Chapter 4 #2
I feel like a hunter as I walk out of the room. An almost animalistic sense hits me in relation to Piper, and I feel like I may know where to find her.
The moment that I reach the hall, my eyes scan for the ladies’ room, and I head straight there. There is a joint lounge area between the men’s and women’s rooms, and I open the door. As I walk in, another man is leaving.
“Arrows!” he calls out. My guess is he’s a friend of my niece’s fiancé. “That was some playoff series. Maybe next year we’ll use a little more offense.” The young man smiles in good jest, but still, my return smile is tight.
“Thanks for the tip,” I say, hiding my annoyance, and don’t look over my shoulder as he leaves.
I take in my surroundings, and I’m thankful that it’s quiet except for a member of staff in her forties standing by, ready to offer fresh towels or mints.
Clearing my throat, I throw on a look that is persuasive as much as it is charming as I catch the woman’s glance.
Her face turns to surprise. “I know nothing about defense or offense, but my husband is a fan.”
“Is that so?” Perfect. I reach out to grab a pack of matches sitting in a bowl on the counter. “By any chance is there a woman in there wearing a peach-colored dress with her hair soft around her face?”
“There is,” she answers, intrigued.
I reach into my blazer, and I’m thankful that I have a pen. Pulling it out, I sign my name on the pack of matches then flip the box between my fingers to offer it to the lady. “For your husband.”
Her mouth stretches into a wide grin as she slowly takes them. “Thank you.”
“No problem.” I hold my smile a little longer.
“What would be the chances I could go in there?” I motion behind her to the women’s room.
“And let’s say… nobody interrupts while I talk to that woman?
” Her eyes bug out, and I realize what that must have sounded like.
I’m quick to hold up my hand to calm her.
“Relax. She’s the maid of honor, and we need to plan a surprise for the future bride, and I wanted to hash out those details real quick. ”
The woman looks at me still skeptical, but after a few moments, she tips her nose up. “Okay. You have five minutes max, otherwise my boss may kill me.”
I bring my hands together. “You are an angel. Thank you.”
Without delay, I beeline it to the women’s room, and as soon as I open the door, I close it and lock it.
In the mirror our eyes meet, and Piper’s breath hitches, as she’s startled. She must have been fixing her lipstick which may be useless if I have anything to say about it.
I walk a few strides in her direction, very well determined.
“Hudson, what in the wor—”
I grab her arm and spin her around until her ass rests against the edge of the sink vanity.
Her eyes slowly skim up my body until our gaze is locked which only builds the connection between us.
I slowly let her arm go, but only because I already know her body and feel like she’s comfortable enough to stay.
Then I notice the hint of a smile on her lips, and I’m even more certain that this was the right move.
“Was your plan to hide away in here?” I grin.
She scoffs and looks away, only to return her line of sight to me with a warm smile breaking out on her lips. “If only that could work. But no, I just needed a few minutes to escape and come to grips with the fact that you’re April’s uncle and you are standing right in front of me.”
“How did that go for you?”
Piper smirks at me and folds her arms up over her chest, almost as if she’s settling in for a long conversation. “Admittedly… I may have searched your name on the internet for a good five minutes.”
I tip my head to the side, and I step closer. “Honesty, I would be concerned if you didn’t.”
She taps her matching peach-colored nails on her crossed arms. “So, Hudson Arrows.” She states my name in a tone that I recognize from her as thick with heat.
One step closer.
I’m already drowning in her presence.
“That would be me, Piper Dapper.” I return the tone.
Piper’s eyes survey me in curiosity to what I might do, and truthfully, all I want to do is run my hands all over her and play with that little bow tied under her breasts.
For a moment we both stand there, almost daring each other to make a move, until her lips part open again to speak. “We have ourselves a predicament.”
A sound of doubt escapes me. “Depends on if you grabbed that martini or not?”
She scoffs a laugh, but sadly breaks away from our little bubble and walks to the middle of the room. “Made it a double, to be honest. I can’t seem to wrap my head around this, except that April really can’t know, especially not now, as it’s her moment to shine.”
