Power Play (D.C. Stars #2)
50. Piper
94%
FIFTY
PIPER
Liam
Are you busy tonight?
Me
Depends who’s asking.
Liam
I’m asking.
Me
Oh? I’m free as a bird. What’s on the agenda?
A loud club?
Somewhere with a lot of people?
A loud club with a lot of people?
Liam
Very funny.
I’m taking you on a date.
A real date outside the house.
Me
You are?
Liam
Yup.
Be ready at seven. Jeans are fine.
Me
Are you going to tell me about where we’re going?
Liam
Nope. It’s a secret.
Me
EMERGENCY. Liam is taking me on a date tonight and said jeans are okay. What else do I wear?
Lexi
A sweater will be perfect!
Lexi
And socks. Don’t forget your socks.
Me
What do you all know?
Lexi
Nothing.
Maven
Nothing.
Emmy
Something. But that’s because I’m married to the guy who can’t keep a secret to save his life.
Me
Not true. He kept the secret about Liam and me being married. I’m impressed with that, by the way.
Emmy
You and me both.
Maven
Casual is good, Piper!
Me
I’m nervous. Why am I nervous? I’ve seen the man naked dozens of times, but the minute he says he’s taking me on a date, I get butterflies?
Lexi
Because you loveeee him!
Me
Stop it. That’s a big word.
Lexi
Almost as big as his dick?
Me
I’m done with you.
“Is the blindfold really necessary?” I cross my arms over my chest in the front seat of Liam’s Range Rover and turn my chin in his direction. “Feels a bit dramatic, if you ask me.”
“Sorry. My kidnapper insisted,” he says, and I bite back a laugh at his joke. “I didn’t want to argue with him.”
“Fine. But I if I meet this kidnapper, I’m going to have some words for him.” I relax against the cool leather interior and huff. “I’m not really a fan of surprises.”
“You’re not?”
“No. I think walking into my ex-husband’s office and seeing his head between his secretary’s legs was enough of a jump scare to last a lifetime.”
“I’m taking you to the rink,” Liam says immediately.
“You are? Is there an event tonight? I didn’t think there was anything on the schedule with the playoffs only a few weeks away.”
“Nope. Nothing on the schedule It’ll just be us.”
“And what are we doing at the rink?”
“You’ll see,” he tells me, and I hear the smile behind his words. “But I promise not going to see my head between anyone’s legs.”
“Very reassuring.” I reach over, searching for his arm or his hand or something so I can touch him. So I can feel his warmth. “How was practice today?”
“Fine. We were sloppy in the game last night, and Coach took it out on us this morning. We went through shootout drills, and my legs are shot.”
“Is that why we’re going to the rink? Because you can’t stay away?”
“Kind of.”
Liam cuts off the engine and unbuckles his seatbelt. I hear him open door then open mine, helping me to the asphalt. His arm drapes over my shoulder as he guides me down the familiar path I’ve walked hundreds of times.
There’s the beep of his credentials, then cool air greets me. I smile when he leads me down a long stretch of hallway, his hand in mine and his thumb rubbing against the inside of my wrist.
It’s colder wherever we are, and I figure we’re probably near the ice. At the end of the tunnel where I usually stand during games. I don’t hear any other sounds, though. No music. No noise. No conversations.
I’m in the arena every day, but there are always dozens of other people around. I’m used to the whistles and plays being called out, not utter silence.
“Okay.” Liam pulls the blindfold over my head and I blink under the house lights. There’s a carpet rolled out to center ice, and I spot a table sitting right over the logo. “We’re here.”
“What is going on?” I laugh when I see plates and glasses set up, and he tugs on my hand. “Are we trying out a game the fans are going to play at intermission?”
“We’re having dinner. You told me the arena is one of your favorite places. Why would I take you anywhere you don’t love as much?”
I look at him and find him watching me, waiting for validation, and I don’t know what to say.
How do I tell him how thoughtful this is?
How do I tell him I’m not used to being listened to?
How do I tell him dinner at the rink is going to make me cry because it means I’m here with him, near the spot where we first met, wondering how my life has turned out this way?
How do I tell him it’s the most perfect thing in the world?
“Liam,” I whisper, his name coming out like two reverent syllables. “You did this for me?”
“I’d do anything for you.”
It’s simple. Short and sweet and five words I’ve never heard before, but they stick to my heart. They sweep out the cobwebs and air out the last remaining fears I have about starting something new. About starting over with someone I care about very much.
“This is…” I trail off, emotion threatening to grip me. Threatening to suffocate me, because this man is the epitome of kind and wonderful and perfect. “Thank you.”
“Come on.” He holds my hand as we walk across the carpet and scoots my chair in for me. “I hope you’re hungry.”
A noise from my left is magnified in the empty arena, and I turn, watching Maverick skate leisurely across the ice holding a server’s tray.
“Evening, folks,” he says, stopping in front of our table. “Thank you for joining us for dinner this evening. You’ll see a menu on your plate. Would we like to start with a glass of wine? I recommend the house red, but the Sauvignon Blanc is crisp tonight.”
I gape at Maverick and the tuxedo he’s wearing. He’s rolled the pant legs up on top of his skates, and he looks absolutely ridiculous.
“What do you think?” Liam asks me, and I shake my head.
“I’m sorry. I’m still processing Maverick’s outfit. You’re in a tux .”
“You think I’m in a tux. It’s actually a Halloween costume from the thrift store.”
