Need You for Mine(46)

Harper’s eyes went soft, just like his heart, and she tightened her hand around his, a little too tight for comfort, but a show of support all the same. Then smiling at their audience, she said, “What can I say? He had me at hello.”





Why did you do that?” Harper asked when they stepped outside of the fire station away from prying ears, still shocked Adam had publicly claimed her as his girlfriend.

Correction, he’d said private relationship, which now that she thought about it wasn’t very far from private dancer, but she knew exactly how his boss had taken the news. “Now they all think we’re really dating.”

His brows lowered over his eyes. “As opposed to the pretend dating we were doing before?”

“That was different. It was before our deal.” And before that second kiss. And before he’d said all of those sweet things about her. Which, having an actress for a mother, she knew was for authenticity of his role. But in that moment, when he’d said them, she’d started to believe them. And that was the most terrifying part. “The deal where I would clear things up with everyone? Which I did, right before I came here to let you off the hook for modeling.”

“The deal changed,” he said, casual as can be. “And now you have a model for your shoot.”

Harper set the cookie box on the hood of her car and turned to face him. “I told my grandma this morning that we weren’t dating. I told her that I’d lied. Which is pretty much like admitting it into a blow horn in the middle of town.”

Adam smiled. “How did that go?”

“She didn’t believe me. She said I was lying about lying.” Harper rolled her eyes. “In fact, no one believes me. It’s like they’re all convinced I can’t handle a casual relationship. Something about a bad habit of collecting people.”

Adam was quiet for a long moment, studying her. “Do you want to collect me?”

Whoever succeeded in stealing his heart would be an incredibly lucky lady, but Harper wasn’t that lady. She was struggling to get the safe bet interested—there was no way she could lure a man who passed through people’s lives like smoke. “I only collect people who want to be collected.”

“Then why are you looking at me as if you want me to kiss you again?”

“I do not.” If anything, she wanted to kiss him. Wanted to kiss him until that troubled expression vanished and he looked like the guy who could handle anything again. Because he might be acting calm and as if what happened back there was no biggie. But it was.

And they both knew it.

Watching his plan fall apart in front of the one man he needed to impress was heartbreaking. Not that anyone else noticed. Adam hid his disappointment well, adopting a fireproof exterior. But Harper knew what being discounted felt like, knew how bad it stung. Adam was rarely, if ever, overlooked and she felt the urge to comfort him. What a ridiculous notion that was, wanting to comfort a guy who considered himself indestructible.

“And we will not, so if it looks that way, just know it’s not on purpose, and walk away.”

“Walk away from kissing my girlfriend?” His brows lifted and he took a step closer. “That would look odd.”

“I’m not your girlfriend. And—what are you doing? Back up.” She put her hands out to stop him from getting within lip-smacking range, her hands settling on the hard planes of his chest. It didn’t help. He was closing in fast. Almost as fast as her heart was pounding.

Unsure if he was going to kiss her because he wanted to, or to prove a point, she added, “Although I’m sure there are many girls in town who would love you to kiss them.”

He paused a scant inch from her mouth. “Just not this girl?”

“Sorry.”

Challenge lit his eyes and he tilted his head lower until his lips were right there. A whisper away from touching hers. And all of the air whooshed out of her lungs. “You’re a terrible liar, sunshine.”

He pulled back and with a wicked wink turned to prop a hip against her car. He opened the box of cookies, settled on a confetti cake kringle, and offered her one.

Her stomach did a backflip at the thought, but she declined. “I’ve already had three this morning. A fourth would come off as greedy. Plus if I’m helping with Beat the Heat, I’m going to want to fit into my shorts.”

“I prefer the dress anyway.” They both looked down at her dress and she decided that maybe it was time to toss out her shorts. “And you know you want another.”

There were a lot of things she wanted. Some things were better for her than others. Telling herself that carrots are a vegetable, and therefore healthy, she grabbed a caramel pecan carrot cookie and took a bite. Her eyes slid shut in pure ecstasy as the sweet and salty combo of the caramel and nuts melted on her tongue.