Page 33 of Redeeming Harmony

“Hi, Preacher. It’s good to see you again.”

He glanced at Nathan, his lip curling just the slightest. “Hey.”

Nathan held out his free hand. “We haven’t formally met. I’m Nathan.”

Preacher stared at Nathan’s hand and then gave it a brief shake. “Preacher.”

“I’m sorry, Harper,” Addison said. “I have to go, and Kira is thinking of leaving with Connor.”

“That’s okay,” Harper said. “I’m ready to call it a night too.” She waved at Kira, who stood at the edge of the dance floor with Connor before shouting over the music. “I’m heading home too, Kira!”

Kira nodded and took Connor’s hand, the two of them disappearing into the crowd. Addison leaned in and kissed Harper’s cheek, her face anxious and pinched looking. “I’ll text you tomorrow.”

“Sure. Drive safe,” Harper said.

Still holding Daniel’s arm and supporting most of his weight by the look of it, Preacher followed Addison toward the door.

Harper stared at Nathan’s arm still around her waist before stepping forward. He let her go without hesitating, and why did that bug her so much?

“Thanks for your help,” she said. “I’ll, um, see you around.”

Her body did a weird shiver when Nathan caught her hand. “Dance with me?”

“Sorry?” she said as the music ended and another soft ballad started.

“One dance before you head out,” he said.

She shouldn’t. She really shouldn’t. But she couldn’t resist the temptation to feel Nathan’s body against hers for even just a few minutes longer.

Without speaking, she moved in close, draping one arm around his broad shoulders and taking his hand in the other as his free arm slid around her waist and his warm hand rested in the small of her back.

Her whole body tingled with awareness, and she stared into his pretty brown eyes. Being in his arms felt like … she could think of no other word but bliss.

Chapter 9

Storming onto the dance floor like some knight in shining armour just because a guy had his hand on Harper’s ass should have spectacularly backfired on him. Especially with a woman like Harper. Obviously, she could take care of herself, but after the drunk asshole had put his hand on her ass for the third time, Nathan couldn’t take it anymore.

He told himself it wasn’t because he was jealous as he pulled Harper a little closer and moved her around the dance floor. It definitely wasn’t jealousy. He would have done the same thing for any random woman groped by a drunk shithead.

“You’re a great dancer,” Harper said.

“Thank you. My dad taught me. He always said the ladies loved a man who could dance,” Nathan said.

“He’s right,” she said.

Her soft hand fit perfectly in his, and holy hell, did she smell good. A floral scent with a hint of jasmine that made him want to take her to a dark, quiet spot and find all the areas on her body where she might have brushed perfume over her skin.

He studied the pulse point at her throat, tempted to bend his head and skim his lips over it. Would she kick his ass or pull him closer?

He steered her around a couple who were swaying drunkenly. He needed to stop thinking about kissing Harper before he got an erection. He was pretty sure she’d knee him in the balls and leave him vomiting on the dance floor if she felt his woody.

“Congratulations on the new job,” he said.

“Thanks.”

“I’ve been in that coffee shop. It’s nice and, uh, very clean.”

She stared at him like he was an idiot - he couldn’t blame her, hewasacting like an idiot - and said, “Yes, Hazel mentioned cleaning is a big part of the job.”

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