Hard Risk by Sidney Bristol
Chapter Ten
Robin smoothed a hand down the skirt of her dress. It was just chilly enough that on a typical day she would have opted to wear pants or at least tights.
Today was not typical.
Her anxiety over defining the goals of her relationship with Harper were still maxed out. It was exhausting. She knew they had plans to go out for dinner tonight, but she feared if she didn’t change things up soon they were bound to stay in this rut.
Could they even have a rut after only two weeks?
It wasn’t like either of them had come out and said they were in an official relationship. But what did you call people who saw each other every day, talked or texted all the time, kissed, and had sex? Okay. Beyond that night at his place, they hadn’t slept together a second time, and the theater room interlude did not count.
Still, the fact that he was interested in her mattered, didn’t it?
No amount of talking herself down or going over every date with Jessica had calmed her.
It was time Robin did something about all of that. No matter what happened in the end, either purpose she had would benefit from this.
“You can do this,” she muttered to herself then hit the green call button.
She peered up at Harper’s apartment building and prayed he was at home for lunch today.
“Hey there, gorgeous.”
The deep, sultry voice made her shiver. It should be illegal for a man to have that level of power over another person’s body. Then again, she couldn’t help but grin.
“Hey yourself.” Her cheeks already felt like they were about to split.
“To what do I owe the pleasure?”
“Well, my lunch appointment got canceled, but I was already in the area which just happens to be by your apartment. Are you home for lunch by any chance?” She’d been to Harper’s place several times, to see him or vent or just hang out, so this wasn’t entirely out of character.
“Um, I might be headed back to my place in about fifteen minutes. That’s not exactly convenient for you,” he said slowly.
Okay, not the eager reply she’d hoped for, but she could work with that.
“Would that throw your day off?” she asked.
“Not at all. Seeing your beautiful face would be a massive improvement.”
“Okay. You don’t have a key hidden anywhere? I could just let myself in…” Or he could give her a key.
“Only one key and it’s with me. That’s not a bad idea though… Want me to pick up some lunch?”
“Nah, I’d rather take up all your time I can before you have to go back to work.”
His voice dipped lower still. “Greedy, are we?”
She grinned. So far so good. “Maybe?”
He chuckled. “Fine, but we’re eating sandwiches.”
“Sounds divine.”
“See you soon.”
Robin ended the call smiling.
She needed to turn this around and stop being so anxious about what to call this relationship. It was time she took a bit more control of things. And that started today. Right now.
They’d eat sandwiches, but only after she got what she wanted.
Monday. Harper’s Safe House, New Orleans, LA.
“She is on her way up.”
Harper shoved his hands into his hair and stared around the apartment. “Fuck me.”
“Don’t just stand there,” Samuel snapped.
Harper scowled at Samuel. “This is exactly why I said don’t get comfortable here.”
Harper grabbed a recently delivered box then shoved most of the surveillance equipment off the dining table.
“Watch what you’re doing,” Samuel demanded.
“You have to go. Now,” Harper demanded.
“But—”
“No.” He closed the box then shoved it aside, into a corner. “She’s not likely to notice if I have a few boxes, but she’s bound to notice if we are in the apartment when she gets here. Fuck me.”
Harper whirled toward the bedroom. The place was a bit of a mess. He hadn’t tied up since she’d come over Saturday for a few hours to watch a movie. Hopefully, she’d forgive him that.
He kicked off his sweatpants in a hurry and grabbed yesterday’s jeans lying over the foot of the bed. They were clean enough they’d pass. That done, he shoved his feet into his shoes and grabbed a sport coat. There wasn’t time for him to think about shirts. His gray T-shirt would have to do. He’d make something up if he had to.
“Harper, come on,” Samuel called out while holding up his phone showing the front door as it swung open for a curvy, familiar figure. “She’ll be here any second.”
Good thing Samuel had thought to put a camera on the building doors, or they’d be in a real tight spot.
Robin was in the building. Now he just had to make sure he didn’t run into her.
He glanced around the place one last time, but his mind was too scattered. Hundreds of combat encounters and this was what tripped him up?
Fucking hell.
He grabbed his keys and phone then sprinted for the door, close on Samuel’s heels. They practically tripped over each other just getting out of the apartment.
“Go. Get moving,” Harper urged as he shoved his key into the lock and twisted.
Samuel was awkwardly wrestling his two bags toward the stairwell.
The elevator hummed.
There wasn’t time for both Harper and Samuel to escape.
Harper made a calculated decision at that moment. He sprinted past Samuel to the stairs just as the elevator dinged.
“Hey!” Samuel called out.
