How had she expected fake-dating him to go?
The truth was, she’d never stopped caring for him and wanting to get back to being a girl and a guy who just clicked. It wouldn’t happen. Their priorities weren’t the same. She’d make time for him, and he’d slot her in between projects that could go on for weeks or months depending on how big the job was. She wanted more than a few days here and there. She wanted to be whole and happy. Which was why she’d landed on his doorstep in the beginning. When Piper thought about her best self, Gideon was part of that picture.
The idea of asking more from him scared her. The last time she’d thought they were about to tread into the more-than-friends territory he’d vanished from her life. She wasn’t sure she could take that happening a second time.
So was this what they were? People who clicked and only saw each other occasionally?
Maybe if they’d taken that next step after the Christmas she’d spent with his family she’d be happy enough with that, but not now. She wanted more, and she wasn’t going to settle for being Gideon’s convenient girlfriend, no matter how much she loved him.
Piper stared at the ceiling. The knots in her stomach relaxed.
She’d always had deep feelings for Gideon, but love?
It seemed to fit. Felt right.
The one thing she’d learned about love was that it didn’t always matter. It might give her the warm fuzzies, but it didn’t make the world a perfect place.
She could love Gideon and still be wrong. He was a great guy. He’d been there for her during the hardest period of her life. That didn’t mean she was going to be satisfied with what he’d give her.
Gideon turned toward her, his face scrunched up. He rolled to his side and inhaled a deep breath.
Piper would always care for him. That wouldn’t change no matter what transpired between them.
She reached out and brushed her fingers against his. He winced, probably because his previous position had cut off all the blood flow. One of his lids cracked open, and he squinted at her. His cheek creased and somewhere under that immature beard was a dimple. He hooked his fingers with hers and tugged.
Her insides melted. All it took was a squinty-eyed look and a touch.
She rolled to her side, and he scooted closer, one side of his mouth hitching up.
“Morning,” she mumbled.
“Hm.”
Piper chuckled and wrapped her arm around his waist, bringing their bodies even closer. She craved this kind of human connection, the intimacy. Without it she’d starved her soul. She couldn’t go back to that way of living.
Gideon folded his arm around her and wedged his knee between her thighs. He closed his eyes and sighed, his breath stirring her hair.
Today they’d both have to return to the real world at some point, but right now it was just them. Everything else could wait for a bit longer.
She leaned in, tilted her head and pressed her lips to his. He turned into the kiss, muscles constricting and mouth working against hers. She hiked her thigh up around his hip. He tightened his hold on her, fitting their bodies together like a complex puzzle. His stubble tickled her face and scraped her lips.
Gideon rolled onto his back, taking her with him. He stroked her skin, sliding his hand up under the borrowed T-shirt. She could feel his hardening erection trapped between their bodies.
Yesterday they’d simply hung out, returning to their old patterns. Nice as it was, she wanted more. Everything she could get, for as long as this lasted.
She pulled the shirt off and tossed it over the bed. Gideon slid his hands up and covered her bare breasts with his palms.
“Morning.” His voice was low, raspy with arousal.
“Hm.”
She shifted her hips, grinding against him.
The next thing she knew, she was on her back and Gideon’s mouth was on her skin, kissing his way down her chest. She arched her spine and slid her hands across his shoulders. He traced the line of her breastbone with his lips down to her stomach. She pushed her hands through his hair at the same time he pulled her panties down. He kissed her stomach and hip.
Oh, boy...
Piper tugged on Gideon’s hair, but he ignored her.
His fingers brushed along her folds. She sucked in a breath and her vision blurred as he slipped inside her. His teeth bit down gently on her hip. She undulated, driving him deeper. He kissed her navel, then her mound.
He pumped his fingers, adding another, stretching her more. His touch warmed her and eased her sore muscles.
His lips trailed lower.
She tightened her grip on his hair. There was no doubt where he was headed. Her heart beat faster and those knots in her stomach wound tighter.
He shifted, wedging her thighs open wider while he thrust into her with an easy, unhurried rhythm.
“Gideon...”
Piper lifted her hips, wanting more. It seemed like all she did was take, that he was just here to serve her needs, but he did it with so much enthusiasm.
He rubbed her clit with the flat of his tongue and held her hips down with his free hand. He pumped, using his fingers, stroking her insides. She could feel the calloused pads of his fingers, against her stomach and her fold. His touch was different, stronger, more purposeful, and deeper. She felt him inside of her in ways she couldn’t explain, farther than she could define with physical words.
She flattened her hand over his, curing her fingers around his palm, and shifted. He held her there, not allowing her to move, all the while his tongue made love to her and his fingers filled her.
Piper threw her head back and groaned, her whole body rippling with pleasure. She curled her toes into the mattress and dug her nails into Gideon’s palm, holding onto him so she didn’t get lost in this out-of-body feeling.
She was going to miss this when their fake-dating was over.
10.
GIDEON STROKED PIPER’S hair, enjoying the sight of her sleeping, the content half-smile on her face. If he could keep her like this forever, he would. In a heartbeat. No matter the cost. She’d experienced enough of the bad things in the world. She deserved all the good he could give her.
