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“Hey.” She waved, her smile a bit unsure. She took a step toward the opening in the sleigh.
A brief second before she stepped down to exit, my eyes fell on the spot of ice on the sleigh’s step.
In a somewhat panicked move, I lunged toward her, hoping to spare her the embarrassment of landing on her rear in front of the cameras. I barely made it as her boot slid, and she fell against me in a tangle of limbs and fabric.
“Thanks,” she breathed out, her fingers clutching my shoulders. She was close enough for her hair to blow against my skin, as free and untamed as Harper herself.
“You just won the most memorable entrance of the night.” I grinned as her eyes flicked up to mine.
“Is there a trophy?” Snowflakes caught in her eyelashes, the blue beyond them even brighter from her dress. “You’re just a regular knight in shining armor, aren’t you?”
My heart rate kicked up a few beats as I peered down at her, exactly the type of familiar I craved. “You’re wearing boots with a really fancy dress.”
“This dress is hardly practical on its own. I couldn’t wear fancy shoes to match.” Her gaze never wavered from mine, though she offered me a half smile.
“A cheater and a rule breaker,” I murmured.
“You know me.”
“Always needing someone to protect you from yourself, just like tonight.”
A fuller smile played around her lips, and I wondered if the cameras picked up on the underlying current running between us. Harper was the last person I’d expected to see, but it suddenly made my night much more intriguing.
And infinitely more complicated. Nothing changed the fact that she was still my best friend’s sister.
“I can protect myself just fine.”
She lowered her legs to step down, the emotional shield I recognized too well sliding up between us. Tentatively, she removed her hands from my shoulders, then smoothed the fabric she’d wrinkled under her grip.
“That you can.”
“Am I supposed to introduce myself?”
“It feels a little silly, don’t you think?”
“Yes, go ahead!” One of the guys from behind the camera yelled. “Everyone else has so far. Just go with it.”
“This is strange,” she replied, wrinkling her nose.
“You don’t have to tell me twice.”
“Still rolling, go ahead!” he called out.
“I’m Harper Evans.” She shoved her hand out awkwardly.
“Flynn Jackson,” I replied, surprising myself by taking her hand and kissing the top of it. Her skin was chilled, with a hint of spiced apple floating on it.
“You really are playing up this knight in shining armor thing.”
If I hadn’t stood so close to her, I’d never have heard her say it. “I suddenly feel like I need to be one.”
Her cheeks pinked up as she drew in a breath, and it further confirmed that the next few weeks would be more challenging than I ever expected it to be.
“Did you know I was going to be on this?” I wished I’d paid a little more attention when they’d talked to me about the ins and outs of the show.
“Yes.”
“I didn’t know you were going to be here.”
