Power Play (D.C. Stars #2)

12. Piper

TWELVE

PIPER

“Does anyone need more wine? What about cheese and crackers?”

“Will you sit down, Maven? You’ve been running around nonstop for the last hour, and that doesn’t include the fabulous dinner you served us.” Lexi tugs on her arm and pulls her onto the couch. “We can pour our own drinks.”

“Sorry.” Maven laughs and sips her water. “You all know I love hosting, and it’s my first time having people over at the new house.”

“I would love to host too if I lived here.” I glance around the living room and admire the decor and furniture. The freshly painted walls and the windows that look out to three acres of land without a neighbor in sight. “I can’t believe you all built this from the ground up.”

“I love it so much. I’ve always lived in apartments, and I’m so excited to have a yard. To have a porch and a tree-lined street.” Maven sighs, blissfully content. “This is a dream come true.”

“It’s so beautiful. Definitely worth making the drive.” Emmy pulls her legs to her chest and rests her chin on her knees. “I’d love to live outside the city in a place like this. With enough land to have a garden full of fruits and vegetables and space to build an ice-skating rink in the backyard.”

“Aren’t you and Maverick looking to buy?” Maven asks. “I thought you went to an open house last month.”

“We did, but when we’re both home for longer than a night and not exhausted from our games, the last thing we want to do is talk about neighborhoods or HOAs. It’s like everything else we’re doing: it’ll happen when it happens, and until then, life is good,” Emmy says.

“I love your love.” Lexi sighs. “It makes me so happy.”

“It took sifting through a dumpster of trash ex-boyfriends to find Maverick, but it was worth it. After my last breakup, I told myself I was content with being alone. That it’s what I wanted, and I’d be happier without a man. When I’m with him though, I realize how much I don’t want to be alone. It scares me how much I love him sometimes, because what if he decides one day he doesn’t want me anymore? It’s terrifying to put so much trust in someone not to break your heart.” Emmy realizes what she’s said a second too late, and her mouth opens in horror. “ Shit . I’m sorry, Piper. I didn’t mean?—”

“I know you didn’t.” I wrap my arm around her and rest my head on her shoulder. “Maverick is not Steven. Just because I was sad doesn’t mean you’re not allowed to be happy.”

“We can talk about something else.”

“Like Piper’s sex life? Any luck on finding someone on Craigslist?” Lexi teases.

“What?” I squeak. “Nope. Nothing. Not a single thing to report.”

“You’re such a bad liar.” Maven narrows her eyes. “You’re hiding something.”

“Ugh. Fine.” I groan, knowing they’re going to wear me down eventually. “I, um, have a development on the whole getting better at sex thing.”

“Finally.” Lexi grabs the bottle of chardonnay and fills up her glass. “ This is what we should’ve been talking about all night.”

“Before I start, you all have to swear what I say doesn’t leave this room. You can’t ask me about it when we’re not behind closed doors. You can’t tell anyone on the team. It’s very private and very personal.”

It’s been almost a week since I proposed my idea to Liam.

We’ve had three games—two away and one at home—so I know he’s been busy, but he hasn’t given me an answer one way or another about where he stands and I’m going out of my mind.

Putting myself out there was hard , but I have to be prepared for a possible rejection.

He said it himself: he doesn’t date during the season. And while I know we’re not falling in love or anything profound like that, this will be a time commitment. For someone so dedicated to his craft, asking him to give up precious hours away from the thing he’s passionate about might not go over well.

“Whoa.” Maven scoots to the edge of the couch opposite me. “This is serious, isn’t it?”

“Very,” I say. “I need you all to swear on girl code.”

“Swear,” Lexi says, and Maven and Emmy echo the agreement.

I take a deep breath and a sip of my wine. “Something happened at the bar when we were in Edmonton.”

“I hate being on a different team. I miss out on all the exciting stuff,” Emmy grumbles. “Please tell me you had a wild night of sex with some nice Canadian. Isn’t there a position where you do it on a mechanical bull?”

“Okay, if those are your expectations for this story, you’re going to be very disappointed. There was no kinky bull riding, but I did step way out of my comfort zone by telling someone how uninspired I felt in the bedroom,” I confess.

“What do you mean someone ?” Lexi presses. “Who the hell did you ask? Is it someone famous? Is that why you’re being so secretive?”

“It’s Liam,” I blurt out, and all three girls gape at me. “I told him about Steven and the lack of intimacy and— oh my god . I said I’m not sure a guy can make me orgasm. I can’t believe I did that.”

“We need to back way the fuck up. How the hell did you end up telling him all of that? What did he say? Is he agreeing to it?” Emmy asks, and there are so many questions I don’t have the answer to.