Harper ducked through the doorway and pressed his back against the wall, praying no one had seen him leave. He held his breath and strained to listen as the stairwell door swung shut at a snail’s pace.
“Oh my goodness, are you okay?”
His mouth went dry at the sound of Robin’s voice.
“Yeah, I just tried to carry too much at once,” Samuel said sheepishly.
“Can I give you a hand?”
“Don’t trouble yourself.”
“Let me help. I’m killing time waiting on a friend. I really don’t mind.”
Harper scrubbed a hand over his face. Seriously? She was going to help Samuel downstairs? This was just great.
“That’s very kind of you,” Samuel said.
“Here you go…”
The door clicked shut.
Harper turned and thunked his forehead against the brick wall.
This was just great. Just fucking fabulous.
Standing here mentally kicking his own ass wasn’t accomplishing anything. He turned and jogged down the stairs. If he was going to throw Samuel under the bus, Harper better make the most of it.
Unfortunately, Samuel was burned now. Sure, Robin could see him around the apartment complex, but that was it. From here on, Samuel could only do so much. When was Baruti supposed to join them? How long was his vacation?
It was time to stop kicking himself when it came to the decisions Harper was forced to make for this job. The most he could do was protect Robin to the best of his ability, but he had to use her.
Monday. Harper’s Safe House, New Orleans, LA.
Robin rode the elevator back up after helping the tenant down to the parking lot smiling to herself. She still had a little time to kill, so she leaned against the wall next to Harper’s door.
This was going to be a great week. She just needed to tell herself that over and over again. Besides, Wednesday her family was going to Florida. Who wouldn’t love a vacation?
Okay, she wasn’t thrilled with the prospect of going off with just her family and no Harper for a week or more, but what was a girl to do? What were the chances she could convince Harper to come down and take her to his place for the weekend or something?
The elevator dinged.
She glanced up as Harper stepped through the doors, his hair sticking up and a coffee cup in hand.
“Wow, some morning?” She tilted her head to the side. Normally he was so put together and tidy. Was that a stain on his shirt?
Harper stopped, leaned forward, and rest his forehead on her shoulder. “You have no idea. Mm. You smell good.”
That was by design. She’d decided to break out her expensive perfume for him.
He wrapped his arms around her waist, drawing her closer until they were pressed together from knee to shoulder.
His lips caressed her ear as he spoke. “I needed to see you. How’d you know?”
Her heart did a little flip in her chest. “Just a hunch.”
Harper kissed her cheek then reached for the door, but he never let go of her. “Come inside. Hungry?”
“I could eat.”
She let him pull her inside the apartment. The moment the door closed he pressed her back against the wall and leaned against her. His knee slid between hers while his nose bumped her cheek. Her body reacted to his nearness. Her insides warmed, heat crawled up her neck and her panties were undoubtedly wet.
He was going to kiss her and back off if she didn’t do something. If she didn’t push him for what she wanted, he might keep them in this odd state of limbo.
“I might be a different kind of hungry,” she muttered.
Shit.
She actually said it.
Holy crap.
What was he going to do now?
Harper pressed his hips against her. One side of his mouth hitched up, and he lifted a hand to push her hair out of her face. He lowered his face so that he was all she could see. Then his gaze drifted down to her lips, and she stopped breathing.
“The chef might be able to do something about that…”
Yes, please…
He stepped away, robbing her of his warmth. “But first, let’s eat.”
Robin could have wept in frustration, not to mention embarrassment. She’d all but said, please fuck me here and now, and he was more interested in feeding his stomach. Great. Wonderful. Now she knew where she rated in the grand scheme of things.
Her phone chimed, giving her an excellent reason to do something besides stare at the man toying with her damn heart right now.
She tapped the screen and read the message.
Then she re-read it.
What the hell was this? Was she the one on the outs? Why was everyone else included but not her?
It wasn’t fair.
It wasn’t fucking fair.
“Robin? Babe? You okay?” Harper asked.
“Hm?” She glanced up and blinked a few times.
He’d shed his sport coat and was in the kitchen now, a spread of cold cuts and other sandwich fixings in front of him.
“Just a text,” she said.
Robin needed to process this before she asked him. She needed to decide once and for all if this was a matter of the heart, or if this was about justice. It was hard to pick when he stood there grinning at her and looking like the world’s best snack.
Dad had taught her one thing, men weren’t always the champions they needed to be. They were flawed humans that often failed.
Robin couldn’t fail Mom again.
This had to be about justice. Her heart couldn’t get involved.
He grinned then gestured to the counter. “Might I interest you in my meat?”
She felt her face flush, but she didn’t let him throw her off. She was getting used to him. “Oh, is it tasty meat? Hm?”
