by Cindy Kirk
When they reached the alley behind Swoon, Piper wasn’t ready for the night to end.
They sat in silence for several long heartbeats, and a wave of longing engulfed her. She wanted to hold him, to kiss him, to make love with him. The knowledge that he’d turned her down the last time she’d invited him into her bed had her hesitating.
She’d misread the signals then. Was she misreading them now?
“I enjoyed tonight.” His gaze met hers. “I hope we can do it again soon.”
“I’m not playing charades again unless you’re on my team.” She poked him in the chest. “You’re just too good.”
He laughed.
“It felt like we were a real couple tonight.” She gave an embarrassed laugh. “Rather than pretending.”
A startled look crossed his face. “I’ve never pretended.”
“With my mom and sister, you were pretending,” Piper reminded him. “Because you were kind enough to play along when Gladys announced we were a couple in front of them.”
“I’ll always help you out.” With his gaze fixed on hers, he lifted his hand to cup her cheek. “I enjoy being with you, playing games with you, kissing you.”
The moment her eyes touched his, something inside her seemed to lock into place, and she couldn’t look away. He smelled of soap and a familiar male scent that made something tighten low in her abdomen.
She moistened her lips with the tip of her tongue and watched his eyes turn molten.
He bent his head and lowered his mouth, and his lips brushed hers.
Running her hands up his chest, Piper kissed him back.
After they came up for air, they sat in the darkened cab of the truck, grinning at each other.
“In case that didn’t make it clear,” Piper lowered her voice to a conspiratorial whisper, “I like kissing you, too.”
He chuckled, a low pleasant rumbling sound.
“I think I’d enjoy doing more than kissing.” Her heart hammered as she said the words.
“What’s stopping us?” He gently tucked a strand of hair behind her ear.
“I asked you to spend the night with me once before.” Though her heart continued to race, her tone came out offhand, just as she intended. “This time, you have to ask me.”
He scattered kisses up her neck. When he found the sensitive spot behind her ear, she gasped.
“One question,” he said.
She arched back on a moan, giving him more access to her neck. She fought to find her voice. “What is it?”
He nipped her ear. “Your place or mine?”
Chapter Twenty-Three
Piper’s heart beat an uneven rhythm as she climbed the stairs to Anders’s unit. When they entered his building, he’d taken off his gloves, shoving them in his pocket.
When she did the same, he took her hand.
“I like the feel of your skin against mine.” Before starting up the steps, he brought their joined hands to his mouth for a kiss.
The eyes that met hers were dark and filled with need. Or was that only a reflection of her own desire?
Piper couldn’t remember ever wanting anyone the way she wanted Anders. It was as if her entire being yearned for him. Though she hadn’t known him long, it felt as if she’d known him all her life.
When they reached his apartment and shed their coats, she stood there for the longest moment, simply looking at him.
He stepped to her, gently slipping an arm around her before pulling her close. One hand slowly and gently moved up her back. “When we were sitting in front of the fire at the farmhouse, I found myself fantasizing about what I’d do when we were alone.”
The tension in her shoulders slowly began to ease. “Don’t give me that,” she murmured against his shirtfront. “You were laser-focused on charades.”
They were so close that Piper felt the laughter that rippled through his body.
He kissed the top of her head. “Okay, so maybe not during charades, but when we were all just sitting and talking.”
Piper wasn’t sure what she’d expected. Maybe that they’d get upstairs and start ripping off each other’s clothing. This was nice, too.
“What do you think of Adam and Clay?” With her arms looped around his neck, it seemed so natural to slide her fingers into his wiry hair.
“They’re good guys. Interesting. Charlotte and Bea are a lot of fun. I can see why you’re friends with them.”
Leaning closer, she trailed her tongue along his jaw and was rewarded with a quick intake of breath.
“Ah, what was I saying?”
“You were saying that you wanted to kiss me again.” She planted a kiss at the base of his throat.
He laughed. “You know me so well.”
His arms tightened around her, and this time he kissed her with a slow thoroughness. The beating of her heart mingled with his as a hot riff of sensation traveled up her spine.
“Oh, Piper.” He breathed the words when they came up for air. “How you make me feel.”
Taking her hand, he placed it against his shirt over his pounding heart. “Just kissing you does this to me.”
She smiled, the knowledge that she affected him as much as he did her giving her confidence. “You mentioned there would be games?”
He cocked his head. “I did?”
Ever heard of the game May I?” Piper experienced a ripple of excitement. She kept her eyes focused on him. She’d read about this game, but had never thought she’d summon up the nerve to ever play it. “Before each touch or move, we ask permission.”
He smiled. “I like the sound of this game.”
Eager to get started, Piper stepped to him. “May I kiss you?”
His lips curved upward. “You may.”
Cupping his face, she kissed him softly on the lips, then stepped back.
“So we’re taking it slow.” His eyes twinkled with merriment. “An interesting strategy.”
“Your turn,” she told him.
“May I take off your sweater?”
Her heart flip-flopped. She gave a jerky nod.
“I want to kiss you, too, but I didn’t ask.” He pasted on a sorrowful expression even as he slipped her sweater over her head.
