Page 29 of Tyler

And they hadn’t even had sex yet.

Although, if he hadn’t been called away for work last week, their stargazing in the courtyard would’ve turned into earthmoving. And their schedules hadn’t lined up since, but that was going to change tonight.

Lasagna was baking in the oven, salad was made, wine was chilling, and Italian bread was cooling. The only thing missing was Ty.

Piper didn’t want to hold him at bay anymore. Once he’d returned from Houston, they volunteered at the shelter on Saturday and had dinner with Brandi and Kade that night. On Sunday, they’d volunteered at the sanctuary and had dinner with Mac and Stef that night, and last night he was working.

Tonight was their first night alone.

Butterflies swarmed in her stomach. Piper smiled. It’d been so long since she’d looked forward to seeing someone, and she definitely looked forward to seeing Ty, preferably naked.

Those swarming butterflies invaded her chest.

She’d been walking around with a smile on her face lately, and it had eventually made it back to her sister.

Faith had wasted no time calling her the day after their dinner at Brandi’s.

“Who is he? I need pics, I need deets. Tell me everything,” her sister had ordered, a smile evident in her tone.

Funny thing was, Piper readily gushed about Ty, then asked Faith if she thought she should slow down.

Her sister had immediately replied, “Hell no. You only live once. Don’t waste it waiting around for the right time, because trust me, the right time never comes, and soon you find life has passed you by.”

Piper had frowned, getting the sense her sister was speaking from experience. “Nico still hasn’t asked you out?”

Those two had been circling each other since high school, well more than a decade ago. They claimed they weren’t each other’s types, but they were the only two who couldn’t see how wrong they were about each other, and how right they were for each other.

Frankly, Piper was stunned that fate hadn’t intervened and opened their eyes.

“What?” Her sister’s voice rose several octaves. “No. And I wasn’t talking about that idiot.”

Oh, she so was.

Piper shook her head and sighed. “Maybe you should ask him out.”

“And give him the satisfaction of turning me down? Oh, hell no.”

And therein lay the problem. Two bullheaded people refusing to budge. She wasn’t sure what they were afraid of other than taking a chance.

But she was glad she hadn’t let fear keep her from opening up to Ty. So glad. She glanced at the clock on the microwave, and those butterflies in her stomach woke up. He was going to be here soon.

She rushed from the open kitchen-living room area into the lone bedroom and quickly removed her robe to pull on a plum-colored sweater dress. Earlier, Piper had agonized for almost an hour over what to wear. Should she get dressed up? Go casual?

Stay in her robe…

No, that was definitely out. Too desperate.

Besides, she kind of wanted to wear something pretty but not too dressy, so that was how she finally settled on the sweater dress.

She shimmied the material over her hips and tugged the hem down until it fell just above her knees, then shoved her feet into a pair of black flats before heading into the bathroom where she promptly screamed at her reflection.

Thanks to static, her hair shot out in all directions. She turned on the sink and wet her hands then quickly tamed her runaway hair with a few pats. Satisfied she no longer looked like a light socket licker, she debated the makeup question. Yes or no?

Since she normally didn’t wear that much, she went with an in-between answer.

Some.

A light dusting of eyeshadow would do fine, and maybe a quick coating of strawberry lip gloss, which would disappear by the time she was done eating. But it made her feel good, so she put some on anyway.

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