Page 182 of Power Play

“Are you going to tell me what you lost now? Instead of being vague in front of thousands of people?”

“Nah.” I grin at her. “It’s much more fun this way.”

FORTY-EIGHT

PIPER

I didn’t expectto slip into Liam’s life so easily, but I have.

February turns to March.

The snow melts, and we keep seeing each other. Some nights after a loss, he wants to be alone. Other times he drives me back to his apartment, silent but affectionate with his hand on my thigh and the weight of a defeat on his shoulders.

We go to team dinner together. I’ll walk in a few minutes after him. He slips out a few minutes before me. I’m pretty sure the team is catching on, but no one says anything.

Like tonight. Grant winked at me when I slipped on my jacket, and earlier I saw him slip Ethan twenty bucks when I sat next to Liam on the couch.

“You’re deep in thought,” Liam says as we walk down the sidewalk to his place. “What are you stewing over, Pipsqueak?”

“Oh, my mind is a treacherous place.” I rest my head on his chest when he drapes an arm around me. “I think the guys have a betting going on us.”

“What makes you say that?”

“There was an exchange of cash based on our seating choices.”

“Now we have to fuck with them.” His fingers brush through the ends of my hair and tug on the long strands. “Next week you’ll sit next to Hudson.”

“I like when you’re scheming.”

We ride up to his apartment and he lets us inside. I smile at the pair of shoes I have by the door and the cardigan I left on the foyer table.

Last night, I noticed Liam cleaned out a drawer in his dresser for me, and it shows me he’s trying. Trying to fit me in with practice and games and messages from his parents about the trip they’re planning to DC. Trying to balance the things he cares about without neglecting the other parts of himself, and it means so much.

And I’m trying too.

Trying to be trusting. Trying not to compare him to my past. Trying to not anticipate the other shoe dropping and just beinghere.

“Want some dessert?” Liam asks, and I follow him to the kitchen.

“Depends.” I jump on the counter and swing my legs back and forth. “What do you have?”

“Carrot cake. And, listen, before you try to turn nose up at it, it doesn’t have raisins. I fucking hate raisins.”

“I hate raisins too!”

“Look at us. We’re an old married couple with similar interests. We’re going to take over the world.” He sets a plate between us and slices off a bite. “Open up, please.”

I smile and open my mouth. The bite is sweet, and I hum around the cream cheese frosting. “I think I like that better than I like sex.”

“I should be offended, but I think I agree.” Liam cuts off a bite for himself and swallows it down. “Delicious, isn’t it?”

“Don’t feed me anything else the rest of the night. This is all I want.”

He grips my chin and tilts my head back. His kiss is soft, savory, and I taste walnuts on his tongue. A hand works in my hair, pulling my ponytail free before settling on the back of my neck. I sigh, relaxing into him as he nudges his way between my legs and takes up the space where I love him to be the most.

“Bedroom?” Liam asks against my mouth and I nod, needing him.Wantinghim.

I wrap my legs around his waist, smiling when he lifts me off the counter and walks us down the hall. He sets me on his bed and I fumble with the button of his jeans, my actions hurried, my heart racing.

---