I stepped out of Harper's shower and grabbed a towel. After waking up to an empty bed, I figured she needed to run some errands or just needed space.

I could tell she was upset last night about everything and I didn't blame her. The things that were required of her in the contract were fucking ridiculous.

I knew the man my father was, and it didn't surprise me that he would require certain things in the contract. But this-- This was fucking absurd. I haven't spoken to Ryan yet, but I knew that he had no idea about this. He would have said something.

Even though he was under the impression that I didn't know about the arranged marriage, he knows now. He would have told me when we talked yesterday.

I threw my towel in the dirty clothes as I quickly got dressed. I needed to find a hotel room tonight. As much as I tried not to admit it, I liked falling asleep and waking up next to Harper. I liked having her around. Unfortunately, it was too much of a risk.

If I kept sleeping here, soon her mother or Ryan was going to show up at the door and wonder what I was doing here naked in her bed. I had to admit, after I found out about Danielle, I felt a little guilty that Harper and I were keeping this secret from Ryan.

Not to mention, the fact that I was getting so comfortable here made me uncomfortable. Last night was different though. I knew she didn't want to be alone and I didn't want to leave her by herself while she was upset.

I honestly wasn't expecting sex last night when I suggested we shower together. I was hoping it would simply help relieve some of her tension. When she put her hand against me and told me she wanted it, that she needed the distraction, I didn't hesitate. I don't think I could ever deny her that. Hell, I don't think I could deny her anything. That's one of the things that scared me.

I gave up with trying to figure out what is was about her that kept drawing me in. I gave up trying to understand why I couldn't stop thinking about her. Mainly because I knew I wouldn't like the answer.

No. Tonight I was going to get a hotel room and we can continue as we had. Just sex. Fucking amazing sex, but still just sex. Hopefully, we could keep the sleepovers to a minimum and definitely not have a night like last night.

I had surprised myself in the shower. I was usually all about the quickies when it came to sex. I liked it fast and hard. I felt an overwhelming need to be with her last night and when I first slid inside her, I couldn't take her like I usually did. Something inside me had me going slow; which was something I have never really done before. And I liked it.

Then after that, I surprised myself even more. I'm a huge fan of stand up comedy. When she told me she hadn't seen it before, I put on a marathon. We spent the remainder of the night laughing. I had been laying down with my head on her lap as she stroked my hair. Before we knew it, we had fallen asleep together.

Wanting to think of something else, I went into the kitchen to make some food. It was nearly lunch time and I was starving. I went to open the fridge and I saw a note she left for me:

Good morning Jackson,

I didn't want to wake you. Ryan reached out to me and wants to talk. Im meeting him for breakfast then will be back. See you soon.
-Princess

I reread her note three or four times and it felt like my heart dropped in my stomach. If Ryan had reached out to her and wanted to talk, that means he's probably going to tell her about Danielle. If that's the case, then what's to stop him from telling her that he confided in me. Then she's going to know that I lied to her about seeing him.

It wasn't my intention to keep it from her. Quite the opposite, I was going to tell her today about what happened. I didn't tell her last night because she was so upset about everything else I didn't want to stress her out even more.

I didn't want her to find out that way and I pulled my phone out of my pocket. I was hoping desperately that I could call her before she met up with him. I had no idea how long she had been gone and I could be too late.

I pressed send on my phone and my bad feeling got worse. Once the line started ringing, I heard her ringtone behind me. Loud and clear. I spun around in the kitchen and there she was. She must have walked in when I was reading the note.

When my eyes met her, I knew that she knew the truth.

"I think you have some explaining to do, Jackson."

Fuck...

"Well?" She prodded when I didn't answer.

"Princess, I can explain." I think. How the hell was I going to explain this and have her not be mad at me?

"Great," she said with an angry smile, "because that's why I'm here."

By the way she was scowling at me and tapping her foot and impatiently, I could tell she was pissed off at me. I tried to think of what to say and the right way to say it. I was so put off by everything and surprised by her quick return, that I came up blank.

