Which should’ve sent alarm bells ringing in her head.
They didn’t ring. Nothing. Silence.
They stood there for a moment, both grinning like kids with a new toy, and she felt an unexpected wave of warmth. She reached out without thinking and touched his arm. “Thanks, Cas. Really. You’ve been amazing.”
He looked at her, his brown eyes softening. “Just glad I could help.”
Their eyes met, and for a moment, the world seemed to fade away. Harper’s breath hitched and that strange flutter returned to her chest. It was then that she realized just how close they were standing…and that she was still touching his arm. She hadn’t expected to feel this drawn to him. She hesitated, but before she could pull back, Cas took a small step closer, his expression suddenly serious.
“Harper,” he murmured, his voice low, “I know you’ve got a lot going on, but I’m glad we’re doing this. I’m glad you’re here.”
Her heart skipped an actual beat then raced out of control. For once in nearly a decade, she didn’t push the feeling away. “Same,” she whispered, her voice barely audible. “I’m glad too.”
For a moment, they just stood there, the air between them charged with something unspoken. And then, without thinking, Harper reached up, brushing a strand of hair from his forehead. Cas caught her hand, holding it gently, and her pulse quickened at the touch.
She knew she should say something, make a joke, break the tension, but she didn’t want to. Not yet. She just wanted to stay in this moment, where everything felt new and full of possibility.
Chapter Five
Caspian’s heart pounded hard in his chest, a steady rhythm that seemed to echo in the quiet space between them. Harper’s touch lingered on his skin like a spark, warm and electric. She’d touched him twice now within just a few moments—once to brush his hair from his forehead, and now her hand was still in his, her fingers delicate but firm.
The urge to pull her closer, to close the gap between them and kiss her was so strong, it was all he could think about. It burned through his mind like wildfire. But he held back, forcing himself to remain still, to find the strength to resist that temptation. He knew she’d experienced something bad, but he didn’t know what it was or when. Still, the last thing he wanted was to push her too fast, too soon. If anything was going to happen between them, she needed to make the first move.
He squeezed her hand gently, his thumb brushing over her knuckles. “Harper,” he said softly, “I’m really glad you’re here. I mean it.” He brought her hand to his lips and gently kissed the back of it, lingering for an extra second because he couldn’t stop himself.
Her eyes widened slightly, and he could see a mix of surprise and something else—interest—flicker in her gaze. But before he could read more into it, she slowly drew her hand back, letting out a small, almost nervous laugh.
“I…uh, sorry,” she stammered, a faint blush coloring her cheeks. “I didn’t mean to…I mean, I didn’t mean for things to get, um, like this.”
Cas smiled even though his chest ached with a strange mix of disappointment and understanding. “Hey, don’t worry about it,” he replied, keeping his tone light. “We’ve got all the time in the world, right? No rush.”
The tension in her shoulders eased as she offered a small smile. “Yeah, I guess so.”
He decided to change the subject, sensing she needed a little distance. “Here,” he said, fishing the keys to the old blue Ford out of his pocket and holding them out to her. “Why don’t you take her back to your place, and I’ll follow you there.”
Harper’s face brightened, and she took the keys from his hand with a grin. “Sounds good to me. Let’s see what she can do.”
He watched as she climbed into the truck, the smile still playing on her lips. Cas waited a moment before getting into his own vehicle, starting the engine, and falling into place behind her as they drove back toward her apartment. He couldn’t help but feel a mix of anticipation and relief. She hadn’t pulled away completely, and that was something. He just had to be patient.
When they arrived at her place, Harper hopped out of the truck with an excited laugh. “She drives like a dream.”
“Told you she was a good one,” he stated as he joined her on the driveway. “Come on, let’s go talk to my dad.”
They walked through her cousin’s front yard and over to his father’s house, where he was already waiting on the porch. Sam smiled as he watched their approach, and Cas’ gaze flicked to the sling around his dad’s arm. Guilt and anger rose swiftly through his chest, squeezing tightly at the reminder that he was responsible for his father’s injuries.
Once again, the thought of Ortega, a relative of an old enemy from his past, had come to town seeking revenge, targeting his father, brother, and even his brother’s girlfriend in a twisted attempt to get back at Cas. He was grateful every day for Daleand his friends, who had managed to capture the bastard before Cas could make it back, preventing what could have gone in a much different direction.
Pushing those dire thoughts aside left room for a swell of affection to wash through his chest. His dad had always been supportive, always encouraging him to pursue what he wanted, to make his own way.
“Hi, Cas. And you must be Sadie’s cousin, Harper,” Sam greeted warmly.
Smiling, she nodded as they stepped onto the porch. “Yes. It’s nice to meet you, Mr. Taylor. Sorry, I interrupted your party yesterday.”
“Call me Sam. And you did no such thing.” He waved a dismissive hand. “In fact, I think you brought some excitement to the barbeque.”
Still smiling, she shrugged but remained silent.
Intuitive as ever, his dad nodded toward the vehicle in her driveway and changed the subject. “Cas tells me you’ve taken a liking to the old truck?”
