Page 108 of Wild About You
The five of us are at Wild’s after a meeting at the arena. Piper and Everly are still at school. Everly has had long rehearsals all week leading up to the theater performance tomorrow night.
“Hit a dry spell, Rookie?” Jack asks with a smirk.
“No, the opposite. I can’t keep her off me. We’ve had sex six times today.”
Ash chuckles and makes a low whistle. “Damn.”
Everyone else looks to Leo. Instead of answering my question, he deflects. “No wonder you were slow on the ice.”
He isn’t wrong. I was exhausted this morning.
“Look I’m not complaining, I just want to know if this is normal when you live together or if Piper is using sex to avoid talking.” I know the answer, or at least I think I do, but I need confirmation, which from the look on Leo’s face, I just got.
“That sounds like the perfect relationship to me. Keep your mouth shut and don’t mess it up,” Jack says.
Ash leans forward on his elbows. “Normally I would agree, but I feel like I have a vested interest in this relationship. What exactly is she avoiding talking about?”
“Going to Madison for grad school and me breaking up with her again.”
“What?” all four guys ask in unison. Their outrage makes me smile. They like Piper, too.
“Relax. I’m not breaking up with her, but I think she thinks I am.”
“I don’t follow,” Leo says.
I tell them about how I was giving her space after everything went down with Everly and River, and how I’ve been encouraging her to go to Madison because it’s the best. “She thinks I’m pushing her away like I did last time.”
They all still look angry on her behalf.
“I’m not.”
“So tell her that,” Leo says plainly.
“I’ve been trying all week, but she asked if we could have some time to just enjoy without all the heavy, serious stuff.”
“Ah, now I see. She’s using all this”—Ash waves a hand in front of his chest—“to distract you.”
“Shoot her a text,” Declan offers.
“And miss out on another opportunity for sex?” Jack lifts a brow. “This is why you’re single.”
Declan lifts his middle finger from around his beer to flip off our captain. “I’m single because I want to be.”
“At first, I didn’t understand, or I thought she just missed me a whole bunch, but once I figured it out, I decided to go along with it for a little longer.”
“Can’t blame you there. Six times a day. Props.” Ash raises his hand for a high five.
I slap his hand, but that isn’t why I’ve put off talking to her.
“No, not because of that. I needed a little time to get things in order.” I pull the ring box from my pocket and set it on the middle of the table. “I’m going to ask Piper to marry me.”
“Holy shit.” Ash chokes as he stares down at the engagement ring.
The guys congratulate me, and Jack decides we need another round to celebrate. I follow him up to the bar.
“I’m sorry about the house.” I officially withdrew my offer yesterday. It was hard to let go, but I think I made the right decision.
He shakes it off. “Don’t be. I can find another renter.”
