“Let’s get out of here. It’s fucking freezing.”
I laugh and realize that with every word he speaks little puffs of air are visible. I nod and he leads me out of the house, turning off lights as he goes. Not releasing my hand until we reach his truck, I hop up into my seat and he pinches my rear, causing me to yelp and giggle.
“Sorry, I couldn’t resist.”
I only smile and shake my head in response before he closes the door and is taking his place behind the wheel.
“I preferred you over here against me.”
“I think it’s best if I stay over here.”
“Piper.” He says my name so that it draws out enough to sound like a plea.
“Fine, but eyes on the road,” I relent as I slide over to lean against him. I’ll just enjoy these moments until he drops me off at my place. It can’t hurt.
The drive to my apartment is quiet but comfortable. I used to imagine moments just like this with Ben when we were younger. Of course, I was a stealthy crusher. I don’t think anyone ever knew how in love with Bentley Sullivan I was. I went through more notebooks in high school because I doodled hearts, flowers, and “Mrs. Piper Sullivan” all over them instead of using them for their purpose. The one thing I never imagined was a sexual experience with Ben. As a teen my fantasies consisted of nothing more than kissing and maybe a boob grab. Tonight was even more than my adult dreams. We didn’t even have sex and I can’t imagine ever imagine having an orgasm to top the one I just had.
Bentley Sullivan has both fulfilled my greatest teenage fantasy and single handedly ruined me for future men. Fabulous.
Just as I realize that I am destined for mediocre orgasms from this point forward, Ben pulls up to my building and puts his truck into park. I’m about to ask why he’s parked, when he opens his door and, before I can protest, he’s opening my door and smiling at me. Processing, I slide across the seat to the door and accept his hand to step down.
“Do you have a key somewhere I didn’t see on this costume?”
I laugh at that.
“If I did, I’m sure you would have found it. No, I have a spare under my mat.”
Not waiting for the lecture I’m sure to get on safety, I start walking toward my apartment. While I want to say goodnight and thanks for the ride, I know it will be pointless and he’ll follow me to the door. Bentley Sullivan is a gentleman, well unless he has me flat on my back doing wicked things to my body, and will walk me to my door. At the thought of the wicked things he’s done I feel a tug in my lower belly. Damn orgasm ruiner.
I pull my key out from under the mat, but before I can open the door his hand is on mine. “Let me look around first. You never know if someone is lurking inside.”
“So you think a lurker came here knowing I wasn’t home, found my key, let himself in, came back out and placed the key back under the mat and locked the door before hiding in my apartment?”
“Don’t make light, Piper. It could happen.”
He’s completely serious. And adorable. It’s my turn to place my hand to his cheek.
“Don’t worry, Cowboy. I had my neighbor put the key under the mat at midnight. I knew I wouldn’t be home before then. So, it’s only been there about an hour. I think I’m safe.”
“You brat. You let me think it had been there all night.”
Shrugging, I turn the key to open my door. As soon as I step inside I turn to face him as I strip off his jacket. Just as I hold it out to him he walks past me inside. Not less than ten steps in he removes his boots and sets them to the side and walks to the kitchen.
Closing my eyes, I ask for someone to give me strength. Not only does this man cause every emotion to flow through my body, but he can draw more sighs from me than should be allowed. Resigning that he’s not leaving anytime soon, I hang his coat on the hook next to the door and, instead of walking toward the kitchen to join him, I make my way down the short hallway to my bedroom. Quickly stripping off these gold pieces of fabric, I throw on my favorite sweats, T-shirt, and slippers.
As I walk down the hall I am greeted by smell of something cooking and suddenly my stomach is very happy Ben stayed.
“Sorry I made myself at home but I realized I was starving and a grilled cheese sounded good. Do you want one?”
I sit down at my small bistro table, pulling my knees to my chest. “Yes, please. You seem to have made yourself right at home.”
