Chapter Four
T y was in trouble.
Yesterday, he discovered his neighbor made him feel things he didn’t want to feel…blood rushing through his veins, alive, aware, confused, troubled.
Until then, it had been easy to just acknowledge Piper was pretty whenever he happened to see her in passing. But since talking to her, learning her name, unavoidably touching her—thanks to her slamming him to the ground—he could no longer just acknowledge anything about the woman.
Up close, she was beautiful. Her eyes were amazing. Her touch was soft and warm, and caused movement in his chest, raced his pulse, and heated his body. Piper was an unexpected force of nature, and Ty needed to devise a counter maneuver, or he was in jeopardy of freefalling.
Since he was meeting her tonight to look over some of the photos he rarely shared with anyone, he needed a quick countermeasure. Some kind of safeguard.
How the hell had he let himself get talked into this?
Oh, right, his sister…and then he’d met Piper’s stunning gray gaze from across the breakroom, and he was toast.
A strange warmth engulfed him whenever he stared into her eyes, and he liked it.
Too much.
Yeah, he definitely needed to cool his jets.
Ty had learned his lesson and refused to be deceived by another pretty face, even if the woman stole his breath and possessed a genuineness that was refreshing.
Unless it was fake.
Damn. Was he always going to second-guess people now?
Freakin’ Erika.
“You okay there, bro?” Gabe’s voice snapped Ty out of his unwanted stupor.
He blinked then turned as his brother walked into his office at the station. “Yep.”
Ty had been staring unseeingly at a map of the county on the wall while waiting for Gabe to finish a meeting.
“A’ight,” Gabe said. “Have a seat and tell me what brings you here.”
Ty dropped into a chair facing his brother, who moved to sit behind his desk. “I wanted to hear your thoughts on the vehicles that almost hit Piper.”
His brother arched a brow. “You could’ve called. You didn’t have to stop in.”
“I know, but I was on my way home from a job, so here I am,” he said. “What did you find out?”
“The guy’s story checks out. The feed showed him swerving to avoid a car that veered toward him to miss a dog. But you know all that. I’m sure you’ve seen the video. Carter always has a backup.”
Absolutely, but he didn’t deny or confirm. “What about the drivers?”
“Couldn’t get a plate or a good look at the person in the other car. But, Joel Meyers, the guy who stopped—he checked out. He’s got a clean record, but again, I’m sure you know all this. I’m well aware of ESI’s technology and back doors. I used them too, once-upon-a-time. So, why are you really here?”
Good question.
Ty blew out a breath. “What does your gut tell you about the whole situation?”
Gabe leaned back in his chair and rubbed his jaw. “I’m not sure.”
“So, you feel it too. Something’s off.” Ty blew out a breath.
He didn’t like it, but he wasn’t sure why, nor did he know why he couldn’t let it go.
“What about the dog?”
His brother released his chin to point at his computer. “I sent Lyndsey a screen capture from the feed,” Gabe replied. “She checked the shelter, vets, nearby rescues, sanctuary, and fosters. No dogs like that were brought in yesterday or today.”
Damn.
If that dog was loose, Ty was certain his sister-in-law would’ve tracked it down. She was an outstanding animal control officer and knew many of the places a stray would hide.
“There's always the possibility the dog found its way back home,” Gabe pointed out. “And the incident could’ve just been what it appears to be. An accident.”
He nodded but his unease remained. “So, Piper isn’t really in any danger.”
Gabe shrugged. “Going by all the facts and evidence, I’d say yes.”
“But your gut is telling you different,” Ty said.
“Like I said, I don’t know.” Gabe narrowed his gaze. “Do you think your unease might be because you like this woman?”
Ty whipped his head up. “Like her? I barely know her.”
His brother grinned. “Ty, you know perfectly well you do not need to know a woman to like her.”
True. He muttered an oath and shoved a hand through his hair. “But I don’t want to.”
Gabe laughed. “Sorry, bro, but it doesn’t work that way.”
“Yeah, well, it should.”
His brother sat back in his chair and grinned widely. “She really got to you, huh? Made you feel it?”
Ty muttered a curse. “Glad you’re amused.”
“You should’ve seen yourself with her yesterday,” Gabe continued as if Ty hadn’t spoken. “The way you were in protection mode was cute. You might be in denial, but everyone there could feel the connection between you two.”
Ty grimaced. “Don’t ever say the word cute. It doesn’t sound right coming from you.”
Gabe laughed again. “Affirmative. Anything else?”
He shook his head.
“So, you’re not denying the connection?”
He blew out a breath. His brother was too damned astute. “No, but I’m hoping it was just a one-off thing.”