“Only the best for you. What will you have?”
Robin crossed to lean on the bar. “I have one question for you…”
“Ask me anything. I know all there is to know about my meat.”
“Any chance you’d be interested in going to Florida for a week or so?” She smiled her sweetest smile and showed her phone screen to him. “Dad just messaged me to ask if you’d consider joining us on our trip to Miami.”
Harper just stared at her, mouth slightly open, and blinked. It was as if he didn’t understand her words in the slightest.
Was it her? Did he not want to spend that much time with her or her family?
“Wow. That’s a big deal, isn’t it?” he finally said.
She put on a brave face and merely shrugged, all while her heart broke a little. So this was it. He didn’t really want to be with her. So what were they doing? “You don’t have to go.”
He gripped the counter with both hands then tilted his head to the side. His mouth screwed up into an expression she couldn’t quite label. What was with him?
Harper walked around the counter and held out his hand.
The last thing she wanted to do at this moment was to touch him or be touched.
She balled her hands into fists. “If you don’t want to go, just say it.”
“It’s not that simple,” he said softly and wiggled his fingers.
What else was there? How was this not simple?
Curious and unable to say no, she took his hand.
Her heart was involved no matter what her mind decided.
Harper led her to the sofa and sat, one leg curled under him so he could face her. She sat mirroring him while he held on to her hand. For a moment they remained there like that while he stared at the worn upholstery and stroked his thumb over her fingers.
“I don’t know how to say this, and I know things have been a little off, so…” Harper lifted his chin. The normal smile and jovial air was gone, leaving behind a man she didn’t think she knew all that well. “I don’t like the way your family treats you, and it’s really hard for me to make nice with them. But they’re your family and I know you care about them. I’m having a hard time wanting to be with you while needing to be around them. I get that it’s a packaged deal. I’m just saying… I don’t know. The idea of spending a week with you in Florida wearing tiny bikinis sounds great until you tell me your dad and uncle will be there.”
Robin could only stare at him.
Talk about a roller coaster.
Holy shit.
Things were weird because he wanted her to be treated better? Had she heard him right?
“I guess you could say…” His shoulders dropped, and he sighed. “I’ve probably made this really weird.”
“No, actually. I’m just processing all of that. The way you were acting, I thought you liked my dad and uncle.”
He screwed up his mouth on one side. “If I didn’t see how they treat you in private, I’d probably be fine with them. But the way they barely let you speak when you’re the person I come over to see, it’s… I don’t like it. I get that they’re family and the rules are different. I totally get it. Strict Catholic Hispanic upbringing right here. It’s just…”
Her heart throbbed in her throat.
Was he real?
And here she’d just decided to follow the path of justice.
What if she told him? What if she was honest and explained what she was doing? Would he help her? Would he be on her side?
“Say something?” Harper pleaded.
“I was beginning to think you didn’t like me all that much, or maybe you were seeing someone else, so I’m just taking it all in.”
“What?” He frowned. “Robin, babe, you are the only woman I’m spending time with. Shit. Yeah, I guess I screwed up if that’s what you were thinking.”
“Can you really call it screwing up if the reason for all of this is that you want me to be treated better?” she countered.
“I should have said something. But how do you say that to a woman you just met and really like?”
“Point taken. For what it’s worth, I don’t like it either.” She had an overwhelming desire to tell him everything. About her mom, Uncle Daar, her suspicions, all of it. But before she did that she needed to talk to Jessica first. “I’ve never really lived with my dad and stepmom. After Mom died, Dad sent me to a boarding school up north. Summers were a lot of traveling or if I was lucky, staying with friends. When I graduated college, I decided I wanted to take a year and really get to know my family. My mom’s death… It was a lot. And it left me very hurt for a long time. I decided to spend a year getting to know my family, seeing how we fit together. I’ve only been living with them half a year, but when my year is over, I’m done. I’ll always love my dad because he is my dad, but I don’t like my family very much. If that makes sense…”
He swiped his thumbs over her knuckles. “It does.”
“What I’m getting at is that I agree with you, but I’ve also committed to this year and doing my best.”
“And when it’s over?”
She shrugged. “I think we’ll have a lot less to do with each other. My stepmother can’t stand me. My father doesn’t go out of his way to speak to me or find out how I’m doing. Why would anyone want to be part of that?”
A lump was lodged in her throat and she felt a little tremble shake her. It was the truth, but she didn’t have to like it.
Harper studied her for a moment, his dark gaze assessing. “I hate that for you. You’re so kind and funny…”
She squeezed his hand. “Thanks. But where does that leave us?”