Chapter 28
Holt
I glance over at Piper in the passenger seat.
I can tell she is tired. We spent the rest of the afternoon and evening with Meg, Carter, and Sterling.
Piper needed the distraction. We hashed out what the next steps would be, but didn’t dwell on it too long.
I know that Piper was over having the same conversation with no results.
Honestly, I needed this fucker to make a mistake.
In situations like this, that is what will give us the break we need.
I glance over at Piper again and see that her eyes are closed.
We are almost to her house, and I know that the sleeping arrangements that I have planned will give her a second wind.
I smirk slightly, eagerly anticipating a bit of a fight from her.
I pull into her driveway and look around, the house looks like it did when we left this morning, but I want to do a quick walk around.
“Stay in the car and keep the doors locked,” I tell her as I climb out of the SUV.
I click the lock on the key fob and begin to quickly assess the property.
It doesn’t feel like anyone has been here.
I know that sounds like bullshit, but years of doing this will teach you a thing or two.
I quickly circle the small cottage. Making sure the windows are intact, checking the lock on the door.
Satisfied, I make my way back to the SUV and open Piper’s door. She is looking at me wide-eyed. I nod at her in reassurance and see that her tense shoulders lower a bit. I take her hand and she follows me to the door.
After unlocking it, Piper follows me inside. We are greeted by soft light of the lamp we left on next to the couch. Piper is already toeing off her converse and losing her socks. As soon as she frees her feet her body relaxes. I briefly look down and notice the dark purple polish on her toes.
“I’m going to take a quick shower,” Piper states quietly. I nod as she goes into the bedroom. She comes out a minute later with some clothes and heads into the bathroom. I hear the lock turn. I smirk. I wouldn’t barge in on her yet, but it is cute that she thinks that flimsy lock could keep me out.
While she is in the shower, I take off my boots at the door and hang my jacket. The clock on the wall in the kitchen tells me it is just after 11, and I know that Piper will want to go to bed. With the schedule she keeps, I don’t imagine she stays up late too often.
I make my way to her bedroom, strip off my clothes—with the exception of my boxers— and toss them onto the chair in the corner. I climb into her bed and make myself comfortable. I chuckle quietly, imagining the reaction that she is going to have when she comes in to find me in her space.
Piper needs me to show her how this is going to work, and I have no problem with that.
As a matter of fact, being a man of action is kind of my thing.
I’m staring at the ceiling when I hear the door to the bathroom open.
It is taking her a bit to come into the bedroom- which surprises me considering it is about 8 steps from the bathroom.
Finally, I hear her step into the bedroom and her sharp intake of breath is the only noise that escapes her.
I wait a minute and she doesn’t disappoint.
“Ah— so— yeah, the couch is too small. It makes more sense for you to take the bed and me to take the couch,” she starts to ramble. I sit up and my eyebrow raises. I watch her go to her closet and grab a blanket. As she gets closer to the bed, I wait for the exact moment that she gets close enough.
She gets to the top of the bed to grab a pillow and my hand reaches out to take her wrist. I reach over with my other hand, grab her waist, and pull her onto the bed. I roll us so that I’m on my back, and she is mostly laying on top of me.
“Holt, what the hell,” Piper starts to say. I tighten my forearm around her waist and continue to hold her hand, so that she can’t go anywhere.
“We are both sleeping here-from now on,” I state simply. I’m looking into her hazel colored eyes— the color combination as complicated as the woman in my arms. Her pillowy lips are partially open in shock and she is silent for a minute.
“Look— I don’t think—,” she shakes her head for a minute. It is almost like she is arguing with herself internally. She begins again.
“Okay, she nods once,” trying to move off of me. I won’t let her— and her wiggling will have my dick at more than half mast if she keeps it up.
“I said, we are sleeping here—just like this,” I say firmly.
I take the arm that has been holding her in place around her waist and skate my hand up her back to behind her head.
Her hair is still wet from her shower and she smells like coconuts again.
I lean forward and kiss her forehead. Then I guide her head towards my shoulder.
“You are so bossy,” she says. Her voice is a bit muffled. I chuckle and run my hand up and down her t-shirt covered back.
“You have no idea,” I mutter. “Let’s go to sleep,” I say, reaching over with the hand that isn’t holding her and switching off the bed side lamp.
The room is almost completely dark and I feel Piper settling in. My hand keeps rubbing up and down from her low back—almost her plump ass— to the back of her head. I repeat the motion. After a few minutes, Piper relaxes and her breathing deepens.
I grit my teeth and I try to will my erection down.
I take a few deep breaths. Piper is worth the wait, and tonight is not the night.
Yeah, try telling your dick that. If I wasn’t afraid I would disturb her, I would jump in the shower and try to relieve some of this pressure. It will have to wait until the morning.