Page 59 of Love Beyond the Illusion
I’ve spent almost two weeks missing Piper, craving to touch her once again, and now that she’s back, I won’t give up the chance to be close to her. Who knows, she might not mind me holding her while she sleeps.
I quietly walk over to the opposite side of the bed, carefully pull back the thick down comforter, and slip myself in. I get a quick look at her ass peeking out from where the sheets are pulled low. As always, her shorts are riding high, giving me a delicious view from the creases of her smooth cheeks.
My dick is already hard, and I have to adjust myself. Lying beside her, I’m aware of every movement she makes. My heart is hammering inside my chest. Afraid to move, even though she’ll realize by morning that I’ve slept next to her, I remain perfectly still focused on controlling my labored breathing. I’d rather she catch me after I’ve already sneaked into her bed than during. Would she mind if I pulled her into me? I’m not crossing any lines, right?
The desire to have her close is overpowering.
Bringing one arm up to bend under my head, I cautiously outstretch the other, resting it on the backside of one of her pillows. My body stills again as Piper stirs. She rolls toward me, her face less than a foot from mine. I make a bold move, knowing that this could end one of two ways, but the need is too strong. If I have a chance of getting any sleep tonight, I need to hold her.
I slowly lower my arm from the top of the pillow to directly above her head, placing my hand on her back. My skin tingles when it makes contact with her. I feel the hollow vibrations of her breath. They travel through my veins like we’re connected. With gentle pressure, I nudge her a little closer.
Piper’s eyes flicker open briefly to meet mine before they fall closed again. My muscles lock in place, my heart pounds, and my lungs swell as I watch in slow motion as she scoots herself into the space under my arm. Panic sets in when she rests her cheek on my chest for fear she’ll hear my thundering heartbeats.
“You changed your mind.” She curls into me, her body molding to mine. The scent of lavender from her hair enters my nose, and I instantly feel at ease.
“I did. Couches are never that comfortable anyway.” I take her cheeky comment as an opportunity to wrap my other arm around her and squeeze tight.
“I’m glad you did,” she mumbles through sleepy eyes.
“Besides, I’ve gotten used to hearing the sound of your breath while I sleep anyway.” I angle my head to the side, with my lips buried in her hair. I breathe her in before pressing a gentle kiss on her head. Letting my lips linger there for some time, I fall asleep.
Chapter Twenty- One
Jack
Pipersleptcuddledintomy side the entire night. At one point, I woke up with her arm and leg draped across me. I smiled, brushed the hair away from her face, and went back to sleep.
This morning, I got up before her as usual. I brought back breakfast and coffee for us both. Then, we took turns getting ready for the day, where she spent most of it reading on her Kindle out by the pool while I answered emails. By the evening, we were able to make it down to a networking event that Faye was hosting on the property.
Piper and I worked the room together. I often found myself memorizing her every move. She holds herself in public with such grace and confidence. Being genuine and authentic and not overly friendly is a gift. A few times, I imagined what it would be like if she were my wife by choice and not just a drunk mistake or a business arrangement. I have no doubt that she would make an incredible partner in this new role. How would I ever find someone who floats around a room full of new people with such ease?
By the end of the night, we went on with our typical bedtime routines, crawled into bed together, she snuggled into the crook of my arm, and we both fell asleep.
I suddenly wake and I sense something is missing. I sit on the side of the bed, letting my feet rest on the soft carpet. The room is dark. I glance behind me to the other side but don’t see Piper. Swiping my phone off the nightstand, I immediately notice the time. It’s four in the morning and still dark outside. I scroll through to her name, press call, and hold my phone up to my ear. To my surprise, her phone vibrates on the matching nightstand on the opposite side of the bed.Where is she?Sometimes, she has trouble sleeping.
I adjust the ties on my pajama pants, open the drawer to the left, and pull out a black hoodie. I use my phone flashlight to cross the hallway and head directly into the kitchen. But a quick look around tells me she’s not here either. Dragging my eyes across the room, I expect to see her possibly having a late-night snack. I’m still learning Piper’s habits, but it isn’t a stretch to think she’d gotten hungry. I quietly walk through our small villa.
A tiny sliver of moonlight shines through a thin crack in the curtains and from where I stand. I see something moving around the pool in the private backyard area. We get a lot of wildlife out here, so I hope she isn’t outside. I step close to the window to gain a better look. There’s a slight glow from the interior pool lights, and through the thick steam that hovers over the heated water, I see a figure in what looks like a black two-piece bikini.
My breath catches when I realize it’s Piper. I peer out the window, mesmerized by how her body glides through the water. Unlatching the back door, I head outside.
“You know we get a lot of wildlife out here, especially this time of night,” I say in an elevated whisper, walking across the morning dew-covered grass. It’s chilly. I hope she brought a towel with her.
Piper slowly swims to the pool’s edge, barely moving the water with her tiny strokes. “Since it’s technically morning and not nighttime anymore, I think I should be safe.”
Smiling, I squat down right by the side she emerged from. She looks up at me with her hair soaked and pushed back.
“Why are you out here?”
“I couldn’t sleep, so I decided to take a swim. Plus, look how beautiful it is,” she says.
I stay low but lift my eyelids to look out over the hills. The sun is beginning to rise, leaving a dull hue of yellow and orange across the area. Taking in all this land and all that it entails to run the farming and business side of it is entirely overwhelming. Feelings of defeat all come rushing back.
Piper raises half her body from the warm water, leaning on folded arms. “Are you alright? You have a disturbed look on your face.”
I fall back to a seated position, leaving my legs slightly raised and bent. “I don’t know if I can do this.” Resting my elbows on my knees, I let out a sigh of relief from finally hearing myself say those words out loud.
“What do you mean? The winery?”
