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Harper leaned against the counter, her arms crossing beneath her chest and creating an ample view of cleavage. “What kind of project?”
“It’s a surprise.”
He hadn’t told Harper because he knew she’d tell Isla, and he genuinely wanted the wheelchair to be a surprise. He also hadn’t been sure if he’d be able to pull it off, but now that he had his two friends working their magic on his idea, he had no doubts, and the desire to tell her grew.
Her head tilted. “What surprise?”
“If I told you, it wouldn’t be a surprise now, would it?”
“No.” She pouted, and he held back a groan. “But you tell me everything. We don’t have secrets between us.”
That was true. Harper was always the first person he went to… Well, except when she was the root of his conundrums. Lately, he’d been keeping a lot from her, like how he wanted her in his bed again. How every time he closed his eyes, she was the first and last thing he saw. How she occupied his mind most of the day. Those things he couldn’t tell her, though. If he did, it would ruin the arrangement they had.
Friends with benefits didn’t include feelings, and he refused to let her know that their times together had been more than physical for him—they had been emotionally charged. He knew if he didn’t keep his distance, there was a chance of ruining their almost two-decade long friendship.
She reached toward him, attempting to take hold of his arm, but he sidestepped her, knocking into a stool. He quickly righted himself and kept the drinks in his hands from toppling. “You’ll find out soon enough.”
Her eyebrows drew together. “Are you okay?”
She stepped toward him again, and he backed up, this time slamming right into the fridge. Those damn memories he’d suppressed earlier resurfaced, and he bit off a curse.
“Mi,” Harper’s hand caught him this time, her touch like an electric shock jolting his system. He swallowed as he sidestepped her. “What’s going on?”
“Nothing.” He forced a smile. “It’s just… I don’t want to ruin the surprise. It’s going to be awesome. Trust me.”
“Of course, I trust you. I just don’t understand why you won’t tell me, but you’ll tell Jasper and Shane.”
She gave him her sad puppy dog stare which got him so many times, but he wasn’t going to fall for it now. He didn’t want to get anyone’s hopes up if the plan didn’t work out. He had all his faith in Jasper and Shane, but sometimes faith wasn’t enough. He’d rather wait and make sure all systems were a go before he declared anything.
“I need their help. If all goes well, you’ll know all about it this weekend. Promise.”
“If you say so.” She reached around him, grabbing for the fridge, but he flinched as she came near him and immediately cursed himself for being so damn jumpy. It was just that she was so damn beautiful, and he wanted her with a ferocity that consumed him. Fighting his desires were turning him into a fool, and he needed to get away from her before he did something he’d regret.
“I’ll be in the garage.” He had no idea why he felt the need to say that, but he did.
She looked at him strangely. “I’ll be here working on Sofia’s glasses.”
“You still on schedule?”
“As of today, yes. Ask me again tonight, and it might be a different story.”
She always doubted herself, but he never did. She had a way of making everything work out, and he knew that she’d get those glasses done with plenty of time to spare. “Have a little faith in yourself.”
“That’s asking a lot.”
“If you could only see yourself through my eyes.”
Her brow lifted, and she smiled. “The annoying pain in the ass who always needs a favor?”
He appreciated her attempt at a joke and changing the tone of the conversation. “I was thinking more like the nosy brat who manages to get more paint on her hands and arms than on her canvas.”
She turned her arms and stopped when she spotted the dab of black paint on her forearm. “Damn it.” She licked her thumb, and he closed his eyes to avoid the onslaught of thoughts that vision would create. When he opened his eyes, she was rubbing at the spot of paint.
“I’ll leave you to it.” He turned away and hurried for the door.
“Hey Mi?”
He stopped and turned to her.
