“Wow, Cal.” She didn’t sound pissed off, which was a pleasant change from her usual mood.
Was that a “yes, do it again”? With his tongue, he traced the line where her lips met, his hands curving into the small of her back, his fingers skimming bare skin where her shirt had ridden up. Definitely a “yes, do it again” from him.
She kissed him and the soft contact was all it took to set his head spinning more wildly than the swings. Just like that, he forgot they didn’t like each other and that they were, in fact, competing for the same job. Her lips brushed his, teasing and candy sweet, and his pulse hammered out of control.
Piper was kissing him.
It should have seemed strange or awkward, but somehow, all her touch felt like to him was right. He’d known her for years and never imagined doing this. She pressed into him, centrifugal force pinning her against his chest as the ride swung them briefly out over the ocean, but his arm around her waist kept her there when the ride evened out.
Piper kissed with her eyes open. The look on her face was intent, fierce and more than a little puzzled. That made two of them. Her ponytail flew out behind her as the swings turned, curly strands escaping every which way. The pink flush on her cheeks had nothing to do with makeup. With Piper, what you saw was what you got.
He only wished he knew why she wanted to kiss him.
Curiosity got the better of him, however, so he gently ran his fingers down her eyes, coaxing her to shut them. He couldn’t turn his head off with her staring at him. Couldn’t lose himself in her. She drove him crazy, but right now kissing her was absolutely what he wanted to be doing, so he angled his mouth over hers, taking control of it.
She whispered his name as he kissed her slowly, deeply, slipping inside her mouth and swallowing the small hums of sound she made. She curled tighter against him and he held on, as if letting go suddenly wasn’t an option and not just because she might fly off the swing. She tasted like saltwater taffy and sunlight, all the good things in life. She didn’t do this any more quietly than she did anything, however. She made noise. Lots and lots of noise. Hums and groans, gasps and a sexy whimper that made him wish they were anywhere but in public.
Threading a hand through her hair, he cupped her head. She didn’t pull away, just moaned, and the raw sound jolted through him, so he kissed her some more.
The ride slowed.
He lifted his head. She pulled back, sliding out of his lap. The swing coasted lower and lower, momentum lost, the Pleasure Pier coming into focus. He might as well have posted a picture on Facebook, because the entire resident population of Discovery Island would know about the kiss before tomorrow morning. Way to go, sailor.
His feet bumped the ground, and Lenny immediately headed their way, a big grin splitting his face.
“I should charge you double,” the old man snorted.
Piper laughed, snagging her bag of taffy from Cal’s pocket. “Like you haven’t seen riders kiss before.”
She didn’t deny what had happened, didn’t seem bothered at all. No, he was the only one who felt off balance. On the other hand—he grinned as Lenny unhooked their swing to let them out—winning, and losing, had never looked so good. He wanted the contract and the woman—winner take all.
“I’m looking forward to winning our bet,” she said throatily. Then she hopped down with a jaunty, “See you,” and sashayed down the pier.
Right. The bet he’d been so determined to call off...and that he now had every intention of winning, because holding Piper in his arms for a night suddenly sounded a whole letter better—not to mention hotter—than any contract.
6
APPARENTLY, SHE DIDN’T have to like someone in order to kiss him. Piper’s brain had insisted on replaying last night’s embrace over and over, much to the delight of other body parts. She’d had no idea Cal kissed so well. Sure, the outward package was hot as hell, but she’d assumed his arrogant attitude would translate into his kisses, as well. Big mistake. He’d been confident and knowing, but there had also been a careful tenderness in the way he cupped her head and worked his mouth over hers and... She had to stop thinking about it. It had been one kiss. She’d initiated. He’d closed.
And the encounter had kept her up all night.
Big mistake.
Cal drove her crazy. He was cocky, too sure of himself and bossy. From the moment they’d met as kids, he’d made it his life’s mission to oppose her any and every way he could. Now he had the Fiesta contract in his sights, and if she was very honest with herself, he had as good a chance of winning as she did. She didn’t like to lose. Who did? So, no, it wasn’t surprising she didn’t like Cal Brennan.