The moment we got in the truck I offered Piper my coat. It’s fall and the temperature is far from bathing suit top friendly. Gladly accepting the coat, Piper began letting her Princess Leia buns down, cursing Ashton the entire time. While the overall look is something I’ll never forget, I’m pleased to see her long hair once again flowing around her shoulders. Once she was more Piper and less Leia, she fastened her seat belt and slightly curled into a ball next to me. With her cheek resting on the back of the seat, we both seem content to just be.
During the slight break between songs filling the cab I notice her breathing has slowed. A quick glance her way confirms that she’s asleep. I briefly consider turning around and taking her home but if I know anything about Piper, it’s that she’ll be more than upset if I don’t follow through with the plan to go to my house.
I take this opportunity to simply appreciate the quiet and how this is the most relaxed I’ve felt in weeks. Avoiding time with Piper has been intentional and it has sucked. Royally sucked. A soft murmur from her has me looking at her again. She’s moved her hands so they make a pillow of sorts. She looks angelic and, as usual with these simple moments in Piper’s presence, I find myself hating my good guy self. Sometimes I wish I was less concerned about other people and willing to say screw it and push Piper to see where our feelings will take us.
I recognize all the ways this detour can go wrong. The most obvious issue is the fact that I may actually die from not be able to touch her. Then there’s the possibility that we’ll have another talk and Piper will remind me of the “friends only” agreement. Of course there is the slightest chance that nothing will happen. There is the chance that we’ll avoid an awkward moment, avoid deep conversation, and, God willing, no friend zone talk.
While I’m contemplating each scenario in complete detail, I hear the seat belt unbuckle and Piper scoot next to me.
“Piper, what are you doing?”
“I’m cold.”
“Let me turn up the heat.”
Before I can reach for the dial to the heat, Piper curls into my side.
“This is fine. You don’t mind, do you?”
“Uh, no it’s fine.”
I inhale through my nose and exhale through my mouth as I attempt to slow my heartrate.
“Don’t wreck us, okay?”
“I won’t. I will keep you safe, Princess.”
“I know,” she says through a yawn. “I’m just going to close my eyes until we get there.” Her last words are barely a mumble before she dozes off again.
These small moments she grants me give me the slightest glimpse of what we could be. How perfectly she fits into the crook of my arm and how her body molds into mine as if it was and is meant to be there.
Then the unthinkable happens and her hand drifts to my thigh, only inches from Mr. Happy. This woman is going to be the death of me. I shift my leg just enough, hoping she’ll move her hand. She doesn’t. If I didn’t know better, I’d say her hand was intentionally gripping my leg and not just resting there.
The turn off to my property can’t come soon enough and I let out a sigh of relief the moment I stop in front of the house. Unable to use my right arm to put the truck in park for fear of startling Piper, I reach across the wheel and use my left hand. Once the truck is safely parked and the ignition off, I use my same hand to move the hair that has fallen in Piper’s face away. This tiny gesture has her slowly waking.
“Piper, baby. We’re here.”
“Hmmm.”
I watch as her eyes flutter open and she takes in her surroundings. Slowly rising from where she is leaning against me, she looks into my eyes. My hand still on her hair where I just moved it.
“You always do that.”
Never breaking eye contact, I offer her a small smile. “That’s because you are too beautiful for your hair to hide your face.”
I slowly move my hand so that my thumb is making a slow descent down her cheek until it reaches her chin. Her eyes take a quick break from mine and I see her look at my lips before returning my gaze. Our faces are close. Hers only inches from mine, I can feel her breathing, smell the whiskey on her breath.
I only notice my hand is still holding her face when her own hand grasps mine and she smiles. It’s the smile that brings out the golden flecks in her eyes and causes her to scrunch her nose. The smile I can’t help but return.
“Thank you,” she whispers.
I clear my throat and put a little space between us. This movement successfully cuts through the thick tension – sexual tension – that made its way into this suddenly too small of a truck.
“Do you want to see what I’ve done so far?”
“Of course. Do you have electricity?”
I let myself out of the truck and walk around to help Piper out. Again, she lets me take her hand. I reach inside the rear cab and grab a blanket.
“I do have electricity. It was the first thing I had inspected and updated. Unfortunately, there isn’t any heat so we shouldn’t plan on being here too long. I’ll bring this in case we want to sit for a bit,” I say, raising the blanket.
We begin walking toward the house. Again, Piper lets me lead her while still holding her hand. She’s holding her long skirt with her free hand when a slight breeze picks up and she releases my hand to pull her hair back. I’m taken a little aback when she finishes and resumes holding my hand. I offer her a little squeeze in recognition.
