Page 6 of Too Delicious

“You can put my sister down now,” I say to Carter.

To my horror, she quickly kisses Carter’s cheek before he sets her back on her feet.

Shaking my head, I lend her my shoulder to help her hobble back to our booth before everything melts.

“We’re supposed to be wooing them out of their money, not finding dates for ourselves,” I remind my sister.

“Why not both?” Summer laughs.

I sigh and look longingly over my shoulder at the Bryant representatives—the deepest pockets at this stupid event.

To my consternation, Cooper catches my eye. He waves and smiles.

I give him my best scowl.

Before I turn away, I catch the wink.

And the way that wink makes me feel is wrong, wrong, wrong. So very wrong.

chapter

three

Cooper

There’s a story behind Harmony’s body language around me.

And I’m starting to sense that it’s more than natural shyness.

That fact is clearer now that the Mosley sisters are at our house, away from the clamor of the business expo.

Aunt Gabby’s intimate sitting room, where our aunt once entertained everyone from hip-hop stars to diplomats, has me relaxed and focused on Harmony’s little quirks.

She’s a little high-strung and shy, obviously. But there’s more to it. Something in her eyes is haunted and distrustful.

First, she declines my offer to help her with her coat. Independent person; I get that. But then, she goes stiff and moody when I offer to make her a drink.

“She hates my guts,” I say to Carter as we hang back while the ladies have a side conversation by the bar.

“Irrelevant,” Carter says. “This is business.”

“You’re one to talk,” I snort, sipping my bourbon on the rocks. I savor the sweet bite of that first sip of the night.

“What do you mean?”

I roll my eyes. “Carrying her like she’s an invalid.”

“She could have bruised her ankle way worse if I’d let her keep walking in those heels.”

I let it go and stare at Harmony across the room. There’s lots of whispers and hisses happening over there.

“She’s walking fine now, so let’s not perform the superhero act again, eh?” I say.

“What do you mean?”

“I mean, cool it with the romantic shit. I think Harmony feels pressured and I don’t want her thinking I could start making demands in exchange for funding their project.”

“Neither of them think that,” Carter says.