At first glance, Seth noticed how tiny the woman looked as she moved past the huge jock. When she turned around and headed their way, his second, better look caused his chest to constrict tightly on an indrawn breath.
She was fucking gorgeous. Short, maybe five foot four with a mass of brown hair that fell past her shoulders and over a pair of breasts that would fit in his hands perfectly. She had on some kind of wraparound dress in a deep shade of blue-green, which showed off her curves to perfection.
But it was her smile—full, open and self-effacing in the light of her own clumsiness—and the way it lit up her face that held his gaze hostage. This was a woman who enjoyed life and embraced it fully.
“Dillon, what a cool surprise.” The woman Dillon had called Harper, walked toward his brother. She’d taken two steps when the heel of her strappy shoe caught on the edge of a stone paver.
As she fell forward, Seth shoved his beer at Dillon, vaguely aware of liquid sloshing over his hand, and rushed toward her, arms outstretched. She crashed into him, propelling him backward as he put his arms around her seconds before his foot slipped on something, and he hit the hard ground.
“Ooof.” His body jarred from the impact as he shielded Harper from the fall. He tightened his embrace automatically and held her closer to his body to keep her from falling onto the rough surface. A sweet armful of soft woman lay heavily on top of him, but he didn’t care. He could stay this way all day.
Harper pressed her hands against his chest. He tightened his hold, reluctant to let her go. Staring into wide brown eyes framed with long black lashes, he smiled.
“Hello there.” Seth couldn’t hold back his chuckle at her startled breath. He itched to stroke his fingers over the blush on her cheeks. “You normally fall for the first guy you meet?” he joked, wanting to put her at ease.
Her eyes narrowed a fraction. Was that a spark of challenge he saw flare in their caramel depths?
“I usually get a name first.” Her husky voice conjured images of a dark nightclub with mellow lighting, jazz playing in the background, and a glass of top-shelf, aged bourbon at his fingertips. “But for you, I broke the rules.” She winked, and her lips curved into a grin.
A sense of humor and grace under pressure. A woman after his own heart. Whoever Harper was, he planned on getting to know her a hell of a lot better.
* * *
Harper blinked at her own audacity. What the hell had gotten into her? She was lying on top of a big, muscled stranger and giving sass in front of a huge audience. Far from a wallflower, even that amount of boldness was new for her. Not the sass part, but the lying on top of a guy in public? For sure.
But it was the rock-hard strength of his arms wrapped around her that tempted Harper to settle in and enjoy the moment.
And that gorgeous accent? Holy down-under sexy, Batman!
“For God’s sake, Harper, get up,” her father hissed from above.
She sighed at the unhappy reminder she and Seth weren’t alone and closed her eyes, wishing she could start the day over.
The man under her moved one arm. He tilted her face to his concerned blue gaze then, with a gentle finger, traced the downturned corner of her mouth. He murmured, “What’s wrong, sweetness? You hurt?”
Harper shook her head and pasted on a smile. She moved one leg off him, ignoring the way the action lowered her body much, much closer to the man below her. She put her weight on her knee, braced her hands on either side of his chest, and struggled to rise with as much dignity as possible.
“Here, let me.”
She glanced up. Dillon Justice, a longtime customer, stood next to her. He clasped her arm and helped her get to her feet, despite her lurching sideways.
She had the coordination skills of a drunken moose. The two-inch heels she wore made for a dangerous combination.
“Thanks, Dillon.” She risked a glance at her unintended victim, who rose from the ground with an easy athletic grace. Blue eyes, filled with interest, studied her. She was a willing prisoner of that gaze.
A ray of late afternoon summer sun highlighted a streak of blond mixed in with the brown in his short, wavy hair. Walnut brown. It looked so thick, she almost reached to touch it, but a discreet cough reminded her others were looking on.
Say something, ninny. “I’m so sorry for running into you.”
Her father’s grunt of annoyance had the man in front of her casting her dad a sharp look. Bringing his attention back to herself and away from her disapproving father, she asked, “I didn’t hurt you, did I?”
“No worries.” His cheeks, darkened by a five o-clock shadow, creased with his smile. “Seth Justice.” He offered his hand.
“Harper Fox.” She tried to hide her shiver as his hand wrapped around hers. Strong. Firm. Seconds ticked by before she remembered to pull her hand free. She immediately regretted the loss of contact.
Then his name clicked.
“Justice? You’re related to Dillon?” Glancing to her right, she smiled at the attractive blond Dillon. “He’s a regular every morning at my café. Has to get his espresso fix. “