Gideon cupped her cheek, turning her face enough for him to gently kiss her mouth.
This she could do.
She sighed and leaned into him, but he only kissed her for a moment longer.
“I propose we grab a snack and go upstairs.” He stroked her back, his thumbs finding stress knots. “I’ll warn you, I haven’t slept enough since turning in the last project. I’m likely not long for this world.”
“Upstairs is good.”
Perfect, actually.
She craved more time with him, just being, not doing anything. Hell, she’d watch him sleep if it came to that, though the anxiety of the day had worn her down to the point she might pass out, too.
“Okay, your move then.” He slid his hands down the tops of her thighs.
Piper braced her hands on the back of the sofa and eased off the sofa. Gideon hissed and squeezed one eye shut. Her knees weren’t quite steady, but she was able to scoop up her clothes and not fall on her ass.
Gideon pushed to his feet a little slower in following her lead. She tried not to stare, but it was difficult not to.
He grabbed the towel that had somehow wound up on the arm of the sofa, pushed to his feet, and hitched the towel around his hips.
“Come on.” He grabbed her hand and tugged her after him, toward the stairs. He snagged the box of condoms on the way.
Her throat closed up, and she followed him, half tempted to pull his towel again. He paused on the second floor landing and gestured to the master bedroom.
“You want to use the bathroom in there? I’ll be a minute.”
“Sure.” She swallowed.
This was all so easy. Not exactly comfortable, but the only one awkward was her.
Piper shuffled into the bedroom and stopped just out of sight until she heard the hall bath door click shut.
She covered her mouth with her hand and danced in place. When she’d come over, she’d been looking to make an apology, figure out what went wrong, and instead they’d skipped straight to makeup sex. Or whatever that was. She’d take it.
The toilet down the hall flushed. There wasn’t time for a celebratory anything to commemorate this non-fluke moment in her life. She dumped her clothes on the chest at the foot of the bed then spied the laundry basket of neatly folded clothes. A familiar, very worn Nirvana T-shirt lay on top. Before she could think much about it she grabbed it and pulled it on taking comfort in the old, threadbare garment. She hustled into the bathroom and stared at herself in the mirror for a moment.
The woman looking back at her was familiar. A person she hadn’t seen in an awfully long time. She was glad that part of herself was back. This all just went to prove her theory. Intimacy was never her problem. It all connected back to being attacked. Conquering one part of her life and taking it back meant she could make a plan for how to handle her anxiety.
Piper finished in the bathroom then poked her head out. Gideon was still nowhere to be seen. She dove onto the bed and pulled the comforter up to her chin, reveling in the feel of cool sheets against her still warm skin. Gideon’s scent surrounded her, chasing away the last nerves gnawing at her. How could this be anything but perfect? A yacht, fireworks and luxury was nice, but that wasn’t her.
Footsteps rustled across the carpet. He must be worn out after the afternoon of catch up work. That was her least favorite, and it always took longer than she budgeted.
He shambled through the door wearing nothing but a pair of boxers he must have. She got a brief glimpse of a smile before he flipped the lights off and crossed to the bed. The mattress dipped under his weight as he settled in beside her. She wiggled her toes, all those nerves she thought weren’t bothering her coming back in force.
His arm looped around her waist and he tugged them closer together.
“Tell me about your day,” he said.
“Rashae sewed, took measurements, and we bedazzled a lot of things.”
“Glue your fingers together again?” He chuckled and stroked his hand down her back.
“No.”
“What are you wearing?” He lifted the comforter to peer into the darkness as though he could see the shirt.
“Your Nirvana T-shirt.”
“Thief.”
“It’s soft.” And it smelled like him. She had plenty of fond memories that included this shirt.
“Fine.” He slid his hand up under her shirt to splay against her back. The touch went no further.
“Rashae wants to do a series of Wonder Woman costumes from different eras, which means we’re making a lot of armor. Plus there’s the Sailor Moon mermaid photo shoot she wants to line up, and that means all the glitter, sequins and stuff.”
“That sounds exhausting.”
“It is, and usually I enjoy it more.”
“But?”
