Page 17 of Never and Always
“You’ve clearly lost your mind.”
He was standing too close to me. I felt the heat of him, and that scent of his wrapped around me. It was fogging my brain.
And my brainneverfogged over a man. Ever.
He grabbed my coffee mug and sipped. Then he grimaced. “What the hell is this?”
“It’s an oat milk latte.”
“Ugh.”
Now I smiled. “Let me guess. You’re all about the mountain-man black coffee?”
“Yes. And milk that comes from a cow.”
I laughed.
His gaze dropped to my mouth.
Suddenly, the heat in the room went up a notch. My chest hitched, and warmth bloomed in places I’d been too busy to think about for a long time.
What in the living hell was this?
“You should do that more, big city.”
“What?”
“Smile like that.”
I froze. We were staring at each other, standing barely an inch apart. He reached out and touched a strand of my hair that had come loose from my chignon.
A knock at the door made me jump.
Kate was standing there, her gaze pinging between me and Murray. I hastily stepped back and bumped the conference table.
“Piper, you have a visitor asking for you at the front desk,” my assistant said.
Straightening, I frowned. I wasn’t expecting anyone.
“It must be one of the contractors.” I smoothed my hands over my skirt and headed out of the conference room.
Annoyingly, Murray came with me.
“Don’t you have some electrical wires to inspect, or something?”
“Nope.”
We entered the lobby together. I saw that things were heating up for morning checkout. I scanned the large space.
“There she is!”
The familiar male voice made me stiffen.
“Hey, Pipe.” My brother appeared in front of me and engulfed me in a bear hug. He lifted me off my feet. “Gorgeous as always.”
When he set me down, I studied his face. Chance was handsome in a boyish way, with shaggy blond hair that needed a cut.
“Chance,” I said woodenly. “You’re here.”
