Page 26 of From This Moment

“Hello.” Mandy spoke softly. Unlike her aunts, she was gentle and usually didn’t offer up conversation unless she was ready. The sisters were incredibly protective of their niece; Piper had never gotten to the bottom of why.

“We still on for the movies, Mandy?” Pip, Bailey, and Maggs often included the woman in their outings. Usually she didn’t come, but they kept trying.

“Sure, thanks, Piper.”

“Here’s your tea now. Careful, it’s hot.”

She took the cup between her hands and inhaled the scent wafting up into her nostrils.

“Is she any good?” Dylan asked.

“No, but her big cousin is the best in town.”

“Really... we’ll just have to see if he still has the crown after I’m done.”

Piper tried to shut out the deep voice and concentrate. Surely it couldn’t be that hard if Joe could do it. She took a small sip.

“I taste lemon and berry, and maybe ginger?”

“Not bad, dear.”

“You’re being nice, which means I got it wrong. Plus I can hear the crowing in your voice, Miss Marla,” Piper said, handing her the cup.

“Lime blossom, cinnamon, and verbena.”

“What is verbena?” she said, taking off her blindfold.

“A plant. It’s good for sore throats and respiratory disorders.”

As he’d supplied the information, she had to look at him.

“Not sure how you know that, but thanks.”

He sat at one of the tables. The morning sun was streaming in the window surrounding him, but somehow he still managed to look large and dangerous. He was dressed in jeans, and on his feet were lace-up tan boots. His navy long sleeved T-shirt had FBI across the front. He was giving her a look out of those ice-blue eyes that made her toes curl inside her boots.

“So you’re not good at this tea tasting is my guess?”

“Nope,” she said around the dryness in her throat. This man was a lethal combination, of hot, smart, and downright dangerous. Plus, he had the smoldering “I don’t give a shit what you think of me,” hotness that had always appealed to Piper.

“I didn’t get a chance to ask earlier, how’s your dad today?” Friendly, she reminded herself.Play nice, Piper, it’s not his fault he ticks all the boxes. Piper had run as soon as the class was done this morning, claiming another appointment. Okay, so it had been a lie, but the less time she spent in this man’s company the better it would be for both of them.

“Healing, thank you for asking. Before you tried to emasculate me I spent some time with him, and he’s in pain, but nothing that won’t heal.”

Piper could see he was worried but trying to hide it. She knew men. Joe, Jack, and Luke were good at trying to hide their emotions too.

“It’s hard to see a parent laid low when we always expect them to be the strong ones, and FYI I did not try and emasculate you, your lack of coordination did that all by yourself.”

His smile was small. “I like my exercise hot and sweaty and involving physical contact.”

And just like that her body started to simmer.

“Basketball, marital arts, that kind of thing,” he said, giving her a slow smile that told Piper he knew where her mind had gone.

“How’s Charlie?” Piper was determined not to show him how his words had affected her. “We were friends before she left for Dallas.”

“She’s good, thank you.”

His face was now expressionless. He didn’t want to talk about his family, and Piper guessed that was because he didn’t know them. Joe had told her last night he’d been gone for sixteen years and never returned until now.

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