“BATHROOM IN FIVE,” A WHISPERED voice says in my ear.
Everyone else at the table is so caught up in their own conversations that they don’t notice, but I do and I can’t. Actually, I could, but the longer I’ve had to clear my head of the Piper haze it was under during the ceremony, the more I know I can’t do this anymore.
It’s going to be hard enough, so like everything else in my life I decide to quit, I’m going to do it cold turkey. Starting tonight.
Before she can get out of arm’s reach, I tug at the hem of her dress. As she snaps her head around, the look on her face could kill.
She’s about to lash out, but my dad turning in his seat toward me stops her dead in her tracks.
In the split second before she turns to walk away, I give her a slight shake of my head, letting her know I’m not meeting her in the bathroom in five minutes. She shoots a glare that most would miss, but I catch the slight squint of her gorgeous eyes. I’ve been the recipient too often to miss it. It tells me she doesn’t like my response and if we were still playing our game, which we’re not, she’d get some type of retaliation later.
“Surprised you’re not playing tonight,” my dad says, getting my attention.
“Micah told me I could if I wanted to, but I didn’t want to steal the show . . . you know, it’s his wedding, after all.” I give him a wink and take a long sip of my drink.
“Right, well, it was good hearing you play the other night. I’ve missed it.”
That’s about as much as you’ll get out of my dad. He’s a simple man who doesn’t waste words on small talk. He says what he means and means what he says. I like it that way, because when he speaks, I know I should be listening.
“It’s time for the toasts,” the DJ Micah hired for the evening announces. “First up is Deacon Landry, brother of the groom . . . and the bestest man,” he says, with a questioning tone.
Deacon’s smile is wider than the Mississippi as he steps up to the mic.
“Hey, y’all,” he says, tapping the microphone. “Micah told me to keep this short, so I wrote a few things down.” Clearing his throat, he pulls out a card from his pocket and begins to read from it. “First, I’d just like it to be known that I met Dani first. So, technically, I introduced them. Micah, I’ve known Dani was it for you since the first time the two of you met at Pockets.”
Fucker is stealing my lines.
“I’m glad you finally found someone to tame the beast.” Deacon pauses for the laughter and hoots and hollers, looking mighty pleased of himself. “And Dani, you’re the sister I never had. You make this family better and I’m happy to call you a Landry. It’d be great if y’all could make me an uncle sometime soon, because Tucker and Micah get all that fun and I’m tired of missin’ out. Oh, and I’d like to take this moment to tell everyone . . . we’re having a boy!”
“Deacon!” Cami yells from her seat across the table from me. “What a jackass,” she mumbles, rolling her eyes as everyone claps for Deacon’s speech and congratulates him and Cami on the announcement.
“What, babe?” Deacon asks as he comes back over and takes his seat. “You told me I could be the one to tell everyone.”
Let us be clear, Deacon may act dumb, but he knows exactly what he’s doing and he knows how to manipulate situations to get what he wants.
“At Sunday dinner, Deacon. Not here,” she seethes.
“Babe, I’m sorry. I was just so excited and you know how horrible I am at keepin’ secrets.” The odd look Deacon shoots me over Cami’s head has me confused, but I just give him a smile and shake my head at his equal parts of genius and stupidity.
“Congratulations,” Kay says, hugging Cami from behind.
“So happy for y’all,” my dad chimes in. “I can’t believe I’m gonna be a grandpa again.”
“Thanks. We’re pretty happy about it,” Cami says, giving Deacon a warm smile.
“I’m gonna be a big brother!” Carter yells, running over from where he’d been sitting with Annie and Sam. “Woo!”
“Are you excited, baby?” Cami kisses his cheek and hugs him to her.
“Yeah, I was so scared you were gonna have a girl.”
“And what’s wrong with a girl?” she asks, laughing as she kisses the top of his head.
“They talk too much and wear pink . . . and I want someone to play Transformers with.”
“You know I’m havin’ a baby and not a six-year-old, right?” Cami teases.
“Duh, Mom. Your belly is big, but it’s not that big.” Carter’s eyes go wide as saucers, giving Cami a side glance. We all laugh, but only Carter could get by with a statement like that.
“The next speech is from Dani’s best friend, Piper Grey,” the DJ says, keeping things going.
I watch as Piper stands from her seat beside Dani and walks up to the microphone. She’s composed and sure of herself, not over-confident, but someone who comes across as having their shit together.