With nothing more than a wink he simply turns back to making our sandwiches. Is this what life would be like with Ben? Easy. Life with Ben would be easy. Enjoying being together, laughing, making dinner, watching a movie, and yes, mind-blowing orgasms would be a bonus. Simple, uncomplicated, and perfect.
Just as I have this thought my phone pings that I have a text message. Since I didn’t exactly have the means to carry it tonight the phone has been on the counter all night. I pick it up and the reality of everything comes to a screeching halt.
Ashton: Just closing up for the night and wanted to make sure you got home ok.
Me: Yep. Just hanging out in my sweats getting ready for bed.
Ashton: Good deal. Sorry I was so busy tonight.
Me: You were working, silly.
Ashton: Don’t remind me. Did you meet any guys? You looked smokin’.
Me: *eye roll* No I didn’t meet anyone. I felt like an idiot. Payback is a bitch you know.
Ashton: Lol. Yeah I know but thankfully you aren’t a bitch. I’ve gotta go. TTYL
Me: Okay. Night.
Just as I’m about to put my phone down it pings again.
Ashton: Did Ben leave with anyone?
Me: What?
Crap.
Ashton: I was hoping he’d hook up with someone. He’s been a grumpy slug for weeks and figured he needs to get laid.
Choking on her last statement, I accept the glass of water that appears in front of me.
“Are you okay?” Ben asks, concerned.
“Yeah, sorry. Wrong pipe.”
Me: I wouldn’t know.
Ashton: Whatever, he’s probably off being boring. I really have to go now. TTYL
I don’t bother replying and set my phone down as Ben turns toward me with a plate of sandwiches and a few napkins.
“Do you mind if we sit in the living room?”
“Of course not. Do you want anything to drink?”
“Sure, surprise me,” he replies as he makes his way to the living room.
Ashton’s text is still on my mind when I join him on the couch. Ben should be hooking up with someone. He should be going out and meeting women like his friends. This is so messed up. The thought of him even talking to a strange woman at a bar has me losing my appetite. I just nibble at one-half of my sandwich but note that Ben has already consumed two full sandwiches.
“Hungry?”
He smiles and nods but, ever the gentleman, doesn’t respond until he has swallowed the last bite.
“Yeah, I tend to forget dinner when I’m working at the house.”
Nodding, I set my sandwich back on the plate and nestle into the corner of the couch as far from Ben as I can get. This movement doesn’t go unnoticed.
“Why are you all the way over there? Scooch here,” he says, patting the spot next to him.
“Nope. We need to talk and I don’t trust you to use words if I’m over there.”
“Good point. Okay, so let’s talk.”
After finish finishing the glass of water I brought him in a single drink, he mimics my position on the other end of the couch.
“First, thank you for taking me to your house tonight. It’s really going to be magnificent and I am so excited for you.” He doesn’t reply, only smiles. Okay, I guess I’ll keep going. “And, I uh, thanks for everything else, too?” The last part of my statement more of a question laced with nerves.
“Did you just thank me for an orgasm?”
“Oh my God, please don’t talk about it!” Mortified, I bury my face in my hands. I feel his hands tugging mi
ne from where they are hiding the horror of this moment from him.
“Princess, look at me.”
I do. Through my fingers. Expecting to see him laughing at me, I am instead faced with a solemn expression and kind eyes.
“Why wouldn’t I talk about it? It was probably one of the single most spectacular things I’ve ever seen and I, for one, cannot wait to see it again.”
“Oh, God!” I declare, not only using my hands to cover my face but the tops of my knees to really send home how mortified I am. This time, he responds like I expected a few minutes ago.
“Yep, just like that but with more passion.”
Grabbing the pillow from behind me, I throw it at him, making him laugh even more. I join him this time.
“Seriously though, Piper, please don’t be embarrassed. I think we should table the orgasm talk for now and focus on the bigger issue.”
