Chapter Sixteen
Tears sprang to Piper’s eyes, but she blinked them back. She’d never been one to cry, and she damn sure wasn’t going to start tonight.
She pushed the lobby button, grabbed her cell phone from her purse, and called for a cab.
How could she have been so blind? Ethan Seaborn was a millionaire. No, probably a billionaire. He was used to getting what he wanted. No matter how much it cost. Including her.
Hurt, and more than a little angry that she’d allowed herself to be sucked in by his good looks and charm, Piper stepped off the elevator in the lobby below and hurried outside to wait for her cab.
“Would you like for me to get your car, ma’am?”
Piper glanced over at the valet quickly approaching. “No thank you. I’m waiting on a cab.”
A yellow cab pulled up about that time, and an older couple emerged from the back seat.
Piper took advantage, climbing into their vacated spots. She rattled off her address and pulled the door closed.
The cab took off with a jerk, weaving his way through the rows of cars beneath the awning.
Leaning back against the seat, Piper closed her eyes and took a painful breath. She’d never felt so belittled in all her life.
Did Ethan really think she couldn’t make a go of her career without his money? Couldn’t he see that she was developing feelings for him? How dare he offer to buy her. And that’s exactly what he’d done, she vehemently admitted to herself. He’d tried to buy her.
Her cell vibrated in her hand. Piper swiped her thumb across the screen to find a text message from Mr. Money Bags himself. I’m sorry for being such an idiot. Please let me explain.
Piper’s heart squeezed. He wanted to explain. Explain what? she sent back. That you’re the world’s biggest asshole? Leave me alone, Ethan.
The cab rolled to a stop in front of Piper’s house. “That’ll be thirty dollars.”
Piper handed him two twenties. “Keep the change.”
Jumping out, she dug out her keys as she hurried up the walkway to the door. She inserted it into the knob, opened the door, stepped inside and locked it behind her.
Whiskers sashayed into the room, meeting Piper halfway to the stairs.
She scooped him up and took the stairs two at a time. “Hi, baby. Did you miss me?”
His answer was a long, drawn-out meow.
“I missed you too, boy.”
Once in her room, Piper undressed and slipped on her sleep shirt before heading back downstairs to grab a bottle of wine from the fridge.
She didn’t bother with a glass. She wouldn’t need one.
Popping the cork, she brought the bottle to her lips and turned it up.
The cold liquid did little to cool the unshed tears burning the back of her throat.
Grabbing her cell from off the side table, Piper scrolled down to Rhonda’s number, pressed Send, and brought the phone to her ear.
Rhonda answered on the third ring. “Hey, girl, what’s up?”
“Are you alone?” Piper murmured before taking another long pull from the wine.
A brief pause ensued. “I am. Are you okay?”
Piper swallowed around the lump that seemed to be stuck in her throat. “I will be. Can I come over?”
“Do you really need to ask? Bring the wine.”
Ending the call, Piper ran back upstairs to throw on some shorts and flip-flops before grabbing the wine and heading back out the door.
* * * *
“So, he offered you an assload of money to sleep with him?”
Piper refilled her now empty glass of wine. “Well, he didn’t say as much, but come on. You don’t just give a person that kind of money without expecting something in return.”
Rhonda stared back at her as if considering her statement. “How long have you been seeing him?”
“I don’t know. Maybe a week.”
“And you haven’t slept with him yet?” Rhonda persisted from her position on the couch.
Piper sent her an exasperated look. “No, I haven’t slept with him. Not that I didn’t want to, mind you.”
Rhonda waved off her words. “I’m only asking so I can get a better understanding of his motives. If you’d said yes, you had slept with him, then his gift might have been genuine. But since you haven’t, it could be a ploy to get you in the sack.”
“My thoughts exactly,” Piper agreed.
Rhonda made a sound in her throat. “Then again, if he’s as good looking as you say, and he has that much money, I highly doubt he’d have to pay someone to have sex with him. Hell, I might even take one for the team.”
“Rhonda June!” Piper scolded with a chuckle.
“I’m just saying.”
Piper took another drink of her wine. “Seriously though. I can’t believe he tried to buy me.”
“You have feelings for him.”
It wasn’t a question and Piper knew it. She laid her head back against the couch and turned to face her closest friend. “I was starting to. I don’t understand it. I mean, I haven’t known him that long, but when I’m not with him, he’s pretty much all I can think about.”
“You’re in love,” Rhonda declared, her eyes a little heavy from the wine. “Piper Hollister is in love.”
Piper blew her bangs out of her eyes. “I’m not in love, Rhonda. But I was definitely headed in that direction.”