“Wow.” I laugh and glance at Liam. “Red sounds good.”
“Red it is,” Maverick says, skating away.
“Are we having any other visitors?” I ask, and Liam shrugs.
“Guess you’ll have to wait and see.”
Hudson comes out next, setting down bread and mozzarella sticks as an appetizer. He talks for ten minutes about the Italian breadcrumbs covering the cheese, only leaving when Liam shoots him a look that has me trying not to burst out laughing.
Grant comes next, handing us both a salad before tossing me a wink. Ethan brings out a plate of hot dogs and cups of condiments, letting us know he called in a favor with Dave to have the food delivered.
Riley is there too, passing off our entrees and helping Maverick refill our wine glasses. When I’ve eaten every bite of the pasta dish in front of me, I lean back in my chair and grin.
“Wow. You got everyone to help. How’d you pull that off?”
“I told them I was nervous as shit about taking you on a date, and they jumped in. They know you’re my favorite person, and they know I wanted to do this right. I would’ve done the same for any of them.”
“You would’ve?”
“Yeah. Would’ve complained for hours, but I would’ve done it.” Liam stares at me across the table and tips his head to the side. “Ready for the next part of the date?”
“What else do you have up your sleeve, Sully?”
He bends forward and pulls a pair of ice skates. “Want to be an idiot with me, Pipsqueak?”
“Oh, god. What’s that saying about returning to the scene of the crime?”
“The first time was a tragedy, wasn’t it?”
“Are you sure this is a good idea? You have a very important stretch of games coming up, and I don’t want to be on the end of Brody Saunders’s wrath if you hurt yourself in your off time.”
Liam scoots his chair back and stands. “I want you to learn.”
“Is knowing how to skate a prerequisite for hanging out with you?”
“No. I want you to learn for you. I’ve taught you a lot of things over the last couple of months, Piper, and it pisses me off I didn’t get to teach you how to skate the first time. Consider this a door closing on your past. After tonight, everything you want to learn, I’m going to be by your side while you do. Encouraging you. Motivating and supporting you. You won’t be embarrassed or afraid of anything ever again.”
I want to weep.
I want to laugh and scream and hug him tight.
I want to tell him all the ways he’ll never be the person from my past, starting with the gentle way he cares about me.
The way he loves me, and the way I love him.
I think.
The word terrifies me. Scares the absolute shit out of me, because I can see what happens when you abuse it. When you turn it into something wretched and broken and messy.
I’ve seen the worst side of love, but here I am, staring at Liam and knowing deep within every fractured piece of my soul, I am completely and irrevocably in love with him.
“Hey.” He moves around the table and squats in front of me. “What’s wrong?”
“ Nothing . This is the most thoughtful thing anyone’s ever done for me, and I’m having a hard time processing it.”
Liam’s mouth hooks up in a smile. His eyes twinkle and happiness almost radiates off of him. “Wanna do a lap, Sunshine?”
I nod, afraid to say anything else. I might blurt out how I feel about him. I might ask him to stay with me forever because I’m terrified of a world without him in it.
He helps me switch my sneakers for the skates, lacing them up and tapping the toe when I’m ready to go. I wait for him to put his own skates on, watching the easiness of his movements and how natural he looks being near the ice.
“All right.” He holds out his hand and I stand, our fingers locking together. “Remember: it can’t be worse than last time.”
“That’s debatable. Tonight you could hit your head.”
“Might knock some sense in him,” Ethan hollers from the stands, and Liam flips him off.
“I didn’t know we had an audience,” I say, and he sighs.
“That was part of the agreement. They would help but only if they could watch us act all, and I quote, ‘cute and shit.’”
“Look at you.” I reach up and pinch his cheek. “You’re like a walking romcom. Guess we better give them a show.”
We take the first lap slow. By the third lap, I’m more comfortable. My posture is straight, my eyes are straight ahead instead of down at my feet, and I loosen my death grip on Liam’s hand.
“I can finally feel my fingers,” he says when I pull away. I shove him, knowing it won’t do much damage, and he grabs my wrist. “Bad move, Pipsqueak.”
Before I can prepare for his retaliation, Liam lifts me above his head like I’m a figure skater. I squeak when I see how high I am and feebly swat at his back.
“Oh, my god. Put me down, you big ogre.”
“No can do. I overheard the guys say they have a bet going for tonight, and I kind of want Hudson to win.”
“He deserves a win, doesn’t he?” I close my eyes, not wanting to look at the ground. “Fine. But don’t make me stay up here very long. My life is flashing before my eyes.”
His laugh is loud and bold, and it melts into me. “You win. I’m putting you down.”
I expect him to set me down quickly, but Liam is slow. He drags me down the front of my body, holding me there, and I wrap my legs around his waist.
“What else is included in this bet?”
“I heard something about ice angels and disgusting displays of affection.”
“I thought you hated PDA.”
“Wouldn’t mind it with you. Especially if it means Ethan loses a hundred bucks.”
I smile and touch his cheek, his skin warm and soft. “Seems like you don’t mind a lot of things with me. Interviews. PDA. Sleepovers. Hanging out with each other every single day. You’re the one doodling my name in your journal, aren’t you?”
“Guilty,” he says, and his nose brushes against mine. “You gonna give me an exit survey for our first date, Pipsqueak? The areas where I can improve?”
“Yeah. You lose a point for not kissing me.”
“Better fix that.” Liam brings his lips to mine. He kisses the corner of my mouth and grins. “We both know how I feel about being the best.”