Page 29 of Captivated

“You know, I’ve never understood why you always bring Cheez Its when you visit, Cash. I mean, Birdie has a car and could buy some at the store easily on her own, but you always bring a box with you. I need to know.” Sarah rests her chin in her propped up arms and waits.

Leaning against the counter, I rest one elbow on the smooth surface and then confess. “We always ate them together when I was a kid. They were my favorite snack, and when they came out with the White Cheddar flavor, Birdie and I went nuts over them. Since then, they were a requirement when we watched a movie or played a game. She knows she can get her own, but it’s always better when I bring them to her myself.”

“Wow. That’s really cheesy, but I love it,” she giggles just as a woman approaching us pulls my attention to the hall, forcing my body to rise as I study the movement of her hips.

Piper. Fuck, she looks amazing. Black leggings encase her thick thighs and long legs. She has a loose, light purple sweater hanging off one of her shoulders, and her long blonde hair is pulled up into a high ponytail, showing off the milky skin of her neck and the beautiful curves of her shoulders. She strides so effortlessly across the floor, floating towards me like the angel I dream her to be.

And… there goes my dick again, waking from his slumber, sniffing out the woman he wants as she comes closer.

“Hi, Piper. Have you met Cash yet?” Sarah asks as Piper arrives at the receptionist desk.

“Uh, yes, I have. Here are the sign-up sheets for next week’s paint class, by the way.” She hands Sarah a stack of papers.

“Perfect. Cash, did you know that Piper here is one of our new volunteers?”

I glance in her direction, watching Piper’s face as Sarah introduces us, loving how uncomfortable she looks right now. The tension between us is palpable—so strong, I wonder if Sarah can sense it.

“Yes, I knew that. Remember, I’m here almost as much as you,” I shoot a wink at Sarah as Piper’s eyes narrow at me.

“Yeah, we do see a lot of each other, huh?” Sarah smiles as Piper raises her chin curiously, almost questioning what’s going on between Sarah and me.

“Not enough, in my opinion. But hey, I need to get to Birdie, so I’ll see you later,” I say to Sarah as I walk closer to Piper. “What are you doing here today, beautiful?” Piper turns and starts walking back to where she came from, pretending I’m not following her.

“Don’t try to pretend I didn’t just walk up on you flirting with Sarah. You make no sense, Cash. You say you want me, yet you can’t refrain from charming the pants off of any attractive woman you come across.”

Oh, this is gonna be good. I can’t wait to put her in her place right now.

“Sorry, babe. It’s a reflex. But hey, maybe Sarah would be interested in tagging along on a date with us sometime?”

Piper stops dead in her tracks and turns to face me. “Are you kidding me?”

“Nope. I’m sure her and herwifewould love to go on a double date.”

Piper’s face falls and then her mouth drops open. “Wait… her what?”

I can’t help the laugh that escapes my lips, and the look of confusion on Piper’s face just makes me laugh even harder. “Sarah is gay, sweetheart. But hey, good to know you were still jealous.” I reach up to tuck a strand of hair behind her ear, watching her eyes for her reaction—and she’s as see-through as a jellyfish. The hitch in her breath accompanied by the rise and fall of her chest alerts me to the fact that she may say she can’t get involved with me, but that’s definitely not what her body wants.

“Cash… I…” She starts before I grasp her hand and then pull her behind me, searching for an empty room or hallway to pull her into. Once I remember there’s a corridor that leads outside that rarely has foot traffic, I turn sharply as Piper struggles to keep up, twisting her around and pinning her up against the wall as her rapid breathing fills the space between us.

“Piper, I’m going to say this one more time. Let me take you out. Let me show you that you mean something to me—what that is yet, I’m not sure, but fuck if I know I’m dying to find out. I meant what I said the other night. I want to get to know you. Let me prove to you that I’m more than the guy you got a glimpse of the first few weeks we crossed paths.” My eyes search hers for an answer, my heart beating so violently in my chest, I swear my whole body is vibrating from the rhythm.

A hard swallow of Piper’s throat and a few seconds later, I finally get the words I’ve been so desperate to hear. “My head is telling me to tell you no again, Cash. But my heart—for the love of me, I don’t know why—but my heart is telling me to give you a chance. I don’t understand it. This makes no sense to me and it terrifies me, but I think everyone deserves the opportunity to prove themselves. So…” she pauses, biting down on her lip before putting me out of my misery. “One date. Show me what kind of man you truly are. But if at the end of the date, I can’t look past everything I’ve already seen, you let me go.” She’s out of breath by the time she’s done speaking, almost like uttering those words and giving in to what she’s feeling towards me was exhausting for her, like she ran a marathon of emotions just now.

And as fast as my hope skyrocketed, Piper’s ultimatum buried it beneath the cold ground below us. But this is my chance, so I have to take what I can get. I’ll show her everything if it means she’ll let me in—let me figure out what makes her tick and what she’s hiding, because I know it’s there. A desperation I didn’t know I was capable of feeling hits me hard when I realize Piper fucking owns me already and I barely know her.

“One date. I won’t let you down,” I reply, my eyes dipping down to her lips that have been haunting my dreams and taunting me since I saw her walking towards me in the hall.

“Please don’t. I don’t think my heart can take being let down again,” she whispers and fuck it—I lean down and press my lips lightly to hers as I feel her body melt beneath mine. I give her one small stroke of my tongue and then use every ounce of control I possess to pull away from her, leaning my forehead down to hers.

“Fuck, Piper. You have no idea what you do to me. I’m in uncharted waters here, babe. You’re making me crazy…”

Her hands roam up the ridges of my chest and around my shoulders as her eyes study my face. “I have no idea what’s happening here too, Cash. This wasn’t supposed to happen…youweren’t supposed to happen.” She shakes her head and then brings those dark blue eyes back to mine.

Fear. Curiosity. Hurt. Her eyes tell me more about what she’s thinking than she’s offered me from her words.

“Ditto, babe.” I push off the wall, kiss the top of Piper’s head, and then release her so we can walk to the room where Birdie is waiting for me.

Chapter 12

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