Page 43 of Tarnished Hands

I meant what I said. Piper is the most stunningly dangerous thing I have ever encountered.

She walks into the room like she owns it—and damn it, maybe she does. Every move of hers is precise and deliberate.

Beautiful.

Dangerous.

And I’m completely gone for it.

We stay at the restaurant for what feels like hours when it’s only two. I ask her about her day, and she tells me everything in great detail. Then she asks me about mine. When I mention Aqua, she scrunches up her nose at her name.

“Jealousy looks good on you,” I tell her. I pay the bill before she can and stand, offering her my hand. Piper takes it, and I clasp hers in mine as we walk out. Her car is parked right near mine. Thankfully, she didn’t drink enough for me to worry about her driving.

“Thank you for meeting me tonight,” she says.

“You aren’t going to invite me back to your place?” I joke.

She shakes her head as she drops my hand and unlocks the car. “I’ll be out of town for the next week… I forgot to tell you that before.” Her black hair is half up and half down, and I want to run my fingers through it. Instead, I reach for her hand again.

“You’ll be gone for a week?”

“Yeah. Dinner again when I’m back?” she asks.

“I’d like dessert first next time,” I tell her.

“Oh, I don’t think they serve desserts here,” she says, not getting my meaning.

“You are my dessert.” Her eyes find mine, and she smirks.

“Hmm, we shall see. I like this.” She waves between us. “I don’t usually do the talking part.”

Piper told me about her brother, how he died, and how that affected her, how Keir and the rest of them are basically like her brothers, even though they are cousins. How it took them a while to accept her for who she is. Now the respect is there, and it’s what she has always wanted. Not her brother.

“Maybe a few more dates like this,” she says, referring to the talking.

“So you’re telling me I have to go without?” I ask.

Piper nods her head and leans in to kiss me. I kiss her back, and just as I slide my tongue into her mouth, she pulls back.

“Good night, Ezra.” She opens her car door and slides in.

And I watch her driving away with a stupid fucking smile plastered on my face.

The week drags, and when I say it drags, I mean it fucking drags. Piper and I text, but most of the time it’s delayed, as she’s in Italy, so different time zones apply. On day six, I try to call, but she doesn’t answer, and her phone is turned off.

“You’ve been off lately, boss.” Aqua throws me a bottle of water as she walks to the shop.

“Busy,” I reply.

“Could it have anything to do with the pretty dark-haired beauty that was in the other week?”

I look at her, and she just smiles. “I see things.” She winks. “If it’s any consolation, I bet she’s missing you just as much.”

“Missing me?”

“Yeah, you mentioned she was away. You all but grumbled it.” She laughs and goes into the office.

I stay under the car all day.

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