He knew why. It was because seeing Piper again knocked all his dirty nighttime fantasies about her into the dust. In his dreams she was fucking hot. In real life she took his breath away.
Just like the first time I ever saw her.With Colton.
It’d been a mistake coming here today. Every year his parents asked him, and every year he made some goddamn excuse to stay away. Not just because he couldn’t stomach going over every minute of the night his brother died, or the glaring fact that the accident washis fault. It was becauseshewas here.
Today was all about getting Piper Thomas out of his head. It wasn’t working.
His mother continued her monologue about Colton as though she hadn’t been interrupted and he let out a silent sigh. His brother and Piper had been the perfect couple as far as his parents were concerned. Colton was going places, and a girl like Piper with her wealthy family and prestigious connections could help him get there. When she finished school she’d planned on going to university because she wanted to be a vet, whereashe’dskipped school whenever he could to hang out with his mates.
Just leave them to it.They wouldn’t notice that he’d gone. But he couldn’t drag his gaze away from Piper’s face. Her attention was focused on his mother, as though she wanted to drink in every word about her sainted Colton.
Christ, she was beautiful. It hurt his chest to look at her. Always had. She had the bluest eyes he’d ever seen, and a smile that stopped traffic.
Stopped him, anyway.
She’d pulled her hair back into a tight plait. He’d called her hair brown once, and Colton had damn near bust a gut.Chestnut with honey highlightshis brother had told him, and then, with a smirk, added the highlights were naturalif you know what I mean.
“A terrible tragedy,” Piper murmured, placing her cup on the tray. She crossed her legs and clasped her hands around her knees.
He had to get out of here. His plan hadn’t worked so there was no point staying any longer. Instead of going into the kitchen he strode across the room and placed his cup next to Piper’s. Then he sat on the sofa next to her.
What the hell am I doing?
She noticeably stiffened, but she didn’t look at him. He sprawled back and stretched out his legs, his boots knocking against the stubby feet of the table. His dad shot him a frown. No surprises there. He hooked his arm over the back of the sofa. All Piper had to do was lean back, and he’d be able to wrap that sexy plait around his fist.
In his dreams. She remained ramrod straight and tension spiked from her.
She does this every year?It would drive him batshit crazy. It was bad enough having to live with the guilt every day of his life, without an annual dissection.
Never again.
*
Exactly one hourafter she arrived, Piper stood up. “It’s been lovely catching up,” she said in her soft upper crust voice that only reinforced the massive difference between them. She kissed his mum and then his dad and then glanced at him before quickly looking away.
Yeah, no way would Piper Thomas ever kisshim. Didn’t stop him thinking about it though. He watched her leave the room and heard his parents in the hall telling her to drive safely and that she was welcome to pop by and see them anytime she wanted.
Did she ever visit them, other than this once a year ritual? That hadn’t occurred to him before. He followed them into the hall, grabbing his leather jacket from off the back of a chair.
“Oh, are you off too, Mason?” His mum made a good show of looking disappointed, when he knew damn well she was only too glad to see the back of him.
“Yeah. Got stuff to do.”
“Drive carefully.” That was his dad’s usual dismissal and Mason gave him the nod before escaping. It was only five and already dark, but the light from the street lamps showed Piper was half way down the road. Where the hell had she parked? There was plenty of room right outside the house. He took a couple of steps toward his own car then couldn’t help it. He followed her. Sure, the neighborhood wasn’t as rough as the ones he’d hung out in over the years but he was still going to make sure she reached her car safely.
She stopped by a beaten up looking Volkswagen. No way was that her car. It was at least ten years old, and girls like Piper only drove the latest models.
He reached her side as she pulled open the door. She stared at him as though he was her worst nightmare.
“You startled me.” Her voice was breathless. She gripped her keys like they were some kind of weapon. He should back off. Instead, he leaned his forearm across the top of her door.
“You’ve got a flat.”
She blinked. “I’ve got a what—oh.” Comprehension dawned and she stepped back and scanned her tires. “Well,shit.”
He laughed. He’d never heard her swear before. “You got a spare? I can change it for you.”
She muttered under her breath and glanced along the road as though she expected her shining knight to come rescue her. His flash of amusement faded. He’d never claimed to be anyone’s knight. Definitely not Piper’s.