When his eyes darkened, Piper smiled. “I have this thing for sexy lingerie.”
Even under the most conservative of clothes, Piper wore lacy undergarments. Red, like the demi-bra she’d put on today, was her favorite color.
“I can see that.” He swallowed convulsively, his eyes filled with desire.
“May I slide my hands under your shirt and over your skin?” Until the question rolled off her tongue, Piper hadn’t been sure what she would ask.
Taking it slow seemed to make the most sense. The trouble was, right now she wasn’t feeling very sensible.
“You may.”
He wore a white shirt beneath the flannel, so she tugged it free of his waistband, then rubbed her hands together to warm them before slipping them up and under.
His skin, taut and toned, heated beneath the pads of her fingers as she stroked around to his back and up, then down again.
After a minute of exploring his back and shoulders, she moved to the front. When her fingers slid close to his waistband, heat flared in his golden eyes.
Smiling, she moved her fingers back up.
“My turn,” he said when her fingers dipped teasingly low again. “May I slide my hands up and down any skin I can see?”
“Yes.”
Like her, he started by giving her what she thought of as a back massage, stroking and kneading the muscles up and down her spine until she fully relaxed.
Then his hands moved to her front. Unlike her, he was careful to obey the boundaries. It didn’t matter. Her breasts strained against their lacy confines. Each time he stopped just short of the lace was pure torture.
“Game’s over,” Piper announced when he tormented her by stroking his thumbs close to where her bra dipped low. She took his mouth and kissed him until
her knees felt like jelly.
Reaching down, he scooped her up into his arms.
Her heart fluttered like a thousand butterflies in her chest.
He kissed her hard on the mouth. “I’m taking you to bed, where you have my permission to do whatever you want. No need to ask first.”
Piper woke early the next morning and stretched, feeling completely content and utterly spent. She kept remembering how Anders had looked at her, as if she were the most beautiful woman he’d ever seen.
Last night, there had been no pressure to be anyone but herself. She’d been able to explore his body and give free rein to her own desires. He’d not only liked her initiative, he’d encouraged it. Such freedom had been a heady experience.
Anders popped his head inside the bedroom door. “Coffee is ready.”
In a matter of minutes, she was seated across the table from him, enjoying a steaming cup of freshly brewed coffee.
She lifted the mug to her lips and took a long drink. “What’s on tap for you today?”
“Nothing really.” Those beautiful golden eyes settled on her face. “Beck texted and asked if we wanted to meet him and the others this morning at Muddy Boots for breakfast.”
“He asked if we wanted to meet him?” She arched a brow. “Or you?”
Anders reached across the table and laced his fingers with hers. “My brother knows we’re together. The ‘we’ was implied.”
Piper hesitated. She wanted to go. Bea would be there, along with lots of others she considered friends. Yet, she wasn’t part of that group. Once Anders left—
She shoved the thought aside. She couldn’t go there. Wouldn’t go there. Last night, she’d made the decision to embrace the time she had with him.
When it ended, there would be no looking back, no regrets.
The only thing she couldn’t do was fall in love with him.
Anders glanced at his phone. “They’re at church now. That gives us forty-five minutes until we have to leave.”
“Text him we’ll be there.” She gazed at him through lowered lashes. “Are you up for a quick shower?”
He grinned. “I thought you’d never ask.”
The Christmas Stroll, Anders learned the following Friday evening, was an annual event in Good Hope.
Apparently, the Christmas Stroll and Holiday Market had been going on as far back as anyone could recall. In early December, the stores in the downtown business district stayed open late on a Friday night to serve special goodies and treats.
“When you’re in high school,” Piper confided, “strolling is a rite of passage.”
“The town looks like something out of one of those Hallmark movies.” Anders let his gaze sweep the snow-covered streets, the brightly colored lights around all the store windows, the holiday flags fluttering from each of the ornate light poles flanking Main Street.
The streets in the area had been closed off to motor vehicles for the evening. The Daily Grind, a business not in the immediate area, had set up a refreshment cart in the street.
“Do you want a cup of cocoa?” Anders touched Piper’s arm when he saw her gazing at the cart.
“Not right now.” She continued to study the cart. “Ryder is lucky he can set up here and capture the extra business.”
“Ryder?”
“Ryder Goodhue. He owns the Daily Grind.” She gestured with her head. “That’s his daughter, Zoe, and his wife, Trinity, working the stand. He’s probably at the coffee shop. It’s on Main Street, but farther down. A little too far off the beaten track to capture much of this business.”
It struck Anders that, in years past, Piper had been able to take advantage of the Stroll traffic. “Your store was here last Christmas. What kind of specials did you run?”
Her lips curved. “What makes you think I ran specials?”
He bumped her with his shoulder. “You’re too savvy of a businesswoman not to have one or two special promotions up your sleeve.”
Piper paused, her eyes going distant with memories as she slanted a glance to Swoon’s previous location. “Last year, I put up a whole display of pom-pom beanies for women and teens. Lots of amazing colors at a fabulous price. For those not looking to add another hat to their collection, I had sparkly gloves, also at ridiculously low prices. You got a free hand warmer packet by simply walking through the door.”
