14. Piper
PIPER
“I’m so glad you’re feeling better,” I tell Rory as she hustles around the lobby, sorting and organizing all the freebies for the bags to hand out at the event.
Pens, brochures, coupons, stickers, lanyards, and other donations litter the floor as she places the filled bags into a box and lines up new ones.
“Me too. I swear I slept for like a whole week.”
Has it really been a week?
Has it only been a week?
Not that I wanted my best friend to be sick, but it made it significantly easier to sneak around with Mack.
“What’s with the face? Did something happen?”
“No, I’m just counting down till this event,” I respond, trying to keep my voice even and the guilt from my face.
I’m not ashamed of being with Mack. He’s incredible and he’s passionate and out of this world in bed.
But that’s the problem.
We’ve had this whirlwind romance with zero interference from the outside world, so of course it’s been blissful.
“You know what you need?” Rory asks, spinning around and shaking her hips. “A night out. We both do.”
“No, I have—”
“Nope, it’s settled. I was on death’s doorstep and I need to make up for lost time. Dancing. Tonight. And who knows, maybe we’ll meet a couple of guys in town for the rodeo.” She waggles her eyebrows. “I heard a rumor that Stetson Hayes is coming back to town.”
“He’s too young for you.” I laugh, knowing that Mack is only a year or two older than the champion bull rider, but she just waves me off.
“I don’t want to marry him, Piper. I just want a few consensual orgasms between friends.”
“Are you friends?”
“We could be.” She winks and I shake my head, my stomach dipping at what I’m going to tell Mack. Will he care?
It’s too soon to out us in front of the whole town, and the last thing I need is to make a scene in the Neon Saloon.
As discreetly as I can, I pick up my phone and type out a message to Mack. If nothing else, he deserves the heads-up.
PIPER: Rory wants to go dancing tonight
MACK: That sounds fun
PIPER: Okay…
MACK: Should I be worried, Honey Girl?
PIPER: No, I just thought you should know
MACK: And?
PIPER: And maybe I was expecting more of a reaction
MACK: I trust you, baby—and who knows, maybe I’ll see you there
MACK: Been a long time since I got a dance with you
I remember that dance. It was a few years ago after Stray to my Heart received state-wide recognition.
Rory had dragged me to the Neon Saloon, and after a couple of whiskey sours, I’d let Mack spin me around the uneven floors.
He’d barely been twenty-one, and it felt scandalous with me being close to twenty-six, my body reacting to his close proximity and competence as one dance turned into three.
After that, I kept my distance. He’d already had a reputation and there was no way I wanted to be caught up with that.
Not that I believed I had a chance anyway.
There was no shortage of gorgeous girls on his arm, none of them staying long enough for me to get their names. I wasn’t jealous, but I also couldn’t deny the annoyance either. His attention felt good even if it was fleeting.
His attention still feels good.
But now it’s more. He’s kissed me and fucked me and made me come more times than I thought was possible in such a short time.
Ugh, why am I already so attached to him? I hate that I’m like this, investing so much of myself in someone who says all the right things but ultimately doesn’t care as much about me as I do about him.
I want to believe the little voice in the back of my head that says he’s different, but I can’t—not yet—and especially not with Rory staring at me like she suspects something.
“Dallas is yelling at Levi,” I offer, waving my phone back and forth for emphasis. “You know how they are.”
“Levi has worse taste in men than you do,” she agrees and even though it’s true, I feel like I should still be offended—for Levi and me.
And also Mack because I’m technically dating him.
Regardless of the fact that I asked if we could keep it quiet.
PIPER: I don’t know how to hide this from your sister
MACK: Then don’t
PIPER: I’m not ready for that
MACK: Come over so I can fuck the indecision out of you
PIPER: Tempting but we’re both working
MACK: Then you better make time before your night out
PIPER: She’s going to want to go back to her house to get ready after work
MACK: Suit yourself…
PIPER: What does that mean?
MACK: Guess you’ll find out, won’t you?
PIPER: Mack…
PIPER: MACK!