Page 21 of Whiskey & Honey

Deep cleansing and calming breaths are perfect for regulating your heartbeat. They are also detrimental to their purpose if it means you take in the scent of Piper Lawrence. I realize I sound like some sort of lovelorn teenager, but the minute I saw her open the door I couldn’t breathe. That dress not only hugs her in all the right places, it also puts her tits on full display. The most glorious set I’ve seen outside of a magazine. Her long hair just barely grazing their tops had my attention right away. I managed to get my act together and move my attention to her face. I swear my heart stopped. How is it possible for one woman to be so absolutely perfect?

Then she spoke. That sweet and sultry voice, full of sass to cover the insecurities I see in her eyes, sets my soul on fire. I was thankful she walked ahead of me down the stairs allowing enough time for a few cleansing and calming breaths. That was, until I caught sight of her ass in that dress. I spend more time thinking of kittens and reciting baseball stats when Piper is around. Each statistic is an attempt to rid myself of the raging hard-on she gives me.

I do find how uneasy I seem to make her very interesting. I see how much she tries to fight the attraction and her reaction to it. The sassier and infuriated she gets only entices me more. Whether she’s sassing me because I already purchased a gift for my sister or because I hold her hand, seeing her unsettled in her seat puts a smile on my face. It means she feels something. As confusing as it is and complicated as it makes things, I want her to feel everything too.

“Where are we going, Ben? There aren’t any apartments out this way.”

“I never said apartment. Stop being so impatient, enjoy the ride.”

A roll of her eyes and she promptly turns her back to me, looking out the window. Sass, so much sass.

I’m not sure what prompted me to want to bring Piper out here with me. When I was looking at rental ads earlier in the week, I had every intention of finding a little apartment to call my own. Then, as luck would have it, there was a listing for a house. Not just a house but a traditional farm house on acreage.

After giving in to my curiosity, I drove out here the other day and it was love at first sight. Well, as much love as you can have for a house that looks like its dying. I’m not even kidding, it looks dead. A dead house.

During my walk of the property, I happened up on the cherry on the house sundae - the land backs up to a stream. A rambling, ready-to-drop-my-fishing-pole-in-it stream. I knew in that moment that this was my house. I’ve thought of nothing except this house since but can’t seem to shake this need for someone else to react the same way. Some sort of confirmation that my reaction isn’t abnormal and maybe, just maybe, find it as fantastic as I do.

My eyes wander from the road and over to Piper. I can tell that her tension has eased a little. I also notice that the hem of her dress has raised a little and I see just enough leg to make me let out an audible groan. Piper looks at me, and while her posture shows she’s releasing the tension, the look in her eyes is anything but relaxed. Another eye roll and she adjusts her dress to cover the exposed part of her leg and begins to braid her hair.

I approach the turn to the long drive and cautiously make the turn, avoiding the previously standing mail box that now lays partially in the drive. I suppose the list of things I’ll have to replace at this house is going to quite lengthy if that mail box is an indicator.

As we make our way down the long drive that is lined with a few trees, I feel Piper sit up straighter and roll the window down all the way. The way she is peering out the window is like a puppy catching the wind in his face. Although I see beyond the unkempt land and home, I’m not sure what Piper sees but I hear her gasp as I bring the truck to a stop in front of the house.

“Ben,” she whispers. Unbuckling herself, she opens the door and hops out of the truck. I follow suit and walk around the truck to stand next to her.

“What do you think? Too much for a bachelor?”

She doesn’t respond so I look at her. Her mouth is open in awe and her eyes are shimmering with the slightest hint of tears.

“Piper, what’s wrong?”

She waves her hands at me, takes a long breath, and releases it as she wipes her eyes.

“Sorry. Ben, it’s wonderful. This house. It’s…”

She doesn’t finish her sentence and instead begins walking toward the steps that lead to a wraparound porch and the front door. Stopping at the base of the steps, she turns to me and I can still see the slightest hint of tears.

“Can we go inside? Will the owners mind?”

“Nah, that’s why we’re here. Come on,” I reply as I grab her hand. This time she doesn’t pull away but instead squeezes my hand.

I point out a few spots that are questionable and we step around them. Savoring the feeling of her hand in mine, I lead her into the house. Standing in the foyer, I look over at Piper. Her eyes wide as saucers and her mouth open enough that she’ll catch a fly given the opportunity, she’s uncharacteristically quiet.

I was here yesterday so I’m familiar with the layout and turn toward the living room, giving her a little tug as I do. She closes her mouth and silently follows my lead. I move so that that we are in front of the large window that looks out past the porch we just stepped across and down the drive.

“It’s a four bedroom and two bath on four acres. Obviously it needs a lot of love and care but I’m thinking I’d be a fool if I didn’t scoop it up. What do you think?”

Piper lets go of my hand and starts walking around the room and eventually back out and toward what is the kitchen. I let her go ahead and follow her. She seems familiar with the layout, which would be strange if it wasn’t a typical farmhouse. Most of these homes have a similar floor pattern, but I’m surprised Piper would have such a familiarity. Growing up she was either at our house or the apartment she shared with her mom.

Once I make it to the kitchen, I lean in the doorway. When I was here yesterday, I immediately thought of family dinners that could be prepared in here and of the imaginary smiling faces of kids sitting at the long table, and I knew there was no doubt I wanted this house. Watching Piper make her way around the room, I allow myself a nanosecond of those smiling faces belonging to a woman like Piper.

As Piper runs her hand across the counter and over the front of the large sink, I feel a tug and need to break the moment. It feels too intense and like there is something more to this house with Piper here.

“Cat got your tongue, Princess?”

“What? Oh, I’m sorry. It’s wonderful, Ben. Breathtaking.”

“Oh good. My gut said the same thing but I needed a second opinion before I put in an offer. It’s going to take a lot of work, but in the end I think it’ll be worth it.”

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