“It all just happened. One minute I’m telling him I could be into hockey players and the next he’s saying I know where to find him. So, I found him. Proposed the idea. Asked if he would be my coach, and now I’m in limbo while I wait for him to decide if this is a good idea or not.”

“And by coach you mean?—”

“Sex and everything that comes with it.”

“Did he say yes ?” Maven asks.

“Not yet, and I’m mortified. It’s been a week. He hasn’t paid any attention to me. He won’t even look my way, and I know the answer is going to be no. Why else would he drag it out for so long?”

“Can we pretend he says yes for a minute? Let’s imagine there’s a world where he agrees to help you.” Lexi grins. “You’re going to sleep with Liam .”

“This is a safe space, so I know there won’t be any judgment. I love my husband very much.” Maven sets her water down. She cracks her knuckles and laughs. “But I can’t help but be curious about Liam. I’ve always thought he’d be the best on the team in bed. A little freaky, maybe. The perfect amount of roughness without hurting you. He’d be big on consent, which is so fucking sexy, and he doesn’t strike me as someone who would be very selfish, if you know what I mean.”

“Honey, we all know what you mean,” Lexi says.

“I think that’s why I went to him,” I admit quietly. “He’s a little rough around the edges and nearly impossible to read, but I know he’d take care of me. I know I’d be safe with him. I wouldn’t be a conquest or a notch in his belt. He wouldn’t brag to the team. He’s always been determined; he wouldn’t stop until he had a hundred percent success rate with me.”

I don’t want to tell the girls I’ve been thinking about him since I stopped by his apartment, but I have.

I still remember when he caged me in against the wall and his voice turned rough.

I still remember the flash of heat behind his eyes when I originally told him about my idea.

Liam Sullivan has been on my mind, and there’s a part of me that’s desperate to feel his hands on my body. To know what he tastes like, what he sounds like. How meticulous and careful he’d be in the bedroom and if he’s as good as he claims he is.

I already know the answer, and it makes me want him even more.

“This is a big deal, Piper. Are you two going to date? Are you going to tell the team?” Maven asks, the voice of reason I need in my biased thoughts.

“No. We’re going to pretend to date for his sister’s wedding, but there wouldn’t be a romantic relationship—only a physical one. And I wouldn’t tell the team. I don’t want them to think differently of me because of who I may or may not be sleeping with. I’ve worked so damn hard to get where I am, and I don’t want to throw that away.”

“They wouldn’t treat you differently,” Emmy assures me. “Look at me and Mav. We were together when I was on the team, and no one cared. They were happy for us, and the boys bug me on a daily basis asking when they’re going to have a niece or nephew. If Liam starts walking around with a smile on his face, they’re going to have questions.”

“That’s a good point. And is he going to sleep with other people?” Maven asks. “Are you?”

“No. It would be exclusive.”

“You have to tell us when you hear from him,” Lexi says.

“I’m not going to get my hopes up. I’ve actually already written the idea off. It’ll be fine. I’m not in head over heels for the guy. Maybe—” My phone buzzes on the table, cutting me off. I grab it and find a text from Liam. “Oh, shit. It’s him.”

I slide my thumb across the screen, bracing myself.

Liam

My apartment. Friday at 6 pm.

Me

Is this a yes to what I asked?

Liam

Yes.

Me

Cool. See you then!

My hands are shaking as I stare at my phone. It’s silent on the other end, and I don’t know why I expect another message to come through. This is Liam we’re talking about, a man of few words and even fewer emotions.

Who just agreed to be my sex coach .

Holy shit .

“He said yes,” I say. “Oh, my god. I’m going to sleep with Liam.”

“Hell yes!” Lexi cheers. “Our girl is going to get laid.”

“Are we allowed to get a full report?” Maven asks. “I will sell my left kidney to know what he’s like in bed.”

“He’s a private person. It wouldn’t feel right to give away details of his personal life,” I say.

“ Fine . We don’t need details, but you’re going to have to give us something ,” Lexi says.

“We’ll use that Schmidt clip from New Girl to figure out his size,” Emmy says. “That’s fair, right?”

“I’ll give you the New Girl clip,” I agree, and they cheer.

I read his message again, then a third time. It’s curt. Straight to the point and not beating around the bush, and I can’t help but smile at how Liam it is.

I’ve never been one to be a double texter, but just this once I decide to give in and tell him what I’m thinking.

Me

I’m excited, by the way.

Three dots appear then disappear. It takes a full two minutes before his response comes in, and when it does, my smile stretches into a wide grin.

I can’t help it.

Liam

Me too.