Chapter 9 #2
“Oh, I get it. Trust me, I do. But remember that sometimes, love alone isn’t enough.”
Her words stick with me as I stand to leave, heavier than the whiskey burning its way down my throat.
“While I love having lunch with you, I know this isn’t because you missed my company.” Piper snickers behind her hand before rattling off her order to the server. “What’s up?”
I lean in, bracing my forearms on the table. “Tell me about your sister.”
Piper grins, taking a long sip of water before setting the glass down with a clink. “Reese is wonderful, although she’s got the worst taste in men.”
Let’s hope I’m about to change that.
“Let’s see. She’s an overachiever. A nurturer. And she was always the good girl, while I was the screwup. Reese cleaned up my messes more than once, even took the blame when it should’ve been mine.”
“She protected you.”
“Always.” Piper’s voice softens, her smile slipping. She fiddles with the paper straw wrapper, shredding it to pieces. “She protects everyone. Sadly, no one ever protected her. Not even me. I knew Vander was an egotistical shithead. But I suspect he was way worse than that.”
God help him if he ever laid a hand on her.
Piper glances down, swirling the ice in her glass. “He’s a powerful man who’s a mean drunk. I don’t know for certain, but I think he hit her. More than once.”
“Fucking hell.” Heat floods my body, ugly and sharp. I grip the edge of the table, fighting the urge to find Vander and break his goddamn face. Knowing how tiny Reese is makes the thought of his hands on her unbearable.
Piper exhales sharply, covering the break in her voice with a bitter laugh. “And my sister stayed with him because… hell, I don’t know. The man never gave her an orgasm, and that’s the least he could’ve done.”
Okay, now we’re getting somewhere.
“How do you know that?”
“We’re sisters. We talk. I bought her a vibrator for Christmas. She told me it got plenty of mileage. Her ex was a stingy lover, probably because he was spreading it all over town.”
And I know a man who will lick every inch of her until she’s gushing and unable to stand.
Hell, just the thought of it makes my dick twitch, and I adjust myself with a slight grunt.
“She deserves so much better than that.”
“She does. She deserves everything.” Piper leans back and folds her arms, a smirk cutting across her delicate features. “Which is where you come in, because you have a ridiculous crush on her.”
My hand scrubs over my jaw, restless. “I do. Is that stupid?”
“Not at all. Reese needs a good man in her orbit. I’m not sure how ready she is to dive into love, but I am on a valiant and ridiculously important mission where she’s concerned.”
“Tracking down her piece of shit ex and beating him senseless, so that he never raises a hand to another woman again?”
Piper squeezes my forearm. “You are such a good man, but that is not the mission.”
“What is the mission?”
“Getting her laid properly.” Piper leans in, conspiratorial, eyes glinting. “She’s earned a string of phenomenal, over-the-top orgasms. And we both know you’re highly talented in that department. How about you help my sister out? I’ll pay good money, too.”
I groan, dragging a hand down my face. “Jesus, Piper. I don’t want your damn money.”
She smirks wider. “But you do want my sister.”
My chest tightens, the truth sitting heavy but certain. I shift in my seat, meeting her head-on. “More than that. I’m more than happy to be whatever she needs.”
“I’m sure you are.” Piper’s smile tightens as she glances up and over my shoulder. “Hello, Sabine. What’s up?”
“Nothing.” Sabine slips into the booth next to me, her gaze locking on mine. “I heard a rumor you’re retiring, Griffin.”
And here we go. Seems good news travels fast.
“Partially, yes.”
“Interesting. Why the sudden change?”
I drum the table and huff out a breath. “Not a life I care to pursue anymore.”
Sabine smirks, dragging a razor red nail down my cheek. “Would a certain new resident have anything to do with that change?”
I jerk my head away. This woman may be stunning, but she has a cold streak that flows outwardly in every direction. “Yeah. She is. Reese is unlike any woman I’ve ever met.”
For a second, sparks flit across Sabine’s eyes, but she covers it with a practiced smile as I wait for the viper to take another bite. “A woman who’s never gotten off? Sounds more like a pity project than a romance.”
Fuck.
Guess she heard the whole conversation, which to an outsider makes me sound like a bastard and makes Reese sound like a fool.
“That’s not your business.” I snap out the words, taking a long pull on my drink and wishing the food would arrive so Sabine could take her leave.
“Perhaps,” she purrs, “you shouldn’t discuss Reese’s little orgasm issues in a public diner. Never know who might overhear you. Anyway, I’ll leave you two to it. Sounds like she needs a lot of… assistance.”
She strolls away on that note, her hips swaying to a silent but triumphant rhythm.
“Fuck. What did I ever see in her?”
Piper rolls her eyes, flipping Sabine off under the table. “She’s gorgeous and a good lay. Forget her. You wanted to discuss my sister, so let’s focus on Reese and all the orgasms you’ll be giving her. Come on, I want the details.”
