Page 42 of Finding Romance
I chuckle. “I fell asleep too.”
She smiles. “Shall we go up for drinks?”
I brush some hair away from her eye and tuck it behind her ear. Fuck. The way she looks at me makes me feel things I shouldn’t. An entire life that I know I can’t have flashes before my eyes. Waking up with Piper every morning. A house full of kids. Christmas at my grandmother’s house. I wipe away my thoughts as I rub my eyes. That’s a future that won’t exist. Not now, not ever.
“What?” Piper asks, cocking her head a little to one side. Her lips are puffy from sleep and her cheeks rosy. The urge to kiss her overwhelms me.
I lean in and place a soft kiss on those lips. Her eyes fall closed.
“Is this what it should be like with a real boyfriend?” she asks against my lips. “Am I…doing this right?”
“You’re a natural, little escape artist. Now, come on, let’s go,” I say as I place another light peck on her lips and then crawl out of bed.
“You two were out like babies. I didn’t have the heart to wake you,” Margie says as we emerge from the bedroom.
“Guess I was more tired than I thought,” I say as I rub the back of my head.
“You look better, dear,” Cornelia says to Piper. I look over and notice her last two hives are nearly gone.
“Yeah, I feel better. We’re going up to happy hour. You want us to bring you anything?” Piper asks her aunt.
“Nah. I could use a nap myself,” she says with a yawn.
Margie collects bowls of soup the two of them clearly have been eating and takes them to the kitchen.
“You hungry?” I ask Piper. She shakes her head. I pull out my phone and text Cam.
Me: Can you bring over some pastries for happy hour?
Cam: Yep. Can do. I’ll send them over with Drew. I’m working late tonight.
Me: Thanks.
“Come on,” I say to Piper. I look back in the kitchen. “Margie, you coming?”
“I’ll be up in a few,” she calls out.
We walk upstairs and find Hutch and Bray at their usual seats at the bar. Al’s serving them. Carly is talking to Bray and Ava is coloring at the table near the bar.
She pops her head up and smiles at me. “I’m drawing you,” she says with a smile.
“Oh?” I mutter, half paying attention as I motion to Al for a drink.
“Let’s see,” Piper says cheerfully as she walks over to her. Ava holds up her drawing.
It’s a pool or a tub or something and two people.
Oh, God. Is that…did she draw Piper and me in the hot tub?
Piper looks back at me, her eyes wide.
“That’s very nice. You want me to draw you,” Piper says, seemingly pulling herself together so as not to draw attention to what Ava likely saw in the hot tub. Crap. Have I taken this pretend dating instructor thing too far? Probably. Do I want to take it further? Yes.
Fuck. I’m so screwed.
“Sure,” Ava says excitedly. She hands Piper some paper and slides her giant crayon and colored pencil set across the table.
“Piper, you want a drink?” Al asks.