“Hello, I’m Piper.” She smiles and gives a little wave. “I know a lot of you don’t know me, but I’ve known Dani since we were freshmen in college. She’s been my best friend, and at times, my only friend. We’ve been each other’s family, kept each other from eating pints of Ben & Jerry’s during breaks-ups, and been there for each other through all of life’s ups and downs. So, believe me when I tell you, this is the happiest I’ve ever seen my best friend. Because of that, I’d like to thank you, Micah. I’m going to miss looking out for her, but I feel confident leaving her in your hands. To Dani and Micah,” Piper says, raising her glass of champagne.
“To Dani and Micah.” Everyone joins in, raising their glasses to the newlyweds.
“That was a lovely speech,” Kay says, dabbing under her eyes. “I just love that girl.”
“She’s a good one,” my dad agrees.
Maybe I’m feeling over paranoid tonight because I’ve had so much on my mind and I feel like I’m walking around living a lie. But I swear they’re all baiting me, waiting on me to crack and spill my guts.
Before anyone can say something else or look at me weird, I stand up from the table and mumble something about looking for another drink. Instead, I bypass the bar and head straight for the back door. If it wouldn’t be considered rude, I’d get in my truck and get the hell out of here. But I can’t do that. It’d draw attention and I sure as hell don’t need any of that. So instead, I take a few deep cleansing breaths and try to pull myself together.
“What’s going on with you?”
I groan, not wanting to turn around, because Piper is the last person I want to see right now. She’s the reason I’m out here in the first place. The reason I feel like I’m about to lose my damn mind, well, one of the reasons.
“Nothing. Nothing is goin’ on with me.”
“Bullshit. You’ve been weird for over a week. I thought you not answering my text was part of your retaliation for me walking out on you last weekend. But today, you’ve still been avoiding me.” Piper takes a step closer, pointing her finger into my chest. “I know you, Tucker. I know what you want and I know how you want it. It’s not like you to turn me down. So, something is going on and you’re going to tell me what it is.”
“You don’t want to know,” I tell her, honestly. She stops and cocks her head in surprise.
“You want me to tell you nothing is wrong and then we go fuck and everything is back to normal.” I swallow, wondering where I’m going with this. Nothing coming out of my mouth is planned and I’m afraid if I keep talking, I’ll say too much. “So, don’t ask what’s wrong when you don’t really want to know.”
“Maybe I do,” she challenges.
“No, you don’t. You want convenience, no strings attached, booty calls in the middle of the night, and secret rendezvous . . . you don’t want to hear about me or my life. That’s not how it goes between us. So, stop pretendin’ you care.”
Her face morphs from shock to resolve. I watch as she tilts her chin down in preparation for whatever she’s getting ready to fire back at me with.
“You don’t know me. You don’t know what I want.” Her tone is cool and even. “You use me as much as I use you, so don’t start playing the victim.”
Turning around, her dark hair flows behind her like a cape as she stomps back into the restaurant.
Fuck.
I run my hands through my already unruly hair and growl out my frustration, wishing I was back at the river so I could scream again and let it all out.
Making my way back inside, I walk down the hall. Part of me wants to check the handle on the women’s bathroom and see if Piper’s in there, because any other time, that’s how one of our little tiffs would end—me fucking her into oblivion until we’re unsure where the hate ends and the lust begins—but I force myself to keep walking. When I get back to the main part of the restaurant, I’m just in time to see Dani and Micah feed each other a piece of cake.
Sitting back down at my place by my dad, I’m eternally grateful for his lack of need to fill silence with frivolous conversation. He’s good at letting me deal with my own shit, so even if he thinks something is wrong, he won’t ask. He knows if I need to talk, I’ll talk.
The rest of the evening goes smoothly, or as smoothly as it can. I try my damnedest not to track Piper’s every move, but fail miserably.
I see her.
I see her laughing with Cami and Dani.
I see her going after the bouquet and letting some waitress from Grinders catch it instead.
I see her talking to Sam and Annie.
I see her helping Kay with a button on her dress.
I wish I didn’t see her, because it would make this so much easier.
After tonight, it’ll be better. I won’t be forced to see her for a while.
Some distance will do me good.
I tell myself that, like a mantra, until the last dance of the night.
Piper leaves ahead of Micah and Dani. I overhear someone say something about her going to get something out of their hotel suite that Dani forgot. Again, I try not to listen, but it’s like my ears are trained to hear anything about her.
Cami, Deacon, and Carter leave right after, followed by my dad, Kay, Annie, and Sam.
