“That explains the car.”
She pulled a face. “You wouldn’t believe the trouble I had there. They gave us a new car each for our twenty-first and I did the whole grand gesture and gave mine back. Although I must admit, sometimes I regret taking a stand on that point.” She sighed and propped her chin on her hand. “Older cars need a lot of patching up.”
“Lucky for you I know about cars.” He laughed when she screwed up her nose at him, and took her hand. “I’ll service it for you.” He’d do it for free, but he knew she’d never accept that. “Mates rates.”
“Tempting.” Then she frowned. “You still haven’t told me how much I owe you for the tire.”
“I’m in the business. It didn’t cost nearly as much as you think.”
She didn’t look convinced. “I don’t want you thinking I’m only sleeping with you so you can maintain my car.”
He choked on his coffee, and Piper gave him a wicked grin as she popped another marshmallow in her mouth.
“Funny. That never crossed my mind until now.”
“I just wanted things to be clear between us.”
“I’ll send you a bill for services rendered.”
It was her turn to choke and she slapped her hand across her mouth as her eyes watered. He leered at her, which didn’t help in the choking department. She slapped his thigh.
“I’m going to hold you to that.”
“I’m counting on it, baby.”
She laughed and leaned into him, and he slung his arm around her shoulders and breathed in the scent of her hair.
They’d only been together for two weeks. He didn’t want to rush anything. He was no expert when it came to relationships but he knew one thing for sure. This might’ve started out as a casual hookup for Piper, but she had to see it was so much more now.
I’m not going to screw this up.
*
It was darkand raining when Piper finished her shift at the vet’s. She wrapped her scarf around her throat and battled the wind as she made her way across the car park. But her mind wasn’t on the weather. Today was the one month anniversary since she’d started dating Mason.
We’re not dating.She slammed her car door, and turned the heating on while she changed her boots for her driving shoes. Okay, so it wasn’t dating the way she and Colton had dated, and it was nothing like the painful attempts she’d made at relationships with the few other guys she’d been with over the last couple of years.
She’d seen Mason ten times since they’d met again at his parents. After he’d stayed that first weekend, he hadn’t asked her out or anything, he’d just turned up a few nights later with her spare tires.
And stayed the night.
A few times he’d met her after work and they’d gone out for a drink at the local café or for a pub meal. And instead of her grand plan of a hot one night stand purging him from her mind, every time she saw him she just wanted him more than ever.
This is crazy.Things hadn’t lasted with the other guys she’d dated because she was still too messed up over Colton. And when she finished with them there was no heartache or sleepless nights. Only a vague sense of relief.
It was different with Mason. Of course it was. She’d fallen for him when she was seventeen, and he’d been her fantasy lover for five years. She’d known she was playing with fire from the minute she’d invited him in that night, but she hadn’t thought beyond the wholeone night standthing.
Well it was definitely more than that now. She just didn’t have a cluewhatit was.How can it ever be anything serious?His parents thought she was still in love with Colton. What would they do if they knew she’d gone from one brother to another?
That sounds so tacky and nasty.She shivered and tried to block the thought, but guilt snaked through her regardless.
She didn’t want a ring on her finger. Colton had managed to put her right off the whole idea of getting engaged. But just lately the way Mason turned up only when it suited him had started to bug her.
Not that I’m complaining about all the sex…
Except was that all he wanted from her? Sometimes she had the sinking feeling that it was. If he wanted anything more, why hadn’t he ever invited her back to his place?
She pulled out her mobile and punched in his number. “Hey, baby.” His voice was dark and smoky, the way it was just after they had sex. She pressed her legs together but it didn’t stop the hot lust from pooling between her thighs.
