Page 71 of Pining for Pierce

Eventually, he pulls back, sucking my bottom lip into his mouth, taking his time over bringing our kiss to an end, and then gazing into my eyes.

“Are you okay?” he asks.

“Are you?”

We both nod at the same time, and then he turns, pulling out the chair for me to sit. I do so, looking up at him as he picks up my jacket, throwing it onto the couch, and then joins me, taking the seat beside me. That’s not how I laid the table. I assumed he’d sit opposite me, but he pulls over his plate and cup, grabbing the silverware, and then takes my hand in his. It’s like he doesn’t want to let me go, and to be honest, I feel exactly the same.

The eggs are still just about warm, and we eat quickly to make the most of that, Pierce topping up our coffee, as he finishes before me.

“I guess I’ll have to go home soon,” I say, taking a sip and pushing my plate away.

He turns in his seat, holding my hand a little tighter.

“Go home? Don’t you wanna stay?”

“Of course, but I don’t have any clean clothes, and I’ve gotta go to work tomorrow.”

“Hmm… I see your point,” he says, frowning, although his face quickly clears. “Couldn’t we go to your place and get some clothes? We could pack a bag and bring it back here. And then you could stay for as long as you like. I—I don’t feel like letting go of you.”

I smile, reaching up and caressing his cheek with my fingertips. “I was just thinking the same thing.”

“In that case…”

“I like your plan, but is there any reason we can’t pack some of your clothes and stay at my place?” I ask.

“No. It’s just that staying here is more convenient for work… for both of us.”

I nod my head, seeing the sense of that. “Okay.”

“Does that mean you agree with my logic, or you agree we should go to your place and bring some of your things back here?”

“Both,” I say, smiling, and he leans over and kisses me, although I pull back after just a few seconds. “How are we gonna get back to my place?” I ask.

“I’ll call a cab. We can drive your car back here, can’t we?”

“Of course.”

I sit and watch while he calls a cab, and we use the ten minutes it’s gonna take to arrive to clear the table. Pierce stacks the dishwasher, while I put on my boots. They’re still a little damp, but I don’t have any other footwear, so I grin and bear it. Once he’s done, he wanders into the bedroom, returning with gray sneakers on his feet, pocketing his phone and wallet, just as I hear a car horn outside.

“Ready?” he says, holding out his hand, and I take a moment to retrieve my keys from my zipped jacket pocket,leaving it behind on the couch before joining him and letting him lead me down the stairs.

He doesn’t let go of me all the way back to Willmont Vale. In fact, his eyes don’t leave mine, and when we arrive at my parents’ place, he pays the driver, both of us watching as the cab reverses down the driveway.

I let us in and take him straight up the stairs to my room.

“I’ve never been in here before,” he says, looking around, and I suddenly feel a little embarrassed by the pale pink walls, slightly darker pink throw on the bed, and the white rug with pink edging on the stripped pine floor.

“It’s kinda girly.”

“Nothing wrong with that,” he says, giving me a smile, his eyes sparkling. There’s something about his expression that makes me sigh, and he tilts his head to one side. “What’s wrong?” he asks.

“I was just thinking…” I say, glancing toward the bed. “It’s a shame we can’t…”

He follows the line of my gaze, a mischievous grin forming on his lips. “Can’t we?”

“No.”

“Is your leg hurting too much?” he asks, taking both of my hands in his.

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