Piper
When Holt breaks the news, something happens in my body. I can’t exactly explain it, but the tears just start to come. I tried to escape, so he didn’t see me ugly cry— but Holt would’t let me. I’m grateful to have him here— but I’m so used to handling the hard parts of life alone, I don’t know what to do with this support. I don’t want to get used to it. I don’t know what Holt wants, but I can’t let myself get caught up in the fairytale.
He is rubbing my back and running his hand through my wet hair to soothe me— and what I can only assume is a nervous break down.I need to get it together.
Holt is still rubbing my back and rocking us back and forth gently a few minutes later when my tears have dried up. I pull away a little and rub my face. He is looking down at me in concentration.
“Sorry,” I blurt out. If my face wasn’t so red from crying it would be red from embarrassment.
“I am not normally a crier,” I explain. I go to throw out more excuses but they are muffled with Holt’s mouth. His lips are on me and he is gently kissing me. His tongue is coaxing it’s way through the seam of my lips. I automatically grant him entrance.
Holts massive hands are on either side of my face as he continues his takeover— my mind and body easily melting into him. Holt pulls away but not before pecking my lips quickly.
“Shit,” he breathes out, “I could do that all fucking day— but we need to meet Carter and the Sheriff at your cafe,” he says as reality crashes through my lusty haze. I nod my head and turn to get my shoes on.
“Oh and Piper,” Holt interrupts me mid-step. I turn to look at him and wait for him to continue. He reaches me in two quick and aggressive steps. I automatically go to step back but his hands reach out to hold the side of my face and my waist.
“Stop apologizing,” he says and then before I can respond, the hand on my waist smacks my ass. It stings and I jump. I gape at him.
“That is your last warning before you really find out. You won’t be able to sit without squirming. Understand,” he asks me firmly. Looking into my eyes. I nod quickly and swallow. I’m wondering why I bothered showering again. If my panties will be in a constant state of dampness from being in his presence, what is the point?
He kisses me quickly again and turns to the kitchen to grab the food he was putting together.
“We can eat these on the way,” he states definitively. He sets the food down on the small table and starts threading his arms through the leather jacket that was slung over the back of the chair. Once again, I’m caught up just watching his movements. The tattoos on his arm dance as his muscles flex before disappearing into his sleeve.
“Piper, jacket,” he says. I can hear the amusement in his tone. I look up and see the smirk.Danger. Danger.My mind is screaming at me. Not loud enough. I’m beginning to ignore that little voice. She hasn’t done me any favors lately.
Chapter 32
Holt
After spending the morning with Carter and the Sheriff, and calling my contractor to come and look at the damaged porch, Piper and I are back in my SUV. Piper has managed to get her emotions back in check and she even smiled at something that Carter said. It is my mission to make her smile more. I have just the thing that will take her mind off of this for the afternoon.
I turn in the opposite direction of Piper’s house. She turns to look at me in curiosity, her eyebrow raised.
“You’ll see,” I say in answer to her unspoken question. For a minute it looks like she is going to argue, but then she settles back in the seat and shrugs.
“That’s it,” I prod, “you don’t have anything else to add,” I glance over to her as I’m maneuvering us through the streets of town.
“I figure that if you were going to kill me, I would be dead already,” she says teasingly. I chuckle, that wasn’t what I expected her to say.
“Also, I’ve decided that I’m in just in it for the plot these days,” she says with a laugh under her breath.
“Whatever happens, happens,” she shrugs and tucks her hair behind her ear. A nervous tick that I have picked up on.
“In it for the plot, huh,” I repeat and chuckle. She doesn’t know the plot twists that she is in for now that I’ve got her. She nods her head and then flips the radio on. She pairs her phone and starts humming along to her Taylor Swift playlist. I place my hand on her thigh, a little above the knee and give it a gentle squeeze.
She freezes for barely a second and then relaxes. I’m glad she is getting used to me in her space, she continues to hum along and nod her head.
We have only been driving for about 20 minutes when I see the sign for the county fair up ahead. I turn down the dirt road. Piper sits up straighter and looks at me.
“We are going to the fall fair!” Her face is lit up and she smiles at me. I can’t help but grin back at her.
“I take it you like the idea,” I trail off as she claps her hands. She squeals and does a little dance in her seat.
“Yes, I love this idea,” she says. She is so excited she is already moving to unclip her seatbelt. I place my hand on hers stopping her.
“Not until we have parked,” I say. She huffs but doesn’t argue. I pull into the field that the fair has designated as the parking area and park where the attendant has guided me. As soon as I put it in park, Piper is unbuckling herself and opening the door. She is like a kid in this moment.
