Page 34 of The Truth of Us

I kept my hands cupping her face when I looked up and gave the donor from the gala a cheeky grin, saying, “Sorry for interrupting, I had a few things to give Harper and…”

The woman leaned forward in rapt attention when she nodded, asking, “And?”

I looked back at Harper and said, “I missed her.”

Surprise flickered in her brilliant blue eyes before she schooled her reaction. I kissed her forehead, nose, and then a quick kiss to the lips. Let's call it exposure therapy.

I slipped the envelope I was carrying, with the contract and list of dates for our arrangement, into Harper’s bag and then said goodbye.

I was in a meeting with all the department heads later that afternoon when I got the message I had been expecting from her.

Harper:

Elliot, why does the list of public appearances have 30 dates?

I smiled, pretending to listen to what Claude from our real estate sector was saying.

I will sign this contract, but did you have to fill the entire 30 days with dates?

Everyday Elliot?

Really?

Part of me wanted to reply, wanted to rile her up a bit more, but I knew she’d get there on her own.

I already told you the night of the holiday event: I am unavailable.

The meeting ended, and I was still sitting, staring at my phone.

I finally replied,

Okay, baby, we will add whatever days you can't make somewhere else.

Elliot…

Are you at home?

Just got in

Why?

I will be there at 7 to pick you up for dinner.

Three dots appeared and then disappeared several times before she finally responded with:

Fine

I laughed, thinking this was going to be fun. Before heading to my office to finish my work for the day.

That night I purposely took her to one of my favourite restaurants with tiny two-seater booths that required close contact when eating. The paparazzi did not disappoint, and neither did Harper. She was perfect.

That night we fucked in my car when I tried to take her home with me. She got out of my car when we were done saying her driver was already waiting for her and that she’d see me tomorrow.

Tuesday her assistant delivered the signed agreement with amended dates, removing the Friday leading up to and the Saturday of the Christmas party. I don’t know why it bothered me that she was missing it and wouldn’t tell me why. Harper added two more lunch dates into the schedule to make up for the missed dates. That day in the PR meeting, she introduced my team to a man named Timothy who looked like what would come up in a Pinterest search for ‘hot male nerd aesthetic’. And he was looking at Harper as if she were the only person in the room while she talked to the team. She explained we had known each other prior to her coming on to the project and since reconnecting we decided to see each other personally so she would be stepping back… I didn’t hear the rest because I didn’t fucking like the look Timothy had on his face when she said we were seeing each other. When they left, I fucked Harper in my office and again she left right after we were done saying she would meet me at the function we were scheduled to attend that night because she had a busy day.

By Thursday evening, I was frustrated that Harper had broken none of her rules yet, and we had been having sex every day and still… She was all I could think about. So after I left Julian’s office that night I emailed the lawyer on his team who did up our contract for the thirty days and asked him to use Julian’s contract as a starting point for a one year agreement for Harper and I. If she still wasn’t out of my system by the end of this term I could propose an extension to her.

I met her that night at a cocktail mixer and told her she was needed to help Lucy tomorrow after Julian signed the contract with her.