“Your mom was telling me that you haven’t had your parents or Ashton out here yet. Why?”
“I don’t really know. I guess I don’t want them to see what a mess it is and question why I made this decision. Honestly, Jameson has only been out here once and that was to help me with some demo. Otherwise, you’re the only person to be here besides the various contractors.”
“Really? I’m honored. You should bring your parents. Everyone should see this place.”
“Thanks. I’ll bring them out soon. I just want to keep it to myself for now.”
“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have asked to come here. This is your home and I just barged into it.”
Stopping at the foot of the porch, I turn to Piper. “Do not apologize. I love that you wanted to come here. Come see what it looks like with missing walls.”
“Oh Lord. You are such a man! Tearing down walls and using power tools. Please tell me the stained glass in the kitchen has made it unscathed.”
Laughing, I lead her into the house and flip the lights on.
“What can I say? Men see a power tool and a wall must come down.”
Shaking her head in disbelief, Piper is laughing as she walks away from me. As I expected, her first stop is the kitchen. I hear her sigh in relief as she confirms that the stained glass is safe.
“Told you.”
“You did, but I needed to check.”
“Come on, you need to see the rest,” I say with a toss of my head toward the main part of the house.
After a tour of the downstairs and showing Piper the plans for the upstairs master suite and additional two bedrooms, I grab the blanket and lay it out in front of the non-functioning fire place.
Piper takes a seat on the blanket while I lay down on it. She’s still wearing my coat, but has twisted her skirt so that she’s sitting with her legs crossed in front of me. I watch as she fusses with her hair, closing her eyes and massaging her scalp. Thankfully I have enough sense to look away before she catches me.
“I wish that fireplace worked, you have to be freezing since I have your coat.”
“I’m fine. Sorry I’m not exactly prepared for entertaining. I actually called a chimney inspector last week. I figure if I’m going to be here working this winter I should get it functional. Obviously the one in the master will have to wait until the work begins up there.”
“I can’t believe your master is going to have a fireplace. That’s a dream bedroom.”
Piper tries to hide a yawn but fails.
“We should go, you’re tired and it’s late.”
“Just a few more minutes. This floor is hard on my butt though. I’m going to lay here.”
Laying down on her side, she’s positioned so that we’re facing each other. I lift myself up on my elbow so I’m looking at her. This is a really bad idea.
“Ben?”
“Yeah, Piper?”
“This friends thing is really hard.”
“You’re telling me. It’s even more difficult with you running around as Princess Leia.”
Smiling at my statement, Piper begins fiddling with the button on my shirt.
“You don’t like my costume?” The innocence in her voice is deliberate. I roll my eyes at her.
“Piper, I think we covered how much I like your costume at the bar. I don’t think I like that all those guys at Country Road were looking at you in it before I got there.”
“I doubt anyone was paying attention to me. I look ridiculous,” she mumbles while still fiddling with my button. I still her hand, which causes her to look into my eyes.
“A man would have to be dead to not pay attention to you regardless of what you’re wearing.”
The smile I swear was made just for me takes over her face as I look into her eyes.
“Ben?” My name is a question, barely audible above the thundering of my pulse in my ears.
“Yeah, Princess?”
“Will you kiss me?”
“We agreed,” I say as we both start gradually moving closer to one another. My heart is beating out of my chest and my palms are sweating. I know we are about to make a choice we can’t take back. A choice I won’t want to take back.
“I know, but right now I don’t care. I’m not thinking about consequences, choices, or promises.”
That’s all the permission I need before I have her flat on her back and I’m positioned over her.
“Tell me to stop,” I beg. Instead of doing as I ask, she tightens her grip on my shirt just above my waistband and gives a little tug.
I don’t hesitate and give her what she asked for. The moment my lips touch hers, everything else slips away. The cold air, the hard floor, the broken agreements, and all the reasons we shouldn’t be doing this are gone. The only thing that matters is this woman in my arms and her incredible lips on mine.
My kiss is gentle at first. I barely graze her lips with mine. I’m giving her another out. We can stop this. We can go back to the way things were. Instead, she relaxes more, slightly parting her thighs to make room for me. My arousal is evident and she seems to melt farther into the floor, taking me with her. This is the permission I need. I increase the pressure of my kiss, lightly licking her lower lip with the tip of my tongue as she gladly opens her mouth to me.
Piper releases a slight purr from the back of her throat that has me wishing there was a mattress in this shell of a house. As I’m thinking this very thought, Piper’s hands find their way to my waistband, pulling my shirt from where it’s tucked in my jeans. Her hands touch my skin; like ice cubes to hot coals. It sends a shiver down my spine. Another purr from her has me claiming her with this kiss.
