“I’m fine,” he ground out.
“Trying to convince yourself?” Dane asked.
“I just want this to be over and for me to have my resort back,” Ethan insisted. “That’s all.”
He wasn’t ready to announce the pregnancy.
“As soon as you do, Stella and I want to get married,” Dane moved on. “We don’t feel it’s right until all this is settled. Plus, it will give us another reason to celebrate.”
Dane deserved the happiness. Hell, they both did. After nearly twenty years of planning, working their asses off to regain money and power after having it stolen, this reckoning was long overdue.
“You keeping out of trouble while you wait on your family reunion?” Dane asked.
“Nothing I can’t handle.”
Maybe a lie, but whatever.
“Do you even know her name?” Dane chuckled.
Oh, he knew her name. He’d moaned it enough times while he learned every inch of Harper’s curvy body, and damn if he wasn’t itching to touch her again. Hell, he was in trouble. Not just because of the pregnancy, but because he’d let himself get agitated by a woman. He’d let her under his skin just enough that he was getting cranky without her.
Sex muddled the mind. That had initially been the reason he’d used it. He’d wanted that foggy state to numb the pain; he’d wanted to disappear outside reality for a time.
But Ethan had never been in this type of situation, and he refused to lose control over his emotions or get swept up in some spiral of feelings.
“I’ll take that as a no,” Dane replied.
Ethan pulled himself from his thoughts and cleared his throat. “I’ll keep you posted on Robert, but I’m expecting him very soon. Go ahead and make those wedding plans.”
Just the words wedding plans sent a shiver of terror through Ethan. He supposed some people went for that type of lifestyle, but he was just fine without a binding piece of paper, thank you very much.
“Oh, Stella is all set as soon as I give her the go-ahead,” Dane laughed.
Ethan couldn’t recall the last time he’d heard his brother laugh. The foreign sound actually had Ethan smiling himself. They’d waited so long to claim their own happiness, their destiny.
The chime from the private elevator echoed through the open penthouse. There was only one visitor he was expecting, and she was overdue.
“I’ll keep you posted,” Ethan promised. “Give Stella my love.”
He ended the call and slid the cell back into his pocket, trying to pretend he wasn’t anxious to see Harper step through that sliding door.
She’d kept him waiting, likely out of spite. For reasons he couldn’t explain, he found that sexy as hell.
Ethan remained by the bar, resting his elbow on it and forcing himself not to react when she came in.
Moments later, the elevator whooshed open, and there she was. All sexy in a little floral skirt that wrapped around her hips, paired with a bright blue tank. The simple yet skimpy outfit showcased those lush curves even better than the dress she’d had on earlier, and while he might not know her well, he knew she’d changed on purpose. The little minx.
She stared at him across the penthouse, silence filling the space. Finally, she broke eye contact and started across the room like she belonged here.
“Dinner is cold,” he told her as she passed by the domed plates on the dining table.
Harper ignored the table and moved into the living area, where she took a seat on the white sofa. She sank down and propped her long, dark legs up on the glass table. Her red-polished toes brushed the edge of the floral arrangement that the cleaning staff frequently changed out.
“I already ate,” she stated, crossing her ankles and meeting his gaze. “I hope you didn’t wait. I got held up.”
Likely waiting him out just to prove she could.
“I didn’t wait,” he lied.