Page 207 of Dangerous Encore
5
Kit
It'spast midnight when the bedroom doorcreaksopen.
Soft yellow light surrounds Piper in anangelicglow.
It'saccurate.
She didn't save me. Notexactly.
I'm notsaved.
Butshe…
Wanting to be the guy she thinks I am, wanting to prove I'm worth all her love andaffection…
That's all the motivation in theworld.
I turn toward her as she moves into the room. Her steps are quiet, soft. She's trying not towakeme.
"Hey." It's not exactly poetry, but it's all I've got. I still can't explain this. Notexactly.
"Hey." There's heaviness in hervoice.
I'm stillhurtingher.
No matter what happens, I'm always going to be hurting her. I'm never going to be able to articulate my thoughts the wayMaldoes.
I can't write a song to savemylife.
I can't use words toexplainthis.
Butmaybe…
"You coming to bed?" My voice is even. I'm not sure how I manage it. I'm going to tear at the seams if I can't figurethisout.
She shimmies out of her jeans and leaves them on the floor. "Yeah. I already brushed myteeth."
I pull the covers back and pat the spot nexttome.
She tosses her t-shirt over her head. Throws off her bra. Kicks off herpanties.
I can only see some of her. A sliver of yellow light over the curve of her chest. The outline of her hips. That blond hair. It catches every bit of light intheroom.
She pulls on her pajamas, presses the door closed, moves toward the bed with softfootsteps.
Climbs in without shifting the weight on themattress.
She's close enough I can make out all the hurt in herexpression.
"You all set for your final tomorrow?" I press my palm against herlowerback.
She looks up at me and nods. "Yeah. Violet and Ethan ran lines with me allnight."
"You need me to wake you up in themorning?"
She shakes her head. "The final isn't untilthree."
