Page 15 of Hung Up

Ripping myself away from him, I stomped over to my room and resolved to make my bed. To return to some semblance of routine. Routines calmed me.

Pierce watched silently as he leaned against the door frame, arms crossed at his chest.

“Feel free not to help, Pierce,” I grumbled under my breath.

Suddenly, Pierce was there, tipping my chin up so my gaze met his. “Why make it if we’re just going to mess it up again?” God, he was one smooth flirt. His words washed over me, trying to sway me to his wanton ways, but it wouldn’t work.

“Damn it, Pierce, not everything has to be about sex,” I mumbled, heat flooding my face in both anger and annoyance. “Some things just can’t be solved by dick, Romeo.”

“They could be . . .” he trailed off, eyebrow lifting in suggestion.

“I seriously doubt that.” I buried my hands in my face, groaning loudly before throwing them up in exasperation.

Pierce took a careful step backwards, his arms hanging numbly by his sides. His face was blank but his brows knit minutely, pinching the skin between them slightly.

I grabbed the top sheet to tuck it in, when he spoke again.

“But that’s . . . all I know,” he whispered.

My hands halted, and I glanced back at Pierce. Hurt was openly painted on his face and I stilled. “What do you mean, that’s all you know?”

“I’ve only ever listened to your . . . work calls, Harper,” he began, voice unsteady. “They’re all I remember. I don’t know what else there is besides sex. And, well, the concept known as ‘personal hygiene,’ and a terrible drink you call ‘coffee.’”

The anger bubbling in me simmered. That made sense. And now I felt like an asshole.

I couldn’t help the apologetic smile. “You’re right. I’m sorry for snapping.”

Pierce scratched the back of his neck, and at the sight of those muscles, I swore drool pooled in the corner of my mouth. Fuck, what happened to not everything being about sex? Talk about hypocritical.

An idea formed in the back of my mind. “I guess I have more to teach you, then.”

Pierce blinked at me, seeming to work through his own thoughts.

I would take him out in the world and show him all the different things you could do as a human, the variety that life has to offer. I just hoped we would like each other afterwards. Who knew if after his world wasn’t centered around sex, he’d still even be interested in me? And who knew if I would even like him, either?

I guess there was only one way to find out . . .

“I suppose you do,” he agreed after only a moment. The tension in his jaw released, replaced quickly by a lazy smirk.

I smiled back. “But first, I need to make something right.”

Three rings later and Jackson answered my call. Pierce gave me space and sat in my wingback reading chair in the corner, picking up Her Mail-Order Cowboy once again.

“Harper, are you okay?” The concern in his voice was palpable through the phone. He was a regular for the last eight months and I’d never missed a call before.

Stones formed deep in my belly as I mustered the courage to speak.

“Harper?”

“Hi, Jackson,” I finally said. “I’m calling to apologize for last night and see how I could make it up to you.”

“But you’re okay?” he repeated.

“Yes, I’m so sorry, I . . . had a migraine and fell asleep early.” My nose scrunched at the blatant lie.

Pierce looked up from the western clinch and winked. The stones in my belly morphed to butterflies. He was certainly quick to forgive. And life was too short to hold grudges, anyway.

Unless someone really did you dirty. Then fuck them forever and protect your peace.

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