One Summer in Santa Fe - By Molly Evans Page 0,42

energy boiled within him to have downtime very often. But this was nice, this was comfortable, and something he could get used to in the right circumstances. He took one last bite of the pizza crust and tossed it into the nearly empty box. Piper sat cross-legged on a pillow beside Alex and watched as he showed her the ropes of his latest video game. He enjoyed watching the two of them and listening to their conversation.

“You killed me!” she cried, and gave Alex a playful shove with her elbow.

“You were just standing there, so I had to take advantage of the shot.”

“Oh, I give up. I’m no match for you. I’ll just watch, okay?”

“Okay. Is there any pizza left?”

“I’ll check.” She turned back to Taylor and her breath refused to go in or out of her lungs. He was simply the most devastating-looking man she’d ever known. Sitting with his legs extended and crossed at the ankles, leaning toward her on one elbow, it made her want to crawl up every inch of him and have her way with him. Then his eyes darkened and a seductive smile curved his lips up at one corner.

“Your mouth is hanging open, Piper.”

She clamped it shut and redirected her gaze to the pizza box. “Alex wants something.”

“What?”

“What do you mean, what?” She blinked, trying to bring her brain into focus. She was supposed to do something, wasn’t she? Think, woman, think.

“You said Alex wanted something. What was it?”

Dammit, did she have to lose her mind right then? “Another slice of pizza.” She reached for it, but he moved swiftly and caught her wrist, and she gasped.

“What do you want, Piper?” His voice was low and hypnotic, and she had to look up at him, look into those piercing blue eyes. And she was lost. She was falling for Taylor, right here, right now. This was so not good, but she was helpless to avoid that impulse deep within her that longed to be free, longed to reach out and take something, even if it wasn’t right for her. She had a right to be happy, didn’t she?

“If Alex weren’t sitting right beside us, I’d show you.” That hadn’t just come out of her mouth, had it? She never spoke like that, was never so bold. The memory of their time in the jacuzzi flashed through her, and she bit her bottom lip, desire throbbing low in her belly. His gaze dropped to her mouth and she licked her lips.

“If Alex weren’t sitting right beside us, I’d let you.”

“Pizza?” Alex asked, without taking his attention from the game.

“There’s one slice left.” She picked it up and was forced to drop her gaze from Taylor as she slid the slice onto Alex’s plate.

With his hand still a band on her wrist, Taylor tugged her closer. “Come here,” he whispered.

“Taylor.” Unable to resist, she allowed him to draw her closer, closer, until she was just inches from him.

Electricity hummed between them. “Can you stay tonight?”

Reluctance heavy in her sigh, she shook her head and indicated Alex. “I can’t.” Her body came alive at Taylor’s touch, and she wanted to re-experience their shared passion. It was a seductive lure that she was highly susceptible to. She doubted she’d ever develop a resistance to Taylor. Every night she went to bed with her body aching for his, for the heat and the hardness that made her body come alive as it never had before. The way she wanted it to again. Cooling things between them was going to be the best solution for both of them. They couldn’t go on this way. They each had different goals, different objectives in life that were poles apart. Her mind knew that, but the thought didn’t stop her body from responding to Taylor’s touch.

With one hand, he cupped his hand behind her neck and drew her forward. Nuzzling her ear, his voice was hot and warm, sending shivers across her skin. “I want to make love to you, Piper. We’re good together, and I don’t just mean in bed.”

Closing her eyes, Piper let his voice, his words swirl through her. Those cherished words raced through her and nearly had her on her knees. No man had ever said those words to her, so why would Taylor? She was so close to falling for him that it wouldn’t take much to send her over the edge and into the abyss of heartbreak. She knew it. She had to resist the thought