Chapter 13
THIRTEEN
PIPER
Ivy & Piper’s Guide to Life Rule Number Ten:
No is a complete sentence.
T he shrill ring of my phone jolted me awake. I fumbled for it in the darkness, squinting until the name flashing across the bright screen came into focus. My boss.
“Hello?” I mumbled, my voice thick with sleep.
“Piper, where the hell are you?” Derek’s voice boomed through the speaker. “You were supposed to open at three. It’s five!”
I bolted upright, panic flooding my system. “Shit. I’m so sorry. I completely forgot?—”
“This is the second day in a row you’ve missed your shift,” he said, cutting me off. “Being a manager doesn’t mean you can blow off work whenever you feel like it.”
My throat tightened, and I shook my head even though he couldn’t see me. “No, I didn’t. I requested off yesterday. Remember?” I asked, rubbing my stinging eyes. I was a grown-ass woman. A grown-ass woman who was dangerously close to tears because she was being reprimanded by her boss.
“As a manager, you’re technically always on call,” he reminded me, his tone patronizing. “The higher wage and guaranteed hours come with more responsibilities. I can’t have you disappearing without notice like this. What kind of an example does it set for the rest of the employees?”
When I realized the other side of the bed was empty, a sense of déjà vu washed over me, and my stomach dropped. The memory of his arms around me and his promise to be here when I woke up had felt so real. But the cold, empty sheets beside me told a different story.
Dane was gone. Again.
“Please, Derek. I’m so sorry,” I said, trying and failing to mask the emotion in my voice. “Avery fell, and we were at the hospital until late last night. I should have called, but everything’s been such a blur…”
“If you’d called to let me know what was going on, I could have made arrangements,” he said, his tone softening slightly. “But I can’t run a business effectively if I don’t know when my employees will show up.”
“You’re right,” I admitted, kneading my chest with the heel of my hand like it might stop it from aching. “It won’t happen again, I promise.”
Derek sighed heavily. “Look, I know you’re in a difficult situation as a single mom. But if you can’t manage your time effectively and be available when I need you, we may need to reevaluate your position.”
Tears clung to my lashes before spilling over onto my cheeks. I couldn’t afford to lose this job. “Please, Derek. I’ll do anything,” I said, choking back a sob. “I need this job.”
There was a long pause on the other end of the line. “Fine. I’ll find someone to cover your shift today, but you better be prepared to work double shifts for the next few weeks to make up for it,” he said gruffly.
“Of course, absolutely. Thank you so much.” Relief washed over me even as dread settled in my stomach at the thought of seeing my daughter even less than I already did.
The call ended, and I collapsed back onto the bed, my hands shaking as I placed the phone on the nightstand. As if Dane walking out again wasn’t bad enough, now my job was on thin ice, too. I pressed my hands over my face to muffle the sound of my sobs, not wanting to wake Avery .
When there was nothing left to cry, I dragged myself out of bed and down the hall, only to freeze as soon as I reached the living room.
Dane lay sprawled across the couch with Avery on his bare chest, his massive frame dwarfing the furniture. One muscular arm was draped over her back, protecting her even in his sleep.
The magnitude of the moment struck me, and I sagged against the wall. My sweet, cautious girl, who had been wary of men since she came into this world, looked right at home in her daddy’s arms. Like it was where she was always meant to be.
Fresh tears sprang to my eyes as I thought of the long, sleepless nights I’d spent wishing I didn’t have to do it alone. Now he was here, stepping into the role of father as if he’d been doing it all along
I crept closer, my bare feet silent against the cool hardwood. His face was relaxed in sleep, softer somehow, making him look younger and more vulnerable. A lock of dark hair had fallen across his forehead, and I fought the urge to brush it back.
As if sensing my stare, Dane’s eyes fluttered open, instantly alert. His arm tightened around Avery before his gaze found mine. The tension in his body eased, replaced by a slow, sleepy smile that made my heart skip a beat.
