mumbled, because his mouth was hovering mere inches above hers. “True story.”
“Science, huh?”
She nodded. “Red shoes, direct eye contact, enough cleavage to make you question what I have on beneath. The perfect dress for a date with the boyfriend’s coworkers. All planned, and all trickery.”
“That is an amazing dress,” he said. “The way it hugs your body when you move, and how it keeps flashing me little glimpses of the blue lace you’ve got beneath.”
“I didn’t think you noticed.”
He grinned. “Oh, I noticed, sunshine. I’ve been noticing you all night, but it wasn’t the dress or the shoes or even the cleavage, although all that is quite inspiring. It was just you.”
“I tried hard to make it look real.” It was silly that she was so thrilled by his admission. “I was thinking sexy thoughts too.”
“Sexy thoughts like this?” His mouth teased her lips, nipping at each corner before slowly pulling her lower lip into his mouth, and that same unforgettable fire she felt the first night shot through her.
“Just like that, but—”
“But?”
“I thought we weren’t doing this.”
“Me too.” He shook his head. “I just can’t seem to remember why right now.”
“Because we both have a lot on the line. Because you don’t do complicated. And because you wanted to be friends.”
“Right.” His gaze locked on her mouth as he reached out and traced its seam with his thumb. “Problem is I don’t know what my other friends look like naked.”
This was a problem, one her nipples seemed to ignore because they popped their corks in welcome.
“I had on lace,” she whispered.
“I remember.”