She sputtered a laugh that died too soon. “So we’re talking about that? The prison thing.”
I shoveled half the slice of pumpkin pie in my mouth. Possibly a delay tactic.
When I swallowed, I said, “Makes no difference if we talk about it or not. It is what it is. But I’m not gonna dance around it, and you don’t have to either. I’m a convicted felon.”
I watched her expression for any misgivings about inviting me into her home. I’d been some part of Piper’s life before. But that had been a lifetime ago. She didn’t owe me a damn thing.
Maybe she was doing this for Grace’s sake, but Piper had no reason to trust me. Ashford certainly didn’t. Hell, I didn’t always trust myself. I had a habit of leaping before I bothered to look.
“And now you’re an ex-con with a full stomach,” Piper said.
A surprised laugh burst out of me. “That I am. Thank you again. The food was delicious.”
“Better than a stale hot dog?”
“Much. But you don’t have any leftovers.”
“That’s okay. I ate so much at Grace’s I won’t be hungry for two days anyway.”
“What about your growing kid?”
“Ollie? He’d much rather eat Oreos and tortilla chips than turkey and green beans.”
After washing my plate over Piper’s protests that she’d do it in the morning, I stopped by the hall bathroom.
When I emerged, the living room was empty. But Piper had set up the couch with a sheet and a blanket. Looked a whole lot more comfortable than the backseat of my Dodge.
Fuck, I was tired enough to sleep for a week. Especially with abelly full of comfort food, the cozy warmth of Piper’s home, and soft snowflakes drifting down outside the window.
I stripped my long-sleeved tee over my head, folding it carefully before setting it on the coffee table. I could just wear my jeans to sleep, since changing into pajama pants felt a little too casual.
There was a small sound behind me, an intake of breath, and I glanced back over my shoulder.
Piper stood a few feet away holding a pillow. Her lips were parted, and her eyes were on my back, her gaze moving like a slow caress I could almost feel.
No, Icouldfeel it. Pleasant tingles of awareness spread across my skin, down through my belly and then lower.
She seemed to be admiring my tattoos. I knew they looked good. And I didn’t mind being admired.
Her gaze continued down my spine to the low waistband of my jeans. I wasn’t wearing underwear. That hadn’t seemed like a relevant issue to anyone except myself when I got dressed yesterday. But it was probably obvious.
My cock stirred, thickening a bit.
Suddenly Piper jolted, like she’d just realized I was watching her from over my shoulder. Clearing her throat, she stepped forward and held out the pillow.
“The piece on your back is impressive.”
“You like it?” Those words had come out low and husky, not entirely on purpose.
She nodded, swallowing.
“My design. A buddy did the ink.” Now that I’d turned around, the angle of her eyes had shifted to my chest. My nipples tightened, and two blooms of pink appeared in Piper’s cheeks.
If she kept looking at me like that, it would soon be extremely obvious I was going commando.
I found myself wondering about the life Piper had led here in Silver Ridge. Was Ollie’s father still in the picture? She’dmentioned her last name wasn’t Landry anymore. Was she married? Was she seeing anyone?
All things I had no right to be thinking about. She was pretty much my little sister’s age. I was forty-one and more banged up than the old Dodge I’d left parked at the curb.