“Mornin’,” he rumbled, voice rough with sleep. Avery stirred at her father’s voice, her tiny fist clutching his chest as she burrowed closer.
“Morning,” I whispered back once I found my voice. “How long have you two been out here?”
He glanced down at Avery, his expression softening even further. “Since about three. She was fussing, so I brought her in here so you could sleep.”
Guilt twisted in my gut. “I’m so sorry. I usually hear her through the monitor. You should have woken me up.”
“Piper.” The way he said my name, low and firm, did something to my insides. “You needed the rest. Besides, we were just fine.”
Dane studied me for a long moment before shifting Avery to one arm and extending his free hand toward me. “Have you been crying?”
“It’s nothing,” I said, swiping at my cheeks. “Just work stuff.”
“C’mere, let me hold you.”
Against my better judgment, I took his hand and let him pull me down onto the couch beside him. His skin was warm against mine, and I fought the urge to curl into his side like Avery had.
“What happened?” he asked, keeping his voice low so as not to wake our daughter.
I exhaled a shaky breath, feeling the weight of everything crashing down on me again. “My boss called. I was supposed to open the bakery this morning and completely forgot. He’s—well, let’s just say I’m not his favorite person right now.”
Dane’s arm tightened around me. “He giving you a hard time about taking care of our daughter?”
“Not exactly,” I said, absently stroking Avery’s hair. “But he did threaten to demote me if I can’t manage my time better.”
His chest vibrated with a low growl. “Manage your time better? The fuck? You were at the hospital with our kid. What’s he expect you to do?”
“I should have called to let him know what was happening,” I said quickly, though I couldn’t deny the warmth spreading through my chest at his protective tone. “I promised to work double shifts for a while to make up for it.”
“And when the hell are you supposed to see Avery if he’s got you working double shifts?” he asked, his jaw flexing and tightening.
I shrugged. “I’ll figure something out. I have to—I don’t have another choice.”
He remained silent for a long moment, his thumb drawing circles on my hip. “What if you did?”
“What do you mean?” I asked, tipping my head back to peer up at him.
“I mean, I work for a security firm and can take care of both you and Avery. You wouldn’t have to work for some asshole who doesn’t give a shit about you or our daughter.”
My heart raced at his words, equal parts tempted and terrified by the offer. “Dane, I can’t just quit my job and depend on you. We barely know each other.”
He raised an eyebrow. “I beg to differ. We made a baby together, darlin’. I’d say I know you pretty damn well.”
The offer was tempting. So tempting. But the rational part of my brain knew it was too soon .
“Has she had meds recently?” I asked, shifting to a safer topic. The swelling on Avery’s head appeared to have gone down significantly overnight.
“I went off the discharge paperwork and gave her some pain meds when she woke up at three after checking to make sure she wasn’t running a fever. She settled pretty quick, so I’m hoping that means we’re in the clear.”
“I’m—”
His brown eyes narrowed. “The next word out of your pretty mouth better not be an apology.”
“It isn’t. I was going to say I’m not used to having help.” Although, I was more than a little curious to know what he would have done if I had apologized.
Something dark and possessive flickered in his eyes. “Guess you’ll just have to get used to it because I’m not going anywhere.”
There was nothing erotic in what he said, but the words sent a thrill of sensation down my spine. I was keenly aware of how thin the material of my tank top was when my nipples peaked against his chest.
Dane’s fingertips skimmed the curve of my breast when he noticed my body’s reaction, and I pulled my bottom lip between my teeth to keep from moaning.
“Baby,” he murmured, voice husky with desire. “You keep looking at me like that, and I’m gonna have to do something about it.”
“Like what?” My breath caught when he slid his hand down to squeeze the back of my thigh.
“Like put little miss back in her crib so I can bend you over the back of the couch and fuck your cunt with my tongue until I’m drowning in your juices.” His fingers moved higher until he was cupping my pussy through my panties.
The air between us crackled with electricity. I wanted nothing more than to climb onto his lap, pull my underwear to the side, and lose myself in the feel of him.
