We grab burgers and fries, and I drive us away from downtown in the general direction of home. Except I turn off onto a different road where the houses aren’t quite as extravagant.
Piper doesn’t seem to notice we aren’t going toward Ash’s house, or maybe she just doesn’t care. She’s had as few nights out as I have recently, and she hasn’t stopped smiling all night.
She was always the social butterfly in the relationship. I prefer quiet nights with the guys, hanging out at home, chill stuff, but Piper loves a big get together or dinners out. I couldn’t give a lot of those to her the last time because of the distance, and now when I’d love nothing more than to whisk her away on a tropical vacation with all our friends or even a weekend away with just the two of us, I still can’t do that. At least not in the same way.
Everly is my priority. She’s doing so much better. I just need to stay the course for a little longer. She’ll graduate soon and, fingers crossed, get into college. Even if she decides she still wants to live with me, I won’t need to look out for her in the same way I do now. Or hopefully not, anyway.
When I pull into the driveway of a large gray house with a stone front, Piper finally looks around at the surroundings.
“Where are we?”
I cut the engine and open my door. “You’ll see. Come on.”
She smiles and undoes her seat belt as I jog around the front of the car and help her out.
“This place is gorgeous.” Her gaze lands on the For Sale sign hanging in the yard. “Whose house is this?”
“It was Jack’s a few years ago. He’s been renting it the past couple of years since he moved into his new place.”
I take her hand and we walk to the garage. I punch in the code, and it lifts.
The garage, like the rest of the house, is empty, but I lead her inside through a mud room, past a laundry room, and giant kitchen, into the living room.
“Wow. Why would he ever move?” She turns in a circle. It’s all white with dark gray accents, modern and clean.
“You’ve seen his place now. It makes this one look like a shack.”
“This shack is beautiful.” She runs her hand along the mantle above the fireplace.
“This is my favorite part,” I say, and open the big, glass sliding door that opens up to a covered sitting area outside.
It has a great wooded view—not a house in sight. But in case the landscape isn’t enough, there’s also a fireplace and spot for a TV above it, plus lots of room for couches and chairs. All the furniture is gone now, but Jack showed me some pictures from before he moved out, and I just know if this was my house, this is the place I’d want to be.
Piper walks out and rests her hands on the railing. “This is really nice.”
“There’s no pool, but the agent said there’s enough room to put a decent-sized one in right over there.” I point over her shoulder.
The breeze moves her hair around. She looks back at me, brows pulled together. The question is on her face, but I don’t give her time to ask.
“I was thinking about buying it,” I say. “What do you think?”
“Really?” Her face lights up and she glances back out at the view like she’s seeing it for the first time again, hopefully trying to picture waking up to it.
“You didn’t think I was going to live with Ash forever, did you?”
“No, but I didn’t realize you were actively looking. You…” She stops herself and bites the corner of her lip. “You and Everly would live here?”
“And you, of course. Do you like it?” I push her hair away from her face and let my fingers linger at the base of her neck.
“Like? It’s perfect for you. I can totally picture you here.”
“Us.” I rest my hand along her hip. “Do you like it for you, Pipes?”
She opens her mouth to speak, closes it, and then finally speaks. “Is now a bad time to tell you that my roommate’s sister left? I wanted to wait until after tonight to tell you. I guess I wanted to enjoy a couple more nights under the same roof too.”
Her expression goes sheepish, and it makes me laugh. Like I care that she hasn’t gone back to her place.
“Move in with me, Pipes. Not because I need help with Everly, but because I want to live with my super hot girlfriend.”
She rests a palm on my chest. I brace for disappointment. Somewhere in the back of my mind I know it’s fast and impulsive. But it feels like four years too long.
Her smile starts small and grows into a wide grin that I want to kiss. “Okay.”
“Really?”
She nods. “Yes, really. I love falling asleep with you every night.”
“And waking up with me?”
“I would if your alarm went off about two hours later.”
“So this is really happening? You’re moving in with me?” I am grinning like an idiot and I don’t care.
“I just want to be where you are. Don’t get me wrong, this is so nice and of course I want to live here with you, but I’d say yes to that regardless of where you live.”
She moves for me while I’m still basking in her answer. Piper slides her hands up my chest and slants her mouth over mine.