In the end, it’s just me and a few of Micah’s employees from Lagniappe. We all make quick work of clearing the dishes and glasses, piling them in the kitchen.
“Don’t worry about the rest of this mess,” Randy says from the kitchen door. “I’ll be back in here tomorrow sometime to make sure it’s all back in order by Tuesday.”
“Y’all go,” I tell him. “I’m just gonna pack up these gifts and make sure they get to the big house. Micah and Dani can pick them up there.”
“You sure? I can help if you want.”
“Nah, I’m sure. Y’all go. I’ll be right behind you and I’ll lock up and set the alarm. Micah gave me a key and the code.”
“Alright,” he says, waving as he walks back through the kitchen, turning off lights as he goes.
I gather a few more straggling cake plates and take them to the sink. When I walk back out into the dining room, scanning the place for anything else I can clear away, I notice a purse or something laying at the table where Micah and Dani were sitting.
Walking closer, I realize I’ve seen it before.
As I pick it up, a flash from a night in Baton Rouge hits me out of nowhere.
I pull up to the hotel Piper gave me the name of and let the valet park my truck, because I can’t wait another second to get up to the room and see what she has for me.
Is she going to fight me?
Will she let me in or make me wait in the hallway?
Or will this be one of those nights where she’s done with the games and wants me just as much as I want her?
The anticipation is killing me.
When I knock on the door of her room, she opens immediately, with this black clutch in her hand. It’s satin and sleek. She opens it and takes out a tube of lipstick and applies it, like she’s going out for the night.
I don’t fucking think so. Those are my words, because she’s not spending half an hour telling me about every detail of the black thong she’s wearing and how she wants to tie me up with it and then not deliver.
What? Her reply is rehearsed and part of the act. I can see it by the way her pale brown eyes go wide and her lips form into a pout. It’s not real Piper. It’s the Piper who wants me to suffer. It’s the Piper who loves making my life miserable for the sake of our twisted game. It’s the Piper who’d rather bust my balls than give in to what we both know she wants.
I take the purse from her hand and toss it across the room. A sly smile forms on her perfect lips and she quirks an eyebrow.
Game on.
A light tap on the window causes me to jump and turn. I expect to see some drunk who can’t find his way back to Bourbon Street or a homeless person looking for a handout, but instead, it’s Piper.
She holds her hand up in a semi-wave and then motions to the door.
I hold up her purse and question silently, asking if that’s what she’s here for.
Her hands immediately go to her hips as frustration over me not complying sets in.
Walking slowly to the door, I turn the lock and open it.
“Lookin’ for this?”
“I do need that,” she says, reaching for the purse, but I yank it back before she can grab it.
I don’t know why I do it, maybe out of instinct or maybe out of habit. Maybe because I know for me and Piper, this is the end.
“Don’t make me be mean to you,” she warns, pursing her lips in a way that always turns me on.
I love it when she looks at me like that. Her eyes are hungry and her smart-ass mouth is begging to be kissed, even though we don’t do that. But maybe I will tonight. Maybe I’ll take what I want, just this one last time.
“I thought maybe you were comin’ back to see me,” I tease, but it’s not really. “I thought maybe you might wanna kiss and make up.”
“Are you going to tell me what’s been going on with you?” she asks, crossing her arms over her perfect chest.
“No.”
She stands there, like we’re on opposite sides of a battle line, glaring at me because I won’t do what she wants me to . . . say what she wants me to.
“Did someone go and grow some feelings?” she asks in a mocking tone. “Is that what this is all about?” Her words are harsh and meant to sting, and if I’m being honest, they do.
But I’ll never let her have the satisfaction of seeing that hurt.
“No, no feelings here,” I tell her, putting on the cockiest front I can manage. “Just tired of givin’ and never gettin’ anything in return.”
“Fuck you, Tucker. I give just as good as I get, and you know it.”
“When it suits you, darlin’. It’s all about Piper, twenty-four-seven. You don’t give two shits about me or anyone else, for that matter. You’re just always lookin’ for who can get you what you want, make you look good to your stuck-up parents, and be at your beck and call.”
Most of what I’m blowing is smoke, but I know it’s going to get a rise out of Piper. She’s hitting below the belt, so I decide to join her.
“You don’t know anything about me,” she sneers, repeating her words from earlier. “You’re a washed-up rock star who’s run home to lick his wounds after not making it in the big leagues. So, don’t fucking judge me. Worry about your own life!”