“Ben, I told you it can’t happen again. It was a lapse in judgment. I’ve just…”
“You what?” he asks me as he inches closer to me and I remain still.
“I just … This is so stupid. I missed you, okay? I did. I missed hanging out and talking. I thought we decided to be friends when we talked before and then you just went away. You stopped coming to family dinner and you have barely even talked to me at school. I thought that tonight we would hang out and it would be fun. I mean, it was fun but I wasn’t expecting that kind of fun.”
Now invading my personal space, he’s pulled my feet so I’m forced to climb onto his lap, straddling him. This position makes it almost impossible to not look at him. He never stops looking me in the eye and never once do I break the eye contact. Normally this much eye contact makes me uncomfortable. Ben doesn’t make me uncomfortable in the usual sense; I feel connected and natural with him. That makes me uncomfortable.
“My turn?” I confirm it is in fact his turn to respond with a simple lift of my chin.
“I’ve stayed away because I needed space. Piper, I was honest with you at the lake. I know that we have something I want to pursue but I also know that Ashton is likely to lose her shit if we choose to take this step. But that’s the thing, I believe it’s worth it. Don’t you?”
I open my mouth to reply but he cuts me off. “Don’t answer that, let me finish.” I nod ever so slightly.
“I love my sister and you love my sister. Do you know who she loves?”
I shake my head.
“Us. She loves us. I know she’s kind of bitter and anti-love or whatever but I think once she gets over her initial shock and selfishness she’ll see that you and I make sense. We make sense, Piper.”
Oh great, now he’s got me all swoony and girly.
“If you want, we can take it slow and keep this between us for a while. Just spend time together as friends. Friends that are getting to know each other and see where it goes from there. What do you say?”
He makes it sound so simple. And I think he has a point. I know there’s something between us but I also know that I will never do anything to hurt Ashton. Maybe if we’re just friends hanging out we’ll discover there’s nothing really there and I’ll have worried for nothing. But those kisses. Friends don’t kiss. I slowly run my tongue over my bottom lip at the thought of Ben’s kisses.
“Oh and I have a few rules before you decide.”
That has my attention and I raise a brow at him while I tug my lower lip between my teeth.
“Rule number one is that we put an end date to this secret friendship. It’s Halloween now so I say Christmas break. If, by the time we let out for Christmas break, we haven’t gotten sick of each other and are ready to take this to the next level, we come clean with everyone.”
I start to tell him that’s two months of secrets but before I can utter a word, he places a finger to my lips to stop me.
“Rule number two, benefits are totally fine in the whole getting to know each other. What do you say?”
“Benefits?” I sputter out in response. Surely he can’t mean for us to be friends with benefits.
With a sly smile and a hand on my hip, with the other making its way up my back slowly, he leans forward. “Oh yeah. Lots of benefits.”
This time, it’s me who stops with a finger to the lips. “Kissing. Only kissing.”
“I promise to only use my mouth.”
Before I can respond he’s kissing me again, and while I’m quite certain I’ve just made a deal with the devil, I’m also quite certain I don’t care.
Somewhere around the time I managed to get Piper out of her shirt and on her back, we found our way to bed. I kept my promise and only used my mouth. Of course, not just on her lips. There’s no way I could not have more of her, but I also recognized that I’m going to have to take this slow with Piper. I have to show her how good we can be.
The sun has risen and the light is setting off prisms in the room as I lay here watching her sleep. If she wakes up and sees me, she’ll likely accuse me of being some sort of stalker creep. I’ve just never seen something as wonderful as Piper Lawrence lying next to me with her perfect lips pursed and her breathing shallow. She fell asleep with me spooning her and I swore in that moment that I would do everything in my power to find a way to make this how I fall asleep every night.
A few months ago I was starting over and secretly wondering if I’d made the biggest mistake of my adult life moving home. Then this woman came into my life, back into my life, and nothing has ever felt more right. The realization that I should leave before anyone sees my truck parked outside hits me about the same time she releases a sound that instantly hits me below the belt and the jeans I’m wearing suddenly feel like a strait jacket to my groin. Regardless of how much I, or my dick, want to stay here with her, the last thing we need is for the Lexington Rumor Mill to get involved.
