But Piper’d never say anything like that. She’d be rational and reasonable and unfailingly polite. He wasn’t sure he could stand it.
“Nothing’s going on here.” He shrugged.Keep it about the sex.In the heat of the night she didn’t care that he wasn’t his brother. It washisname she gasped,hisbody she clawed. Oh yeah, she wanted him in her bed, inside her body. She just didn’t want him inside her heart.
“I know we’ve only been seeing each other for a month.” She tucked a wayward strand of hair behind her ear.Is she nervous?“I don’t want you to think I’m trying to make this into something it’s not. I just want us to beclear, that’s all.”
Clear about what? That this was still only a hook up to her? That it could never be anything more because deep down she still blamed him for Colton’s death?
“I don’t know how much clearer you want me to be.” The careless smile he slung her way hurt his face. “This is all you wanted, isn’t it?” Hot sex, with a side of the forbidden. He couldn’t even call her on it. She’d never offered him anything more.
A delicate blush spread over her cheeks. He tried to tear his fascinated gaze away from her, but couldn’t. How could she look so damn irresistible when she was ripping out his heart with every word and every glance?
“I’m not sure whatthisis.” Her voice could shatter crystal. “Are we even exclusive?”
Her question knifed through him. That she might be seeing other guys had never even occurred to him. “You tell me.”
“I’m asking you.”
“I don’t do exclusive.”What the fuck?That might’ve been the truth up until a month ago, but it sure as shit wasn’t true anymore.
“That’s what I thought.” She took another sip of wine. Screw that. She finished the glass. “I just needed to clarify that this is nothing more than a casual affair.”
“Consider yourself clarified.” Yeah, and he was a fucking mug for thinking a girl like Piper would ever want anything more from someone like him, even without the history they shared. “Are we done now?”
“I think so.”
She sat there, looking so aloof and untouchable and with a tragic air around her that slashed through all his defenses. He couldn’t stop himself. He leaned across the table until her subtle perfume unraveled whatever remained of his good sense.
“I’m not a diamonds and flowers kind of guy, Piper. Thought you knew that.”
Something flashed in her beautiful blue eyes. “I don’t need diamonds and flowers. They don’t mean anything.”
Of course they didn’t. She’d had all that with Colton, her first love. The one she still loved.
“Sorry I’m not like my brother.” Sarcasm bled from every word.
“You’re nothing like him.” She glared at him as though she wanted to gouge out his eyes. “Why would I want you to be?”
Because he was the golden boy, the brother with the glittering future.The one who could’ve given her everything she wanted.
“You want another?” He jerked his head at her glass.
“No, thank you.”Unfailingly polite.And cold as ice.
“Call it a night then.” He didn’t wait for her response to that, and stood up. The walk back to her flat was frostier than the night air. He didn’t even attempt to sling his arm around her shoulders as he might’ve been tempted to slam her up against the nearest wall and show her—again—how much he needed her in his life.
She didn’t invite him in when they reached her front door. Not that he’d expected her to. “I’ll call you.” It might be sane to finish this right now, but he was a fucking fool where she was concerned.
“Fine,” she said, and quietly shut the door in his face.
