She Loves Me (Harmony Pointe #3) - Melissa Foster Page 0,48

It’s been a long, emotional day. Let yourself relax and enjoy the moment.”

“What if I have plans?” she said with feigned annoyance.

He touched the side of his head to hers. “Like the plans to hit the pub last night that never came to fruition?”

“I’m going to kill Jasper.”

He chuckled and started the movie, holding her tighter. Jiggs jumped onto the couch next to Piper and rested his head on her lap.

“You’re both needy and assumptive,” she said more to Jiggs than to Harley as she stroked his pup’s head.

Jiggs sighed and closed his eyes.

“I’m only staying for the eye candy,” she said, eyes trained on the movie as she snuggled closer. “So don’t think you’re getting lucky tonight.”

Maybe Harley wouldn’t need a sledgehammer after all, just a good deal of patience.

“I wouldn’t dream of it.” He was already the luckiest guy in town.

CHAPTER TEN

BETWEEN JOLIE’S SOCCER game, dropping off the girls for their sleepovers, and spending an insane amount of time picking out an outfit for her date with Harley, Saturday had flown by—and Piper was a nervous wreck. She’d considered consulting her sisters about what to wear, but she didn’t feel like dealing with all their girlie gibberish about the importance of choosing the right outfit for their first date. Even the term first date sounded ominous, like it was just waiting to kick her in the ass. She didn’t have much luck with first dates, which was usually okay, because she wasn’t often looking for a second.

But this date was with Harley, a man she’d envisioned by her side forever.

As a friend.

But now that he’d started climbing over her walls, like a boyfriend sneaking in for a clandestine tryst, she wanted more. She’d tried just about every nice outfit she owned, and everything felt wrong, like she was trying too hard or not trying hard enough. She had no idea how women did this shit. Harley saw her in work clothes every day and he’d still asked her out. Irritated with herself for overthinking, she’d finally thrown on her favorite ripped and distressed skinny jeans, a flowy, off-the-shoulder white gauzy top with scalloped edges, and low-heeled beige leather booties.

They’d been together for forty-five minutes, and her nerves still hadn’t calmed down. “You’re not taking me to one of those froufrou restaurants, are you?”

She’d been trying to guess where he was taking her. He’d told her to drive to the train station when she’d picked him up. All she knew for sure was that they were heading to the Big Apple. While she wouldn’t want to live in the city, she loved the hustle and bustle of it in small doses, and she was blown away that Harley had planned a first date that was already very different from any she’d ever had.

“If I were taking you to a froufrou restaurant, do you think I’d be dressed like this?” Harley looked down at his black T-shirt and dark-wash jeans.

“Oh, please. You look hot in everything you wear.” Shit. She hadn’t meant to let that slip. It was true, but she was still feeling uneasy about going out with him. He wasn’t worried about putting their friendship at risk, but despite their scorching chemistry, she still heard that ticking time bomb in her head.

“I’m glad you noticed,” he said, grinning like a proud peacock. He put his hand over hers and moved it to his lap.

Her pulse quickened. He was always touching her now, holding her hand, putting an arm around her, pulling her in close. She hadn’t ever been with a man as openly loving as Harley. He’d never made her nervous before, but all those touches had new meaning, and her stomach was fluttering so much she wanted to slap herself.

But she also kind of liked it.

“This is weird, right?” she asked. “You and me going out on a real date? Does it feel weird to you?”

“No. It feels right to me.” He lifted their joined hands and kissed the back of hers.

She sighed, and it sounded absurdly dreamy, which made Harley beam and annoyed the heck out of her.

“Any more guesses about where we’re going?” he asked.

“A Broadway show? That hardly seems worth missing the playoff game. I know most women like them, but all that singing and dancing . . .” She caught herself before she could roll her eyes, realizing how rude she sounded. What if he had planned to take her to a show? God, she sucked at dating. A show was a romantic