Page 19 of Easton’s Claim

“Eight, but it’s not far from downtown. We could stop at theGarden of Eatin’on our way there, grab a bite first.”

“Sounds good. We’ll leave at seven?”

“Sure.” She covered a yawn, giving her the perfect excuse to leave. “Well. Guess I’ll turn in.”

He stood and offered a hand. She took it and he pulled her to her feet, the feel of his strong hand around hers making something low in her belly flutter.

But he didn’t let go. Instead he wrapped his arms around her back and pulled her into a hug.

When the initial surprise passed she sighed and leaned into him, rested her forehead on his chest for a moment, her hands on his taut waist. Then he pressed a kiss to the top of her head, and her heart squeezed. He’d been so sweet to her the past couple of days, she didn’t know what she would have done without him. Being in his arms was killing her though.

Just as she began to pull away Easton splayed his hands across her back, keeping her close. Then he bent his head to nuzzle the sensitive spot at her temple, his beard a soft prickle against her skin.

Piper went rigid and her eyes flew open. Her heart lurched then shot into double time. That kiss felt…way too intimate. Way too far out of the friend zone for her comfort. His embrace was protective. Almost possessive.

Confused, sure she was reading this wrong, she tipped her head back to look up at him. In the warm glow of the overhead porch light, the expression on his face made her heart seize.

Intense. Hungry. The way a man looked at a woman just before he kissed her until her knees gave out.

Her pulse skipped as shock blasted through her. Before she could move, let alone process everything, he cupped the side of her face with one big hand.

She stopped breathing, stared up into his eyes for one heartbeat, two. Okay, admittedly it had been a while since she’d been with a man, but she wasnotmisinterpreting that look.

Easton wanted her. And not just as a friend.

Her eyes widened in the instant it took for him to lean down and gently press his lips to hers. She gasped, a dangerous tide of hunger and need eroding the shock.

She told herself to pull away but couldn’t move, and he shifted his grip to her jaw, kissing her more firmly. A slow, lingering kiss that set off a dangerous burst of heat deep inside her.

She jerked away and stared up at him, her heart hammering, emotions in total chaos.

Gazing down into her eyes, he swept a thumb over her chin in a gentle caress, the warmth of his breath ghosting across her damp lips. “You have no idea how damn long I’ve wanted to do that,” he murmured.

Piper could only stare.What. The. Hell.“Easton…” She trailed off at the shocking, molten hunger burning in his eyes, her mouth going dry.

Holy shit.

“What?” he whispered.

At first she didn’t know what to say, then everything came out at once. “But…what… I’m so much older than you.”

He laughed softly. “Of all the things you could have said, that’s the first one that came to mind?”

Her face heated, her brain struggling to catch up. “I’m six years older than you. And we’ve been friends forever.”

“Five and three-quarters. And yeah, we have.”

“I used tobabysityou,” she protested, aghast. This was wrong. So very wrong.

So why does it feel so damn good then?

He snorted, as if that didn’t matter to him in the slightest. “My dad asked you to hang around the house while he and the others were at work, just to make sure I didn’t burn the place down.”

“Yeah, and the first day you came back with a broken arm after riding your bike into a ditch.”

“Didn’t burn the place down though, did I?”

This was too crazy. She shook her head, blurted out more. “We’re too different. You date a lot of women and you’re gone all the time with your job. And I used to date yourbrother.” The last thought was so mortifying she stepped back and put her hands to her hot cheeks. Oh my God, what was wrong with her, lusting after Wyatt’s little brother?

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