Page 89 of The Wrong Date Deal

Piper hummed as if August had said all of that out loud, as if she understood completely. Maybe she did. Maybe all of it was written perfectly plainly across August’s face. Either way, August couldn’t find it in herself to be embarrassed or concerned.

“Okay, everyone,” Demelza’s voice called from very far away.

August blinked, taking in the amused look on Piper’s face as she held them close for a moment longer, just as reluctant to let the real world sweep in between them as August was.

They stood close together as they both turned to listen to Demelza wrapping up the lesson, and August wondered whether it was too soon to ask Piper to return with her next week.

Her breathing still hadn’t righted itself when Demelza stopped speaking, shot her a knowing look, and nodded in parting. Perhaps she and Piper had been a little obvious—and oblivious to the rest of the world around them.

They gathered their belongings, their gazes returning to each other over and over again. It was the most successful date August had ever been on. Perhaps she should have known, expected it from the second she’d met Piper. You didn’t have that much chemistry in the first five minutes without there being something worth exploring between you.

Piper paused on the sidewalk outside the studio and nodded towards the café she’d waited at the last time she’d met August here. “I want you to know that, if we didn’t have a huge moving day to help with tomorrow, I’dabsolutelyask you to continue this over there.”

August grinned. “How much sleep do you really need?”

Piper’s eyes flashed in a way August had never experienced in real life. “August,” she warned, her voice deliciously dark.

August stifled a laugh and walked backwards towards the road. “We can get you decaf, if you prefer?”

“August,” Piper repeated, this time more frustrated and needy.

“Hey, if you don’t want a drink for the ride home, that’s okay, too. But, you know, while we’re here, I thought we could use a drink for the drive. We might have to take the long way, after all.”

They wouldn’t need to. The roads weren’t going to be busy. August just needed to. Hell, she’d only driven to the date in the first place so she could drive Piper home.

“You don’t have to drive me back, you know?”

“I want to,” August said, looking over her shoulder at Piper. She looked like something from a movie—glossy hair, bright red lipstick popping against the city at night.Gorgeous.

Piper hummed, skipped to catch up to August, and held the door to the café open for her. August smiled and shook her head, but headed in, gesturing for Piper to order first and enjoying the laughter she was rewarded with. However, she hadn’t been expecting Piper to pay and was unprepared for the move. As she reached for her card, Piper expertly slid hers out from up her sleeve and tapped the machine.

August frowned at her. “Where did you pull that from?”

Piper giggled and leaned into her side. “A lady never tells.”

“I was going to pay.”

“I know.” She grinned, her eyes sparkling. “Maybe you can pay next time.”

Next time? Were they both wondering whether the middle of one date was an appropriate time to ask for the next one? August could work with that.

They got their drinks and walked quickly to August’s car, heads bowed against the wind that had picked up and was bitingly cold.

“Oh, I’m glad we stopped for these drinks,” Piper said once they were buckled into the car, her hands wrapped around the cup, desperate for the warmth it could give her.

August laughed. “We probably wouldn’t have been caught in the wind if we hadn’t stopped…”

Piper shot her a look from under her long, dark eyelashes. “Well, I’m not going to be sad about getting more time with you.”

August pressed her lips together and put the car in reverse, pulling out of the spot, and heading for the long way back to Piper’s place.

Even then, it wasn’t long enough.

When they arrived, she parked the car and, in a desperate bid for a few extra minutes, she climbed out of the car with Piper, both of them looking up at her building as they headed for the door.

When they reached it, Piper slotted herself between August and the wall beside it.

“So,” she said, biting down on a smile, “how was your date?”

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