I’m deciding on whether to wake Piper up or just leave a note and let her sleep when her eyes begin to flutter open. Doing what has somehow become my response to anything she does, I push the hair that has fallen in her face behind her ear and she smiles at me. Her smile is sincere and pure. Like her.
I remember once when Laurel hosted her book club at our place. The topic of conversation turned to the deal breakers for each of the ladies with the types of books they would read. Personally, I didn’t understand a word any of them were saying – tropes, forbidden romance, second chance romance. The one phrase that stuck out to me that I thought was ridiculous and wondered how anyone could take it seriously was “insta-love.” When I asked Laurel about it she said that was her favorite and made it difficult for her in the group because the other ladies hated an “insta-love” book. I agreed with those women and said any book where the lead characters fell in love after a few days was completely farfetched and ridiculous.
Then I saw a beautiful woman across the room of my local watering hole and my perspective changed. As ridiculous as it sounds, I know that Piper Lawrence is it for me. That’s the first time I’ve admitted it to myself and, truthfully, it feels good. Damn good.
“Hey,” she says with a raspy and fucking sexy voice. Kill me now.
“Morning. I think I’m going to head home.”
Her smile drops and my heart leaps. Placing a gentle kiss to her lips, I pull back before responding. I recognize it is morning and I haven’t brushed my teeth yet.
“I don’t want to go. I’d never leave this apartment if I had a choice. It’s just that I figure someone will see my truck out front and that doesn’t do much for our whole secret friendship plan.”
Relief washes over her face and she smiles again. “Okay.”
“I’ll let myself out, you just go back to sleep. I’ll call you later? Maybe we can do something tonight.”
“Kay. I am really sleepy.”
Before I can respond her eyes close again and I know I’ve lost her to sleep. Carefully lifting myself from her bed, I find my discarded boots. Before I let myself out, I spot the key Piper pulled from below the mat last night. I’ll be damned if I’m
going to let her keep sleeping with this door unlocked. As much grief as I gave her for it, I reluctantly place the key under the mat after locking the door.
After a few steps toward the stairs, I stop. I’m not even going to second guess my instinct. I retrieve the key. I might as well make a spare for myself so Piper isn’t leaving keys out for any crazy to find. It’s what a good friend would do.
Yeah, Ben, keep telling yourself that.
Once I’m in my truck I realize how little I slept last night. Honestly, how little I’ve slept the last few weeks. Avoiding Piper became like a second job and now that we’ve come to some sort of solution for our situation I’m exhausted. Instead of driving through the coffee stand I head toward my parents’ house and my bed.
My dad sitting at the kitchen table with the paper shouldn’t surprise me, nor should the smirk on his face that tells me he thinks I’ve been up to no good.
“Have a good time last night, son?”
I know my dad, and as much as I want some quality time with my pillow, I’m going to need to give him at least a few minutes of my time. Instead of grabbing a cup of the coffee that smells like heaven, I pour myself a little juice and take a seat across from him at the table.
“It was fine. I was out at the house for most of it.” That’s not a lie.
“Well, unless you slept in your truck I’m guessing you didn’t spend the entire night at the house.”
“Dad,” I say with a warning but respectful tone.
“You’re a grown man, Ben. I just wanted to let you know that your sister is parked in your spot so I would gather she’s aware you didn’t come home last night.”
His rustling of the paper signals that he’s done with this conversation. I contemplate unloading on him but think better of it. Piper would likely die of embarrassment if she knew I talked to my dad about us, and honestly I’m a little worried about what he’d say anyway. With that thought I place my glass in the sink and walk toward the hallway, but before I make it too far I hear my dad clear his throat.
Whiskey & Honey Page 14