Page 31 of Just Friends
Although I kinda doubt that Icould’vewoken her at all, because Camille couldn’t wake her when it was time for them to leave. Camille and Beau had to physically haul Piper out of the club so they could take her home.
Okay, that’s a little weird,I thought. But Camille insisted that was normal for Piper. Anyway, I wasn’t worried, because Piper was in good hands; Beau and Camille would make sure she got home safely.
Luckily, Piper and I had traded numbers before she passed out, or she never could’ve texted me.
In the back seat of the cab, I pulled out my phone and scrolled up, reading our text exchange from the beginning:
“Hi Jack, this is Piper from last night. Just wanted to say I really enjoyed meeting you, and I’m sorry I passed out on your shoulder. (Or so I’m told.) Sometimes I get really sleepy like that. It’s kind of my thing. Yes, I know, I’m weird...”
“Haha. It’s all good,” I’d messaged back. “I thought I bored you to sleep.”
“NOT AT ALL! Grrrrrrr, I wanted to talk more about farm life and stuff! Oh well …”
“We’re in NYC one more night,” I’d replied. “Want to meet up after the game tonight?”
“Sure, I’d love to!!”
The cab driver swerved over to the curb and stomped on the brake so hard, my face smashed into the plastic divider and I dropped my phone to the floor.
“We’re here,” he said.
“Thanks, pal,” I grumbled.
I gave the cabbie a twenty, then I gave thanks to the Lord for deciding to spare me one more day, and I jumped out of that car.
***
I cut through the crowded restaurant and found Piper waiting for me at the bar. Her pretty face lit up when she saw me. She was even hotter than I remembered.
“Hi, Jack!” She jumped off her stool, her tits bouncing in a low-cut blouse, to greet me with a hug. Damn, she looked incredible. “You guys played great tonight!”
“Hey, Piper.” I bent down and squeezed her in my arms. I looked down her back, my eyes glued to her plump ass. My cock stirred with desire. I couldn’twaituntil I was peeling those tight jeans off her hips … oh well, it’d besoon,anyway.
We separated, but the cramped crowd kept us close together.
“Popular place,” I said.
“Yeah, and the wait list is insane,” she said. “Sorry, I didn’t know it’d be this busy. Do you want to go somewhere else? Wecouldeat right here at the bar, if you’re open to that.”
The sooner I could get her back to my hotel room, the better.
I took the stool next to hers. “Let’s eat here. I’m starving.”
We ate chicken nachos and had a couple beers. Normally when I meet up with a girl, I’m a man on a mission—but Piper was easy to talk to and fun,too. On the way over, I was so excited to smash, I’d almost forgotten that this girl and I had a lot in common. I let myself stop thinking about getting laid for a moment and we shared our stories: growing up on a farm, our childhoods, our goals, all that.
Most girls I meet seem star-struck by my fame—even though I don’thavemuch of a name in this league yet. But Piper was unfazed by that fact. I could tell she wanted to get a deeper glimpse of my character; she wanted to know who Ireallywas. Her presence was disarming. I felt something weird happening inside me, but I didn’t know what it was. She was just so … sodifferentthan the kind of girls I was used to.
After dinner, we left the restaurant and took a stroll, in search of another place to hang out. We happened to come across an underground pool hall where a live jazz band played. We couldn’t come here andnotplay a round of pool—and that’s how I found out that Piper’s pretty damn good at billiards.
“Yay, I win!” She pumped her fist after sinking the last striped ball in the corner pocket. “You have to buy the next round!”
“A deal’s a deal,” I said as I pulled out my wallet. Truth was, I was going to buy the next round regardless, but I couldn’t believe how thoroughly she’d whooped my ass. “What are you, a pool shark?”
“You didn’treallythink it was a coincidence I took you straight to a pool hall, did you?” she asked, her devious eyes narrowing.
“Wow,” I snickered. “Can’t believe I just got hustled.”
“Ha! Better get used to it!”
