Page 47 of Nothing to Tell

Legend had its drawbacks.

The spectators were aghast.He’d never kissed a woman in such a public place, certainly not a kiss like that.Other than superficial air kisses, no one kissed like that at these events, it just wasn’t done.

Her impulse was to move away, he could feel it before it happened.After sharing such an intense moment, he wasn’t ready for distance.He hooked his arm over her head, across her shoulders, to hold her body against his.

He didn’t want her to flee.If she did, he couldn’t follow, not with the reaction she’d caused behind his fly.

Putting that aside, he examined the different hues of each strand in her exquisite locks, appreciating how well she fitted against him.He could get used to this,wouldget used to this, when she was ready.

Getting physical with her was on his agenda, secondary to ensuring her wellbeing.

“Are you okay?”he asked the top of her head, his lips tickled by her mocha tresses.

“I didn’t mean to do that… to kiss you.You can’t blame your mother for thinking there’s something between us.This is our mess.We got ourselves into it.If you start pointing fingers, we’ll only get invested.”

“Are you telling me we’re not invested already?”

When she looked up, the answer was written all over her face.Distress matched the certainty, but he was invigorated.It wasn’t just him; she felt this thing bubbling between them.

“Bastian!Bastian!”

Keely ran up behind Harper who he kept close despite his sister’s bouncing and grinning.Elation buzzed around her all the same.

“What are you so happy about?”Bastian asked.

Her million-dollar smile glowed.“Are you kidding?You’re making out at parties?No one else would get away with that.Honestly, it’s so… naughty.”

Trust his sister to know exactly the wrong thing to say in her excitement.

“Keely,” he warned, aware of quashing anything that might discourage Harper.

His embrace grew cold when Harper turned away.She didn’t run and hide; her posture didn’t suggest being self-conscious.His guess?She was curious about his intrusive sibling.

“I’m Keely,” she exclaimed.“Your new sister.”

Keely grabbed Harper into a hug.

He tried to pry the two apart with little success.“Leave her alone, Keel,” Bastian said.“She’s not your new sister.”

Only when they were good and ready did the women let go of each other.Automatically, Harper leaned on him again.Excellent.

“When Robyn hears about this she’s going to be ma-had,” Keely prodded Bastian.

Great.Fuck.Sometimes Keely was… Keely.

“Robyn?”Harper asked, withdrawing to put a foot of space between them.“Who’s Robyn?”

“Oops,” Keely said.“Got to go.”

His sister was fast swallowed by the mass of other partygoers.

“She’s an ex…” he said.“Robyn is my ex.”

Already aware of the distance between them, he didn’t like it when she increased it with another backward step.Most people wanted to be near him.In the past, women had gone to extraordinary lengths to touch and fawn.Not Harper.Her perception wasn’t biased by his success.

Any inkling of infidelity would poison Harper’s perception of this.Integrity was vital to her.

“You don’t sound sure,” Harper said, mortified and alert.“Oh my God, why didn’t you tell me you were seeing someone?I would never have come here if I knew…”