1. Harper

Chapter 1

Harper

I open my front door after a very long day at work and confront utter chaos. My dog, Titan, is standing on the kitchen table barking like the house is falling down around him— and it kind of is. One step past the threshold I feel cold water seeping into my jeans and look down at the standing water, at least four inches, that is filling my kitchen and beyond. What the hell happened here today?

First, I need to look for the water valve to turn off the water. That can’t be too difficult. Surely, it’s under the sink or by the water heater. The anxiety is building in my body as the water penetrates my clothes, skin, and seemingly my bones. My breath comes out harsh and shallow as I begin to panic. I can’t find the water shut-off valve and Titan is barking so loud that I can’t even think.

I pride myself on being an independent woman who can take care of herself, but this is one of those times that I was waving the white flag and calling my best friend.

The phone rings three times and my heart thumps hard in my chest at the idea that he might not answer, but Miles is always there for me. He obviously doesn’t sit around waiting for me to call, but I need him, so he just has to answer. Finally, on the fourth ring, he does.

“Hey, Harps,” his joyful voice comes across my speaker phone and instantly calms something deep inside me.

“Miles, I need some help.” I just manage to keep the tears out of my voice.

“What’s happened, Harper? Are you okay? Are you hurt?”

“I’m fine, but my house isn’t. It’s flooded and I can’t find the water shut-off.” This time I don’t manage to stop the tears and I start to cry. Miles hates it when I cry, so I just ask that he come help and hang up the phone.

I grab Titan and walk outside. I’m sure there’s something else I should be doing. Working to save furniture, keep trying to turn off the water, and who knows what else, but I just shut down. Miles is on the way, and he will take care of everything. He’s been taking care of me since we met during our freshman year of college.

We are an unlikely duo, but I can’t imagine my life without Miles. He was there when my parents died, and we’ve been there for each other through heartbreak and watching friends and siblings fall in love. I feel like his brothers and sister are mine. And if sometimes I dream about there being something more between Miles and me…well, that’s just for me.

In less than five minutes, Miles drives up in his huge work truck. He jumps out and all six and a half feet of him rushes up to me and pulls me into a giant hug. Miles is a huge man, tall and muscular, but his hugs are so gentle and perfect. I could stay in his arms for the rest of my life.

“Tell me again what’s happening, Harps.” His growly voice says close to my ear.

“Um.” I back up a little so I can catch my breath. “I came home and found Titan on the table barking. The house is flooded, like really flooded, and I don’t know how to turn off the water. I tried to find the water shut-off valve, but I couldn’t and then I started to have a panic attack. I just couldn’t breathe. So, I called you.” I word vomit all over him and he just looks at me with concern in his gorgeous green eyes.

“I’ll go shut off the water and then we’ll figure all of this out. I promise it’s all going to be okay,” he says in such a reassuring no-nonsense tone that I can’t do anything but believe the man. He smiles as he walks away, and I take my first real breath since coming home. Titan barks as I hold him tight.

“I know, Miles will fix it all,” I tell my tiny, high-strung dog.

Miles and I are complete opposites in most ways but there isn’t anyone else I would want in my corner. He is the one person I know will be there for me no matter what. My adorable cottage home, which I bought and fixed up with Miles’s help, will need a lot more work, and my savings are gone. I’m not even sure if the house is habitable at the moment. I didn’t make it much further than the hallway and with all that water, I’m afraid to know just how far it reached into the rest of the house. There aren’t a lot of square feet for the water to cover and do some real damage. What could have happened? Almost everything in the house has been replaced. I have one bathroom left to do, but Miles and his plumbing guy said that everything was fine in there and that I didn’t have to worry about the pipes.

I’m pacing along the line of rose bushes that mark the border between my house and my next-door neighbor, who happens to be Miles’s brother, Hunter. I should have checked to see if he was home and could turn off my water, it would have been faster, but my first instinct is always to call for Miles. His car isn’t in his driveway anyway, so he’s probably still at work.

I’m just about to turn to make another lap around my yard when Miles comes out the front door. His jeans are plastered to his legs and he’s taken his T-shirt off. Holy hot best friend, Batman! I know this isn’t the time or the place, but I always get a little jolt when I see him without a shirt. The man is gorgeous. Six-pack abs, just a slight amount of chest hair, and so many damn muscles— that’s why his hugs feel so good.

“Harper?”

Shit, he’s probably been trying to get my attention and I’m drooling over his biceps and that V-thing that should be illegal. “Um, yeah?”

