His Assistant - Alexa Land Page 0,62
also really, really dark. I heard Harper crash into something and cuss, and I asked, “Are you okay?”
“Fine, and more importantly, so is the tequila.”
I heard clucking somewhere beside me, and a moment later Loco bumped into my leg. I picked her up and moved her to higher ground as I said, “Don’t sit on the chicken. She’s on the bench that’s against the back wall.”
“Do you have your phone so we can use it as a flashlight?”
“It’s on the kitchen counter.”
“I think that might be where I left mine, too.”
I closed the back door on the way by so the chicken wouldn’t wander off, then slowly and carefully felt my way around the edge of the room. Meanwhile, Harper bumped into another piece of furniture and muttered, “Ow! Fuck. How is it this dark? I can’t see my hand in front of my face. Literally. I’m holding it up right now, and I don’t see a thing.”
He crashed into another piece of furniture and swore again, and I said, “Be careful, and put down the tequila. You’ll really be screwed if you drop it and step on broken glass.”
“Fine, I put it down.”
When he repeated the crashing and swearing process a third time, I exclaimed, “For fuck’s sake, Harper, just sit down wherever you are and wait one minute while I get the phone!”
“I’m almost there. I just found the refrigerator.”
A moment later, my right hand grazed the edge of the stone countertop. Then Harper bumped into me. I expected him to take a step back, but instead, he leaned into me and I turned to face him. He felt his way up my body, and then he cupped my face between his palms while I slid my hands over his bare chest.
I grabbed him and pulled him close as he pinned me against the counter. In the next instant, we were kissing wildly. After a minute or two, he nuzzled my cheek and whispered, “Damn it, Phee, why’d you break up with me?”
The truth spilled from me. “I got scared. It’s terrifying to want you like I do, while feeling like at any moment you might leave me for someone better.”
“There’s no one better for me than you, Phee. Don’t you know that?”
I asked, “Then why did you immediately replace me with Dani?”
“What are you talking about?”
“I saw you last night, out on the pool deck with your arm around him.”
“What you saw was me comforting a new friend, who was really upset. His father has cancer and Dani flew to Brazil last weekend to visit him in the hospital, but the man refused to see him. His whole family disowned him when he came out.”
I murmured, “That’s terrible.”
“Dani’s a sweet person, but he’s not you, Phee, and he could never take your place.”
“Just so you know, I didn’t sleep with Kel, and I wasn’t hitting on Tristan.”
Harper rubbed his cheek against mine. “Can we maybe just have a conversation next time, instead of jumping to conclusions?”
“Definitely.” I put my head on his shoulder and said, “I’m sorry I’m so bad at this.”
“I’m not great at it, either. I haven’t exactly had a lot of relationships.”
“Is that what this is?”
“That’s what it’s trying to be, if we let it.”
As he ran his hands down my back, I asked, “Why haven’t you had many relationships? I mean, I haven’t either, but you must have had every opportunity.”
“After I became a celebrity, it seemed like people only wanted me because they were fame chasers, or because they were interested in my money. No one just wanted me for me. But I really think you like me in spite of the fact that I’m rich and famous, not because of it.”
“That’s true, actually.”
I felt him shiver, so I took off my fleece jacket and draped it over his shoulders. Then I found my phone on the counter and turned on the light. He smiled at me and said, “I love it when you take care of me.”
“Well, I’ve done a terrible job of it lately, and right now I should do something about our current situation.” I shone the light around and asked, “Where do you suppose the fuse box is?”
“I have absolutely no idea, but let’s not worry about that now.”
“It’s kind of important,” I said.
“So’s taking you to bed and holding you in my arms.”
He had a point.
I let him lead me to the bedroom, and we gathered up the chicken along the way and brought her with us.