Page 7 of Easton’s Claim

One side of his mouth quirked up, as though she amused him. “So suspicious. To spend some one-on-one time with you.”

Part of her wanted to refuse, but another part craved what he was offering. And she’d be leaving here soon enough anyway, so what could one dinner hurt? “Okay. But you’re not going to be able to talk me into staying, so don’t even try. I’ve already got everything planned out. As soon as my place sells, I’m moving to Minnesota.”

“Okay,” he said, but his expression clearly saidwe’ll see about that. “I’ll come pick you up at six.”

“No, I’ll meet you somewhere.”

His mouth curved in a sexy grin. The sensual and highly experienced mouth she shouldn’t be thinking about. “You embarrassed to be seen in town with me or something?”

“No, of course not,” she said with a dismissive laugh. Not embarrassed. More like terrified he’d pick up on her increasing attraction toward him if she didn’t limit their time together.

God, she hoped her house sold in the next few days.

Chapter Three

It’s just dinner with an old friend.

Piper kept repeating that to herself as she got ready, but it didn’t quell the nervous flutters in the pit of her stomach. When she met Easton at the restaurant in a little while, she wanted to look her best.

Yesterday’s unexpected visit had been awkward and strained. She wanted to leave things between them on a better note, and to present the image she wanted him to remember her by.

Polished Piper. Together, determined, and in control of her life. Pretty much the opposite of how she’d felt since her marriage had begun to unravel.

She smoothed moisturizer into her skin and slipped on the cobalt blue halter dress. The fit skimmed her curves, hinting at them rather than outlining them, and it had a pretty ruffled hem that hit just below her knees. The vivid color made her skin glow and set off the golden blond waves that she’d left loose to spill to the middle of her back.

A pair of strappy high heels waited where she’d set them at her closet door. She put them on, paused to check her reflection. Maybe she’d put on a few extra pounds over the last six months, but this dress did wonders for her figure and confidence. Even if this wasn’t a date, at least Easton would see her at her best, and hopefully remember her that way.

As she thought it, a sudden pang of regret hit her that nothing would ever happen between them. She waved it off, told herself she was being ridiculous. Even if for some reason he became interested in her that way, hypothetically speaking, there were plenty of reasons why they couldn’t get involved. Good reasons.

She was six years older than him, for starters, and her history with Wyatt, albeit brief and non-sexual, still made things…weird. And this line of thinking was completely inappropriate. God, it was damn near borderline incestuous to even think about it.

A knock sounded at her back door and her pulse skipped. Maybe Easton changed his mind about her meeting him at the restaurant and had come to pick her up instead.

She hurried down the hall and past the kitchen to the mudroom. She didn’t see anyone out the window in the top of the back door. Frowning, she pulled it open, then gasped and took an instinctive step back when Greg suddenly appeared from around the corner.

Run.

Her heart cartwheeled in her chest. She darted a glance at her purse, sitting there on the bench next to the door. Her phone was in it. If she could grab it and run out the front door maybe—

Her ex barged in without asking, his face a terrifying mask of fear as he shut the back door and strode for the kitchen, forcing her to walk backward to avoid him.

He’d lost weight since she’d seen him last. His cheeks looked almost hollow beneath the thick, sable-colored stubble and there were dark shadows beneath his eyes. Her stomach muscles clenched as that frantic, deep blue gaze locked with hers.

Piper shook off her initial shock and stood her ground. The sheernerveof him, showing up and barging in here. “What the hell are you doing here?” she demanded, raising her chin. Last she’d heard he was in Tennessee, doing a stint in another super expensive rehab facility his parents had put him in. Apparently as with every other time, it hadn’t worked.

“I had to see you.” He swallowed. “I’m in trouble, Piper. Big trouble.”

She didn’t care, just let the anger burn through her, giving her strength that chased away the fear. “Get out of my house.”

Greg lunged forward and grabbed her upper arms, the desperation in his hold cutting off anything else she might say. A bolt of alarm streaked through her at the stark fear on his face. His eyes were clear, the pupils normal, and he didn’t smell of booze. That was even scarier.

“Please, I need your help,” he rasped, his expression earnest, his grip frantic.

He’s clean.

The terrifying knowledge kept reverberating through her brain, made cold spread through her gut.

He wasn’t drunk or high, hadn’t shown up here driven by paranoia or some drug-induced hallucination. As former sheriff he knew better than anyone the repercussions of violating the terms of the restraining order. Whatever was going on with him, for him to show up here and risk going to jail meant the situation he faced was worse.

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