He chuckles as if he knows exactly what I was thinking, “I got the water off, but it’s a big mess in there.” His voice and face take on a serious expression. “I’ve called a crew so we can get this water out and set up fans to start drying things. You are looking at new walls and carpet at the very least.”

“I imagine it will be much worse in the end.” I hug Titan tight. “Thank you for coming so quick. You’ll have to show me how to turn the water off so I’m not helpless like this again.”

“I can do that, but don’t feel down on yourself, Harps. It was in the main bathroom and that’s just not where they are normally. I remembered once I walked in and was able to get it shut off fast, but that water had been running for hours. How long were you gone?”

“I went to work around eight. I met with a client at Gillian’s bakery and then stayed to work on their proposal. I was getting a lot done, so I just decided to work there for the afternoon instead of coming back to work in my office here. That worked out well, huh?”

He steps closer and I can feel the heat coming off his body. Why am I so focused on his body? My house is falling apart and all I can think is that I want to lay my head on his chest and take a nap.

Miles places a finger under my chin and lifts my gaze to his. “I’m a little worried you’re in shock, Harps. Do you feel like you can drive? I can call Hunter to come get you and you can go to my place. I’ll take care of things here. I’ll pack up what I can of yours and bring it back with me when I come home later, and we can go from there.”

“Your house?”

“Of course.” He genuinely looks confused. “I don’t mean to assume, but I thought you could stay with me while we fix all of this.”

Normally that would make sense, but with the way my feelings for Miles have been changing lately, I don’t think it’s a good idea for us to be in the same house. But I can’t tell him that. I don’t know what to tell him.

“Um, I don’t want to be in your way, Miles. I’m sure you have plans and stuff that don’t include me.” God, what if he was dating someone I didn’t know about? That was one area we kind of stopped talking to each other about in the last year. On my part, because I haven’t gone on a date, but I’m sure Miles has. No one who looks like him is having any trouble with the ladies.

“Harps, I never have plans that don’t include you unless it’s with my brothers or Clara— and now Clara’s off on her adventures with Ethan.” A look of sadness quickly passes his eyes, but his smile returns just as fast. I know the whole family misses Clara, but they’re also happy for her and Ethan. It’s got to be hard to let go of someone you’ve watched out for your whole life like that even if you trust their new partner. I’m an only child, so there’s no one I have that kind of connection with, and I’ve always envied the St. James siblings.

“Well, I still don’t want to be in your way. I’ll just get a hotel room or something. I’m sure my homeowner’s insurance will help with that if I have to be out of my house completely.”

“For tonight will you stay with me, please? That way we can talk about what needs to be done once we have the water out.”

I can hear the frustration in his voice. He doesn’t understand why I don’t want to stay with him, because he would never be attracted to me. These unusual feelings will never be an issue for him. I’m the opposite of any woman I’ve ever seen him with. They’ve been blonde, tall, thin, and maybe not the brightest. Which I know is a terrible thing to think about another woman. I’m short, at least a foot shorter than him, although he’s a giant so it’s not that odd, and not thin. I’m what an older woman here in town calls plump. I enjoy visiting my friend Gillian at her bakery and being the guinea pig for her new recipes and there isn’t a size two outfit in the entire world that could get me to give up chocolate, bread, or wine. I know I’m pretty and that men are attracted to me, I have a very healthy ego, but at the same time, I know that I’m just not Miles’s type, which has always been okay.

I think it’s all his family finding their soulmates. I want to know their secret of how they did it and it’s making me look at him differently. I want to find a love like that.

“Okay, Miles, Titan and I will stay at yours tonight and then I’ll find somewhere else more permanent after that.”

He pulls me into his arms against all that warm bare skin. My stomach flips and my nipples get hard. Please, please don’t let him feel that. I’m not strong enough to face him if he knows that I get turned on by him.

Miles smiles down at me. “Thank you for agreeing to stay with me tonight. We’ll talk about the rest later. I turned the power off at the circuit breaker box, so it’s okay for us to walk through quickly to get a few things if you need to or you can give me a list and I’ll bring you stuff tonight.”

“I’ll get a bag for tonight and Titan’s stuff.” There’s no way I’m gonna let Miles go through my drawers and find my vibrator stash or my granny panties amongst the lace.

“Okay, I’ll watch the monster out here so you don’t have to try and do both,” he says, grabbing Titan out of my arms. “Go, I’ll be here waiting when you’re done.”