“Dane,” I whimpered, torn between desire and the awareness of our sleeping daughter nestled between us.
“But we’re taking things slow,” he reminded me, returning his hand to my shoulder .
“Right.” I bobbed my chin in a shaky nod and shifted slightly, trying to ease the throbbing ache when Avery stirred against his chest. She smacked her lips together several times before exhaling.
“Tell me something,” he said once her breaths evened back out. “We talked about the day she was born, but what was she like as a newborn?”
A lump formed in my throat as I thought back to those first overwhelming days. “She was perfect,” I whispered. “So tiny and fragile. I was terrified I’d break her.”
He chuckled, the sound vibrating against my cheek. “I can imagine. What else?”
“She hardly ever cried,” I said, smiling at the memory. “Just these little whimpers when she was hungry or needed changing. And she had the most expressive face, even then. You could see every emotion play across it.”
“Just like her mama.” Dane’s finger hooked under my chin, tilting my face up to his. “Every thought that crosses your mind shows up right here. It’s how I knew Avery was mine without you saying a word.”
Aside from my mother and Ivy, no one had ever read me so easily before. It was both thrilling and terrifying to be seen like that.
“What else?”
I let my fingertips trail over her pudgy arm. “She was so alert, always watching everything with her big green eyes. And she had the most adorable little snore…”
As I spoke, sharing the memories I’d tucked away over the past year, something inside me began to soften. I’d carried the weight of being a single parent for so long, but watching Dane eagerly soak up every detail about our daughter made me realize that I hadn’t ever given myself a chance to stop long enough to take it all in.
We lay there talking in hushed voices as the room slowly brightened with the dawn. When Avery’s eyes popped open, she blinked sleepily up at us, her little face scrunching in confusion as she took in her surroundings. For a heart-stopping moment, I worried she might burst into tears at finding herself in an unfamiliar position.
But then her gaze settled on Dane, and a grin spread across her face. She reached up with one chubby hand, patting his stubbled cheek as if to make sure he was real.
“Mornin’, princess,” he said, his voice cracking slightly.
She babbled happily in response, her tiny fingers exploring the planes of his face with unabashed curiosity.
The tenderness in his expression made my chest ache. I’d dreamed of this moment so many times, but the reality was infinitely sweeter than anything I could have imagined.
“A-ma,” Avery chirped suddenly, twisting in Dane’s arms to reach for me.
I gathered her close, smoothing a hand over her wild curls before peppering her face with kisses. “There’s my sweet girl. Are you hungry, baby?”
Her tummy let out an impressive growl as if on cue, making us both laugh.
Dane sat up and stretched his arms overhead with a low chuckle. “I’ll take that as a yes.”
The movement drew my attention to his ab muscles, and my throat bobbed up and down in a slow swallow.
“I should get her breakfast started,” I said, forcing my gaze away from his sculpted torso.
“Let me.” He held out his arms, and I sat in open-mouthed shock when Avery went to him without hesitation. “Why don’t you grab a book and take a long bubble bath, darlin’? We’ll rustle up something to eat.”
A protest rose to my lips, but the determined set of his jaw told me it was pointless to argue.
I lingered in the doorway, watching as he expertly secured Avery in her highchair. He moved around my kitchen with easy confidence, narrating his every move, much to our daughter’s delight.
“You sure you don’t need any help?” I called out, unable to completely let go of my routine.
Dane shot me a pointed look over his shoulder. “Piper. Bath. Now.”
The firmness in his tone sent a shiver down my spine, and I forced myself to turn away, padding down the hall to take a bath.
With a hiss of pleasure, I sank beneath the lavender-scented bubbles, letting the hot water melt the tension from my muscles. For the first time in over a year, I was allowing myself to unwind, knowing Avery was in good hands.
I tried to focus on the psychological thriller I’d grabbed on my way in, but after reading the opening paragraph four times, I gave up. My thoughts kept drifting back to Dane. I slid a hand down my belly, grazing my fingers over my clit as I recalled the heat in his gaze, the effortless way he took control.
