Page 95 of Sun-Kissed Fangs
That was the logical reason. But Harper also knew what happened when a relationship went beyond what it could handle. Pointed comments and bitterness followed, born from the fact that the thought of lost opportunities could easily whittle affection into resentment.
If Maya didn’t go, it would catapult them into something actually serious, which would reveal how little Harper brought to the table. That, other than being a good time, she didn’t have anything to offer.
If Harper was honest and asked her to stay, Maya would end up hating her for it.
“What is that?”
“Huh?” Harper had drifted so far into speculation she’d almost forgotten she wasn’t alone.
Maya pointed at the crumbled piece of paper. “That. You’ve been smothering it since we sat down.”
Harper unfolded it, trying to decipher the scribbles. Patricia’s handwriting was in beautiful cursive, meaning the contents might as well be hieroglyphs.
She shrugged. “It’s nothing. Just one of Trish’s lists. She’s making sure the rooms are stocked, and she has a habit of leaving notes everywhere.”
Maya took the paper out of her hand and turned it over. Apparently, Harper had been holding it upside down.
“Scarves and lollipops?” Maya said. “Do I want to know?”
Harper smiled at her. She couldn’t help it. “They’re industry secrets. I’m not tattling.”
Maya returned the smile, and a sharp ache tightened around Harper’s heart.
No one knew how long Maya would be gone. How many days, or weeks, this would take.
How the hell was Harper supposed to stay sane without seeing that smile?
“When do you have to decide?” Harper asked.
The joy withered from Maya’s expression. She dropped the piece of paper on the coffee table.
“Aleksander leaves at midnight. He needs an answer by then.” She let out a sigh. “I’m being serious. I don’t have to leave. If you say the word, I will stay.”
It was so tempting. Especially because midnight was only a few hours away, and that was no time at all.
That morning, it felt like weeks would pass before any decisions of this caliber needed to be made. Now, it was only seconds. And though Harper’s heart wanted to leap, her mind hooked it in place before it could throw itself into uncharted waters.
“I can’t ask you to do that,” Harper whispered. “This is important. It would be wrong to keep you away from it.”
The look in Maya’s eyes was hard to decipher. Too many emotions flashed through it. Disappointment. Nervousness. Fear.
Harper took her hand, squeezing it. “But… can you stay with me until you leave?”
Maya relaxed. “Until the last minute.”
She cupped Harper’s face, caressing her cheek. Then she leaned in and kissed her. A careful,slowkiss, as though she was committing the feel of Harper’s lips to memory.
That thought immediately transformed into an idea. Before Maya could deepen the kiss, Harper leaned back and placed a finger on her mouth.
“Then, I want to use that time wisely. Such as by showing you someindustry secrets.”
Harper knew exactly what people found appealing about her. The tenderness Maya was so good at wasn’t part of Harper’s arsenal.
But other things were. Especially in this room. If she wanted whatever they had to survive the test of long distance, she needed Maya to remember her when she left, and tactile memories stuck longer.
Harperreallywanted her to remember.
“It’s your own fault,” Harper said, voice low. She ran a finger along Maya’s t-shirt collar. “You posed a challenge earlier today. I’m just rising to it.”