Sometimes I wonder what life would look like if I hadn’t lost her the first time, but I’d spend another four years missing her to make her this happy now.
“Do you want to see the rest of the house?” I ask, lips still pressed against hers.
“Yes!” She pulls away, tugging me after her.
We see five bedrooms, an office, a workout room, and another living area. The house is way more space than I need, than any three people need, really, but I love the idea of growing together here—making it our own, having kids, all of it.
“Are you sure you like it? We can look at others.” It’s nicer than anywhere I ever lived, Ash’s house excluded, but Piper’s family had money when she was growing up. Her childhood home was probably twice this size.
“It’s perfect.” She turns in a circle and glances over her shoulder at me. “By the way, I will be paying rent.”
We’re standing in an empty living room, nothing but blank walls and a window that looks out into the dark night, but the view and the promise of what it could look like makes my chest tighten.
I go to her and kiss her, then back Piper up against the closest wall and slide my hand up the slit in her dress until I reach the lacy panties underneath.
She widens her stance, giving me better access to slide my fingers inside. A gasp slips past her lips as I move in and out of her in slow strokes.
Her fingers fumble for my belt and she has it undone and my pants falling to my ankles so fast. I love how much she wants me. It’s a fraction of my feelings mirrored back at me.
I reach down to grab a condom from my wallet, but she stops me. “I’m on birth control.”
She turns and moves her long, brown hair so I can unzip her and then she lets the red material fall to the floor. She’s bra-less and only her small, matching red panties adorn her skin.
“I don’t know how I survived a day without you.”
She smiles. “I don’t know how you did either.”
Our kisses are slower and deeper as I lift her in my arms. It’s the first of many times I plan to fuck her in this house, but tonight I want to cherish her in a way that makes that promise for me—no words necessary.
I push inside of her, and still with my forehead resting against hers. Piper’s chest rises and falls. Her words come out in a rasp. “Oh God, why are you stopping?”
A rough chuckle escapes as I pull back a fraction to look at her. Face flushed, eyes so dark blue I feel like I’m drowning in them.
“I was trying to savor the moment, baby.”
“Savor on your own time.” A smirk flashes across her face.
“Yes, ma’am.” I drive into her. That smirk falls and she gasps.
She clings to me as I fuck her against the wall. We eventually move to the ground where she rides me, then we switch again so I can take her from behind. Every position, every kiss, every thrust is a promise.
When she finally comes, Piper falls on her back and takes in big, deep breaths. “Wow. I think this place has the magic touch.”
“That’s all me, baby.” I curl up next to her. Our clothes tossed in every direction around us. I bring our joined hands up above us and admire how well we fit together in every way.
I kiss her knuckles and then turn to face her. “I love you, Piper.”
“I love you too.”
I shake my head slowly. “I know we’ve said the words to each other before and I meant them then, but I’ve never loved you more than I do now.”
Her head falls to the side, and she stares back at me with the biggest smile on her face. She eliminates the space between us, placing her lips against mine. “Same for me.”
She props herself up on an elbow. “How long is your contract?”
“Two years, why?”
“Talking to Scarlett tonight reminded me that you could be traded.”
“Yeah. Lots of guys bounce around.” I shrug. “Does that bother you?”
“No. I meant what I said earlier. I just want to be with you. Wherever that is.”
One of our phones starts ringing from somewhere in the room.
“I think that’s yours. I’m pretty sure I left mine in the car.” She sits up and reaches for my pants, then pulls out my phone. “It’s Jack.”
She gasps and covers her chest with both hands. “Does he have cameras in here?”
Laughing, I take my phone. “I wouldn’t put it past him, but he’s probably just wondering if I made up my mind. I’ll call him back later.”
“Take it. I’m gonna grab some water and then I want to do that again but this time in the master bedroom.”
She heads for the kitchen. I accept the call and place the phone to my ear while admiring her naked backside sauntering away from me. “What’s up?”
“Hey, Tyler. It’s Jack.” His voice sends a chill down my spine. It isn’t what he says, but the tone. He sounds like he wants to murder someone. “Where are you?”
“I brought Piper—”
“Never mind. It doesn’t matter. Get home. It’s Everly.”