I purse my lips before cutting to the chase. “Listen, we don’t have time. My bribe with the lady outside only got us five minutes, and I think I’ve already used two to drink in the sight of you.”
“So, what will you do with the other three minutes?” I see the smile she is trying to control.
“Convince you to see me again, away from here.” I get to the point of the only thing that makes sense.
She smirks amusingly. “What makes you think I haven’t started seeing someone else since our night?” I give her wide knowing eyes, and her smirk falters. “There hasn’t been anyone.”
My lips twitch from pride that I was her last. “Likewise. Now, about getting away from here…”
Piper’s palm flies up to stop me. “The last thing we need is April seeing us leave together.”
My hands go into my pockets as the corner of my lips curve up into a grin. “Love that you’re thinking of what we could do tonight, but I meant something else.”
Her eyes narrow, and her attention perks up. “You barely know me, Hudson.”
“Debatable, as I know some aspects of you very well, but I want to talk to you some more.”
Her throat cracks a sound, but no words come out.
I take this as my opportunity to lead, and I take a few steps closer to touch the sides of her arms. Our touch ignites a feeling inside of me that I’ve rarely felt in my life.
An inconsolable need to possess something, an infatuation that feels like it’s leading me down a winding path.
“My son is getting married next week—”
“Son? The internet didn’t tell me that.”
I admire the view of my fingertips gliding along her bare arms as I say, “That’s because I only found out about him last year, and I’m doing my damnedest to keep him out of the press.”
“But you’re telling me.”
“Sometimes trust is instant with someone.” That truth seems to hit both of us, as our eyes lock in recognition. “He’s your age, in case you’re wondering.” That point I add because I know it riles her. Proven by the fact she swallows down a slight shock.
“Right.” She looks away. “You’re old enough to be my dad, yet I won’t call you daddy in the bedroom.” Her mouth gapes open when she realizes her mumble was loud and clear. Her eyes snap in my direction, and I can only laugh.
“We may need to circle back to that point one day. But anyway, as much as I would love for you to be my plus-one for his wedding, I doubt it’s the time.”
Piper tips her head to the side slightly in agreement.
“I have a house up on Lake Spark and tend to stay there when I don’t need to be in the city. After the wedding next weekend, I plan on being there for a while. Come stay with me?”
Her eyes grow big. “What?”
I wrap an arm around her middle to pull her tight to me in an abrupt move. “You heard me.”
Her hands land on my shoulders. “Like just escape the city with you?”
Arrogant, cocky, I don’t care, but I’m not letting this go. “Call it a rendezvous, secret liaison, or my personal favorite heaven. Your choice of title but come stay with me and we can address a few things.”
“Such as?” She raises her brows.
I squeeze her body against mine. I can’t get enough of her. I want to go home tonight and debate showering because I want to keep her scent on me. That peppermint shampoo is a fucking aphrodisiac that has me desperate for more of her.
“Get to know one another, revisit what we already know.” My eyes dip down to her body then back up.
“You’re crazy.” But her tone is only entertained.
“Tell me you’re not curious,” I challenge.
She licks her lips, trying not to let her smile break out, but I see her cheeks raise. “I think your five minutes are up.”
I laugh at her avoidance of an answer. Instead, I run my hand along her back, sliding down until I land on the curve of her ass before sweeping my hand away.
Stepping back, I grab a paper towel from the pile in the basket and pull out my pen from before.
After jotting down my number, I hand it to her.
I could easily input my number in her phone but writing it down with a pen from my suit is classic.
“Here. Call me when you make a decision.”
Piper looks down at the contents in her hand with intrigue, which is promising, but I want to seal this deal. I glide my knuckles along her cheek to give her assurance. “If you remember what our night was like, then only imagine what the mornings could be.”
With that, I walk away, leaving her to blush and stand in contemplation.
“Hudson,” she calls out, and only when I look back at her does she continue. “Whatever my actions that morning may have implied, I don’t regret it.”
I simply nod, even more certain that this isn’t our ending.