Chapter 26

JASPER

S ince Harper arrived at my penthouse, I've been working from home.

Something I never do.

Max had been holding down the office for me, not that there was much to hold on to since I was handling the brunt of it in my home office. I'd held Max off from coming around since Harper has a hard time with male presence, but Max was coming today to go over some business that I won't be able to leave unattended much longer.

Aster called Harper and mentioned that she wouldn't return home until Monday, which gave me an additional five days with her.

Harper suggested she go home, insinuating that she was overstaying her welcome.

She's so considerate. Such a good girl.

I just needed to rearrange some briefings and postpone a court appearance. Even with 24/7 security, thinking of leaving her with another man made me uneasy.

When Harper told her boss that she would be attending the event at the plaza and that she would give a ‘First-hand experience interview,' he was so pleased he gave her the rest of the week off, paid.

What she didn't realize was that his newfound generosity had a bit of my encouragement behind it. Let's just say, Max is good at what he does. Digging up some dirt on that filthy excuse of a man wasn't hard to do.

Seated in my office, I switched to a different screen displaying the cameras installed throughout the house, excluding the bathrooms and dressing areas.

I had my eyes everywhere. Mostly to see what was going on when I was away. Growing up with my father being who he was definitely caused some unnecessary shit to come about so it's never a bad idea to have some extra security around here.

The cameras have come in handy for keeping a watchful eye on Harper and anticipating her needs. I spotted Harper sitting on the sofa in the living room, she seemed to have made herself comfortable watching a movie on the big screen. She completely hijacked the sofa blanket from the first night she came here. She's done nothing without it wrapped around her.

At first, I thought she was cold, so I raised the thermostat, but she kept carrying it around like a security blanket. It was endearing to see her becoming more relaxed in my home.

She wasn't happy about not working the whole week but when I asked her how long it's been since she took a day off between the two jobs, she couldn't tell me. My guess is she has tried to drown her trauma with work, much like I do, way too often.

I got up from my computer and strolled into the hall rounding the corner and staying out of sight. I found her, bundled up in that security blanket of hers. Her knees tucked into her chest while she munched on something she had poured into a bowl. She reached down to grab a handful, bringing it to her mouth without taking her eyes off the TV.

It was the first time I'd seen her truly peaceful. Her shoulders weren't stiff and raised, and her eyes weren't darting all over the place, watching behind her back. She was completely content and seemed in her element as she watched something called Love Island. Someone was about to be voted off. It was one of those reality shows, not my cup of tea but when she noticed me standing there watching her, she glanced at me and then looked back to the show before pushing the bowl of what I can now see is popcorn towards me as an invitation to join her.

I do, happily.

I flopped onto the couch, slinging my legs over the armrest opposite her, and snatched a handful of popcorn. I tossed it into the air, tilting my head back to catch it in my mouth.

Not well, I might add.

"What are we watching?" I asked, trying to hide the fact that I had missed the first three kernels and that they were lying on my shoulder, stomach, and the floor in front of me.

She shot me a look that seemed to say, "Seriously?" Her eyebrows arched in disbelief.

I knew what she was watching because of my eye in the sky, but I wanted to get her talking. She seemed less nervous around me when she was leading the conversation.

She nervously babbled as she explained the show's details, including the rules contestants have to follow, her favorite and least favorite participants, and her prediction on who would be eliminated next. Just as she started rambling on about who the bitchy girls were, she glanced over to see me hanging on her every word.

Busted .

Her face instantly flushed pink.

I fucking love the way she flushes when she gets embarrassed, that shade of pink that covers her face and neck. I can imagine how she would look under me flushing that color, as she lays naked for my viewing pleasure.

What does she have to be embarrassed about? I'm the one who can't take my eyes off her beautiful face, with her pink plump lips that part just slightly as she talks, her adorable button nose, and the way she licks her lips in between thoughts.

Fucking mesmerizing.

"Sorry, I guess you didn't need to know all that. I tend to ramble, around you, " she said the last part with a giggle as she raised her blanket to her chin. A nervous habit I found adorable.

"I tend to like your rambling. I find it cute. "

"Adorable!" she exclaimed, sounding embarrassed.

Maybe she wanted me to think more of her. If she only knew how much I wanted her, it would probably scare her away. To know that I have never wanted anyone else in my entire fucking life as much as I do her.

"Yes, cute." I teased her and before I even thought twice about it, I reached over and slid my knuckles down her still-pink, flushed cheek.

She watched my hand raise to her face, and her breath hitched as I felt her silky skin beneath my firm fingertips, but she didn't back away. Instead, she closed her eyes and leaned into my touch. Her response was thoughtless and without hesitation.

Before either of us could process what happened between us, or try to understand the emotions that were shared, emotions I was sure she felt as well, it was clear in her gaze. The elevator bell rang, snapping us back to reality as Max walked in with a wide, shit-eating smirk across his face.

Fuck…