Page 79 of He's The Reason Why

“You said she’s mobile?”

Piper tossed her notebook onto the table. “Very. She owns a food truck empire in Vegas, everything from tacos and barbecue to cookies and ice cream. If Carrie says they’re good, they’re ten times better than that.”

He jotted downfood truckson the note and crossed to the whiteboard to put it next to his other catering notes. “You’re amazing. Seriously, you are saving our asses on this.”

“Sometimes it pays to look outside California.” She had a hand on her hip, and her happy gaze locked on his.

He put a hand on her elbow and leaned in. He planned on kissing her cheek, just a Hollywood thank-you like he’d done a thousand times over the years with any number of people.

It should have been no big deal. It should have been a playful, innocent move that meant nothing.

But she turned her face toward him instead of away, and his lips grazed her lips instead of her cheek. They were warm and soft, and they captured him so thoroughly that he couldn’t have pulled away even if he wanted to.

It should have ended as soon as it started. It should have been an oops, I didn’t mean to do that, so sorry, won’t happen again, kind of moment.

But he didn’t want it to end.

He wanted more.

Did she?

He drifted his lips across hers in a gentle, teasing motion.

Her lips lifted like she was smiling against him.

Parts of his body tingled to life as a rush of awareness flooded through him. Was that a yes?

She closed her eyes and pressed into him.

He leaned into her. Their light touches became more solid, more serious. It was a question. If she pulled away, he’d know he crossed the line. He’d back off. Apologize. Never do it again. Take fifteen cold showers.

Her arms went around his neck, and her lips parted, and the tip of her tongue reached for him.

Something unlocked between them, and what had started as a mistake became an instant need that couldn’t be ignored.

How could a bad idea feel so very right?

Forget the deal.

Damn the consequences.

He pulled her close and put serious effort into exploring every inch of her mouth and the dimple that had tortured him for weeks.

Chapter Thirteen

Piper’s mind raced through all the reasons why she shouldnotbe doing this, while her body ignored logic and went ahead and did what it wanted. She encouraged Blake to deepen the kiss with her lips and her tongue and the rest of her body pressed against his until there was no room left to think.

He held her so tight her feet left the ground and it was hard to breathe, but she didn’t care. It was like getting that first drink of water on a hot August day in Tennessee.

“Are you sure…,” Blake muttered in between gasps of air.

“Shut up.”

If he kept talking, she’d have to think, and if she thought about this, she’d tell herself to stop, and she really, really didn’t want to stop.

“This is a bad idea.” Blake kissed her neck as his hands found the bottom of her shirt and pushed it up.

“Probably.” She tugged at his shirt, but his arms were in the way, and damn him for not having any buttons she could just rip open. “Can you get rid of this? You’re too tall.”