Page 9 of A Taste of Trouble

“Brian heard correctly.” She stood there, lips parted, her eyes scanning his body in appreciation. She was a test to his willpower. A test to his strength, because he wanted nothing more than to rip open her coat and give his hands free rein to search out every soft curve of her body.

But he didn't intend to take this further than a meet and greet. He had that brilliant idea to put in motion.

He rubbed his thumb across her cheek. “So, you like romance books?”

Liv's eyes narrowed. “How did you know that?”

Jake just pointed at her nearly overflowing bag.

“Oh. Well, I guess I like the idea of impossible love, a couple who can never be together, but by some extreme twist of circumstance, they live happily ever after.” She lowered her head. Was she embarrassed? He hooked his finger under her chin and lifted her head.

“Impossible love. I can relate to that.” Slipping his finger from under her chin, he backed away a couple of feet, giving her some more room. Despite his overwhelming urge to strip her down and take her up against her car, he didn't want to scare her away before his mission was complete.

She gave a little sigh. “Books are always better than real life. In real life, there is no such thing as happily ever after.”

He processed that statement. “Happily ever after is an interesting concept. People spend all this time searching and ruining perfectly good relationships trying to find ‘the one.'” He curled his fingers into air quotes. “Maybe it does exist.”

Someone once told him that there was a girl out there who was supposed to be his destiny. After all these years of dating and the different women that walked through his life, he didn't know what to believe anymore.

“Well, who needs romance novels when I can just be friends with you and listen to all your happily-ever-after talk?” She let out a nervous giggle.

“Speaking of which, I have this party I need to go to,” he said.

She looked up at him with wide, seductive eyes. Her teeth clenched the side of her lip. He stifled a groan.

“One of my clients is a writer and we're launching her new book. You might have heard of her? Leslie James?”

“Leslie James?” Her body tensed and she grabbed the front of his jacket. “I love Leslie James.”

Jake laughed. So far the plan seemed to be working. “Good to know, because I'm in charge of the event and I need a date.”

“Are you kidding me?” Liv squealed. “And you wan—” She lifted her hand and pointed to her chest. “You're asking me?”

“It's just a party. It's not that big of a deal.”

“Not a big deal? This is huge. What do I wear? Who else is going to be there? What—”

Jake's strong hand clamped onto her waist, pulling her into his body. “I'm more excited about showing up with a beautiful woman on my arm.”

“All those big-wigs and you're excited about showing up with me?”

“I'll be even more excited to leave with you on my arm.”

Heat flushed across her cheeks. Even in the darkness, he saw the blush glowing in the soft light.

“So, what do you say?”

She hesitated. If the traffic on the streets that surrounded them wasn't so loud, he knew he'd be able to hear the gears turning in her head.

“I'll think about it.”

He stepped closer and brushed his thumb along her jaw. Her body tensed under his touch. Heat ignited between them, and with each swipe of his thumb across her skin, he fanned the flames higher and higher until they rose up her neck, flushing her cheeks.

“Okay. I should be getting home,” he said, but his brain was unable to tell his feet to follow the instruction. He closed in the space between them, pinning her against the car. The warmth of her breath tickled his jaw line.

“Jake?” He could barely hear her words over the thunderous beat of his heart and the blood rushing through his ears.

“Yes, Liv.” His voice was low, thick with need. Even he didn't recognize it.

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