“Whoa.” Gabe held up his hands. “Good luck with that. I had the exact same thoughts with Lyndsey when we first met. But why don’t you want to be attracted to Piper?”
Ty exhaled. “Erika was—”
“Erika was a conniver,” Gabe said, cutting him off. “Do not base all women off her, especially Piper Monroe. She’s the real deal, Ty. She would never do to you what Erika did.”
Ty stilled, narrowing his eyes. “You know something. Oh, shit…you ran a background check on her, didn’t you?”
Gabe shrugged. “This morning. I needed to see if she had any enemies, but I already knew how stellar her character was yesterday, thanks to Rylee.”
Their sister?
“Seems the girls had a get to know you session at ESI yesterday.”
He nodded. “Yeah, they were doing their morning coffee thing.”
A lot of laughter could be heard coming from that room. He could tell which was Piper’s. It had a light tone.
“Well, they found out that Piper was married.”
Married?
Shit. His heart dropped to his gut. “She was?”
Was she separated? Divorced? He wasn’t sure he wanted to hear any more.
“No, she didn’t leave her husband, Ty,” Gabe said, as if reading his mind. “She’s a widow.”
This time his heart hit the floor. “A widow? But she’s so young.”
“Twenty-eight,” Gabe informed. “She was twenty-four when her husband died of cancer.”
Damn. His chest squeezed, partly from compassion and partly from a shit-ton of guilt at assuming she’d left the guy.
It sucked that his mind had automatically gone there. She didn’t deserve that.
“Twenty-four.” He shook his head. “That’s awful.”
“Yes, it is,” Gabe agreed. “But, Ty, get this—he was diagnosed while they were engaged. Did she hand the ring back like Erika? No, she married him soon after, and according to Rylee, they crammed as much as they could in the time they had together, which turned out to be nine months.”
His chest squeezed tighter. Poor Piper. God, he couldn’t imagine the loss.
Ty cleared his throat. “He was one lucky man.”
“Roger that.” Gabe nodded. “Piper is nothing like Erika, so if there’s a connection between you two, don’t let mistrust sever it.”
He inhaled and rose to his feet and left the sheriff’s station even more confused than when he’d arrived.
An hour later, Ty was home, showered, changed, and going through photos on his computer when a knock sounded on his door. He’d texted her ten minutes ago to let her know he was home and that she could come over whenever she was ready.
His heart beat unsteadily as he headed for the door. He was still processing all the information his brother had given him earlier when he answered her second knock.
“Hi. Come on in,” he greeted, stepping aside to let her in. “Let me take your coat.”
“Thanks,” she said, shrugging out of it, her gaze warm and smile bright.
She had on a pair of jeans and another sweater. This one was navy, and it lent a blue hue to her gorgeous eyes. His unsteady heartbeats increased.
Damn, she smelled of vanilla and some kind of flower, and he inhaled deeply without meaning to as they walked toward the table where he had his laptop open.
“What can I get you to drink?” he asked, heading to his fridge, needing space and a moment to get his shit in order.
After he told her the options and she chose an iced tea, he poured them both one, and by the time he carried their glasses to the table and set them down, his control had returned.
“Thanks,” she said, then tipped her chin. “You got new glasses.”
Ty nodded and sat down next to her. “Sort of. They’re the same pair. It was an easy fix. They just had to pop in another clear lens.” He’d had it done yesterday before he left for the job with Dean and RJ. “And before you ask, this didn’t cost me anything.”
Her gaze narrowed. “You sure?”
“Yep.” He pointed to the laptop and changed the subject. “I’m not exactly sure what you’re looking for, so maybe you just want to scroll through these yourself.”
“Okay,” she said, and he moved the laptop closer for her. “I’m not looking for particular scenery, I just want something that evokes emotion. I’ll know when I feel it.”
She smiled at him, and he felt it, big time. His pulse kicked up, warmth spread through his chest, and his palms were sweaty. Kind of like when he’d jumped into a cockpit for preflight.
But this time, it was all because Piper held his gaze and smiled at him.
Knowing what he knew about her was making it tough to fight the attraction.
She’s the real deal…
Gabe’s words echoed through Ty’s mind. Maybe it was safe to drop his guard around her.
“I think I know what you mean,” he said, watching color flood her cheeks. “I’m definitely feeling something.”
Damn, she was beautiful.
“Me, too.” She blinked and cleared her throat. “But I should probably, uh, look at these.” She inhaled and transferred her gaze to the laptop, but not before he saw uncertainty mixed with the blatant interest in her eyes.
He understood. She needed some time to deal with the chemistry flowing between them and the emotions attached to it. Not a problem. Piper could take all the time she needed. He would never force the issue.
