She’d just rolled over and started to kiss her way across his very built chest when a soft knock sounded at her closed door.
“In case my boss is in there, please remind him that we have a seven thirty breakfast meeting with the team owner. Also, you might want to mention that showing up in last night’s clothes is only acceptable in college.” Heath’s signature drawl came through the door, loud and clear. “Also, I really hope all of that banging I heard earlier coming from your room has put the boss man in a good mood. Okay, I’m gonna go back to my room now and wait there for the next fifteen minutes so we can forgo that whole awkward bumping into each other over the coffepot thing. Oh, and Harm, can you bake some of those blueberry muffins that are so good they make me cry? I seem to have worked up an appetite of my own last night.”
“You grew up with him. Was he always like this?” Dalton’s grin had both his dimples popping out. She had the first inkling that she might be in trouble when it took way more willpower than it should have to resist leaning forward and kissing his dimples. Or licking them. Or—she cut herself off before she went too far around the bend. Especially since it looked like orgasm number eight was going to be a bust.
Dalton solved the problem by leaning forward and kissing her, hard, before reaching to grab his shirt off the floor.
“No. Usually he’s much worse. We try not to hold it against him, though. Heath had it hard growing up. His mom ran out on them and his father dove inside a bottle of tequila and never made it back out.” She rolled off the bed and shrugged back into last night’s T-shirt.
“Why don’t you go back to bed?” He stood and slid on his shirt. “You didn’t get much sleep last night.”
“Can’t, I’m a morning person. I’m a baker, remember?” She smacked him on his very fine ass. “Sounds like I’m making blueberry muffins for breakfast. Are you staying?”
“I wish. Save me a couple.” He picked up his suit pants and coat. “Have you seen my boxers?”
She stood and helped him search. “I thought I brought all the clothes in, but they might still be in the kitchen.”
His face turned fifty shades of red. “Oh God.”
“I’ll go get them. I’d hate for you to leave with zero dignity left.” She headed to the kitchen and yes, his shorts were next to the kitchen table, right where they’d left them.
Ten minutes later, she was at the front door kissing him good-bye. Normally, she was a love ’em and leave ’em gal, but something about Dalton made her want to stick around for a while.
“Dinner tonight?” He cupped her face. “My place, since it’s my turn to cook for you. Say six?”
“Deal.” She slid her arms up his chest and fisted his shirt, pulling him in for another kiss. “Should I bring a date? I am #HotGirlNeedsDate.”
“Not if you want him to live.” He waved as he walked to his car. “See you tonight.”
She waved and waited for him to pull out of the driveway before she walked back inside and closed the door.
An hour later, she sat at the kitchen table beside Lyric eating blueberry muffins and drinking lattes.
“Mother called you too?” Lyric took a sip of her latte. “When she finally got through she screamed at me for a good ten minutes until Heath took the phone from me and hung it up. How come I always get the blame?”
“In case you haven’t noticed, our mother is a bitch.” Harmony studied her glow-in-the-dark-pink toenails. “But I am sorry you keep getting blamed. I’ve played the good girl for so long that no one believes me when I try to be myself.”
Lyric studied her. “Why aren’t you always yourself?”
Harm had never really thought about it before. “I don’t know. You always had Daddy, so that left me with Momma. The only way she approved of me was if I was the good little girl, so that’s what I became.”
“That’s not true, Daddy loves you just as much as me.” But Lyric looked like she was sifting through memories looking for any evidence that Harmony had a point.
“Yes, Daddy loves me, but he worships you.” Harm held up her hand like a traffic cop. “I’m not jealous, believe me. After everything Momma put you through when you were little, you deserve someone always on your side. I’m only saying that Daddy prefers you and you prefer him. The two of you are so alike. Don’t get me wrong, I’m happy for you.” She shrugged. “Only, that left me with no one but Momma, which meant I had to be the good little girl …” At least, she did if she wanted any attention.
Lyric pondered it and sighed long and slow. “I see your point.” She pulled Harm in for a one-armed hug. “I’m so sorry. I never looked at it from your perspective. Daddy was always my refuge, and you had, well … Momma.” Her lips curled on the last word. “I was always jealous of you and Momma.”
“I was always jealous of you and Daddy.” It was hard to believe that they’d never talked about this before. Since they were being honest, Harmony felt like letting it all out. “I was always jealous of your brilliant mind. I’m not stupid or anything, but I’m not Lyric genius smart either.”
“That’s not true. Our IQs are exactly the same, only you have more street smarts. I wish I had more street smarts. And you are kind of a badass. I’d like to be a badass.” Lyric took a bite of muffin.
“I’d love to believe that we have the same IQ, but I’m okay with what I have. It was hard growing up in the shadow of the famous Lyric Wright.” She’d never said it out loud, but it was time.
“You think that was hard, try growing up with the perfect Harmony Wright. You always made friends so easily and also managed to keep them. I’d like more friends, but sometimes I get so wrapped up in my work that I forget I’m supposed to get together with them. After the third or fourth time, they stop calling me to ask to go out.” Lyric had always been oblivious when it came to maintaining a social life.
“I still hate you for solving my Rubik’s Cube in twenty seconds flat. I was so proud of myself for figuring out how to take it apart and put it back together like I’d solved it.” Harmony had often thought that together they made the perfect person—with Lyric’s brain and Harmony’s canniness, they had most of the bases covered.
“I’ve always hated how you can walk into a room full of strangers, make friends instantly, and manage to remember everyone’s name.” Lyric shook her head. “Can’t figure out how you do it.”