31. Piper #2
Theo’s place was a small, one-story brick house in an old neighborhood. Massive trees shaded the gravel driveway. We weren’t far away from the square, yet it felt like a completely different area once we were out of the town center.
Yards stretched farther, and houses were nowhere near touching. Other than electrical lines, all I could see were fields and the sky.
His house was painted white on the inside with darker wood flooring. I could tell it had been well taken care of.
“Wow,” I said. “It’s nice.”
“It’s bare.”
“It’s still nice. You said this was once a hoarder’s house?”
“It was.”
“You’ve come a long way.”
Theo shrugged, his eyes going over the home. He acted as if all of his work was nothing.
“Don’t be shy and accept my compliment.”
“Don’t call me out.”
“I absolutely will. It really is nice, even if you haven’t decorated.”
“I never planned on staying. I always thought I’d fix it up and then move on.”
“Life has a way of taking a different path.”
His eyes traced the space slowly. “It could still happen.” He said the words softly, so much so that I wasn’t sure I was meant to hear it.
My mood plummeted. I wanted to live in a world where nothing could ever make this end.
But I knew the reality of things.
“Are you going to give me a tour?” I asked, eager to get us back on easier topics.
He took me to the kitchen, which was well-kept with a wooden table and chairs pushed into the corner. The bedrooms were on the other side of the house. One was an office, another was his room, and the last was made up into a guest room.
The unadorned walls really stuck out. The coffee shop didn’t look like this. Theo must’ve put all of his energy there and none here. I didn’t blame him. If I had a place doing as well as his, then I’d throw myself into it. I’d done it many times with my books.
“Wow, this is way bigger than my apartment.”
“You should see the backyard.” Theo opened a window and showed me a yard that was recently mowed. My jaw dropped. My childhood home didn’t have this much space, and I usually didn’t get to go outside since our neighbors were always suspicious of us.
“You’ve convinced me,” I said. “When can I move in?”
“I don’t know if a bank would loan to you.”
“That better not be a knock on my writing. I may not be rich, but I do make money.”
“You don’t look old enough to have a credit score.”
“And you look old enough to need a walker.”
He scoffed. “I do not.”
“I figured we were both lying here. Want some more ideas? I have opinions on your coffee.”
“Not that.” Theo put a hand on his chest. “Anything but that.”
I couldn’t help but laugh. My phone buzzed and I pulled it out, sighing when I saw an email from Mitch.
“Sorry, work calls. Do you mind if I set up my laptop for a minute? I just need to talk to my agent really quickly.”
“Of course.” He pressed a kiss to my forehead. “I need a shower after someone wouldn’t let me go home last night.”
After Theo disappeared into the back rooms, I sat and rubbed my forehead. He must’ve finally read my book and now he wanted to call.
I made myself comfortable and waited to hear the water start before I said I was free.
Mitch frowned the second the video feed kicked in. “Is that your apartment?”
I looked behind me. It was a white wall with nothing on it.
“Uh, no.”
“Are you in public?”
“Also no. But I’m alone.”
Mitch’s brow furrowed. “Okay. I have questions.”
“Are they about work?”
“Not all of them, but I have a feeling you want me to ask the work ones.”
“That would be nice.”
“Just let me have one personal one, please.” With a sigh, I nodded. “Are you safe?”
“I am one hundred percent safe.”
“Then we’ll carry on.” He gave me a nod and I slumped in relief. “I like the book, but the main male character is different.”
“He is.”
“Listen, your current books are doing well. I don’t want you to feel like you have to change anything because of some of the feedback.”
“I’m not. This is what I want to do.”
Mitch nodded. “Okay. You’re the boss.”
“That’s not entirely true, but thank you.”
“I know that the creative process is delicate. I was a bit worried when you moved, but also hopeful. No matter what my fiancé says, change can be good.”
“It is.” I said it immediately.
“I can tell,” he replied. “I wanted to see your face when you said it, but now I know for sure. There might be a couple of plot holes. Mind if we go through those?”
I heard a noise down the hallway and leaned over to see if Theo was done in the shower.