To prove it, he was careful not to brush against her as they sat close while she scrolled through his photographs. He kept an acceptable space between them, and after a few minutes, he felt her slowly relax.
For the next half hour, they discussed his photos and locations where they were taken, discovering they both loved the beach and mountains, lemons over limes, sour over sweet, and Italian food over Mexican, although they enjoyed both.
“My mom makes a mean lasagna,” she said, meeting his gaze. “She always made sure it was my birthday dinner growing up, while Faith got her favorite…tacos.”
He laughed. “Sounds like my mom. She always made our favorites for our birthdays.”
“Maybe it’s an Italian thing.”
That was another discovery. Both of their mothers shared the same ethnicity, Italian and Slovak. An interesting combination.
“I don’t know.” He grinned. “Maybe.”
She returned her gaze to the screen and inhaled when she clicked on the next photo.
It was one of Ty’s favorites. He’d been hiking off base early one morning and captured the fog rising off the river and into the nearby trees.
“Ty, this is amazing.” She stared slack-jawed at the computer. “I can almost feel the dew and smell the cool morning. It reminds me of home. Well, the Poconos.”
Pleased by her praise, he basked in the warmth and the spot of pride spreading through his chest. “Then it’s yours.”
Piper turned to face him. “What? No. I couldn’t take it.”
He smiled. “You’re not taking it, I’m giving it to you.”
“Let me pay for it. Or showcase it at the gallery along with the others we bookmarked. I insist,” she said, setting a hand on his arm.
Awareness instantly zinged through Ty’s body, and judging by the way she inhaled and the flush spreading through her cheeks, Piper felt it too.
“Okay,” he said. “Whatever you want.”
She blinked while inhaling again. “I’m not sure what I want. No, that’s not true. I know what I want, but I’m scared.”
“Hey,” he said, cupping her hand with his. “It’s okay to be scared. I am too.”
Her brows rose. “You are?”
“Yes. This connection we have going on—it’s all new to me too.”
Her shoulders appeared to relax a little at his admission. “It’s strong. It’s making me feel things I haven’t felt in a long time.” She tipped her head. “But it’s not you I’m afraid of, Ty. It’s me and my reaction to you.”
Was it bad that her misgivings fed his ego in a major way?
“Listen, we don’t have to do anything you don’t want to. You’ve got the pole.”
She frowned. “Pole? What do you mean?”
“It’s what we call the control stick,” he replied. “So, you’ve got the pole. You control the pace.”
Disbelief widened her eyes. “You’re okay with that?”
“Of course.” He lifted his hand from hers to lightly caress her cheek. “Take as long as you need. I’ll follow your lead.”
A smile tugged at her lips. “You’ll be my wingman?”
“Sure.” He chuckled, setting his hand on the table. “I’ll be your wingman.”
Her gaze absolutely sparkled now. “Can I call you Goose?”
He snickered. “You can call me anything you want.”
“Amazing. Sweet.”
“Keep going,” he said with a grin. “You’re amazingly sweet on my ego.”
Her smile faded and indignation swiftly took its place. “Your fiancée was an idiot. I’m sorry she treated you that way.”
His heart lurched.
“How did you know about that?” He cocked his head. “Rylee?”
Had to be his sister who told her.
Piper nodded. “Yeah. And I hope you know you deserved better.”
He knew that, but coming from her, it made him believe it all the more.
“Thanks,” he said, resisting the urge to touch her again. “And I’m sorry about your husband.”
She stiffened, as surprise and sadness flickered through her gaze. “Thank you. Rylee again?”
“Yes, well, she told our brother, who told me,” he clarified. “Your husband was a lucky man. The way you stood by him…I admire the hell out of you for it.”
Tears filled her eyes, but she blinked them away. “I’m really sorry your fiancée was so cold-hearted. I mean, my God, you were in the hospital. I don’t understand how someone could do that.”
Wait…her tears were for him?
Stunned, Ty stared at her while his heart rocked hard in his chest. He’d thought the tears were for her dead husband, and he was cursing himself for bringing it up and causing her pain. But she was upset for him . No one but family had ever been in his corner like that.
Ty didn’t know what to say. All he could do was to continue to stare at her while warmth spread through his body.
She must’ve mistaken his silence for pain because she lifted a hand to cup his face. “What she did to you wasn’t right.”
“I know,” he agreed. “But I’m actually grateful she did.”
Piper’s head jerked back, and she removed her touch. “You are? Why?”
He smiled and resisted the urge to touch her. “Because I never would’ve met you.”
