Page 15 of Whiskey & Honey
I need to change my name to Pinocchio. I’m a liar; it is hot as hell in here, but it’s not from the wine. No, the sexual tension between us is out of this world.
By the time I made it halfway up the stairs to her apartment, I could hear the voices. The tone in her voice was strained and almost had a quiver to it. I could feel in my bones that she was not only angry, but nervous. The first thing I noticed when I approached the open door was her pert ass in those damn pants. More like a second skin than pants, they showed me what I dreamed about last night was reality.
Then I heard the male voice and something about the way he said her name made the hairs on the back of my neck stand up. It wasn’t as if he was threatening, no it was more of a manipulative and patronizing tone than anything else. I instantly felt protective and slightly territorial. Okay, more than slightly.
I know starting something up with anyone, let alone my sister’s best friend, is the last thing I need to be doing, it doesn’t mean I want someone else to have her. That kiss last night sparked something in me that I didn’t know existed. I’m not a possessive guy, but I swear I want to beat the shit out of any guy who thinks about putting his hands on her and that’s only after one kiss. I can’t imagine what spending time with her would do for my suddenly discovered caveman reaction.
After Dominguez left, I only meant to stay long enough to apologize for last night and promise nothing like that would happen again. Then she cried and we laughed. Suddenly, the tension was gone. I enjoyed talking to her and now find myself trying to come up with a reason to stay longer.
I lay my head back on the couch and take in a long breath. I can hear her mumbling to herself in the kitchen. She has to be feeling what I am. Or, maybe she isn’t. Maybe I’m reading all of this wrong and I’m about to make a complete ass of myself.
What kind of moron lets someone like Piper go? No, what kind of asshole throws her away? I shake my head in disbelief; it’s unimaginable to me.
“You doing okay there, cowboy?”
That voice, it sends my pulse running. I turn my head to look at Piper as she sets a tray on the table and cocks her head toward me. Damn, she’s beautiful.
“Huh?”
Wow, Ben, you have a way with words.
She smiles at me and shakes her own head. I sit up and look at the tray she’s set down. As promised she’s set out a little bit of savory and a little bit of sweet. I reach over and grab a piece of bread and dip it in the bowl of creamy goodness and reach for my beer. Time to peel off the Band-Aid.
“Thanks, that’s good stuff. What is it?”
“Just some dip I had in the fridge. So, umm, I was thinking.”
“About?” I ask as I reach for more dip. This shit really is good.
“Last night. Obviously we were drunk and it was a misunderstanding. We should just pretend it didn’t happen and be done with it.”
And here I thought I was going to have to be the bad guy. That kind of stings.
“I wasn’t, it wasn’t, and no.”
“What?” Piper questions as she furrows her perfect brows in a way that manages to make her look more adorable than she did flustered in the kitchen.
“I wasn’t drunk, it wasn’t a misunderstanding, and I don’t want to pretend it didn’t happen.”
“Oh. Uh, well, uh…”
I grab a napkin from the table and wipe my hands before turning toward her.
“Look, this is a really awkward conversation,” I say as I run a hand through my hair. “I like you, Piper. Not just because you’re my sister’s best friend and I’ve known you forever, but because you’re smart, funny, a little sassy, and I like talking to you. Plus, you know, gorgeous.”
I take a quick breath before she can reply.
“That being said, it can’t happen again. I just ended a long relationship and am starting all over. I’m living in my childhood bedroom for Pete’s sake. I’m in no position to start something up. Plus, I promised Ash I wouldn’t and I don’t break promises to my sister. So, I just wanted to say that if this were a different time and we didn’t have Ash to consider, I wouldn’t be sitting here eating dip and talking about kindergarten marriage proposals.”
“You, you wouldn’t?” she asks with big saucer sized eyes.
“No, Piper, I wouldn’t. But, that doesn’t matter. I’d like to be your friend though. And, your friend, not just Ash’s big brother. What do you say to that?”
She’s still staring at me with wide eyes and now her mouth is gaping. I smile and shake my head and stand. She seems to gather herself and stands to follow me as I head to the door.
“So, friends?” I ask as I open the door.
“What? Oh, yeah, of course. Friends. Absolutely. And, co-workers,” she replies and offers me a smile. It’s another closed mouth smile. The smile that doesn’t reach her eyes. The smile that tells me she’s thinking again.