She says it casually, like it’s nothing. Like pressing my mouth against her skin is just another checkmark on the to-do list.
I turn my head to kiss her cheek.
She turns at the same time.
The kiss is an accident. A split-second mistake. But the moment our mouths touch, the world narrows to nothing but the heat of her breath, the softness of her lips, the way she freezes against me like she’s been struck by lightning.
It lasts maybe two seconds. Three at most.
It feels like a goddamn earthquake.
I pull back. She does too. Her eyes are wide, startled, her lips parted like she’s trying to catch her breath.
The phone is still in her hand. The camera must have caught it. That moment, that mistake.
I want to do that again.
The thought is dangerous. Stupid. Completely beside the point.
This is a business arrangement. A trap for my enemy. Nothing more.
But my lips are still tingling where they touched hers, and Sierra is staring at me like she felt it too, whatever the fuck that was,and for the first time in longer than I can remember, I have no idea what to do next.
“That should work,” she says. Her voice is slightly breathless. She’s not looking at me. “For the photo. That should definitely work.”
“Yeah.”
She tucks a strand of hair behind her ear and looks at the picture. Her expression shifts, something vulnerable flickering across her face before she schools it into neutrality.
“We look good together,” she says quietly. “Convincing.”
I look at the photo over her shoulder.
We do look good together. Her face is soft, surprised. My hand is cupping her jaw, though I don’t remember putting it there. And our lips are pressed together like we’ve done this a thousand times before.
Like we mean it.
I step back. “Post it.”
She nods and starts typing a caption. Her fingers are trembling.
I shove my hands in my pockets and turn toward the door. I need air. Space. Distance from the smell of vanilla and the ghost of her mouth on mine.
“Ready?” I ask without looking back.
“Ready.”
We walk out of the jewelry store together. I can still taste her lip gloss.
I start the truck. She stares out the window, twisting the ring around her finger.
Neither of us mentions the kiss.
11
SIERRA
My heart is still racingwhen we get into the truck.
