Chapter 33 Piper
THIRTY-THREE
Piper
We gathered up our trash, and Grayden rolled up the picnic blanket.
“Where are we going next?” I asked.
“For someone who didn’t want to go on a date at all, you’re pretty into it.”
“I’m into having a fun day with you, and hopefully getting laid at the end of it. That’s all.”
Chuckling, Grayden went to repack the saddle bags and pull out the helmets.
I’d never seen him smile as much as he had today.
I was having a great time with him. An amazing time. But it was easier if I didn’t think about the date word and what it meant.
Also, why had I never ridden a motorcycle before? It was exciting and freeing, with a hint of danger. And sexy, with how close I had to sit behind Grayden, hugging him like my life literally depended on it.
I really hadn’t meant to talk about my father. Those memories were some of my most humiliating. But Grayden hadn’t blinked an eye. At least now he remembered that I’d been the subject of scorn and gossip in Silver Ridge before.
Why should I care what anyone said about me now?
The chinstrap of my helmet clicked into place, and I climbed onto the bike behind Grayden. He revved the bike’s engine, and then we were off.
The wind caught the tail end of my braid as we rode down the highway. I held onto Grayden more loosely this time, simply because I felt relaxed. There was something peaceful about being in the wind and the cold, surrounded by the scent of pine and hearing the birds cry out as they flew overhead.
And the whole time, Grayden was so solid in front of me. All I had to do was hold on.
The sun disappeared behind the mountains. Light faded by degrees, the view getting narrower around us. We passed the occasional car, but mostly it was just us out on this highway winding through the landscape.
We pulled into the crowded parking lot of a restaurant. I wasn’t even sure if we were in Hart County anymore.
The neon sign by the door flashed the words, The Mangy Moose.
“Where are we?” I asked with a laugh after Grayden switched off the engine and flipped up his face shield.
“You’ve never been here? The Mangy Moose is famous. At least, it used to be. I was just glad it’s still here when I looked it up online.”
“Another blast from your past?”
He pulled off his helmet, his hair tousled and wild. “Yep. Teller and I loved this place back in the day.”
I was getting new insights into my brother today, which was an odd thought, considering I was on a date. But I liked hearing about Teller from Grayden’s perspective. Seeing him smile at the memories.
It gave me hope that Teller might have the same fond memories too. That he could find a way to forgive Grayden. Or at least, remember him as more than just a disgraced former soldier.
We put the helmets away. Grayden held my hand on the way inside.
When we stepped through the doorway, an indie rock song greeted us, along with a giant trophy of a moose head above the bar. The tables were made of rough-hewn wood, and the rock concert posters adorned the walls.
“Is that the place’s namesake?” I asked under my breath, nodding at the trophy. “Looks pretty mangy.”
“I assume so.”
“Does it seem the same as you remembered?”
“The moose, yes. The rest, not really.” His hand moved to the small of my back. “They used to play classic rock. And they had wood shavings on the floor. This is much cleaner.”
“Sounds like an improvement.”
“I dunno. I liked that it was a dive.” His eyes narrowed critically as he scrutinized the place. “There was this one regular who was always slumped on the stool in the corner. Like he was glued there. Great guy.”
I was snickering at him as we pulled up seats at the bar. There were little hooks underneath to hang our coats, which Grayden also managed to complain about. Also the barstools were too comfy, apparently.
I smacked a kiss on his cheek, passing him a bar menu. “You’re adorable.” He pretended to grumble, but he put a hand on my thigh and squeezed.
“Hi! Welcome to The Mangy Moose.” A bartender set a couple of glasses of water in front of us. She looked like she’d turned twenty-one yesterday.
“This place has been here a while, huh?” I asked.
“Yeah! The building’s been here for ages. The bar was closed down, like, forever. It’s a landmark. Part of the local history. The new owners bought it last year and restored it to its former glory. Let me know when you’re ready to order. Be sure to check out our mocktail menu.”
“Local history,” Grayden grumbled after she walked away. “Makes me feel ancient. The old Mangy Moose would never have served mocktails.”
I flipped to that page of the menu. “They look really good.”
“I guess it’s a smart idea. I don’t want to ride the bike under the influence. And you drank enough last night.”
I elbowed him. “Maybe you should stop complaining then.”
“You could stop my complaining by kissing me.” He nuzzled my neck. Warm, happy chemicals raced into my bloodstream.
I liked Grayden like this. Playful and affectionate. It was just hard to accept that this was for me. The only man I’d ever actually dated was Danny, and he’d never given affection easily.
Ugh, why was I thinking about my ex-husband right now? For even just a few hours, I wanted to forget he existed.
“Order me a mock-arita?” I asked. “I’ll be right back. Going to visit the girls’ room.”
“Sure.”
The bathroom was freshly remodeled with new tile and a trendy sink design. Yet another clue that this place was no longer a dive bar. Well, Grayden could grump about that if he wanted to. I was enjoying myself.
I did love a good dive bar, but I liked some frills and modern touches too.
When I emerged from the restroom a couple minutes later, the place had started to fill up, and an upbeat country song was playing. An older couple was dancing in an open area, broad smiles on their faces. The way they touched each other made me think they’d been together a long time.
