“Austin.” I grab a pen that Piper is holding out and sign the piece of paper that his mom hands me. “I’m glad I got to meet you.”
“Me too. None of my friends will believe me.”
His mom pulls out her phone and snaps a picture of the two of us.
“Make sure you show them that picture.” I give him a high five.
“We’ll tag you in it so the team can share it,” his mom tells me. “I can’t thank you enough. You’re his favorite player.”
“I appreciate it. Thank you.”
They wave goodbye as I turn to Piper. She’s beaming.
“What?” I wrap an arm around her shoulders and steer us across the street.
“That was the cutest thing I’ve ever seen.”
“Stop it.” I try to hide my smile but I can’t. “It’s nothing.”
“I get why you like kids.”
“No criticism.” I boop her on the nose.
“You could just see how excited he was.” Piper stops and pulls us out of the way of people on the sidewalk. A light snow has started to fall. “You made his day.”
I shrug a shoulder. “It’s what anyone would have done.”
“Nope.” She shakes her head. “Not everyone would have done that. You are incredible.”
“I couldn’t have ignored him. He was too excited.”
“You were so cute with him.”
Piper grabs the sides of my coat and hauls me into her. I tower over her. The streetlights flicker in her eyes. I don’t know if it’s the lights or her happiness sparkling there.
But it’s a sight that hasn’t gotten old.
Piper is nothing but pure goodness. I thought for sure I’d get sick of it. I’ve never been surrounded by someone like her, who is kind for no other reason than she wants to be that way.
Everyone in my life always had an ulterior motive. My dad beat that into my head, when it was really him that was always out for something.
“Have I told you how cuteyouare, Princess?”
She thinks for a second. “Not today.”
I drop my forehead to hers. “My apologies, then. How could one minute have gone by without me telling you how fucking sexy you are?”
“I thought you were going with cute?”
I steal a quick kiss. “Cute. Sexy. Fucking gorgeous as hell.”
This time, the kiss is longer. Slower. Piper presses up onto her toes, deepening it. My hands slide around her waist, pulling her close.
I love the way she slots against me. Every part of her fits into me. Like she was made for me. I get lost in her taste. In her feel. The way she smells.
I get lost in everything that is Piper.
Until she’s pulling away, staring up at me with kiss-swollen lips.
