She smirked. “That’s a Piperism. Something your Pied Piper might say, you know.”
“Oh?” He nodded thoughtfully. “I’m going to start writing a new storyline soon. You should give me some ideas.” He tapped his cheek. “Maybe I should have her fight a vacuum cleaner, and she conquers it by sucking harder than the ‘Hoover.’”
“You’re crude, you know that?”
“Say what, Piper Hoover Mason?”
She laughed then stuck her hand down his pants. “Hoover, you say?”
After five minutes of teasing, he gripped her hand under the blanket. “I will pay you thirty million dollars if you put your Hoover where your hand is.”
“Yep, like I’ve said before. You’re easy.”
“But Piper, it’s Christmas.”
“Not yet, it’s not.” But she took pity on him and handled the problem. Most Hooverly.
Chapter 23
Friday evening, after spending the day with Alex being a royal pain, Grant had hit his limit. He loved the boy, but too much sugar and not enough napping had done the kid no favors.
Grant also decided to give Cade and Ellie an all expense paid trip to Cabo for Christmas. And he’d arrange it so Grandma could watch her grandson while they went away.
Piper kept laughing at his complaining texts and pictures, because he’d coerced Alex into posing with him in various states of danger. Of Alex holding a playdough knife at Grant’s throat. Of the boy tying him down with yarn while a Lego train threatened to run him over. And more situations showing the boy in various states of fake-aggression that personally, he found hilarious.
Though Alex could be a handful, he’d been a fun handful. Grant knew he wanted to live closer to see his nephew grow up. And to soon be a father himself.
An idle thought had crossed his mind several times. He and Piper had never used protection. What if, by some random miracle, she was pregnant and didn’t know it? Perhaps her birth control hadn’t taken, and Grant was more potent than ever thanks to some super sperm.
He grunted. Yeah, that’s all he’d need to freak out Piper. An unexpected pregnancy.
Oh, but he’d welcome it.
Every day he loved her a little more. And he thought she might be dropping her guard around him. Or at least, he hoped. They needed to have a real talk about feelings and the future. But not yet. Not until he’d done more to win her over.
So he picked her up Friday after the ice rink had officially closed.
“Where are we going?” She yawned.
“Oh no. You have to be awake for this.” He pulled into the parking lot.
“We’re going skating? But it’s closed.”
“Not for us.” He tugged her with him inside and saw the lights set up, a table with snacks and drinks by the side, and flowers and holiday decor all over the ice in a centerpiece around which they would skate.
Piper stared. “Wow. You set this up for us?”
“Yep. For you. I’m just the guy you can fall on.”
Her eyes filled as gentle music floated over the speakers, Christmas tunes that put him into the spirit of the season.
“Are you, Piper? Dreaming of a white Christmas?” He grinned and sat to put on skates on a nearby bench.
She smiled and put hers on as well. “This is the most amazing thing you’ve done so far, I think.” White lights affixed to the ceiling lent the rink a romantic feel as they skated together, laughing and talking about the holiday.
Then one of his favorite songs came on. An old version of “I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Clause.” He drew Piper to him and skated backward while holding onto her. They smiled into each other’s eyes for that and the next song before heading over to the snack table.
“I can’t believe you did this,” she said and burst into tears.
