Red Lily (In the Garden 3)

s what you want, Master Harper?” With a sly smile, she cupped her breasts, caressed them. “And this?” She slid a hand between her legs. “What will you pay?”

He took her shoulders, gave her a quick shake. “Hayley. Stop it.”

“Do you want me to play the lady? I’m so good at it. Good enough to be used to breed.”

“No.” He needed to stay calm, though he could feel his own fingers tremble. “I want you exactly the way you are. Hayley.” He gripped her chin, kept his eyes focused on hers. “I’m talking to you. We’ve got things to do around here, then you’ve got to go get Lily. You don’t want to be late picking up Lily.”

“What? Hey.” Frowning, she pushed at his hand. “I said I didn’t . . .”

“What did you say?” He moved his hands back to her shoulders, rubbed them gently up and down. “Tell me what you just said to me.”

“I said . . . I said I did something on impulse. I said—Oh God.” The color drained out of her face. “I didn’t. I didn’t mean—”

“Do you remember?”

“I don’t know. I don’t feel right.” She pressed a clammy hand to her belly as nausea rolled. “I feel a little sick.”

“Okay. I’m going to get you home.”

“I didn’t mean those things, Harper. I was upset.” Her knees wobbled when he helped her to her feet. “I say stupid things when I’m upset, but I didn’t mean them. I don’t know where that came from.”

“That’s all right.” His tone was grim as he took her weight to walk her around the front. “I do.”

“I don’t understand.” She wanted to lie on the grass again, lie in the shade until her head stopped spinning.

“We’ll get you home first, then we’ll talk about it.”

“I have to tell Stella—”

“I’ll tell her. I didn’t bring my car. Where are your keys?”

“Um. In my purse, behind the counter. Harper, I really feel . . . off.”

“In the car.” He opened the door, nudged her in. “I’ll get your purse.”

Stella was behind the counter when he hurried in. “Hayley’s purse. I’m taking her home.”

“Oh, Harper, is she sick? I’m so sorry. I—”

“It’s not that. I’ll explain later.” He snatched the purse out of Stella’s hand. “Tell Mama, tell her to come. Tell her I need her home.”

Though she protested she was feeling better, he all but carried her in the house, then jerked his chin at David. “Get her something. Tea.”

“What’s the matter with our girl?”

“Just get the tea, David. And Mitch. Get Mitch. Come on, lie down in here.”

“Harper, I’m not sick. Exactly. I just got overheated or something.” But it was hard to argue with a man who plopped you down on a sofa.

“It’s the ‘or something’ part that worries me. You’re still pale.” He ran his knuckles down her cheek.

“It could be because I’m completely embarrassed by what came out of my mouth. I shouldn’t have said those things, Harper, even if I was mad.”

“You weren’t that mad.” He looked around as Mitch came into the room.

“What’s going on?”

“We had . . . a thing.”