Overwhelmed with a need to taste her skin, I begin my descent to her neck, which she turns slightly, granting me more access. This time it’s a noise from me that fills the room. A sound that is more growl than anything else.
My hand has found its way to the opening of the jacket. I part the lapels and slowly move my hand up her side until it is just below her breast. I make my way back to her mouth as she arches her back enough that I know she is begging for some sort of relief.
Giving her what she wants, I slowly move my hand so that my thumb finds her pebbled nipple. Her breaths increase as I make feather-like movements over her nipple. She’s lightly running her nails along my back in a pattern I don’t even bother to try and figure out and, instead, I sink a little more into her. Piper responds in kind by lifting her hips to me. My senses are overloaded and I feel like a teenage boy about to explode in my pants.
This top that seemed far too tiny earlier suddenly seems as big of a barrier between us as a ten-foot wall. I’ve moved my lips from hers to the spot below her ear that, by her reaction, is the spot I should make note of.
“Please, Ben,” she pants as she continues to run her hands up my back.
“What, baby? Tell me. Tell me what you want,” I demand while never stopping my assault on her sweet spot.
“Please touch me.”
That statement gets my attention and I turn my gaze to her. Stilling my hand that remains on her breast, I see so many emotions in her eyes. Lust, passion, kindness, a little bit of fear, and trust.
“Are you sure? Piper, if we stop now we can go back to how it’s been. If I touch you, I don’t think I can go back to friends. We have to break promises.”
“I know. I’m sure. Please touch me.”
She doesn’t have to ask me twice. While it’s only been months with Piper, it feels like I’ve waited a lifetime for this. The feelings I have for her are beyond attraction and physical. I know if we cross this line my heart will be hers. I can only pray hers will be mine.
I gently tug her top down, exposing her breasts. “Perfect,” I whisper more to myself than her. Without a second thought, I lean in, taking her hard nipple into my mouth. Rolling my tongue over it, I am aware of the sounds coming from Piper and they only encourage me. With a slight nibble she lets out a whimper and I take that as a cue to turn my attention to her other breast.
Still nestled between her legs, I begin rotating my hips slightly. A movement she returns by lifting her hips and rolling them just enough to cause friction. I am so consumed with all things Piper I can barely stand it. While still holding myself up with one arm, I pull my hand from her breast and lower it to where her skirt has ridden up. I gather the skirt up so that her thigh is exposed. My hand, calloused by the work I’ve been doing, grips her thigh and I feel her quiver as I let my hand make its way around to her perfect ass. I release an animalistic growl when I realize she’s wearing a thong.
Still offering as much attention to her mouth as her neck and breast, my hand finds the band to her panties and it’s her turn to voice appreciation.
“Oh God,” she whimpers.
I take that as an invitation to move my hand around to the front of her panties, easing myself to the side for access.
“Fuck, Piper. You are so wet.”
“Please,” she begs.
My thumb finds its way beneath the silk of her panties and automatically begins a circular motion over her clit.
“Let go, Piper.” My voice is hoarse and full of lust. I remove my lips from her skin as I take in the sight before me. With her head tilted back, her neck is exposed, begging for me to kiss it. I don’t. Instead, I watch as her still-closed eyes alternate between relaxation and squeezed so tight she looks to be in pain.
Her breaths become more ragged and labored as I dip a finger between her folds. Pumping my finger in and out of her while simultaneously rubbing her clit with my thumb, I see the moment she approaches her climax. I want nothing more than to release myself from these jeans and sink into her. Then the realization of where we are hits me and I know I don’t want our first time to be on a dirty floor in a house filled with debris and power tools.
“That’s it, Princess, let go. Let me see you come.”
She does. I feel her spasm around my finger and let out a moan as she says my name. Dropping my forehead to her chest, I’m panting as her fingers come up to my head and tug at my hair, causing me to lift my eyes to hers.
Time freezes as I look at her. Her eyes are alive and she’s looking at me like nothing else matters in this world. I pull my hand from between us so that I’m able to hold myself up over her. Never removing her hands from my hair she nudges me toward her. Instinctively I smile at her and drop a tender kiss to her lips.
“You are always beautiful, Piper. But, watching you come is majestic.”
With my lips still on hers she smiles and laughs.
“Majestic? What am I, a unicorn?”
To that I can’t help but laugh too.
“Baby, you are most definitely my unicorn.”
I drop a kiss to her nose and tug the coat shut as I lift myself off of her. Sitting up, she follows suit and suddenly her expression changes from euphoric to one of concern and perhaps slight embarrassment.
“We should probably talk.”
Her only response is a nod and a sigh.