Gentle and kind, those were the two words her grandma used to describe her the most. Not a little spitfire or feisty or strong or even bitchy. Nope. Her claim to fame was being gentle and kind. Harper hated those two words with a burning passion. What would people think if she was aggressive and mean? Wouldn’t that throw them for a loop? She’d always yearned to tear down those kind, gentle walls she’d built around herself over the years and just act . . . crazy. Out of her damn mind. Do whatever she wanted and damn the consequences.
But Harper had never done anything like that in her entire life. Roger would probably be horrified if she acted out that way. He wasn’t one for making a big scene. He was as calm and gentle and kind as she was.
“And West is worth it? He’s not so bad,” Delilah said, waving a dismissive hand. “Harmless. I’m sure he gave you and Wren endless grief when you were kids, but I know he always liked you.”
“He did?” Harper tried her best not to sound too shocked—or interested. Had he actually talked about her? To Delilah?
She’d figured she never registered on his radar growing up, beyond being his sister’s best friend. He’d been too busy getting in trouble for various things—like bringing a flask of vodka to the homecoming dance, wrecking his car after an illegal street race when he was sixteen and practically failing out of school his junior year. He’d straightened up a little by the time he was a senior, but still. Everyone knew that Weston was trouble.
“Oh yeah. You know, we always remained friends, even after we broke up,” Delilah said. “Our relationship had always been based more on friendship anyway.”
Really? Harper wanted to ask, but she kept her mouth shut, which she knew was wise. If she asked too many questions she’d look suspicious. And Delilah was perceptive as all get out.
“That’s . . . nice.” Harper didn’t know what else to say as they approached the registers and stood in line together. She glanced around the store, hoping she appeared nonchalant as she searched for West. Was he still here? Or had he already bailed out?
Ah, there he was. Two registers over, grabbing his receipt from the young female checker who gazed at him in blatant adoration. Harper couldn’t see his face, but that was all right. West had plenty to ogle from behind too. Broad shoulders, a tapered back, and that perfect butt she’d never had the nerve to touch . . .
Ugh. Why was she checking him out? And worse . . . why was she thinking about touching his butt? She had a man. Roger was handsome. Maybe he wasn’t as tall and built like West, but Roger had a very fit body. Though when was the last time she saw him naked? Not that they had sex with the lights on much. More like never at all. Roger always wanted to do it in the dark . . .
Harper frowned. Why were they always in the dark? Maybe she wanted to see him. Maybe she wanted to see herself. Ooh, maybe she wanted a mirror to watch them actually have sex. Though really, she could never imagine Roger and her staring at themselves in a mirror during sex. West though? Oh yeah, she could totally see him doing something like that. All the while whispering dirty things in her ear. Wicked, naughty things that would make her blush and moan and beg for more.
And she could see herself with him. Wrapped up in his strong arms, his hands on her, urging her to watch . . .
She shook herself, embarrassed by her own thoughts. How could she let herself get so caught up in a West fantasy? What in the world was wrong with her? Imagining herself in bed with him when she had a perfectly good boyfriend waiting for her at home. Though things had become rather stale between them lately. She adored Roger. Really she did. But he never made her feel even a fizzle of excitement like West did . . .
At that exact moment West glanced over his shoulder, their gazes meeting. Holding. She sucked in a breath, completely tuning Delilah out as she chattered away. All Harper could do was stare. She parted her lips, remembering what it felt like to have him surround her, his mouth on her neck, his hot breath tickling her throat as he made his secret confessions.
“I’ve had a thing for you for too damn long, Harper. Always wondered what it would be like if you were mine.”
A shiver moved down her spine. Possessive. That’s what West was. Had always been. The way he was looking at her this very moment felt as if he’d physically grabbed her and wasn’t about to let her go.
She turned away from him first, smiling at Delilah and offering a murmured “oh no” luckily at the right time. When she chanced another glance in his direction . . .
West was gone.
Chapter Two
“SAW DELILAH TODAY at the new supermarket,” West said as he flipped the burgers over on the grill before he shut the lid, turning to face his two brothers sitting on his back patio in his new outdoor chairs. Though the place had come mostly furnished, he had ended up going out and buying a few things to make the condo more his.
He failed to mention Harper on purpose. There was no need to bring her up. He shouldn’t be thinking about her. How pretty she looked, how fiery her eyes had been when they landed on him . . .
Yeah. He shouldn’t think about her at all.
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“Cute as ever, right?” Holden grinned and took a sip from his beer. He was the youngest Gallagher and acted like it too. Their mother had overindulged him since he was a baby. Kid could get away with anything back then and most likely still could. He was forever the golden child. Always. Made West crazy.
“She looked good.” West’s voice remained neutral on purpose. He looked to his big brother, wondering what he might have to say about her. “Dee mentioned she’s always talking to you, Lane.”
Lane’s expression didn’t so much as flicker. “I see Delilah often, yeah.” He nodded his confirmation, his tone of voice revealing nothing. Maybe West had imagined Delilah’s reaction.
“Why’s that?” Nah, West hadn’t imagined anything. He remembered the way Delilah’s cheeks went pink at the first mention of Lane. When they were dating back in high school, they used to make fun of his big brother and what a boring jerk he’d been. Now?
He had a sneaking suspicion that his ex-girlfriend was hot for his jerk of a brother.
Lane appeared completely put out at having to explain himself. “Work, bro. I patrol the shopping center where her dance studio’s at.” He took a swig from his beer and then nodded toward the barbecue grill. “How are those burgers coming? I’m starved.”
Muttering under his breath, West lifted the lid on the grill and flipped the burgers once more. He’d wanted to have his brothers over at his new place tonight as a way to ease back into Gallagher family life. He hadn’t been back to Wildwood for years. Not even for the holidays. Once he was gone, he was out, despite his mother’s requests that he come home at least for Christmas. But he never had. His entire family probably thought he was a jerk, but at the time, he hadn’t cared. He’d never planned on coming back either. The town was too small. Everyone knew who he was, knew all of his business. There was no such thing as keeping a secret in Wildwood. For once in his life he’d wanted to be anonymous.