“You’re related to Dr. Craige?” Disbelief and something close to awe covered her features.
“He was my father.”
Her mouth gaped for a moment before her face fell and sadness filled her eyes. “I’m sorry, Dan. You must miss him so much.”
Dan stepped back, the cold replacing Harper’s warmth. He didn’t want her apologies, and his father’s memory didn’t deserve her sincerity.
“Why didn’t you tell me?” she murmured, searching his face.
“I was going to tell you—I really was—but then you started talking about all of the assholes riding on their parent’s coattails, and I didn’t want to be placed in that category, even though it’s true, his reputation is the only reason I’m here.”
Harper opened her mouth to speak, but Dan couldn’t stop the words pouring out. “And how do I tell someone like you that he’s not someone I’m proud to know? One of the most famous practitioners in modern dentistry, and I hated his guts—I didn’t know what you would think of me. And then if you equated me to someone like Travis or Jeffery because of my dad, it would drive me out of my mind, and I didn’t want you to think that my last name is all that I am because I don’t think that’s true and—”
Harper stepped forward and pressed her soft lips against his, cutting through his words and stealing the air from his lungs. Time started and stopped where their lips met.
The taste of her. The feel. All he could do was wrap his hands around her waist and bring her closer against him, returning the kiss in all its gentle chaos.
In every imagining, Dan had pictured their first kiss to be wild, frenzied. He’d assumed that when he finally pressed his lips to hers, it would be nothing but uncontrolled hunger and passion. A clashing of teeth and bruising of lips as they finally came together in the moment they’d been circling endlessly.
But it wasn’t.
It was soft.
And tender.
And raw with vulnerability.
It was the air he didn’t know he needed.
Harper sighed and melted further into him. Dan lost himself in the sensation of his hands splaying across her body, his legs tangling between hers. Her tongue slid over his and the feeling hummed into his bones. She was the most delicious thing he’d ever tasted, and he knew he’d never get enough.
Dan pulled her closer still, his whole body straining to touch hers. Their lips molded together in a conversation that words had failed. In that kiss, their weary souls reached out for tentative touches, soft strokes, offering nothing more than recognition and acceptance.
Their kisses slowed to languid brushes, desire building in their chests. She pressed one final touch to the corner of his mouth and pulled away, meeting his eyes.
“I don’t have this innate hate for people born into a family name and class that affords them certain privileges—that’s life,” she whispered against his skin. Dan nodded and moved to kiss her again, their lips pressing against each other in small smiles.
“What I do hate,” she continued, looking up at him, “are the people who act like they’re entitled to those privileges because of their name.” She moved her hand to the nape of his neck, running her fingers through his hair. “That isn’t you. That could never be you.”
Dan pressed his forehead to hers and closed his eyes, enjoying the gentle stroke of her hands. She didn’t judge him. She didn’t press him for more. With Harper, he wasn’t a student, he wasn’t a letdown, he wasn’t someone’s son. He wasn’t anything more than himself.
She was Harper and he was Dan. And that was enough.
“Do you want to start tonight over?” Harper asked. “We can order a pizza and sit on my couch and drink and talk and pretend none of this happened?”
Dan’s eyes shot open, locking on her. “I’m not going to pretend that kiss didn’t happen … I’m not going to let you pretend that didn’t happen.”
She huffed out a laugh and rubbed the tip of her nose against his. “We can remember that happened, but everything else was just a really bad dream.” She stepped back from him, a mischievous smile tugging at her lips. “Regardless, you look like you could use a friend tonight.”
Dan grimaced and Harper burst into laughter. A growl bubbled from his throat and he pulled her in for another tight hug. She wrapped her arms around his waist and sighed.
“You really are my best friend,” she whispered against his chest.
He smiled as his heart beat into his throat. “All part of the plan, Horowitz. Now let’s get that pizza.”