Piper

It was just sex.

It was just sex.

It was just sex.

I’ve had this mantra on repeat in my head ever since we finished.

Now it’s two in the morning, my eyes are wide open, and Matthew’s are glued shut. He’s breathing evenly, stirring a bit in his sleep.

I should get some rest, with the events taking place in a few hours, but I can’t sleep right now. How can I?

I did the unspeakable. I slept with the escort. I slept with a man I am only supposed to be playing pretend with. His hands weren’t supposed to grope and grip my body. He wasn’t supposed to make me feel like some Christmas angel, so high in the clouds I still haven’t come down.

I look over at Matthew, watching his chest rise. His face is so relaxed, the white sheets sitting low on his hips. I can still make out his dick print. He’s somewhat hard again, and I have the urge to grip him in hand.

He’s just as big as I imagined. And his strokes were so deep, so fulfilling, and so good.

I stare longer than I should. Really, how am I supposed to resist. Without giving it much thought, my hand slides over and I drag it over his balls gently, slowly moving up to his cock. My finger circles the head of his cock and I shut my eyes, remembering how amazing he felt inside me.

I wonder what he tastes like, too.

I can’t.

I can’t do it. I can’t stop myself.

I slide the sheet down, exposing his beautiful cock. Even soft, it’s delectable. I slide closer and lower down, wrapping my lips around the head of it, suckling just enough to make him groan in his sleep. It’s a thick, deep, throaty groan that makes my pussy clench.

I push on my elbow, taking more of him into my mouth. As I suck, he gets harder and his breathing becomes unsteady.

“Shit,” he groans, voice thick with sleep. “Piper, what—”

I don’t let him speak. Instead, I sit up and swing my leg over, positioning myself above his stiff cock. I grip it in hand, angling my hips and sinking down slowly.

“Oh, fuck,” he groans, throwing an arm over his eyes like he can’t watch. Like he knows he needs to tell me to get off, but can’t bring himself to do it.

I get a rise out of that—knowing he can’t resist me. Knowing my mouth and my pussy has him this hard.

I sink down until he’s cock-deep inside me and then I drop my hands on his chest and begin riding his cock. I go forward and backward, not speaking at all. The only noise is the slight creak of the bed and my moans. His heavy groans and grunts. I slide my hands over his delicious abs, my back straight, and bounce on his thick cock.

He’s so big inside me, but I manage to keep him all in, gripping him with my pussy, sliding up and then slamming my hips down so he feels me, too.

“Fuck, Piper, you have to stop,” he groans. “I’m not wearing a condom and I’m about to come.”

That should stop me. But it doesn’t.

Instead, I go faster, grinding on his cock, planting my hands on his chest again, my clit rubbing on his pelvis.

“Oh,” I moan, my head falling back and my hair tumbling behind me. “I’m close. So close.”

“Goddammit,” he rasps. He sounds annoyed, but his hands find their way to my ass and he cups it in his hands, helping me ride his cock, keeping me glued to him. My clit keeps rubbing on his pelvis and the friction builds up, creating a heated frenzy at my core.

“Oh, yes,” I moan. “Yes, Matthew. Make me come again.”

That gets him going. He groans deep and sits up, pushing my shirt up with one hand while the other still palms my ass. He sucks on one of my nipples, thrusting up, making sure I feel all of him.

And then it happens.

Again.

I grip his shoulders and cry out softly, dropping my head as I come around him.

“Shit, angel,” he moans with his mouth still around my nipple, and he tenses beneath me, holding me down on his cock as he releases too. “Damn, that feels so good,” he groans, dropping his head. He pumps up three more times before his body finally relaxes.

He looks up at me and his head shakes. “You’re trying to ruin me, aren’t you?” he asks, but I hear the humor in his voice.

I bite a smile, sliding off his lap and rolling over. “I couldn’t help myself.”

“I see that.” He lies back down, sighing hard and shutting his eyes. “Goodnight, Piper. For real this time.”

I grin, rolling over. “Goodnight.”

It doesn’t take long for Matthew to fall asleep again. He shifts around a bit, but in less than fifteen minutes, he’s lightly snoring.

I still can’t bring myself to fall asleep. Even though my body is completely sated, my mind never seems to rest. Knowing I won’t be getting an ounce of sleep anytime soon, I sit up and swing the back of my legs over the edge of the bed. Maybe a cup of water or even a glass of wine might help.

Gotta say the wine sounds more appealing.

After I clean myself up again in the bathroom, I open the bedroom door as quietly as possible, peering around the corner as I step out. The only lights on are the decorative ones, splashes of red, green, gold, and white along the walls.

I walk down the hallway slowly, rounding the corner until I’m in the kitchen. To my surprise, Lena is sitting at the island top, and I gasp as she does, both of us clinging to our chests as if we’re preventing some sort of imaginary heart attack.

“Oh my God, Lena,” I gasp.

She laughs. “Did I wake you? Sorry if I did. I tried to be quiet.” She adjusts herself on her stool, dropping the fork she has buried in her chocolate cake. Smart girl. Cake at almost three in the morning. Must be a reason why she’s eating it so early…or late.

