Page 22 of Before Us (Next Generation 3)

His stiff body relaxed under my touch. “You calm me,” he said against my mouth.

“You drive me insane,” I threw back at him.

He chuckled, placing a soft peck on my lips. “I don’t know what it is about you, Piper.”

“I can say the same for you,” I told him, brushing my fingers through his dark hair. “How are you getting home?” I would have to move my car later on once the other cars filed out from the party.

“Don’t worry about me.” He kissed my forehead. “I have someone who will pick me up.”

“Are you going to come to the party?”Please say yes.

“I shouldn’t but that’s never stopped me before.” Jaron winked.

I smiled softly, pulling away from him.

His dark gray eyes met mine. They were warm and inviting, contradicting everything that made up Jaron Mercer.

Everything in me screamed for him to continue driving. To have him spend the night with me or take me away from there, but he was right. I wasn’t sure anymore if I was ready for a relationship. We were both young. Still finding ourselves and all that shit. So I did the only thing I knew how. I left the vehicle and walked away.

***

(Jaron)

Piper asked too many questions that I didn’t know how to answer. At first, I wasn’t ready for a relationship. But now, I wasn’t so sure. Although she had been the only woman I ever fucked more than once, other men were involved. Men who were supposed to be my friends. But it wasn’t their fault. It was mine.

A car drove past me, slowed down, and reversed. The passenger side window rolled down, revealing the very twins I was thinking about.

“Hey,” I muttered, sticking my hands in my jeans pockets.

“Hey.” Ashton nodded his head. “You’re not coming to Gigi’s party?”

“Not sure yet.” I had to make a few calls and clear my head, so I started walking away from Piper’s house. Brody being there wouldn’t stop me from showing up.

“I’m sure Piper would want you to join us,” Ashton said.

Aiden smacked him.

“What are you getting at?” I bit out, taking a step toward them.

“Nothing really.” Ashton shrugged. “But we do know that you’ve been sleeping with our girl.”

“Fuck,” Aiden growled, parking the car. He got out of the vehicle and came around to the passenger side. “Ignore my brother. He’s an ass. And she’s not our girl,” he corrected Ashton.

Ashton grunted. “Whatever.”

“What do you want?” I crossed my arms under my chest, ignoring their banter. “I feel like your brother is wanting to start a fight. Although there’s two of you, you both know I could kick your asses with my hands tied behind my back.” I proved it once. Ashton ended up with a broken nose and Aiden’s shoulder had been dislocated. That was over who was the strongest. But this was over a woman. A broken nose and a dislocated shoulder would be the least of their problems.

“We don’t want to start any shit,” Aiden told me, leaning against the side of his black muscle car. The beast was a beauty, and it reminded me of my Aunt Zillah’s car.

“Then what do you want?” I checked my wrist. “I’m late.”

“For what? You’re not even wearing a watch, fucker,” Ashton threw at me.

“Come out here and say that shit to my face if you have a problem, asshole.” I was sick of this. We were friends after having grown up together. Even though I lived a few hours away, my parents brought me to this town every summer for as long as I could remember. But right now, Ashton was starting to piss me off.

“No.” Aiden pushed off the side of the car. “Listen. Whatever is going on between you and Piper, it needs to end. She deserves better.”

“What?” I laughed. “Like both ofyou?”

---