Page 10 of Irreplaceable
She removed a bottle of pain relievers from her bag and popped some into her mouth. The way her throat worked around them had my imagination racing into overdrive. My hand cupping the back of her head as I thrust in her mouth. Her lips…
“No.” She laughed, the sound bringing me back to the present.
“What’s so funny?” I asked, shifting in an attempt to hide my arousal.
“I’m actually on vacation. Well, as of this evening, I was. So much for that now.” Her lips twisted, and she leaned forward to adjust the ice pack.
I frowned. This was my fault. I’d lost track of time playing soccer. And then I’d been impatient and pushed Kadek to drive faster. If I hadn’t…
“I’m sorry,” I said.
“It’s not your fault.”
That was debatable. Even so, I asked, “So what did you have planned for your vacanza?”
“Visit some local temples. Lounge by the pool. Take some yoga. Get a massage or three.” She leaned back, running her hand through her hair. “I suppose I can still do that, at least.”
“Is that a typical vacation for you?” I asked, trying to push aside visions of her lying naked on a massage table.
Harper grinned. “I’m not sure I have a typical vacation. I’m often on the go for work, and I like to see as much of a place as I can while I’m there.”
I understood that, which was why taking time off was even more important. These past few weeks had shown me that. I wasn’t sure the last time I’d let myself stop. Be.
“Downtime is important, as is rest.”
“Is that what you’re doing here?” she asked.
I rolled my lower lip between my teeth. “For the most part.”
Did she not know who I was? Could I really be that lucky?
Harper arched an inquisitive eyebrow, biting her lip as she seemed to assess me, then the house. Before she could press further, Koming appeared with the doctor at her side. She introduced him, translating for us. While he examined Harper’s ankle, I studied her. The curve of her lips, the delicateness of her features.
Eventually, he announced that her ankle was sprained, as she’d predicted. He advised her to rest, ice, and elevate it. It was a relatively low-grade sprain, and with luck, it would be mostly healed before she returned home in a week.
Unfortunately, he hadn’t brought any crutches with him. He recommended picking them up at the pharmacy in town tomorrow since it was already closed for the night. We thanked the doctor, and then he and Koming left.
Harper crossed her arms over her chest, drawing my attention there despite her smug expression. “I told you it was a sprain.”
“And I told you that you needed to stay off it.”
She glared at me. I glared back. The air crackled with electricity.
“Now that you’re satisfied,” she said, interrupting our silent stare-off. “I’d like to return to my hotel.”
“Oh, I am far from satisfied,” I rasped, feeling off-kilter. What was it about this woman that made me act so recklessly?
And I was being reckless. If this got out… If she discovered who I really was…
“You’re right. It’s getting late, and I’m sure you’re tired.” I called for Koming and asked her to have the car brought out front.
We talked on the way back to town—of Harper’s friends, her vacation, Italy. I didn’t offer any specific details about myself, and she didn’t ask. I still couldn’t believe I’d told her my name was Enzo. I’d never gone by that name, and I would’ve hated being called it by anyone but her. But hearing the name Enzo from her lips was like a drug…like freedom.
When Kadek pulled up to the hotel’s front entrance, I hesitated. Was I going to do this? Risk exposure?
Did any of that matter, considering the position I’d put Harper in? There was no way Harper could get inside on her own. And while I could’ve asked Kadek to take her, it seemed wrong somehow. I rubbed my chest, knowing my tattoo was just beneath my hand. A reminder. And I knew what needed to be done.
With a heavy sigh, I pulled on a baseball cap, careful to keep it low on my face. I helped Harper out of the car and wrapped my arm around her waist to steady her. My body hummed pleasantly from the contact, distracting me from the reality of what I was doing.