Page 173 of Power Play

Yeah.

I’d be pissed off. I’d hang my head. It would take a while, but I’d get over it. I’d move on and find something else to love.

If I never saw Piper again, I’d be fucking devastated.

This week showed me that.

When I’m not at the rink, I’m thinking about her.

Wondering if she had a good day.

Wondering what she was doing.

Wondering if she’s thinking about me, too.

“What we’ve been doing seems to be working,” I say, and Piper blinks at me. “You sleep over. I stop by your place. My game hasn’t suffered because of it. Maybe…” I trail off. “Maybe we keep doing that. Hanging out. Spending time together. We’re not moving in together or anything like that, but I think you’ve become part of my routine.”

“I have?”

“I got my ass handed me to in our scrimmage yesterday. Haven’t played that poorly all year, and the only thing that was different is that I haven’t seen you in six fucking days.”

“I shut down at the rehearsal dinner because I was looking for some sort of validation from you when I voiced my fears. You don’t owe me any of that validation. It’s not your job to make me unafraid, and I’m sorry for keeping you out.”

“What do you want me to do, Piper?” I cup her cheeks, and there’s a hitch in her breath. “Yell out that I can handle you? I can. Tell you that it doesn’t matter if you think you’re a mess or too difficult or too quiet or not enough because I think you’re everything in the world and more? It doesn’t, because I do. I want you in ways I’ve never wanted anyone else, and it’s driving me fucking insane.”

“Oh,” she whispers. “I-I want you in those ways too, but you’re going to have to go slow with me, Liam. I’m terrified. I’m still working on trusting people and feeling like… like I’m allowed to have these things for myself.”

“You know how I feel about going slow.” I rest my forehead against hers. “Let’s try. Let’s see how this goes when we don’t pretend it’s something it’s not. It hasn’t been lessons or teaching or anything like that for me in a while, Piper. I sleep with you because I want to sleep with you, not because it’s part of some sort of agreement obligation. It’s why I’m here tonight. Because I like spending time with you, and because you’re my best friend.”

“You’re my best friend, too.” She lets out a watery laugh. “Okay. So we’re not fuck buddies. We’re not boyfriend and girlfriend. What are we?”

“I don’t know. Living in the moment? Which is something I never fucking do, so you’re going to have to be gentle, Pipsqueak. This is new territory for me.”

“I told the girls about Vegas,” she blurts out.

“I’m surprised you lasted so long without spilling the beans. They better send us a gift.”

“When wereyougoing to tellmeabout confronting Charlie at the season ticket holder event?”

“I didn’t think you wanted to know he was trying to start shit.” I shrug. “It got handled, and he won’t be messing with you again.”

“Are you going to swoop in and take care of all the people who talk shit about me?”

“What if I do? Would that be okay?”

“Yeah.” Piper drags her fingers down my jaw, and I savor her touch. I crave it, want more of it. “I think it would be.”

I don’t know who the fuck I was kidding.

I couldn’t stay away from her if I tried.

I’m clueless about how to do this right… whatever the fuckthisis. I’m not sure.

Only that I want to do it with her.

I leave dinner first and Piper follows behind me. I wait for her downstairs in the garage and we drive back to my place holding hands like it’s the easiest fucking thing in the world. We talk about our week. I laugh at a joke that’s painfully unfunny, but she’s so fucking cute, I don’t even care.

FORTY-SIX

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