Pretend You're Mine(27)

Harper finally closed her mouth and looked down at her hands clasped in her lap.

Luke reached over and took one of her hands. “You are a beautiful, sweet, sexy girl and someone is going to be very lucky to be devoured by you. It just can’t be me. So I’d appreciate it if you’d start wearing parkas and shit around me so I don’t keep fantasizing about your hot body.”

“So you do want me, and I am offering myself to you with no strings attached, but you want your order and focus more?”

He squeezed her hand. “When you put it that way it sounds really stupid.”

“You’re a complicated man, Luke.”





CHAPTER TEN


Three weeks...

Luke kept his distance from her at work, and that was fine with Harper. She felt guilty for pushing him, and disappointed that Luke wasn’t willing to explore the attraction that they both felt.

She was surprised to see his truck in the driveway when she got home. She felt like she was unintentionally chasing him out of his own house so maybe this was a good sign.

Harper let herself in and took the grocery bags back the hall to the kitchen. There was no sign of Luke in the house, but she heard voices coming from the somewhere.

She let herself out the back door onto the porch and spotted Luke at the far end of the yard. He was standing in a loose triangle with two boys. They all had baseball gloves.

“You’ve got to tighten up on that grip when you throw it, Robbie,” Luke instructed the taller boy with sandy, shaggy hair. “Here, let me show you.”

She watched him demonstrate the grip and hand the ball over. “Give it a shot.” Luke jogged back to his spot. “Let ’er rip.”

The boy wound up and released a perfect curving pitch that smacked into Luke’s glove.

“Yeah, baby! Did you see that?” The boy hooted and sprinted to Luke.

“Now that’s a curve,” Luke laughed. They fist bumped and Luke tossed the ball back to him. “Try it again. Make sure it’s not a fluke.”

Robbie hustled back to his spot and adjusted his hold on the ball. He fired another pitch into Luke’s glove.

“Me next! Me next!” The smaller boy threw his glove in air. “Mr. Luke, I want to throw.”

Luke repeated the process with the younger brother. He didn’t quite get it, but seemed proud of his effort. “Mr. Luke, there’s a lady on your porch.” Robbie said, pointing at Harper.

Harper waved and walked down the steps to the patio. Luke met her with the boys, Robbie at his side and the younger one tossed over his shoulder.

God, he looked good. He was wearing worn jeans, a white fitted t-shirt, and a baseball cap. But nothing was sexier than the grin on his face.

“Hey,” he said, dropping the boy at her feet.

“Hey,” she laughed when he scrambled to his feet in a fit of giggles.

“Harper, these are my friends Robbie and Henry. They’re brothers and they live two houses down with Mrs. Agosta.

Mrs. Agosta was closing in on 70 and Dominican. Harper was pretty sure she wasn’t the boys’ mother.

“Guys, this is my friend, Harper.”

“Hi,” Robbie said, holding out a hand. He had earnest green eyes and a smattering of freckles across his nose.

“Nice to meet you, Robbie,” Harper took his hand. “Hi, Henry.”

Henry, a miniature version of his brother, waved cheerfully, and his smile showed that he was missing a front tooth.

“Robbie and Henry are hanging out while Mrs. Agosta takes their sister to the doctor.”

“Her snot’s green. It’s gross,” Henry announced, tossing his glove in the air.

“Wow, that is gross,” Harper agreed. “Do you guys want to stay for dinner?”

“What are you having?” Robbie asked.

Luke cuffed him on the back of the head.

“What?” Robbie asked. “I don’t want to stay if it’s like liver and garbage.”

Luke wrapped him in a headlock. “You’re such a little jerk,” he said, ruffling Robbie’s hair.

“Burgers, tater tots, and salad.” Harper ticked off on her fingers. “Is that better than liver and garbage?”

“Well, the burgers and tater tots are,” Robbie agreed.

“I love tater tots,” Henry squealed. He launched himself at Harper’s legs for a quick hug before spinning off to tag his brother. “You’re it,” he shouted.

The boys tore off in a high-energy game of tag, leaving Harper and Luke alone on the patio.

“Sorry about that. I should have texted you to warn you about the extra testosterone.”

“It’s a nice surprise. Besides, two extra mouths will go further on the eight-pack of burgers I brought home.”