Before she can say another word she’ll regret, I grab her by her waist and pull her into the restaurant, slamming the door behind her and pushing her up against it.
My mouth is on hers in an instant, taking what I want. Normally, I wouldn’t kiss her, but if this is the end, I’m doing it my way.
She pulls away, gasping for air. “What the fuck are you doing?” The edge in her tone is already fading and I can tell she’s forgetting about everything she just said, and as I grind my erection against her sweet pussy, she might even be forgetting her name.
“Wrap your legs around me, baby. I’m gettin’ ready to show you.”
Carrying her away from the windows and into the dark hall, I press her against the wall with my body, using one hand to unbuckle my pants and free my cock. Taking it in my hand, I stroke it once and then brush it against her wetness. As promised, there’s no panties—nothing standing between me being inside her.
“You’re nice and ready for me, just like I like it,” I whisper, going in for her neck and breathing in her sweet scent. “Fuck, I love the way you smell, but you wanna know what I love even more than that?”
“What?” she asks, breathless and completely under my control.
“This,” I tell her, thrusting forward and sliding into her wet heat. “I fucking love the way it feels when I’m inside you.”
It takes an intense amount of control to not come on contact. Even though she’s on the pill, I still always wrap it up. I thought it was mind-blowing before, but this . . . this is like heaven, so fucking perfect.
If this is my last time with her, I want it to be like this.
She moans loudly and I couldn’t be happier about the fact that she doesn’t have to keep quiet, or that she’s not objecting to the fact that I didn’t put on a condom, but I’d be a dick if I didn’t ask her first.
“Tell me now if you want me to put on a condom,” I growl, using every ounce of restraint to keep from moving inside her.
“Just do it,” she groans.
“Do what? You’ve gotta be specific, Piper.” My resolve is slipping. “Fucking tell me what you want.”
“This. You. I just want to feel you . . . Just fuck me.”
“That’s my girl,” I moan, allowing my body to give into its carnal urges. My hips thrust forward again as I bury myself inside her, our hips flush, eliciting a glorious cry from Piper.
“Let me hear you,” I demand. “Tell me, Piper. Tell me how good this feels . . . tell me how you think about it at night when you’re alone.”
“I do. I think about it all the time,” she says, holding my face in her hands as I pound inside her while she’s pinned against the wall.
“Do you touch yourself while you’re thinkin’ about me?” I don’t know why I’m asking this. It’s going to be torture later, but damn it, I want to know. I’ll gladly live with the regret.
“Every time.”
“No one else?”
“No one.”
“Hold on,” I tell her, grabbing her ass tightly. “I’m gonna fuck you so hard that you’ll feel it for the next week. Every time you walk, you’ll think of me.”
“Oh, my fucking go—” Her words are cut off with a scream of pleasure. She throws her head back, knocking it into the wall, but is completely unfazed as she grips my shoulders. “Fuck, Tucker. Holy shit.”
I continue to push into her, rubbing against her clit at the perfect angle to send her into oblivion.
While she’s in the upper stratosphere, I watch her, burning the vision of Piper having an orgasm into my mind. I’ll always remember the way she looks when she forgets about hating me and is just . . . being—completely vulnerable and transparent. This is the Piper I want to remember.
When she begins to relax, I pick up my pace again, holding her to me and bringing her one last orgasm before I come—harder than I’ve ever come in my life. My cock pulses over and over, and I’m afraid that I won’t be able to stand, let alone hold Piper, so I drop her legs and we both lean against the wall.
She’s caged between my arms and for a moment, I drink her in. Her eyes. Her high cheekbones. Her lush lips. Her angled jaw.
Before I let her go, I kiss her again, devouring her mouth with mine, and to my surprise, she doesn’t fight me. She gives in, gives me access, and kisses me back.
Coming up for air, I stay close, breathing her in, but it only lasts a moment.
“I gotta go,” she mutters as staggers away a few steps, obviously still feeling the aftereffects of the mind-blowing orgasm she just experienced. Before I can say anything, she reaches down and fixes her dress, righting herself. With one last look, she turns and walks away.
Standing in the dark hallway, I tuck my cock back in my pants as I watch her, unsure of what to say.
With her hand on the door handle, I decide I can’t let her leave without saying something. I deserve the last word and she deserves some indication that this is it.
“Goodbye, Piper.”
We never say that. We might say see ya later or until next time . . . fuck you, but we never say goodbye.
She pauses for a second, but she doesn’t turn around. And then she’s gone.