“You okay?” I ask, walking to the fridge and pulling out the wine. There is enough for one more glass. Perfect.

I reach for the cabinet, pulling down a wine glass and pouring the remainder into it.

“Me? Oh, I’m fine,” she says, and then she yawns.

“Did you get any sleep?”

“None at all. I was waiting for Dexter to call me. They’re allowing them a holiday call and he told me he’d get his tonight.”

“Where is he now anyway?”

“Afghanistan.”

“Oh.”

“Yeah,” she sighs. “The kids were really looking forward to hearing from him.”

“He didn’t call?”

“No. But maybe tomorrow.” She presses her lips with a shrug, picking up her fork and digging into the cake again. Her shoulders slump a bit, her eyes focused on the counter.

I take a sip of my wine, witnessing the sadness swallow her whole. She loves Dexter to death. Knowing he was going to call was probably the highlight of her Christmas.

God, I can’t even imagine how she feels right now. Having someone to love, but not having them with you and not even being able to speak to them whenever you want. It has to be tough.

“Lena,” I murmur, sitting on the barstool next to her. “I’m sure he will call. Maybe in a few hours?”

“Maybe,” she whispers, glancing at me briefly before dropping her head again. Her mouth twitches as she fights a smile. “You are growing up, Pipey.”

I grin. “We all are.”

She sighs. “You know…I know Bailey and I have given you a hard time, but after raising Joey and Jana, watching them grow up with such unique personalities…well, I have to say I get it. I get why you took your own course.”

My eyes broaden. “Oh…”

“I’ve always been the one that needed to please Mom and Dad, you know? Bailey as well, but she isn’t as intense about it as I am. I mean, there were times when I used to decorate and want to get my degree in interior design instead of business or law school, but then Mom or Dad would say what they wanted was better for me—that I needed to do something worthwhile, just in case my passion for designing fell through. So I listened, but let me tell you what—listening to other people will make you a miserable bitch.” She laughs through her last statement, almost like it hurts.

I laugh with her to keep it from being too awkward.

“No, seriously. It’s a good thing you didn’t marry Kurt the billionaire and have his babies,” she says. “It’s a good thing you didn’t rush it—that you actually get to live. Eight years ago, I wasn’t ready to have kids. But I was given two at once and I seriously thought I was going to die.”

“Stop it,” I laugh. “They are good kids… well, sometimes,” I add on, picking up my glass.

“Sometimes,” she giggles. “But not always. I love Dexter and my kids and I wouldn’t trade them for anything in this world, but if I could go back, make my own choices and build my own career, and still have them, I would. Because I know I could have done something better for myself. I was just too stupid and too stuck in my ways, listening to Mom and Dad, thinking they knew what was best since they pretty much have it made.”

“Don’t be so hard on yourself. You have a great life! Plus, you are the oldest, Lena.” I rub her arm. “They expect you to do what they want you to do because you are their first. It’s tough being the first girl and firstborn, carrying all of that weight, having to live up to the standards and remain a little better than the rest.”

“Yes, but it will also wear you out.”

My lips press.

She looks up at me, meeting my eyes. “Are you happy with Matthew? He’s a handsome guy, by the way. Glad you have good taste, unlike Bailey,” she teases.

I let out a coy laugh, as if Matthew is really mine. Oh, get a grip, Piper. “I am happy with him. We’re really good together.”

“And how long has it been for you guys again?”

“Eight months.” I nod.

“Eight? Wow. That’s a pretty long time. Well, don’t let him go. He seems like a real keeper. I can’t wait to get to know him a little more when everyone’s awake.”

“He’s a great guy.”

“Great in bed too, apparently,” she says, snorting.

I gasp, giving her a look full of horror. “Oh my God! Lena! You heard?” I whisper-hiss.

“I heard enough. I tried not to listen as I walked by but I did catch an earful. Did he say something about Santa giving you coal?” She chortles, dropping her fork and clutching herself.

I groan, face-palming myself dramatically. “Oh my goodness. You weren’t supposed to hear any of that, Lena.” I can feel my face burning, my embarrassment on full display.

“Don’t worry,” she says, standing from her stool, scraping her plate off and then placing it in the sink, “I won’t tell a soul. But you sounded like you had a good time. That’s all that matters, right?” She walks toward the mouth of the kitchen, winking over her shoulder. “Keep it up, Pipey. Stay happy. I admire you for not always caving in to what our parents demand of us. Whether they want to admit it or not, I know Mom and Dad are actually really proud of you.”

“That’s good to know, I guess.”

I watch her walk away until I can’t see her anymore. After I finish my glass of wine, I place it in the sink, and then I turn and lean my back against the edge of the counter, smiling—not only because of what she’s just told me, but because I am damn proud of myself, too.

Now I feel sort of idiotic for bringing Matthew with me. Maybe I didn’t need to hire a pretend boyfriend to please my family. Maybe I just needed to stick with my dreams, my goals, and hope for the best.

For their approval.

For their appreciation.

It was bound to come sooner or later, but with Matthew here, maybe I’ll hear those exact words coming out of all of their mouths before this Christmas weekend is officially over.