Page 12 of Where the Stars Heal

Shit, I forgot about Piper. I grab my beer off the table and down the last of it. I probably should slow down with how much I’m drinking tonight. My eyes roam over her as she walks my way. Her long, straight dark hair falls to her waist and she’s wearing a black leather skirt that barely covers her ass with a pink lace-looking top. I don’t know what they call them, but it looks like a scrap of material that just covers her tits with these spaghetti-looking straps.

“Hey, Piper, you look good,” I say as she approaches.

She doesn’t. She looks like a hooker, but if I say that out loud, she’ll probably slap me and that’s something I don’t want to feel tomorrow with the hangover. I laugh again, my shoulders shaking. The mortified look on her face, if I did say that, would be kind of hilarious.

Long white nails drag down my chest. “What’s so funny, Ash baby?” Her tone is all wrong and sugary as if she thinks it sounds sexy, and I shudder at her calling mebaby.

Halle’s tone isn’t like that. She’s feisty and has an attitude. Her tone is commanding and sharp but somehow warm. She’s not afraid to tell me how it is, and she doesn’t care what I think of her.

No, nope, no. I am not thinking about Halle right now. I grab Piper by the hips and pull her into me, roaming my eyes over her. I smirk. I don’t reply. I just thread my hand through her hair and pull her back so she’s looking up at me. She’s a lot shorter than I am, and I have to bend to be level with her. Unlike Halle, who’s taller for a chick. I groan. There she is again, invading my space. I don’t think, I just act, and slam my lips to hers.

Kissing Piper used to be fun, but right now, there’s nothing fun about it. This feels wrong. There’s too muchteeth, and why is it so wet? She lets out a quiet moan and rakes her nails along my scalp, making me roll my eyes. She’s so fucking predictable. I pull back and look at her. She’s smiling at me like I hung the moon. Halle’s irritated stare flashes through my mind, and annoyance ripples through me.

“I need a shot,” I mumble and storm off to the bar, leaving Piper to herself. She’ll follow me. She always does.

Connor and Hunter are chatting behind the bar as I walk up to them.

“Boys, have a shot with me, yeah?” I ask loudly.

“Man, you are so far gone. Please tell me you parked your truck at my house tonight and are crashing in the spare room?” Hunter says as he stacks clean glasses onto the rack.

“You don’t think I’m that stupid, do you, Hunter?”

Connor looks at me and chuckles. “I don’t know, remember that time you thought stripping down here at the bar and running through the town butt naked to Falls Creek for a night swim would be a good idea?”

That gets the attention of everyone around us as they laugh at me. Okay, so that wasn’t my brightest idea. I drank so much whiskey that night that I felt like I was on fire, and the only logical solution my drunk ass could come up with was a naked swim. I was the talk of the town for months after that.

“Ha ha, guys, very funny.” I nod to Madison. “Madi, you’ll have a shot with me, won’t you?”

“Nope, not a chance, big guy. Someone’s going to have to look after you and your hangover tomorrow.” She pours me a shot anyway and winks at me. I know what she’s trying to do—win tonight’s bet. She scowls at Hunter before spinning around and heading to the other side of the bar.

“Ah, I’ll see you later.” Hunter waves at me and follows after her.

I catch Connor staring after them, shaking his head.

“What’s going on there?” I ask him.

“Same shit, different night. You know how it is with them.”

Slender arms wrap around my stomach, and a fruity scent hits my nose, making me want to gag. I turn to face Piper as she clings to my side. Closing my eyes, I throw back the shot Madi made me. Long legs and curvy hips sweep through my mind, and I snap my eyes open, feeling frustrated once again.

Grabbing Piper’s hand, I bend down to whisper in her ear, “Want to find somewhere more quiet?”

I look at her for confirmation, and she nods. That’s all I need before I drag her behind me to the back door.

I stumble inside our office, not bothering to switch the light on, and fall onto the couch, pulling Piper down with me. As she adjusts herself to straddle my lap facing me, my hands start moving over her body.

“Woah, Ash, what’s the hurry tonight, baby? I thought we could take this back to your house. I can stay the night and make you breakfast in the morning,” she says sweetly.

My head shakes slightly. There she goes again with being clingy. I thought a few months of space and silence, especially after what she tried to do to me, would have made her take a hint.

I roam my hands up and down her back and then grab her by the hips, rocking her back and forth over me. I grunt when I don’t feel an ounce of pleasure.

“Shh, no talking, just doing.” If she’s annoyed at me for being rude, she doesn’t show it.

She chews her bottom lip, stares down at me, and continues to move over me. It doesn’t take her long to realize this is what I’m offering up tonight with no sleepovers.

Lowering her head, she kisses me softly, licking my lip ring as she goes. My hands move up her back, and I tighten my hold on the back of her head and kiss her deeper. Biting her bottom lip, I thrust up harder. Soft is not what I’m after tonight.

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