“The goal was to encourage them to step inside the store?”
“The goal was to form a connection.” Piper spoke in a tone that reminded him she was a businesswoman at her core. “Research shows that people want to deal with someone who likes them and who is like them. For example, if I was running a sporting goods operation, I’d probably wear a lot of Packers gear, because there are so many fans in the area. As women’s clothing is a different animal, I show my love of Good Hope in the accessories I carry and even having original works by local artists on the walls of Swoon.”
Just hearing her speak had Anders realizing he had a lot to learn about running a retail store.
“Giving something away, even if it’s something small, plays on what social scientists call the rule of reciprocation.”
Anders had not heard of that rule before, but it sounded self-explanatory. “If you give customers something for free, they’re more likely to buy something from you.”
Piper nodded. “That’s why I gave away the hand warmers.”
“Smart.”
“Thank you.” Her lips tipped in a sly smile. “Last year was a particularly cold one.”
“Forget ‘smart.’” He gazed at her admiringly. “Let’s go with brilliant.”
She gave a little laugh, but appeared pleased by the praise. “I have my moments.” Her smile quickly faded. “This year is very different, though. Just when I most need the boost, Swoon is out in the boonies, and I’m out of luck.”
Because she suddenly looked so sad, he forced a teasing tone. “Look on the bright side. You’re here with me.”
As he hoped, the comment brought the smile back to her eyes. “No more business talk. We’re here to enjoy the Stroll.”
They made their way down the street, stopping briefly at a crowded Blooms Bake Shop for a complimentary energy ball surrounded by a chocolate shell.
Piper bit hers in half as they returned to the sidewalk. After chewing for a second, she sighed. “Despite the name ‘energy ball,’ this can’t be healthy.”
Anders, who’d downed his own in two quick bites, agreed. “I feel the urge to go back into the bakery to buy something. I’ve been successfully manipulated.”
She laughed. “What do you know? You’re a typical consumer feeling the need to spend money at a place that just gave you a yummy freebie.”
“This is such a no-brainer concept, but I’ve never even noticed when it’s worked on me. You’ve given me a lot to think about.”
Curiosity skittered across her face. “Are you considering dipping your toe into the retail market?”
His response was upended when he spotted a little girl running at him at full speed. Planting his feet, he prepared for Sarah Rose’s leap. He caught her firmly in his arms. Instead of pulling her close, he swung her wildly, making her giggle.
“Sarah Rose,” he said with a laugh. “You nearly knocked me over.” He took a few stumbling steps back to illustrate.
The girl giggled, then laid her head against his chest in a sweet gesture that had his heart swelling.
He stroked her dark curls. He’d missed out on so much by not making family a priority. He wouldn’t make that mistake again.
She suddenly jerked her head up, nearly cracking him in the chin. “Daddy! I found Uncle Anders.”
“I saw that.” Beck smiled easily at Anders as he caught up. “Good catch.” He turned to Piper. “How are you doing this evening?”
“I just finished enjoying one of your wife’s amazing energy balls, so I’m revved.” She cocked her head. “I thought you’d be working at Muddy Boots.”
“Actually, I’m
heading over there now.” Beck offered a rueful smile. “I thought we were fully staffed for the onslaught, but I got an SOS call. They’re getting slammed and could use some assistance.”
“The boss rides to the rescue.” Piper spoke in a light tone.
Beck chuckled. “Something like that.”
“Who’s watching JT?” Anders asked. He’d seen Ami behind the counter at the bakery, so his nephew couldn’t be with her.
“Steve and Lynn.” Beck pointed to Sarah Rose. “This one is going to join him.”
“There’s my little princess.” Steve Bloom, Ami’s father, strolled up. His gaze swept the threesome. “Everyone having a good time?”
Anders had met the man at one of the Sunday dinners hosted by Steve and Lynn. Tall and lanky, with gray hair, silver-rimmed glasses and hazel eyes, the high school teacher had a perpetual smile on his face.
Anders thought of Steve, with his penchant for cardigans, as the peninsula’s version of Mr. Rogers.
“Piper and I are just getting started,” Anders answered. “I’m enjoying myself.”
“Daddy let me pet the pony, Papa.” Sarah Rose held out her arms to her grandfather.
The older man took her from Anders and gave her a quick snuggle before setting her down and taking her small hand firmly in his. He glanced at Beck. “I didn’t realize they had pony rides this year.”
“They don’t,” Beck confirmed. “Though it’s something to think about for next year. Sarah Rose petted one of the horses that pulls a sleigh.”
“His neck was really soft.” Sarah Rose smiled up at her grandfather. “Will you get me a pony?”
Behind the child, Beck exaggerated shaking his head.
“We’ll talk about it.” Steve gave the child’s hand a swing. “Ready to walk to the car with me?”
She nodded vigorously. “We can skip.”
“Thanks.” Beck put his hand on his father-in-law’s coat sleeve. “I’m sorry this was so last-minute.”
“Nothing to apologize for.” Steve smiled back. “You know how much Lynn and I love watching the kids. Tell Ami they can spend the night. I know she worried it’d be asking too much, but it’s a treat for us.”