“No way.”
“No fun.”
The words leave my mouth before I can catch them. “Let’s just say she won’t need the vibrator anymore. My tongue will work overtime fulfilling her every need.”
Christ. Did I just say that out loud? Yes. Yes, I did.
Piper’s head snaps up as shock spreads across her face. “You never talk like that, Griffin.”
She’s right. I don’t. But with Reese, I can’t help it.
“Guess she brings out the wild man in me.”
The server sets our plates down, mercifully breaking the tension.
Piper licks ketchup off her thumb, then points at her burger. “This is good, but it’s nothing next to my sister’s cooking. The woman can make toast taste gourmet.”
“Yeah?” I tip my beer toward her, pretending casual. “Best cook in town?”
“The best, period.” Piper’s grin turns sly as her gaze darts past me. She raps her knuckles against the window, waving toward the street. “Speaking of—look who it is.”
I turn, and my palms go sweaty, throat bone-dry.
Reese catches sight of us and crosses the street, arms full of grocery bags, sunlight glinting off the patterned scarf tied around her dark waves.
A soft T-shirt and shorts hug her in all the right ways, her legs long and shapely enough to make a man forget how to breathe.
She looks untouchable, too good for this place, too good for me.
And then a darker thought slams into me—the idea of Vander ever touching her. Worse: the idea of him touching her in anger. My grip tightens around my glass, hard enough that the condensation slicks between my fingers.
“Hi guys.” Reese beams as she stops by the booth. “Those burgers look amazing.”
“Want some?” Piper offers her burger, and Reese takes a bite.
“That is good.”
“Here.” I lean in, gently wiping a spot of ketchup from her lip.
Reese flushes, her tongue gliding along her lip. “Thanks. I’ve always been a messy eater.”
I slide my thumb into my mouth, her taste still on my skin, holding her dark gaze and wishing to God it was her mouth I was kissing.
“What’d you get?” Piper pats the seat beside her.
“I’m baking pastries with Geraldine later, so I can’t stay long or some of the stuff will spoil.” Reese rests the bags on the edge of the table and offers me a shy smile. “Your flowers are still blooming. I swear they’re the prettiest thing I’ve ever seen.”
You’re the prettiest thing I’ve ever seen.
I almost say the words aloud. Almost.
Because she is.
And the need to claim her burns so fiercely it’s a wonder the whole diner doesn’t see it blazing off me.
Instead, Piper butts in on our moment. “See, Griffin? Reese is perfect wife material. Wickedly talented in the kitchen, can patch you up if you get hurt, smart as hell and sexy, even if she tries hard not to be.”
Reese shoots her a withering look. “I think that was a compliment.”
“Trust me, it was. Some man should scoop you up and have a thousand babies with you.”
Piper, you’re laying it on thick.
I brace, waiting for her to announce my crush right here in the damn diner.
Waiting for her to tell Reese all the ways I plan to ruin her.
But do I want to know her reaction?
“A thousand? Are you insane?” Reese laughs, shaking her head.
“Three. Maybe four,” I blurt out, a flush climbing my neck at my unplanned admission.
Reese worries her lower lip with her teeth, and I swear it takes everything in me not to grab her to me and never let go.
“You’re hung up on that four number, aren’t you?”
Thank God. She remembers. Our talk that first night.
“It’s a good number,” I murmur, my fingers tracing slow circles on the table and imagining it was her soft skin instead.
Seems she notices and swallows hard. “Yeah, but you’re not the one carrying them.”
“You know I’d help with everything.”
“I do.” Her voice dips low, almost shy, like she didn’t mean to let it slip. She gathers her bags quickly. “I better go before this stuff goes bad.”
“Do you need help?”
Reese shakes her head, giving my shoulder a gentle squeeze. “No. Enjoy your lunch. See you two later.”
And then she’s gone. Do I watch her walk away? Fuck yes, I do.
And for the first time in years, I don’t just want her body. I want her forever.
“Wow, you’ve got it bad.” Piper heaves out a sigh, leaning against the booth. “You know deep down, Griffin, I think you’re a romantic.”
I huff out a laugh, shake my head. “With the right woman, I would be.”
Piper’s eyes flick between me and her sister’s retreating figure. “Just have to meet the right woman, then.”
I can’t look away from Reese, the sway of her hips as she heads toward her car. Every step feels like a tether pulling me tighter.
“Or maybe you already have,” Piper murmurs, smug as hell.
There’s no maybe about it.
My friend smirks before popping another fry into her mouth. “Look, I’m fine with you giving my sister orgasms. But don’t you dare break her heart.”
I meet her gaze, no hesitation. “If I ever had a chance with your sister, Piper, breaking her would be the last thing I’d do.”