CHAPTER 4
Darius
She hasn’t aged a damn bit. I can’t believe how beautiful she’s gotten. When we were kids I fell hopelessly in love with that soft little smile and the way she made me feel like I was ten feet tall.
Now she’s so heart-stoppingly beautiful that it’s like looking into the sun when she smiles at you.
Most people might think that Fee’s the prettier cousin. Her bright blond hair and aqua eyes are something to see. But Harp is so much more than pretty.
Her smile holds sweet temptation. Her full red lips beckon a man like a siren. Her dark gray eyes seem simple. But there’s flecks of green and blue dancing in them when she smiles. A sexy little hazel surprise hidden in silvery depths.
And then there’s her body. Fee is a curvy little beauty. But Harper is a little taller and her body is more streamlined. A tomboy grown up into a stunning woman. Her hips are not as lush, her breasts not as full as her cousin.
But there’s something infinitely harder to define in her. She’s a puzzle.
I wanted to solve that puzzle more than anything in the world. Until I got drunk and messed up so badly that there was nothing I could do but say good-bye.
I’ve regretted it every day since. Mostly at night when her youthful smile danced through my dreams and my heart would break all over again.
We saunter down the street and stop at the diner. It’s relatively quiet tonight so when we walk in the door it’s not hard to find a spot to sit. The woman behind the counter grins. “Pick a spot, Fee. I’ll be over in a minute to get your drink order.”
Fee smiles and blows her a kiss. Some people might find that a little theatrical but that’s just Fee. She’s always been a bit much.
My eyes drift to her cousin as she slides into a booth and groans. My dick jumps in my jeans and I hiss under my breath.
I don’t know why I’m acting like this. I’m no horndog. I’m a full-grown man who prides himself on his control. Lord knows I’ve had plenty of practice over the years.
The waitress comes over and grins. “You guys picked a date yet?”
My eyes dart over to Fee and Monroe as she blushes. “NO.” I lift a brow and turn to Harper. She grins.
“My cousin is planning her wedding with no actual declaration, no ring and no date.”
Blinking, I lean back. “What do you have?”
Fee smirks at the man who’s sliding in next to her. “A lot of love.”
Pursing my lips, I work up the nerve to slide into the seat next to Harper. I can feel the heat from her hip against mine and I bite back a curse.
She jumps when I stand up abruptly. “Sorry, I need to go to the bathroom.”
She nods and I practically jog around the corner and down the hall to the restrooms. Stepping inside, I stand in front of the mirror and lean on the sink. Huffing, I stare at my reflection. “You are an absolute idiot,” I growl to myself. “She’s not interested in trying to start over with you. This is a fucking job.”
“You can probably keep telling yourself that until you’re blue in the face but I know what a guy in love looks like.” I jerk my head over and wince when I see the big, dark-haired guy standing in the doorway.
“I’m just talking to myself about the job.” I can’t even look him in the face. The guy’s like a damn lie detector.
He swings the door closed and grins, sliding over to wash his hands at the other sink. “I don’t know if you know this but Fee and I had a real tough time getting together. So I can sympathize with a guy who’s finding out he missed out on something good a long time ago.”
He turns around and leans on the sink, his long legs crossed over each other. He wipes his fingers carefully with paper towels. I’ve never seen a man so controlled before.
But then he looks up and he studies me carefully before nodding his head. “I’m not gonna try and figure out what happened with you and Harp all those years ago. But I happen to like her a lot. So if you’re gonna hurt her, I’d advise you to find somewhere else to be.”
Tilting my head up, I scoff. “You threatening me.”
He chuckles. “Oh hell no. I’m not the one you need to worry about. Fee will string you up by your toenails if you hurt Harper.” He eyes me and then his dark eyes narrow. “And I certainly won’t stop her.” He grins. “She scares the hell out of me.”
He nods his chin at me and then turns on his heels and walks to the door so silently that it’s like he’s floating.
