Pierced Hearts (Southern Charmers 1)

“Pierce.” This time, his name comes out breathy and faint.

“I want you in my shirt because it will smell like you—your perfume, the sweet aroma of cookies, and the unmistakable scent of sex. All day, I want that clinging to my skin. Every man on my crew is going to know why my mood is fucking great.”

“You want your employees to know you’ve been laid?”

“No, I want anyone who comes in contact with me to know I’m happy.”

“You’re happy?” I repeat, sounding like an idiot.

“There’s a lot of shit swirling in my world, and I know you and I have a long way to go, but for the first time in over a decade, I woke up with a smile.”

My insides melt into a puddle of sappy goo. I lift on my toes and run my lips across his. “I woke up with a smile, too,” I admit. “Those women aren’t going to miss your scent covering me.”

“Is that a problem?”

“We don’t want to give anyone the wrong impression.”

“There is no wrong impression in this scenario. I told you last night; I’m not fucking this up again.”

I refrain from reminding him that we can’t erase the past. “We agreed to keep things light.”

“We didn’t. You said it, and I pretended to listen. My intentions are not light.”

His declaration both thrills me and scares me. We can’t go back in time and change things. Now would be a good time to tell him that this is never going to work, because if Brasher Resorts agrees to my timeline, I’ll be moving in September. But something deep down keeps me from relaying this.

“I need to make some tortes.” His sly grin is the sign he thinks he’s got me, but this is my way of dodging any arguments.

He kisses me lightly, squeezes my butt, and then turns me back to the prep table. “How long on these cookies?”

“I’ll know by smell when they get close.”

“For those of us without a baker’s nose, how long?”

“Check them in fifteen.”

“I need to leave my assistant a message for when she gets into the office. I’ll make the call outside and take Runner with me.”

“Aren’t you going to see her soon?”

“Doubtful since I’m not going to the office until after lunch.”

“Going on-site?” I raise an eyebrow.

“Eventually. I’m going to spend some time with you this morning, then head to a project. I need her to message me Miller’s schedule.”

“Why not ask him?”

“Not in the mood to deal with him right now.”

There’s an edge to his tone that piques my curiosity. “Are you arguing?”

“Something like that.”

“About me?”

“Why would you think that?”

“Because your eyes went from fun-loving to hard as stone, and also because he obviously hates me.”

“He doesn’t hate you; he has some misconceptions.”

He throws my words about Evin back at me, and I decide not to pry. Instead, I nod and grab my mixing bowl. He leans in to kiss my cheek on his way out, calling for Runner to follow.

When the door shuts, closing me in, I blow out a deep breath and notice my hands are trembling.

The last thing either of us needs is more hurdles, but I have an idea this morning may have dumped us right in a world of complications.

Chapter 12

Pierce

“It’s about time you call,” Stephanie barks through the line. “I thought I was going to have to send Evin after your ass. That would not have been my first choice.”

“What are you talking about?”

“Darby came to you two nights ago, and then you showed up at her place last night. Doesn’t take a rocket scientist to know how that went. Heard it in her voice this morning. What the hell has taken so long?”

“Are you always this direct?”

“It’s one of my many endearing qualities. Stop sugar-talking me and answer the question.”

“I’ve been busy.”

“And now?”

“You were right.”

“I always am, but what point did I drive into your head?”

“I’m living in my own version of hell,” I admit, the knot in my gut rolling.

“Thank fucking God. Did you knock the chip off your shoulder?”

“Someone should have told me. I didn’t deserve to be kept in the dark.”

“No, you didn’t.”

“Knowing the truth, and the events that happened afterward, makes me feel like shit.”

“The bigger question is, are you going to be able to get past it?”

“In terms of why she left, yeah, I’m going to be able to deal. It’s what I did to her.”

Silence fills the line, and I check to see if we’re still connected. “Stephanie?”

“I’m here, but I don’t know what to say to that. You replaced her quickly.”

“I never replaced her. She knows the reality of my situation, and it’s not pretty.”

“You knocked up the slut of your group. Can’t imagine there’s anything pretty about that. I’ve always told her it was a mistake, but Darby was convinced you replaced her. Good lord, you went and did it again, too.”