A gasp of relief slipped past my parted lips as I circled the tight bundle of nerves before moving down to my slit. I draped my right leg over the edge of the clawfoot tub and imagined it was his fingers pumping in and out of me.
Water lapped gently against the sides of the tub. The thought of him barging in, seeing me spread out and desperate for his touch, only fueled the motion of my hand. Heat coiled low in my belly, and I pinched the sensitive peak of my breast, teetering on the edge of climax when a sharp knock at the door sent me hurtling back to reality.
“Piper?” Dane’s deep voice called from just outside the door. “Breakfast is ready whenever you are, darlin’.”
I froze, my fingers still buried inside my body. “O-okay,” I called back, wincing at how breathy I sounded. “I’ll be out in a minute.”
There was a pause, and I could almost feel his suspicion radiating through the door. “You all right in there?”
“Fine!” I squeaked, no longer aroused but mortified at the thought of him catching me. “Just...super relaxed.”
The bathroom door creaked open, and I jerked my foot back into the tub, sending water sloshing over the side in my rush to hide what I was doing.
Dane leaned against the counter with a knowing smirk. “You sure about that? You look a little worked up.”
I sank lower in the bubbles, praying he couldn’t see how hard my nipples were. “Just the hot w-water,” I stammered, face flaming.
His dark eyes raked over the water. “Let me help,”
“But Avery?—”
“Avery is securely fastened in her highchair and watching cartoons. We’ve got about two minutes before I need to check on her unless you feel like things are moving too fast between us.”
The bastard was making fun of me, but I was too far gone to care .
“Stay,” I said, letting my legs fall open.
In two long strides, he was on his knees beside the tub. His hand plunged beneath the water, finding my slick folds with unerring accuracy.
“Fucking soaked,” he said before moving up to circle my clit. “How long’s it been, baby?”
I arched into his touch with a whimper. “One year, nine months, and three weeks.”
The corner of his mouth lifted in a barely there grin. “No one since me.”
“No one,” I admitted breathlessly. “What about you?”
His dark eyes, so brown they were almost black, held mine. “One year, nine months, and three weeks.”
My smile froze in place. “Wait—no one since me?” I asked, trying and failing to mask my surprise.
With me, it was to be expected. But him?
“No one else but you.”
I shivered at the sincerity in his voice. He looked so genuine, so open and unguarded, that it made my heart ache in a way I couldn’t describe.
Dane increased the pressure on my clit, drawing me back to the present. “Tell me what you were thinking about.”
“You…walking in on me,” I said, letting my head fall back against the tub.
“And what did I do in this fantasy?”
“You...oh god,” I hissed as he slid two thick fingers inside me. “You—you touched me. Fucked me with your fingers until I came.”
“Like this?” He curled them, hitting my G-spot.
I clutched at his forearm, my hips rolling forward to meet each thrust of his hand. “Yes, just like that. Please don’t stop.”
His free hand came up to cover my mouth. “Shh…gotta be quiet, darlin’. Don’t want our little girl hearing what Daddy’s doing to Mama.”
I nodded frantically against his palm, desperate for release.
“That’s my good girl. Let go, I’ve got you,” he growled, pumping his fingers in a steady rhythm.
He lowered his head to my breasts, flicking his tongue over my soapy nipples before sucking one between his teeth. My hips bucked involuntarily, drawing broken moans from my throat. Water sloshed over the sides of the tub, but I was beyond caring.
“Don’t stop,” I said, my walls clenching around his fingers.
Dane popped off my breast. “Come for me, Piper.”
The command in his tone sent me hurtling over the edge. I cried out, my back arching as waves of ecstasy crashed over me. He continued, wringing every drop of pleasure from my body and only slowing his movements when I slumped bonelessly against the tub.
“Gorgeous.” He pressed a tender kiss to my sternum before lowering his voice. “But next time, I want it on my tongue.”
With that, he strode out of the bathroom, leaving me breathless and trembling in the cooling bathwater.