Page 78 of Fallen Hearts

“So what did you do to the principal guy to get back at him?”

Pia had told me about a guy she particularly liked, and said getting back at him after he cheated was one of her favorite guilty-pleasure memories.

“I was lucky enough to be invited to a fourth of July party I knew he’d be at. Wore my white bikini, which I knew he adored. I happened to be in really good shape at the time, and was totally over him by then, so it was easy to say ‘thanks but no thanks’ when he tried to rekindle.”

“Okay,” I said, taking a sip of wine. “Lots to unpack. First of all, you’re in really good shape now. Second, I didn’t know my sweet Pia had a little vengeful streak. And third of all, please tell me you still have this white bikini.”

“Unfortunately, I don’t. That was a few years ago. And I don’t consider myself vengeful usually but…” She smirked. “I guess, guilty as charged in this case.”

As we finished eating, I’d planned to just grab Pia’s plate, but when I stood close enough to her that I could smell her perfume, I leaned down to kiss her instead. She tasted like garlic, wine and promise. When she kissed me back as if she’d been waiting for that, I reached around the back of her neck and pulled her closer. We’d nearly polished off the bottle of wine she brought, but that didn’t affect me nearly as much as this kiss.

“Mmm,” I murmured, standing up and taking my stool again. “Any more of that and we’ll never get to our talk.”

“Ahh, the big talk.”

“The big talk,” I repeated. “I’m more concerned with you than me, Pia. I don’t want this to ever be awkward for you.”

“Dating the boss man and all,” she teased.

“Exactly.”

Pia picked up her wine glass. “I know you’re my boss, but in a lot of ways we feel more like partners. I honestly don’t think it’ll be awkward. But lots of things can happen.”

“Which is my concern. So let’s talk about them.”

“You make this sound very methodical, like a mission or something.”

“Occupational hazard,” I admitted.

“It’s fine. Let’s do it. Then I would like you to make good on your promise about christening the inn, please.”

She said it so sweetly and understatedly that it took a second for Pia’s words to sink in. As they did, thoughts of our talk went right out the door. But when I tried to stand back up, Pia held up her hand.

“My bad. Shouldn’t have said that. Business first.”

Imagining ripping Pia’s clothes off and finding one of many, many rooms to christen wasn’t going a long way to a business-first discussion.

“Seriously.” Pia’s smile reached all the way up to her eyes. “I shouldn’t have said that.”

“You really should have, though.”

“Lots of things can happen. We’re talking about them. Go.”

My dick was not going to survive this woman. Growing hard for the third time since she walked into the kitchen, I looked away and thought of puppies until Pia became concerned.

“You okay, Mason?”

“Not really, but let’s do it. First of all,” I said, “I could be heading back to the city in a couple of weeks.”

“Which is something I wanted to talk to you about, actually. If you decide to do that, would you ever consider not selling and letting me manage Heritage Hill on my own?”

“I’ve already considered it. But that’s a much bigger job than you signed on for.”

“True,” she said. “But I really do like it here and I know we could do amazing things. I’m ready for the challenge.”

Pia had managed to surprise me, something very few people did. “Until we’re back in the black, your compensation?—”

“Could be built into future profits. I’m not looking to take more until that happens.”

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