Free Dirty Deal (A Perfectly Matched Novel) (Entangled Brazen) by Christine Bell

tapping foot and Bryan’s stifled chuckle behind her.
    “I think not,” the photographer spat.
    “You’re such a party pooper, Franky.” She stepped back and lost her footing, and suddenly she was hurtling toward the floor, one heel in the air and both of her arms flapping wildly to break her fall.
    Out of nowhere, a warm, muscular pair of arms wrapped around her, catching her before she hit the ground. It took a few seconds to get her bearings back, but when she did, she noticed three things.
    One, she was breathing way too fast for her liking. Two, Bryan was staring at her with that same scary-sexy smolder. And three, the photographer was snapping pictures so fast the camera might explode.
    “At last. Ees perfect.” He was practically humming with satisfaction now. “I thought I would be trapped here all day.” He started packing up his things, and Bryan set Serena to rights again.
    “Wait, we paid you for two hours,” she said, happy for the distraction, as the other man clicked his black equipment case closed. Maybe she could blame her flaming cheeks on annoyance.
    “You cannot count how long art will take to come. Luckily, it has arrived early today.” His tiny mustache twitched and he stood straight again.
    She wasn’t about to keep arguing because winning that battle would mean more time up close and personal with Bryan, and she’d had enough of that for the day. “My refund for the other hour we paid you for better arrive early, too,” she muttered, just to keep up the pretense. Deep down, though, she was relieved.
    Half of her was, at any rate. The other half? Was aching for more Bryan.
    “When you see the prints, you will give me a bonus. That I promise you.” He lugged his barrels of props onto a little metal cart. “Please have the pleasant one contact me if it is required. If not, you have your shots sometime next week.” He disappeared into a back room, a metal grate clicking behind him.
    The pleasant one? She searched for some anger at that snide jab but came up empty. The little turd was right. He was no ray of sunshine either, but she’d been in a crappy mood for days.
    “So…does that mean I’m off the hook now?” Bryan asked, focusing his intense gaze on her.
    “Yeah, sure. For today, at least. There will be an outdoor shoot in a couple weeks, once we see how these turn out and Grace picks a location.”
    Serena just had to hope it wasn’t at the beach.
    She and Bryan stared at each other wordlessly. She wanted to say more, but she wasn’t sure what, and she struggled to forget the last time she’d felt this awkward around him. At least this time she had all her clothes on. She’d take the wins where she could find them.
    “I’ll, uh, I guess I’ll follow you out?” What was it about this guy? Normally, she would have strutted through the doors and never looked back. Men didn’t make her nervous.
    He strode toward the door, pausing to hold it open for her to pass through. She was just about to thank him when she spotted her.
    Piper, standing next to a black truck in the parking lot holding what looked suspiciously like an apple pie.
    Serena froze in her tracks, staring as the other woman’s face morphed from drippy affection to simmering rage. Piper crossed the lot and stopped in front of them, pie outstretched.
    Yep, definitely apple. Probably still hot, if the strong smell of cinnamon in the air was any indication.
    “Piper,” Bryan said with a curt nod.
    He was enviably calm. If Serena were in his position, she already would have been searching the area for a makeshift weapon. But not Bryan. He was cool as a compress, spearing a hand through his hair as the other woman cleared her throat, gaze darting between him and Serena.
    “Hey there! I was just driving by and noticed your truck.”
    Serena looked pointedly at the pie in the other woman’s hands, and Piper scowled at her before turning her attention back to Bryan.
    “I mean, before. I noticed your truck