What I saw made my jaw drop open.
He was shirtless, and I got a full view of tattooed skin running over strong shoulders. He was way stronger than he looked in a flannel.
“I gotta go,” I said immediately. “Like right now.”
If Mitch saw this, nothing would stop his questions.
“Is everything okay?” he asked.
I didn’t even look at my laptop. “Yep. Just seeing something . . . uh, interesting. Can we talk about the plot changes tomorrow?”
“Sure, I—” My laptop closed before Mitch even finished his sentence.
Theo disappeared into another room and I followed eagerly.
“Sorry,” he said. “Forgot a shirt.”
“Please don’t apologize,” I murmured. “I just had to end my call early.”
He turned around with a raised brow. “Why?”
“It was with Mitch and he would have questions if he saw anything.”
“I was staying out of camera view.”
“Oh, I meant my face. I’m sure my thirst was written all over it.” I stepped close to him, eyes tracing each of his tattoos. “I’m objectifying you so hard right now.”
“They’re just tattoos.”
“Shhh.” I pressed my finger on his lips. “You have no idea how hot you are, do you?”
“I could say the same to you.”
“Then do it.”
Theo opened his mouth and then shook his head. “Hot is the wrong word, actually. Beautiful is more like it. Maybe stunning. Jaw-dropping.”
Holy shit.
Now my cheeks were hot.
At least we had matching blushes.
I lifted my hands to let them trace his tattoos, but paused an inch away.
“Piper, you okay?” he asked. “Is it too much?”
For once, I didn’t want to stop, but I needed to.
I shook my head. “No. I would love to touch you, but I want permission. You got overwhelmed last time. I want you to be in the right headspace for this.”
It was different for me to want to touch someone and hold back, but I didn’t mind it. I would take my fill of seeing Theo like this and give him the time he needed.
Even if I swore heat was filling his gaze.
“You can touch me,” he murmured, and my skin erupted in gooseflesh. “It’s fine.”
My eyes met his as my hands finally found their mark. His muscles tensed under my hands, but he held my gaze.
“What other parts do you wanna memorize?” he whispered.
“Everything.” I inched closer to him, propping up on tiptoes. “Is that okay?”
“Anything you want is okay.”
There was no need to hesitate when I pressed my lips to his, but my heart skipped a beat when I did it. Theo was safe, and he wouldn’t do anything I didn’t want, yet all of this had been a dream for so long that my mind still struggled to comprehend what was happening.
I heard him suck in a sharp breath of air. And I stayed still.
Both of us needed this moment.
I wasn’t sure who moved first, but when the dam broke, it broke hard.
Theo’s arms wound tightly around me, pulling me into his body. I wrapped my hands around his neck to pull him closer.
Every inch of him pressed against me and it made me want this more. I was torn between focusing on the way his lips moved against mine and the way he gripped the small of my back to keep me close to him.
But he pulled away.
“Are you okay?” he asked.
“So okay.” I ran my hands up his chest and he shuddered. “What about you?”
He nodded. “It’s been a very long time since anyone touched me like this.”
“I’m sure a lot of people wanted to.”
“I didn’t want them to.” His eyes met mine. “I only want you.”
He kissed me once more, and I was figuring out how to climb him like a tree when he pulled away again.
“What if you regret this?” he asked softly.
“Regret this? Why would I regret anything?”
“Because I’m not what you deserve. If I have to leave town and you stay behind, all of this might be something you wished you hadn’t done. And that thought kills me.”
I didn’t want to think about the end, mostly because it felt like we were just at the beginning. Obviously, Theo didn’t share the same sentiment.
My hands slid down his chest, my eyes following them. As much as I wanted to, I didn’t focus on his tattoos or how incredible he looked. I thought about what he said.
“I can’t predict the future,” I replied after a moment, gaze moving back to him. “And I think trying to is how all of my fears start. I’m okay with this as it is right now, and if something happens in the future, I know I’ll handle it. Just like I’ve handled everything else.”
“And if you hate me?”
“I won’t. I know what could happen, and I’m choosing it anyway.”