Page 62 of Ruthless Heir

“Okay. I’ll think about it.” Although I say that, I know my answer.

There’s no point complicating things that are already complicated.

Still, I can’t deny that the idea is top notch. If only Harper were someone else.

Layla smiles and stands. “That’s my good deed for the day done.”

“Thanks.”

“I’m gonna hit the office. I’ll see you later.”

“Sure. Don’t work too hard.”

“And you, boss man.”

When she leaves her idea floats around in my head like a ghost haunting and tempting me in equal parts.

The thing that worries me is how badly I want to do it.

I get back from my date feeling more conflicted than ever.

Tonight’s date was with Lucia, a pianist from Michigan who’s just moved to New York.

She was nice but would have been a no-go because we had way too many awkward silences. It was clear within the first half hour that we couldn’t even talk to each other.

I can’t remember the last time I had a date like that. Maybe junior high.

I tried to make an extra effort tonight, so I know the problem wasn’t me. I also stayed for the entire dinner and a movie.

At dinner I thought of every topic we could talk about and even initiated the conversation. Things like her hobbies, her career, her future plans. All she gave was one-sentence answers and never asked about me.

The only good thing about tonight was the movie. We saw the latestMission Impossible.

I’m worried about tomorrow. Tomorrow will be my last date and I’m screwed if I come home feeling like this.

I head to the kitchen to get a beer but notice that someone is in there.

It’s nearly one in the morning. The only person I can think it could be is Harper. You’d never catch any of my staff in the kitchen at this hour. Not even for a late-night snack.

My stomach squeezes at the thought of seeing Harper, and Layla’s plan resurfaces in my mind.

I should avoid her for a little longer, if only until after tomorrow’s date, but against my better judgment I keep going. Because I want to see her.

Seeing her feels like some small compensation for the shitty, waste-of-time evening I had.

When I walk into the kitchen I find Harper sitting on one of the bar stools at the island and all the blood rushes to my dick when I see what she’s wearing.

A blue bikini top barely holds in her massive breasts and a towel is wrapped around her bottom half, but I can see the smooth golden skin of her stomach with the little metal bar in her navel. That’s new. I didn’t know she had a piercing there.

My fucking mind short-circuits and I curse myself for coming in here.

It’s only after I perform a full scan of her body that I notice her hair is wet and pulled back into a ponytail. She was reading a thick encyclopedic book until I walked in. But did she go swimming?

Harper gazes at me and smiles. “Hey, there.”

“Hello yourself. What are you doing up at this hour dressed like that?”

“Well, according to this book, if you swim in the sea after midnight on a full moon it brings you good luck.”

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