Sliding onto my stool, I noticed a group of twenty-something women had arrived while I was gone. One had a plastic tiara with rhinestones spelling out Bride. Her friends were around her, passing out shots.
I hoped the bride-to-be had better luck in her marriage than I’d had. Maybe she’d be like that couple on the dance floor. Growing old together and still in love.
My chest did something funny. My heart thudding in an uncomfortable way.
I took a sip of the mocktail waiting in front of my seat. Grayden was already halfway through his. “The bridesmaids are staring at you,” I said.
“The what?”
“The bachelorette party over there. You’re the hottest man in this bar. You’ve got their attention.”
“They can take it back. I don’t want it.”
“But it’s so cute. See?”
He finally glanced over, and several of the women blushed and laughed, whispering to each other.
“You should dance with them. It’ll make their night.”
“Piper, I’m here with you.”
“So?” I said with a laugh. “You should give the poor bride a thrill before she signs her whole life away.”
Before Grayden could keep arguing with me, I went over to the bachelorettes and held up my glass. “Congrats to the bride! Ladies, anyone want to dance with my friend over there? He’s available.”
Grayden was giving me an unamused look from the other side of the bar.
When several of the women jumped at the chance, he went ahead and got up with them. The heated glance he sent my way conveyed a very clear message.
He wasn’t happy about this, and he was going to pay me back for it later. But hey, I was having fun.
And if I felt a twinge of something like jealousy, seeing Grayden spin the bride around with a polite almost-smile on his face, that didn’t mean anything.
Sitting back on my stool, I crossed my legs and finished the last dregs of my mock-arita.
“Hey, beautiful. Want to dance?”
I looked up to find a guy around my age standing beside me, his elbow on the bar. He wore a cowboy hat and a confident smile.
“Sure,” I said. “Why not?”
A dance with a stranger didn’t mean anything. Just like this “date” with Grayden didn’t truly mean anything. It was just a fun night out. I hadn’t had one of those in too long. I should make the most of it.
The cowboy gently held my fingers and led me toward the dance floor. He gave the impression of being a nice guy. Didn’t hold me too close. His hand brushed the small of my back as he steered us around in circles, his pointed-toe boots moving gracefully to the music.
The song ended and flowed into the next. His grip on me loosened, but he didn’t let go. “What’s your name?” he asked.
A throat cleared, and a tall shadow appeared in our path. The cowboy had to jolt to a stop to avoid a collision.
“Sorry, she promised me the next dance,” Grayden said.
The cowboy stood taller, puffing up a bit. “You sure about that?”
“She’s my girlfriend, so yes.”
The other man backed off immediately, raising his hands. “Didn’t know.” He disappeared through the small group of dancers.
Meanwhile, my body was reacting to the word girlfriend. Terrified and elated and annoyed at the same time.
I turned to Grayden. “I don’t remember promising you any dances. Or agreeing to the G word.”
He put his arms on my hips, smoothly pulling me into a sway. “Can’t even say it, huh?”
I rolled my eyes. “There’s no need to say it because it’s irrelevant. I’m nobody’s girlfriend.”
“Okay.”
A grumbling hum vibrated in my throat. But I let Grayden pull me further into the circle of his arms. It wasn’t such a bad place to be. My nerves lessened just from being close to him, my body ending its resistance and melting into his warmth.
“I know what you were doing, Piper,” he said, whiskers brushing my ear. “Making me dance with the bachelorette party. Dancing with that other guy.”
“I wasn’t trying to make you mad.”
He pressed a soft kiss to the tip of my ear, making me shiver. “I know. To be honest, I wasn’t happy seeing someone else’s hands on you. Made me want to claim you as mine. But I wasn’t mad. I’m completely calm. You know why?”
My tongue was heavy, so it wasn’t easy to get the word out. “Why?”
“Because you’re just scared, and that’s alright. I’m a patient dance partner. But don’t expect me to back off and give up. Unless you tell me you absolutely don’t want me, then I’ll keep on being here. Ready to dance when you are.”
It didn’t really seem like we were talking about dancing.
Even though the song was fast-paced and lively, we were swaying slowly. I was inside Grayden’s shadow, completely protected.
I pushed out a laugh, and it felt so fake. “Don’t go falling in love with me, O’Neal. I’m not that kind of girl.”
“No promises.”
His eyes were full of a soft kind of amusement, but he didn’t seem at all like he was kidding. Instead, everything about him radiated sincerity.
I couldn’t take it.
I had to glance away. My lungs were going all tight and strange, making it hard to get air. But I didn’t want to leave the safety of his arms. Not yet.
My hands went from his shoulders to his chest, dragging over the fabric and the hard muscle beneath. “I guess I didn’t like seeing you dancing with those girls.”
“It was your idea.”
“I know! But if you’re my date tonight, I suppose I should be making the most of it.”
We danced to the next several songs. Had another drink.
After a while, my arms went around his neck, and I kissed his tattoo, my tongue sneaking out to lick the inked skin. “Want to get out of here? Take me home? You were hoping to get lucky, and the signs are pointing to yes.”
His large hand squeezed my hip. “Then let’s go.”