He's a cynic. She's a romantic. One deal, one wedding, and one gigantic secret stand between them.
**
Harper Lane wants to believe in true love. After her parents split, she began photographing evidence of it. Couples holding hands. Valentine's Day...
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
This, Lawson thought, had to be some sort of fever dream.
Harper Lane was kissing him. Kissing him. He could feel Harper's heart slamming against his chest; she tasted of strawberry bubble-gum and champagne, an intoxicating combination. Something pulled at his scalp, and it took Lawson a moment to realize that she'd fisted a hand in his hair. Hot blood crashed through him, so fast that it was almost painful.
Fuck.
Every part of his body tightened. Could she feel it? Lawson closed his eyes, trying to shut down the impulse to kiss her back. He wanted her pinned underneath him, wanted her panting his name. This had to be some sort of sick test of his willpower. This was—
"Kiss me back," Harper whispered.
He swallowed a groan. "Ohio..."
"Now."
Something about her bossy tone sent Lawson's imagination running to inappropriate places. Inappropriate places where they were indoors, alone, with a bed and preferably with fewer clothes.
Which was exactly why this needed to stop.
"Harper," Lawson managed, "this is a bad idea."
She made an impatient noise. "It's fine."
It was the opposite of fine. "We can't—"
"Just pretend," she murmured, nipping at his mouth. "Please."
Ah.
Too late, Lawson understood: Harper had no idea what she was doing to him. She thought this was safe. A favour between friends. A show they were putting on for Jake sodding Parker, so Parker wouldn't recognize his ex-girlfriend rolling around in a hedge with him.
She had no idea how much Lawson wanted her.
Well, fuck it, Lawson thought darkly; he was going to enjoy himself, then. If he was only going to do this once — and it would only be once — then he planned to make it memorable.
He flipped her over. Harper made a little noise of surprise, but Lawson hardly heard it; he was kissing her properly now, getting out every inch of pent-up frustration. He couldn't remember ever wanting someone this much before. Couldn't remember ever being so drunk on desire. He ran a hand up her legs, his fingers bunching in the flimsy white material of her dress, stoking the fire in his veins.
"Hale?" a voice called. "Is that you?"
Cold cut through him.
Lawson made to pull back instinctively, but Harper's hand knotted in his hair in silent warning. Don't let Jake see my face.
In the end, it didn't matter; Parker snorted.
"Oh, shit," Parker said, clearly amused. "Sorry, buddy. I'll see you later, alright?"
