Page 154 of Power Play

“You told her we’re faking it? We’ve been here twelve hours.”

“She figured it out. I’ve never been able to keep a secret from her, and I caved pretty quickly.”

“Now I know your weakness.” Piper touches my cheek. “Is it okay she knows?”

“It’s fine. This is more for my parents, and I think it’ll work out.”

“I like when your positive attitude comes out. Tell me, Liam, what else are you optimistic about?”

“Getting you out of your clothes. Ditch your shirt, Mitchell.”

“We have to be downstairs in twenty minutes.”

I crack an eye open and take her tea from her. Setting it on the table to my right, I roll on top of her and hold my mouth inches away from hers. “Today’s lesson is in how to get off quickly, because if you don’t finish before we need to head downstairs, you don’t get to come at all.”

Piper grins at me, and I feel it everywhere. Behind my ribs. Deep in my heart. The other places no one’s reached. Suddenly, Alana’s observation comes rushing back to me, and I’m feeling pretty fucking optimistic about that as well.

“Game on, Sullivan.”

I squeezePiper’s hand in the elevator. “Ready?”

“The orgasm really helped take the edge off.” She plays with her necklace, her wedding band hanging from the thin chain and tucked beneath the hemline of her dress. “I didn’t know your fingers could move so fast.”

“It’s an art. When we get back to the room, I’ll teach you how to do that too.”

The doors open, and we walk into the lobby. We head for the restaurant, making our way to the private section roped off for the wedding party.

“Finally,” my mom says, waving at us with a mimosa in her hand. “We were waiting for you!”

“Sorry, Mom. That was my fault.” I kiss her cheek. “Don’t blame Piper.”

“I was ready to go ten minutes ago,” Piper adds. “It really is Liam’s fault.”

“Where’s Lani?” I scan the room, looking for my sister. I spot her at the end of a buffet table, her arm around her fiancé and a bright smile on her face. “Ah. I don’t think that dress is subtle enough.”

“Wait until you see her wedding dress. It’s gorgeous.” My mom’s eyes flash over to Piper. “Do you want to get married, dear?”

I groan. “For fuck’s sake, Mom. Let her have a pancake first.”

“It’s okay.” Piper smiles and accepts a champagne flute from a passing server. “I do want to get married. Maybe not four thousand miles away from home, but I’d love to have a wedding.”

“It’s all so lovely, isn’t it? Come sit, Piper. Liam’s told usnothingabout you, and I’m hoping you can change that.” My mom tosses me a glare as she sits down, and I roll my eyes. “How did you two meet?”

“I’m on the broadcast team for the Stars, and we met in the hallway at the arena.” Piper joins her at the table and crosses her legs. “He probably doesn’t remember this, but on my first day, I wasn’t paying attention to where I was going. I had about eight notebooks in my hands and almost ran straight into him. When I thanked him for keeping me upright, he grunted and went on his way.”

It’s the real story of how we met, and I want to laugh at all the details she got right. There were about eight notebooks and she did almost run straight into me. I caught her at the last second to stop her from falling, and she thanked me a dozen times before I stalked away, embarrassed and flustered from the pretty girl who smiled at me.

“I’m not sure I grunted,” I interject. “I am capable of words, you know.”

“Are you?” Piper and my mom ask in unison. They both laugh, and I shake my head.

“This feels like an attack.”

“Anyway. We’ve been friends for a while and one day, I decide to ask him out. It was a big risk because the last thing I wanted to do is ruin our friendship, but I think it paid off in the end,” Piper says.

“Oh, that’s sweet. We’ve always harped on about when Liam was going to settle down. He puts so much time and energy into hockey—I’m sure you’ve seen that. His father and I would never ask him to give up something he loves, but we don’t want him to miss out on other parts of his life because he’s too busy on the ice.”

“I understand. Sometimes I think things are worth waiting for, though. I’m divorced,” Piper admits, and I admire how easily she gives up that information.

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