The downside was that very soon he’d need to get to work. His problem clients had likely filled his inbox with all sorts of change requests they hadn’t paid for him to do.
Yeah, that was not what he wanted to think about while Piper was still sated and happy in his bed. Three rounds and he still wanted more. He was addicted to her in the best way possible. The biggest question was, how did he convince her they needed to be permanent?
He’d screwed up their friendship with nothing but good intentions. They had a second chance now, but nothing was guaranteed. He’d gotten her to agree that they could keep doing this, whatever this was, but how long would that last?
Piper’s eyes fluttered open. She locked gazes with him and her lips curled into a smile. She rubbed her face with the hand that wasn’t trapped between them.
“How long was I asleep for?” Her mumbled words made just enough sense he understood them.
“Not long.” He kissed her cheek, and she snuggled closer.
“What time is it?”
He glanced at the clock, not liking those numbers one bit.
“Little past eleven,” he said.
“Shit.” She sighed and rolled onto her back.
The real world was calling them back to reality.
“I know. Me, too.” He stroked her back and toyed with the ends of her hair. “What do you have to do today?”
“Clean up files and paperwork. A lot of paperwork. Also, I missed texts from the girls. I guess they came back last night and decided we were having brunch today. Only problem, I didn’t see the text until after it’d started.”
“They have to understand you’re not always available. Don’t they?”
“They don’t. I get the feeling they came back with the intent to do something with me.”
“Ouch. Did you tell th
em you weren’t coming?”
“No. I mean, they’re going to ask why. I have to work myself up to talking about it with them.”
Gideon let those words sink in.
She wasn’t hiding him from the others. Did he dare think that meant there was a chance? That he had hope?
“Your problem people still bothering you?” She stroked her fingers over his stubble.
“Yeah. I’ll probably give them a few hours this afternoon, then tell them to pony up more money or I’m done. They should have people for the implementation side of things. My assistant needs an hour or two of my time, too.”
“You and your fancy assistant.”
“You should totally get one.”
“Probably. I’m just a closet control freak.”
“Closet? Really? I remember the first time I went to touch your setup, and you nearly took my head off.”
“I wasn’t sure if I’d saved everything yet. I was really frazzled.” Her smile was the kind of thing he could stare at all day.
“I could tell.” He traced her lips and considered ignoring work for one more day.
“Would you mind if I used your shower before I head home? I wouldn’t put it past them to be camped out on my doorstep. We’ve got a few pieces to finish before the con next week.” Piper stretched her limbs.
“Go ahead. My shower is your shower.”
“Thanks. I should try to leave in the next hour. Back to the real world and all that.” She sat up and pushed to her feet.
His Nirvana T-shirt fit her like a dress. He knew she’d put her panties back on, but that didn’t stop his daydream about sliding his hand up under the garment.
The shower turned on and he could imagine Piper moving around the bathroom, using his things.
She was the only woman he’d enjoyed sharing space with. The very short list of women he’d allowed in his home hadn’t gotten so much as a toothbrush in the bathroom. He’d given Piper the extra out of the package and told her to leave it in the drawer when she was done so it would be there for her later. Next time. Whenever that was.
Gideon rolled out of bed and stood wiggling his toes in the carpet.
The door was still open.
He padded across the bedroom and into the bathroom.
The shower stall glass was fogged and water beaded its surface. He could still see the darker shadow of her body swaying under the spray. He pulled the shower door open and got a face full of steam.
Piper’s chuckle echoed off the tile.
That was better than telling him to get out.
He stepped inside and let the door close behind him.
“I’m not trying to live in your shower, I promise.” Piper had her back to him, hands in her hair, suds sliding down her backside.
“If you let me use it for a few hours a day, I wouldn’t mind it if you moved in.”
That got a real laugh out of her.
The shower was his one luxury. He’d expanded the original one, enlarging the already ridiculously sized bathroom a few feet to make sure he had all the room for a truly luxurious showering experience.
He reached around Piper, dropping a quick kiss on her shoulder, and grabbed his shampoo. If she was going to clean up, he should, too.
“Think I could find an apartment with a shower like this?” she asked.
“No. You need to buy a place.”
“That’s too much commitment. Signing my first lease almost gave mean anxiety attack.”
“Just because you own a place doesn’t mean that’s where you have to always live.”
“You’re so pushy. Get an assistant. Buy a house. Be an adult. You’re no fun anymore, Gideon.” Piper flicked water at him.
“That wasn’t what you said earlier.” He wrapped his arm around her waist, pulling her back against his chest.
Instead of laughing or smacking him like he expected, Piper turned her head. Those parted lips said it all. He bent his head and kissed her. He slid his hand down her stomach and between her legs. She groaned into his mouth and squirmed, but still didn’t move away from him.
She shifted her hips, sliding his fingers between her legs. He groaned into her mouth, stroking her folds. Her heat warmed his skin and sent his blood pumping to his cock.
