Page 53 of Fallen Hearts

But for me, at this moment, there was only Pia looking up at me, waiting. She’d fired the first shot and it was up to me to respond.

“You know exactly what.”

I took a deep breath and tried not to stare at Pia’s lips as we talked. A storm brewed in her eyes. Not just a storm, a hurricane that was about to be unleashed. Pia had gone from timid to fiery so quickly that I almost smiled.

So my little Pia had a temper, did she?

Discipline, Mason.

On the other hand, taunting wasn’t flirting. I just couldn’t let this one go.

“Do I? Let me think. Is it about the paint color in the reception room? It’s only a shade darker than the original one but they didn’t have?—”

“No.” Her eyes narrowed. “I’m not talking about the paint color.”

“Oh. I see.” Pretending to think about it more, I took a sip of beer and caught Parker’s eye. He seemed amused, and I was fairly certain I knew the cause. “Is it about Esther’s raise?”

“Mason.” Her tone was sharper than usual. I really should stop.

“No? I know. The couple from Maryland. I took care of his refund already, but he did say you spoke to him as well.”

She was ready to kill me.

Teasing her might not have been crossing the line, but what I was about to say definitely was. Leaning toward her, resisting the urge to tuck errant strands of Pia’s hair behind her ears to be sure she could hear me above the noise, I whispered to her.

“Are we talking about the intense chemistry between us that had me wanting to toss you on my bed this morning, not giving a fuck if I was your boss?”

I stood back and didn’t need to wait very long for her reaction. The storm had passed. In its wake, a completely shocked and very turned-on Pia stared at me.

“What are you two talking about over there?” Sophia asked at the very worst possible time. As much as I wanted to ignore her, and the guys, and everyone who wasn’t Pia, I’d probably done enough damage for one night. Moving closer to the bar, and farther away from Pia, I raised my glass.

“Caught,” I said, diverting attention away from Pia’s still very-surprised expression. “We were talking about you.”

“And how I am the favorite daughter?”

“You have that in common. Parker thinks he’s the favorite son.”

“Because I am,” Parker said.

Having successfully diverted attention away from Pia’s and my very private discussion, the sidebar conversation I’d not planned to have, I went back to being an observer. If I’d had this little discipline with my unit, I would have ended up dead or putting somebody in danger.

You are in danger, buddy. Big time.

Two drinks later, when a stool opened up next to Sophia, I took it, having managed not to engage with Pia after I blew my plan to hell with that comment.

“You are as broody as my sister said you were.”

“And you’re as outspoken,” I shot back.

“Pia said I was outspoken?” Sophia pouted more than her sister but had a lot of similar mannerisms.

“Nah, just a good guess.”

“I’ll choose not to be insulted because it’s true.”

“Good, because it wasn’t meant as an insult. One of the best women I ever knew was as outspoken as they come.”

“Who’s that?”

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