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I’d like to call it Heavenly. But a moment later, I do the hardest thing possible and sit up straight. His arm slides off my shoulder, though it remains behind me, his hand propped on the bed of the truck so he leans toward me.

“Thank you,” I say.

“I didn’t do much.”

“Yes, you did.”

Our eyes meet. He brings his right hand up, wiping away the residual moisture on my cheek. His touch is soft, but I can still feel the roughness of his callused fingers.

A new feeling rises inside me. Instead of comfort, a quickening in my heart and belly. His eyes focus on where his thumb is. It trails down my cheek, then across my jawline before brushing against my lower lip.

He stares hard at my mouth before looking back at my eyes.

We stay there for a minute, and I watch him closely, wondering if he’s going to close the distance between us. I won’t say no to him, and maybe that’s a problem, but I don’t care anymore. Hang the consequences. I want to know what it’s like to be kissed by a cowboy. No, not a cowboy. I want to know what it’s like to be kissed by Archer Kade.

He tips his head to the side, his own lips parted now—lit by the light of his phone, though still shadowed by the brim of his hat. His gaze keeps shifting from my lips to my eyes before a line forms down the center of his brow.

He’s tormented. Because he’s strong. Unlike me. I need to do something to help him.

“I don’t think there’s anything called a business kiss,” I whisper. “No matter how badly we want to convince ourselves otherwise.”

I put a subtle emphasis on the word “we” because I want him to know he’s not alone in his desire.

His resolve shifts into place. He smooths his thumb across my jawline once more before leaning back and pulling his arms and hands to himself.

“You’re right,” he says softly.

My heart is still racing, the ride he’s taken me on making me reel.

“Maybe I should go home,” I say softly. “It’ll be easier for both of us.”

Archer

I’m a loser. What kind of guy would make a move on a girl who’s just cried her heart out? That’s textbook off-limits.

We clean up the food as I continue to inwardly berate myself. I want to suggest watching the rest of the movie. I want to promise her I’m going to keep my hands to myself, but I don’t know if I can keep that promise tonight.

At least the hug was okay. I hope.

I open the truck door for her, and she thanks me before I climb in myself to start the truck. Only it doesn’t. A clicking sounds, and I grimace.

“What is it?” Juliet asks.

“Like the idiot I am, I killed the battery by keeping the lights on.”

She delivers a clearly unbothered shrug. “That’s okay.”

I filter through our options. “I could probably call James to give me a jumpstart.”

She gives me a wary look. She obviously doesn’t want to be caught in this kind of situation with me.

“What if I just walk you home?” I suggest instead. “It can only be, what, thirty minutes from here? That way our business dinner doesn’t get misinterpreted.”

“Okay. But only if you let me bring you back in my dad’s car so I can give you a jump start.”

“You sure that would be okay with him?”

Her eyes set. “No. But he gave me the car tonight, so I get to choose.”