“One more, before I leave?” She reached back between them and wrapped her hand around his erection.
“Are you trying to convince me? Do I feel like I need convincing?”
He kissed her again. They both knew he didn’t need an answer, just like she didn’t have to ask.
Gideon let go of her and stepped out of the shower. He’d put most of the condoms in the nightstand, a few downstairs, and more than a few in the bathroom. Ever since he’d had the shower installed, he had sexual fantasies about what could happen in it, but to date, he hadn’t acted on those. This was the perfect opportunity.
He ripped the condom packet and rolled it on, briefly closing his eyes. Every time was better and better.
Gideon stepped into the shower. Piper had rinsed the suds out of her hair and now stood between the steam jets, half facing him. She was such a free-spirited hippie at heart, and he loved seeing her enjoying herself again.
He pushed her up against the wall and kissed her shoulder, her neck. She reached behind him and palmed his cock. He wrapped his hand around hers and together they guided his cock between her legs. She braced her free hand on the glass and tilted her hips back. He slid into her to the sound of both their groans.
They fit so damn well.
He pumped into her, the little groans and gasps of pleasure so damn sweet.
Gideon slid his fingers over her mound, finding her clit. Piper went up on her toes and flattened her face to the glass. She arched her spine, her eyes closed and lips parted.
So damn good.
Her tight, hot pussy constricted around him. She was close.
He wrapped her wet hair around his hand and pulled. She turned her head, completely given over to pleasure.
Gideon kissed her mouth and stroked her. She whimpered and beat the glass with her fist. Her body shuddered in his arms. These were the precious moments she’d trusted him with. Him. No one else. Just him.
He buried his face in the crook of her neck, his vision blurring, the release rolling up through him. They clutched each other, the hot water pounding his back, splashing his face. If only they could remain in this perfect little bubble, he’d die happy.
“You make it hard to want to leave,” Piper mumbled. She turned in his embrace to face him and looped her arms around his neck.
“You could stay here, in the shower.”
“Don’t tempt me.” She stared at him with that heavy lidded, smiling face of hers.
Piper was happy. He’d contributed to that.
“You know, after you finish up work, you could come over? There’s not a cap on the number of hours I’m willing to put into helping you with your homework.”
“Stop.” She chuckled and shook her head.
“I mean it. Come here.” He grabbed her soap and squirted it into his hands.
The quicker he sent her home, the sooner they could both be done with the have to do list and back to this precious time together.
11.
PIPER MANNED THE STEAMER, getting every tiny wrinkle out of the newly finished jumpsuit and ready for Rashae’s final inspection. Ever since she’d arrived to find three women on her doorstep, they’d been go-go-go, tense silence and furtive glances when the others thought she wasn’t looking. Piper hadn’t even had a moment to do her paperwork what with all the fabric and sequins all over the place.
She kept telling herself this was only for a few more days. The other girls were going on a pre-con cruise. Piper had declined the invitation because while she enjoyed hanging out with the couples, being the seventh wheel wasn’t fun. Now, she’d need that time between the group setting sail and coming back just to get caught up to where she needed to be for the con. Part of her wanted to go. She missed h
ow they used to be, but it just wasn’t the same anymore.
“Okay, how we looking?” Rashae clapped her hands together and strode over with Miranda in her wake to where Piper was hard at work. Rashae’s gaze roved over the four, matching outfits she’d created in the matter of days.
“Those are beautiful,” Miranda said around the straight pins perched at the corner of her mouth.
“Do you think we can finish the accessories tonight?” Tamara followed the others and came to a stop next to Piper.
“Maybe? I’d have said yes if we’d been able to start on time.” Rashae’s verbal barbs hit deep. Piper knew that statement was aimed at her. She took a deep breath and clung to her smile. It would all be okay.
“Where were you this morning?” Tamara pivoted and stared at Piper.
“I told you I’m sorry. I never saw the text about today. I thought you guys were getting back this morning.” Piper stood and turned the steamer off.
“But where were you?” Tamara asked.
“Out.” Piper shrugged.
“Out where? With who? Doing what?” Rashae threw her hands up in the air.
Piper glanced at Tamara.
Josh hadn’t told on her? What about the other guys?
Someone was going to say something. If not today, tomorrow or at the con. Piper knew these things got around, especially in their close-knit circle. It would be better if she got out ahead of this.
“We came back early and sent the guys off to the beach just so we’d have another day together, and you’re nowhere.” Tamara ticked the points off on her fingers. “You don’t answer texts. You don’t answer calls. You’re not here. You won’t tell us anything.”
“I never asked you to do any of that for me.” Piper set the steamer on the kitchen table before she threw it. Why was all of this on her? Why was it her fault? “I never asked you to come back early from your trip. I didn’t ask you to make special time for me. I’m sorry I wasn’t here when you guys showed up, but...give me a break. Please?”
“Okay, can we all take a deep breath?” Miranda took a step until she was between Piper and the other two. “I think what we’re all trying to say that’s getting lost in the frustration is, we miss having you with us. Am I right?”
The Fake Boyfriend and the Geek Page 10