“I know what you were doing, Piper,” he said, whiskers brushing my ear. “Making me dance with the bachelorette party. Dancing with that other guy.”
“I wasn’t trying to make you mad.”
He pressed a soft kiss to the tip of my ear, making me shiver. “I know. To be honest, I wasn’t happy seeing someone else’s hands on you. Made me want to claim you as mine. But I wasn’t mad. I’m completely calm. You know why?”
My tongue was heavy, so it wasn’t easy to get the word out. “Why?”
“Because you’re just scared, and that’s alright. I’m a patient dance partner. But don’t expect me to back off and give up. Unless you tell me you absolutely don’t want me, then I’ll keep on being here. Ready to dance when you are.”
It didn’t really seem like we were talking about dancing.
Even though the song was fast-paced and lively, we were swaying slowly. I was inside Grayden’s shadow, completely protected.
I pushed out a laugh, and it felt so fake. “Don’t go falling in love with me, O’Neal. I’m not that kind of girl.”
“No promises.”
His eyes were full of a soft kind of amusement, but he didn’t seem at all like he was kidding. Instead, everything about him radiated sincerity.
I couldn’t take it.
I had to glance away. My lungs were going all tight and strange, making it hard to get air. But I didn’t want to leave the safety of his arms. Not yet.
My hands went from his shoulders to his chest, dragging over the fabric and the hard muscle beneath. “I guess I didn’t like seeing you dancing with those girls.”
“It was your idea.”
“I know! But if you’re my date tonight, I suppose I should be making the most of it.”
We danced to the next several songs. Had another drink.
After a while, my arms went around his neck, and I kissed his tattoo, my tongue sneaking out to lick the inked skin. “Want to get out of here? Take me home? You were hoping to get lucky, and the signs are pointing to yes.”
His large hand squeezed my hip. “Then let’s go.”
THIRTY-FOUR
Piper
The rideback to Silver Ridge felt quicker. Less open-ended and free, more urgent.
I kept my arms tight around Grayden, my head as close to him as I could manage without knocking my helmet into his.
My feelings were kind of a mess right now, and I knew it. But what I wanted, more than anything, was to be close to Grayden. Skin to skin. To explore him and enjoy this connection we felt.
And hopefully not talk about what it all was supposed to mean.
The things he’d said at the bar… What was I supposed to do with all that?
The bike’s engine rumbled as we turned onto my street. Grayden pulled up to my garage. “I’ll open it,” I said, and jumped off to use my code on the little keypad. The overhead door lifted.
He parked the bike inside. Dang, he was sexy as he took off the helmet and shook out his shaggy hair. Swung his long leg over the seat to stand up.
We packed the helmets back into the saddle bags along with my borrowed jacket. Then I closed up the garage.
“Didn’t want the neighbors to see the Ninja parked in your driveway?” he asked.
“No. I wasn’t thinking that at all.”