"Maybe I can help you out here," she said as she sat her bag down. "Yesterday you were supposed to go to Ryan's to see if he was home and to check on him. You were also supposed to see if he knew anything about this contract."

She started pacing as she continued, "I called you when I left my parents' house and, if I remember correctly, you said he wasn't home. Which implied that you did not speak to him." She turned towards me when she added, "But you did. So you lied to me."

"Harper, I wasn't trying to lie to you. I didn't know how to tell you and I wanted a little time to think about it." I took a few steps towards her and she stepped back. I stopped and let out a long breath. "I was going to tell you last night."

"But you didn't," she snapped.

"You were so upset and I didn't want to add to it."

She crossed her arms over her chest. "Everyone has been keeping secrets from me from the beginning. People have been lying to me and making choices about my life that I had no idea about. You are one of the very few people I can even talk to you about this stuff, Jackson."

She held my stare as she continued, "You were the only one that I felt like I could be honest with about everything. I thought we were two people in this whole crazy mess who didn't lie to each other."

Her words caused an ache in my chest I tried to ignore. She was right. Since the night I met her we have both confided in each other and have always told each other the truth. I regretted my mistake of not telling her about Danielle and I wish I could change it. But I couldn't.

"I'm so sorry. I don't know how to fix this." My own words surprised me. I've never been in this situation with a woman and the fact that I wanted to try to fix it only made me more nervous about everything.

She looked away from me when she spoke again. "Look I need some space tonight. I need to think about some stuff and try to clear my head."

I knew what she was hinting at and I didn't like it. Even though I was planning on staying at a hotel tonight, it was different when I knew that she didn't want me here. "Harper, I--"

Her cell phone rang, cutting me off. She frowned at the screen before answering, "Hello? Yes, one second." She looked at me as she put her hand over the receiver. "This is important, Jackson. Its the school where I teach."

She didn't wait for me to respond. She stepped outside of the apartment to take the call and I knew she wanted me to leave. I quickly gathered my things and made my way to my truck. I didn't see her when I was outside and I wish there was something I could do to make her feel better.

I left her complex and made my way toward Ryan's apartment. I don't know why I was headed that way, but I didn't feel like trying to find a hotel right now.

Right now, I wanted to talk to my brother. Not necessarily about Harper, since I couldn't, but I guess I wanted the company. Ever since I first came to the States from London, I haven't actually spent that much time with Ryan. I think it'll be good for us.

It didn't take me long to get to his apartment and I was glad that I saw his truck parked outside. I just hoped I didn't find a half dressed to Danielle when I walked in. Now that I thought about it, picturing Danielle with Ryan actually made sense. A lot more sense than it may trying to imagine him and Harper together as a couple. Well, a real couple.

I knocked on his door and luckily he answered right away. There was a brief look of surprise on his face before he opened it wide and invited me in with a smile.

"Jackson, it's good to see you. Is everything okay?"

I walk straight to his wet bar and poured a drink as he shut the door and came to where I was standing.

I took a drink before I answered, "Yeah, just a weird couple days. I mean-"

His cell phone went off and I cursed under my breath. How many times was I going to be interrupted by a cell phone today?

"It's Anne," Ryan said as he answered it.
"Hello? Wait, what? Slow down. When did this happen? Are you okay?"

I remember her getting a phone call from her school before I left and my worry for her only rose at what I was hearing.

"Yeah, sure. I'll help any way I can," Ryan said before adding, "Anne, take a deep breath. You aren't in this alone. Okay. Good. I'll talk to you soon."

"What the bloody hell happened?" I asked as he hung up the phone.

"Anne said she got a call from the school where she works. Apparently they had received a letter of resignation from her."

"What the fuck! Harper wouldn't quit that job." I may have only known her for a few weeks, but I knew for a fact she would never willingly leave her job as a teacher.

"I know," Ryan said as an angry expression formed on his face. "Her mother sent it in."