Chapter Six #2
Her aunt stood on her porch, wearing a knowing grin. “Geez, Lorna, I thought that you were going to break down my door.” Piper ran her fingers through her knotty hair, trying to pull it back from her face. She stretched, and Lorna seemed to find it amusing.
“Wow, Piper, is this how you usually answer your door? I dare say this is why Taggart has been trying to chase you down all year.” Piper tried to cover her body, but there wasn’t a whole lot of fabric to make that work.
“Don’t be silly,” Piper said. “I could hear you shouting for me to open the door. I knew it was you before I even got out of bed,” she lied. “Which I was sleeping in,” Piper quickly added, trying to make her aunt feel bad.
“Alone?” Lorna’s question made Piper snicker.
“Yes, alone! Sunny was here until the wee hours of the morning, so I was trying to sleep in a little today.” Piper wiped the sleep from her eyes and ushered Lorna into her house.
She didn’t want to give the neighbors a peep show.
“I need coffee. You want some?” Lorna followed her into her tiny kitchen and helped her brew two cups of coffee.
Piper doctored hers with a whole lot of cream and sugar while Lorna sipped at hers black.
“Sunny called to tell me all about your date with Tag. Why did I have to hear it from her and not you?” Lorna looked hurt.
Sometimes Piper forgot that her aunt had no one else but her.
They were two peas in a pod after Piper’s parents died.
Lorna raised Piper as if she were her child.
Her aunt never married and never had any children of her own.
“I’m sorry, Lorna. Did Sunny tell you that she ambushed me? I didn’t know that I was going on a date, so I didn’t have anything to tell you. After Sunny left, I collapsed in my bed.” Piper sipped at her coffee.
“I get it, Pipe, but you left out the part that last night was your first date—ever. I understand that you haven’t had time to tell me about what happened last night with Tag.
I guess I’m a little sad that you never shared your lack of dating life with me.
” Lorna tried to act like she was okay with everything, but Piper could see the disappointment in her aunt’s eyes.
Piper crossed the room to where Lorna stood staring into her coffee mug.
“You’re right. I should have told you about my non-existent dating life. But I honestly didn’t think it was a big deal. At least it wasn’t to me,” Piper whispered.
“Piper, you are turning twenty-six in just one more day, and you have never had a first date? So, I’m guessing that means that you have never had sex unless you’re into just hooking up for one night with a guy.
” Piper groaned at the mention of sex. That was the last topic she wanted to cover with her aunt.
She could feel her cheeks burning red and covered her eyes with her hands.
“You can’t hide from this. We are two adults having an adult conversation. It’s just sex.”
“Oh God, can you stop saying that word?” Piper tried to leave the room, but Lorna stepped in her way.
“Piper, stop being a child and take your hands away from your face. You know I can still see you, right? You used to hide that way when you were little. It’s time to face reality.” Lorna pulled Piper’s arms down to her sides and held them there.
“Fine,” Piper hissed, “I have never had a first date or a first kiss until last night with Tag. And as for your other question—”
“About sex?” Lorna smirked.
“Yes, fine—about sex. I have never done that either.” Piper wished that she could cover her face, but Lorna was still holding her arms down to her sides.
“Do you want to do that with Tag?” Lorna questioned.
“Can we please stop talking about this? What I do or don’t do with Tag is my business,” Piper squeaked.
“Just don’t let your fears stop you from finding your happiness, Pipe.
If having sex with Tag will make you happy, then I say go for it.
He’s a hottie.” Lorna and Piper were both startled when they heard someone clear their throat from the front foyer.
Piper peeked around the corner from the kitchen to find Tag’s hulking figure standing in her little house.
She groaned and covered her eyes again as Lorna made her way to where he stood.
“Well, hello, handsome. Speak of the devil and he shall appear.” Lorna went up on her tiptoes to hug Tag.
From what Piper could see through her fingers, he seemed almost as uncomfortable as she felt.
“So, what brings you over to my niece’s house so early this morning?
I heard you two had a big date last night. ”
Tag stuttered his reply; it was almost a whisper.
“Yes, ma’am,” was all he could get out. Piper removed one of her hands to watch him more closely.
He was blushing, which Piper found completely adorable.
Tag was shy—who knew? Or at least Tag was shy when being grilled by Lorna about dating her.
Damn it, why did this man have to be so endearing?
He haunted her dreams the night before, but it was a welcome change to her normal nightmares about her parents.
Last night, she had dreams of lying across Tag’s bed while he kissed his way down her naked body.
She was restless and needy most of the night.
And now, here he stood being grilled by her aunt and not running for the nearest mountain.
He intrigued her. Tag caught her staring at him, and she couldn’t look away.
The way he looked at her, she could see the desire in his eyes, and it just about took her breath away.
He was better than any dream she could conjure up about him.
Lorna seemed to know that she outstayed her welcome.
She looked between the two of them, shook her head, and left, shutting the door behind herself.
“Sorry, your door was wide open. I worried that something was wrong, so I let myself in. I didn’t mean to interrupt your discussion with Lorna. I can just leave,” Tag offered.
Piper barked out her laugh. “Lorna just left Tag, so you aren’t interrupting anymore.
Why are you here so early this morning?” Tag looked her up and down, and Piper followed his gaze and realized that she was standing in the middle of her foyer, talking to Tag in her t-shirt and panties.
Again, she tugged at her shirt trying to cover herself, but it didn’t help.
She looked back at Tag and could feel the heat from his gaze.
“Tag, stop looking at me that way.” Piper ran into her kitchen, giving him a glimpse of her barely covered ass. She didn’t know where to hide—she just wanted to crawl into a hole. Of course, Tag was right behind her.
“You don’t need to hide, Honey. I would see more of you if we were at the beach.
Besides, you look hot. Is this what you sleep in?
” Tag was trying to pull her into his body.
Piper swiped at his arms, but it was like trying to slap a brick wall.
Tag didn’t budge. She gave up trying and snuggled into his embrace.
“Morning, Honey.” Tag pulled her up against his body for a kiss.
She tried to protest at first, but after his tongue found its way into her mouth, she gave up and kissed him back.
What was it about this man that made her want to climb him like a tree?
They were both breathless by the time Tag broke the kiss.
“Um, good morning,” Piper squeaked. Tag laughed, snuggling closer to her body. His hands were everywhere, finally settling on her ass.
“Honey, I like your version of pajamas. I especially like these,” he said, palming her barely covered ass.
Piper couldn’t help but push her bottom into Tag’s hands.
She wasn’t sure what she was doing or even if she was doing it right.
She just knew that it felt good. Tag growled into her unruly hair.
“Honey, you keep teasing me like that and I won’t be the gentleman that I was planning on being this morning.
” He flexed his fingers, grabbing her ass harder.
Piper smiled up at him. “And here I thought you came over to kiss me good morning. So, why are you here then?” she asked.
“I’d swim halfway around the world to kiss you good morning, Piper.” He gave her another hard kiss, leaving her even more breathless. “I came over to ask you if you wanted to hike anywhere special tomorrow, for your birthday trip.”
“That’s so sweet,” Piper gushed, causing another groan from Tag.
“I’m not sweet, Piper. You need to just get that crazy idea out of your pretty head,” Tag said.
“Okay, now you’re being grumpy. Does that work?” Tag laughed. Piper wished they could stay like this for the rest of the day. Being half-naked in Tag’s arms had her wishing for other things that she never really wanted. Tag caressed her ass, seeming to read her thoughts.
“Honey, if you keep looking at me like that, I can guarantee you that neither of us will be getting anything done today,” Tag warned.
“How did you know what I’m thinking?” Piper sounded breathless, even to her ears.