HTML tags in Blocks

Is there a reason you can't use a <br> line break in a block? When I put one into the html editor, it removes it.

I want to add a line break to my text, without a paragraph break. Why? Because I have a photo on one side, and a paragraph break sends it all the way to the bottom of the photo. A line break would give me a space and then more text next to the photo.

Any other way to accomplish this?