She couldn’t see a polite way out of it, so she put her hand in his.
He closed his fingers over hers.
Oh, no.
The butterflies in her stomach multiplied as he led her to the parquet and folded her into his arms. His scent wrapped around them, cocooning her in a cloud of masculinity. She took a breath and let it out slowly as their feet began to move.
“This isn’t so bad, is it?” Piano and soft vocals swirled around them, lulling her closer to his chest. When she realized it, she shifted back a bit, putting more space between them.
“It’s okay,” she replied, secretly thinking it was the most wonderful thing to happen to her in months. The last time she’d been this breathless she’d been hiking near Emerald Lake and had caught a shot of a grizzly mom and cubs in the morning mist. It was one of her favorite shots, and she’d framed it and highlighted it in her studio window just off Banff Avenue.
His chest rose and fell as he silently chuckled. “Harper, you are not an easy woman.”
She looked up at him, lifting her chin. “I surely hope not.”
“I like challenges.”
“I’m not a challenge, Drew. And not a trophy.”
His eyes lit with a new light. “Thank God. I mean... I like someone who can keep me on my toes.”
He tried a small turn and she stumbled a little. His arm tightened around her waist, keeping her upright.
“Careful, or I’ll actually be on your toes,” she warned.
He laughed, once again a warm sound that lulled her closer and made her smile. Damn him. Dan was a great guy, but his brother was all charm. Stupid thing was, Harper figured it was actually genuine, not an act or a cover-up. He was warm and funny and put people at ease.
At least she would be at ease if she weren’t so aware of him.
“You’re something else, you know that?” he said, softer now, his body brushing hers. Their feet had slowed and their steps shortened, so they were barely more than swaying. Harper swallowed against the nervous lump in her throat. She was so not confident when it came to men. Particularly good-looking ones who said all the right things without trying. They had a habit of turning around and walking away, just when you thought it was safe to believe. To trust.
“Um, thank you?” she murmured, knowing she should pull away, but wanting deep down to enjoy the moment a bit longer.
“I mean it.” He leaned back and met her gaze. “Dan told me about how you’ve been such a good friend to Adele and all the things you did to help with the wedding. I went to your studio the other day, you know. You do some amazing work.”
Heat flushed her chest and up her neck. “Oh. I...well. I didn’t expect you to say that.”
“Your nature photographs are some of the best I’ve seen. The one of the mama grizzly and her cubs? I love it.”
Since it was one of her favorites, too, she smiled, more relaxed now. Talking about her work was much easier than anything overly personal. “I’m pretty proud of that one,” she admitted.
“I don’t know why you do weddings and stuff, not when you have such a talent for nature photography.”
She shrugged. “Weddings are fun, too, you know. There’s so much happiness and hope. Besides, weddings and other occasions are my bread and butter. Those bookings keep me in the black so I can indulge in the other stuff. Rent in this town isn’t cheap.” At least there was happiness and hope for other people. Harper just wasn’t sure it was in the cards for her.
He nodded. “There. You’re more relaxed. I’m not going to bite, you know.”
She let out a breath, prepared to laugh a bit, until he added, “Unless you want me to.”
The breath whooshed out of her lungs and her feet stopped moving. “Uh. Drew, I...”
“I like you, Harper. A lot.”
“You barely know me.”
“I’d like to fix that.”
Oh God Oh God Oh God.
She decided to be honest. “I’m not good at these types of situations. I don’t know what to say and I don’t know how to play the game.” Besides, being the loser hurt. A lot. And she was under no illusions who’d come out the victor in this match.
He tightened his fingers over hers. “Then I’ll be clear.” His magnetic gaze held hers. “I’m attracted to you, and I think you’re attracted to me, and I’d like to know if you’d like to do something about it.”
The answer in her head was yes, and it was so disconcerting that she stepped out of his arms as her heart started a strange gallop behind her ribs. Of course her real answer would be no. For one thing, hooking up at a wedding for a fling was not her style. And for another, she’d just offered to be a surrogate for his brother and her best friend. Talk about complicating a situation...
“I think you got the wrong idea,” she said coolly. “I like you, Drew, but I’m not interested in hooking up.”
He watched her for a long moment. Then his eyes warmed and he gave a little nod. “Then, I’m sorry,” he said quietly, “for misreading the signals. And for making you uncomfortable.”
But she was uncomfortable, and not really because of him. After all, she was attracted, and she’d enjoyed dancing with him and even the bit of verbal sparring they’d indulged in now and again. But it couldn’t go any further, and he accepted that, so why was everything feeling so off balance now?
“Friends?” he asked, lifting a questioning eyebrow.
“Of course.” She smiled and let out a breath. “It would be nice to be friends, especially if your brother is married to my bestie.”
“Agreed.” He held out his hand and she shook it, but when his fingers folded over hers, those darned tingles started all over again. It sucked that her body wasn’t agreeing with her brain right now.
She pulled her hand away and stepped back. Drew led her to the edge of the dance floor again, grabbed her another glass of champagne and talked to her for a few minutes about her photographs as if nothing had ever happened. Then Dan called him over, he excused himself and, with a small touch on her arm, left her alone.
Alone was what she was used to. And when she wasn’t alone she had Adele, and her assistant, Juny, and phone calls with her mom and dad, who were currently living in Caicos, while her dad flew charter planes between islands. She had a good life.
But tonight, being held in Drew’s arms...it had been a little taste of heaven. And one she was already regretting passing up.
May