She blinked a few times, and warmth entered her eyes. “There you go, being amazing and sweet again.”
“You bring it out in me,” he told her truthfully.
She leaned closer. “You’re doing it again.”
He smiled. “I can’t help it.”
“You have to stop.” She was so close now, her lips nearly brushed his, sending a rush of anticipation through his veins.
“Don’t think I can.”
“I know the feeling.” Her warm breath washed over his skin. “Ty?”
He swallowed, fighting hard to remain still. “Yeah?”
“If I pull on the pole, does it move us forward?” she asked, nearly breaking his restraint.
His throat was dry when he replied, “Yes.”
“Then consider this me pulling,” she whispered before she closed the distance, and her lips brushed his.
The instant they connected, Ty caught some serious current along with a wave of heat.
Her lips were soft and sweet.
So damn sweet.
Wanting to savor but not spook her, he moved slowly, lifting his hand to cup the back of her neck, brushing his thumb lightly over her jaw.
She let out a soft murmur and shifted closer. He liked that. And when her mouth parted and she slid both hands into his hair, he liked that even more.
A rough groan escaped him. That seemed to spur her on, because things got hot then, afterburner hot, and only when they were both breathless did she break the kiss.
“Wow,” she gasped.
“Well put.” His voice was a little rough because all the blood had drained out of his head.
Blinking at him, she put her fingers to her lips. “That was…”
Incredible, he thought. Fantastic. Heart-racing—
“Sweet,” she finally said.
He choked out a laugh. “Felt a little more than that to me.”
She smiled. “Amazingly sweet.”
“I can accept that.” He grinned.
“Very magnanimous of you.”
“I know.”
She laughed, and the way light sparkled in her eyes stole his breath, and he longed to taste her again. But she had the pole, she was in control, so he kept his hands and lips off her.
An alarm on her phone buzzed. She jumped and then scrambled to fish it out of her back pocket. “Sorry,” she muttered as she silenced the alarm and then met his gaze. “I have to go. It’s almost time for my weekly Zoom call with my mom.”
“No problem.,” he said, bringing them both to their feet. “I’ll walk you home.”
She laughed as he helped her into her coat. “That’s not necessary. I live next door.”
“It doesn’t matter, and it is necessary,” he told her, shrugging his coat on. “My mom would box my ears.”
“Well, we can’t have that,” she said with a smile.
Together they headed outside and walked in companionable silence across their front yards to her door. The night air was cool and crisp as the full moon lit their path.
“Thanks for letting me see some of your photos,” she said, pulling a key from her coat pocket before she unlocked her door, flicked on an inside light, and then turned to face him. “I’d like to see more of them, if that’s okay.”
“Of course. Anytime.” He smiled.
Indecision and longing flashed through her eyes, and when her gaze dropped to his mouth, he had to grasp her doorframe to keep from reaching for her.
She has the pole , he silently reminded himself. She’s in control.
He wasn’t sure how long they stood there staring at each other, but it was long enough to get a sense that she was waiting for him to make a move.
More than happy to assist, Ty slowly leaned forward while he continued to grip the doorframe. This seemed to be all the movement Piper needed, because she stepped closer and lifted her face to meet him halfway.
Ty brushed his lips to hers softly, once, twice, three times, marveling at how blood rushed through his body at top speed over such a minimal touch.
She sighed and her mouth opened under his, and she kissed him back with a fervor he wouldn’t soon forget. It took all the control he had to keep his hands to himself and his feet on this side of her threshold.
Once again, she was the one to break the kiss, but not until they were both dragging in the night air like it was about to dissipate.
Her fingers went to her lips again. “That was spectacularly sweet.”
“With a capital S.” Ty smiled. “Goodnight, Piper.”
She returned his smile, her face flushed and eyes bright. “Goodnight, Ty.”
Only when she closed the door, and he heard the lock click into place did he turn and step off her porch. Movement to his left caught his eye and sent alarm down his spine.
Ty squinted in the darkness but didn’t see anyone or anything as he rushed closer for a better look. A dog barked in the distance, and the soft roar of the Gulf rolling onto the shore echoed far behind him.
With unease rippling through him, Ty walked around Piper’s cottage and nearly had a heart attack when a cat shot out from under a bush and scrambled over the back fence.
Son-of-a…
He stood a second, a hand over his heart while his pulse hammered loudly in his ears. Damn cat nearly took ten years off his life.
Blowing out a long breath, he headed back to his place. The cat was probably what had caught his attention, but since his cottage was owned by ESI and outfitted with a kickass alarm system, he made a mental note to ask Carter to check the feed tomorrow.
If someone was prowling around, there was a good chance it had been caught on camera.