Invisible to My First Love (Harper and Maddox) novel Chapter 126

**Chapter 126**

**Harper**

“Really?” I leaned forward, my heart racing as if I could physically bridge the distance between us. “Tell me.”

“Before I even mention it, the painting needs to be brought out here and—”

He abruptly halted mid-sentence, his eyes widening as I pushed back my chair, the legs screeching against the floor in protest. I wasn’t about to let this opportunity slip through my fingers, so I darted inside to retrieve the painting with urgency.

When I returned, I found him cleverly positioning his phone against a vase, clearly preparing to capture whatever was about to unfold.

“Good, you’re back,” he said, rubbing his hands together with an eagerness that made my pulse quicken. “Now…” His voice trailed off as he took the painting from my hands, holding it just out of my reach. “How badly do you want this?”

“I can’t even begin to describe it,” I replied, my eyes widening with longing as I clasped my hands together, trying to project the desperation I felt.

“There’s only one way this is going to be yours,” he said, his smirk growing mischievous. “You have to take it from me.”

I chuckled, disbelief bubbling up inside me. “That’s easy.”

Just as I was about to reach out for it, he raised his arm high above his head, a teasing glint in his eyes. “You have to take it from me, from up there. Now is the time to use those feet of yours to reach it.”

My mouth fell open in protest. How could I possibly reach him? He towered over me, his long limbs making the painting seem like a distant dream.

“What’s wrong? Don’t think you can do it because you’re too short?” he teased, a playful smirk dancing on his lips.

I huffed, determination igniting within me. I needed that painting, no matter what it took.

I began to jump, stretching my arm upward, but even my best efforts proved futile. The painting remained tantalizingly out of reach, and his laughter echoed in my ears, teasing me mercilessly.

“Aww, look at that. It’s cute,” he said, his voice dripping with amusement.

I shot him a glare, grunting with effort as I continued my futile attempts.

Despite my determination, I eventually found myself out of breath, panting as I paused to catch my breath.

“Hmm, I guess you don’t want it that much,” he said, waving the painting around as he shook his head, a smug smile plastered on his face.

“No! You have no idea how much I still want it,” I protested, my voice rising in frustration.

He leaned forward, his gaze piercing as he challenged me. “Then show me, babygirl.”

At the sound of that deep, sultry voice, a rush of ideas flooded my mind. I could simply run my hands over his chest to distract him, steal a kiss, and then snatch the painting while he was off guard. But what if he was already one step ahead, anticipating my every move? I needed a different strategy.

“Still stuck?” he snickered, clearly enjoying my struggle. “Fine, I’ll make it easier for you. You just have to touch it with your fingertip.”

Frustration bubbled within me as I looked around, his teasing words only fueling my determination.

Then, a lightbulb went off in my mind, and a smile crept across my lips.

“Uh oh, looks like there’s another idea,” he teased again, his tone playful.

Without wasting a moment, I rushed to the table, lifted a chair, and placed it right in front of him before climbing atop it.

He took a step back, amusement dancing in his eyes. “Hey! That’s not fair,” I protested, feeling a mix of excitement and defiance.

“Scared you’ll miss and fall?” he asked, a teasing lilt in his voice.

“Nope,” I replied, my voice firm and unwavering.

“Then I’d like to see you try.”

I smirked back at him, resolute. There was no way I was going to make a fool of myself.

As he spread his arms a little wider, giving me a sliver of hope, I seized the moment.

I leaped off the chair, my hands landing firmly on his shoulders, and instinctively, I wrapped my legs around his waist for a fleeting second. With a burst of determination, I pressed down on his shoulders, pushing myself up just a little more, exhilaration coursing through me. He looked so entertained that he didn’t even try to play another trick.

I didn’t care if my dress might tear; all I wanted was that painting to be mine.

When my fingertips finally brushed against the edge of the canvas, a squeal of delight escaped my lips, and I instinctively wrapped my arms around his neck, celebrating my triumph.

“I guess you did it,” he admitted, laughter bubbling up as he pulled me closer with his arm around me.

“Yup!” I exclaimed, my heart soaring.

He had poured so much effort into that painting of me, and I longed to hang it up and admire it every single day.

After a long flight back to San Francisco, Maddox and I found ourselves in a luxurious limousine, making our way to my place.

As I gazed at the bouquet and painting across from me, I couldn’t shake the thoughts of how much he had done for me.

He seemed oblivious to my beaming smile, his attention glued to his phone. Oddly enough, he wasn’t sitting as close to me as he usually did. Was that intentional?

Just as I resolved to inch closer and express my gratitude, I noticed him smirking down at his phone, a look I had seen before right before we left Paris.

At first, I brushed it off, but the lingering thought began to gnaw at me. Was he flirting with someone? The mere idea unsettled me. If only I could stretch my neck and sneak a glance at his screen, I might find some peace of mind. But how could I possibly do that without being obvious?

Crossing my arms and tilting my head, I remarked, “Someone’s keeping you quite busy. I’m certain it’s the same person. You’ve been acting this way for a while.”

“It’s just business,” he replied dismissively, his tone growing curt as his smirk faded, his gaze still glued to the screen.

“Yeah?” I pressed my lips together, skepticism creeping in. “You’ve handled business matters on the phone before while I’m around, and I’ve never seen you like this.”

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