“Everything’s different now, you know?”
“Yeah. I do. It’s like when my brothers and sisters started getting married, and now there’s just me.”
“How do you deal with that pressure?” She rolled to her side and faced him.
“I do a lot of listening, not a lot of talking. Which, it sounds like that’s the root of your problem with them now.”
“Yeah.”
“You can talk to me.”
There was a time when she could have without inhibition. But she couldn’t allow herself to rely on Gideon. They could enjoy this period together, but it wouldn’t last.
“Are you going to stay long?” His fingers drew circles on her back.
“I didn’t really have a plan when I came over.” Last night, sleeping with a warm, male body next to her, had been nice. She missed the simple, intimate things more than sex.
“Then stay, and in the morning I can show you my new guitars.”
“Because you needed more?”
“Everyone needs more.” His nose bumped hers and he kissed her, his mouth soft.
She lay there, listening to Gideon’s breathing even out.
Being with him was easy, maybe too easy.
8.
GIDEON STARED AT THE shadows dancing across the ceiling. Piper’s breath skated across his skin, so peaceful. He didn’t dare move for fear of disturbing her.
His neighbor’s palm trees made for curious night time monsters, but they had nothing on the one inside of him. The guilt slithered around his stomach, doubt making it hard to breathe. What the hell was he doing?
The night on the yacht he could have chalked that up to a lot of things. The champagne. Years of built up want. Kismet. Last night when he’d answered the door he hadn’t been sure which Piper he was letting into the house. And then he’d just gone with it, because he was too damn hungry for her to think about what he was doing.
One thing was for certain, Piper was not the same woman he’d parted ways with. She’d healed and moved forward. He was damn proud of her, and a little sad he hadn’t been part of it.
Now, he wasn’t sure what to do. Sex with Piper was great. Explosive, even. He wanted more of that. Did she? Were they really doing her challenge anymore? Or had they ventured off the path and on their own journey?
Piper sighed and her fingers stroked his stomach. He stopped breathing or thinking and focused on the sensation of her touch. She rolled toward him, pressing their bodies closer together.
“You’re awake,” she whispered, her words heavy with sleep.
“Hm.” He turned and kissed the top of her head. So much for not disturbing her.
“I don’t want to be awake.” She sighed and buried her face against his arm and the bed.
“Got a lot to do today?” He sure as hell did, but it was nothing he wanted to do.
“There’s a lot I can do. The girls are all off doing another couple date day, so I should cram some work in, but...”
“But—what?”
“Miranda got me a beta copy of Drudge VIII.”
“No way.” The Drudge video game series was one of his favorites.
“See my dilemma? Tamar
a hasn’t even played it.”
“Is this a continuation of D7?” He rolled to his side to face Piper, enjoying the sight of her in his bed, committing it all to memory. How her hair spread over the pillow. Her wearing his shirt. It was all—perfect.
“No, this is back to the original storyline. Miranda hasn’t said a word about how they tie it all in, but I can tell from the look she gets that they did something to the storyline.”
Gideon knew that he’d buy the game the moment it went on sale, but likely not play it for months. By then whatever secret Miranda was hoarding would be one of the biggest internet spoilers.
“Is that your stomach growling?” Piper prodded his ribs.
“Yeah, I didn’t really eat dinner last night.”
“You? Skip a meal?”
“I had a lot on my mind.”
“We should get up and get something to eat.” Piper snuggled the pillow a bit closer and shut her eyes.
“Get right on that.” He chuckled and draped his arm over her waist.
“Your bed’s too comfortable to move.”
“For what I paid for this thing, it should be damn near amazing.” He tugged her closer and kissed her forehead. “Come on, get up. I’ll buy you breakfast.”
“That means leaving the house.”
“There are these magical things called drive throughs, you know?”
“Shut up.” She pushed at his chest and rolled onto her back. “What did you say you were doing today?”
“Waiting on you to make up your mind what we’re going to eat.” He propped his chin on his hand and soaked this moment in. It was so easy and normal as though they’d always been like this.
“You know if you really want to play the new Drudge game, we could go to my place and give it a whirl.” She stroked his hair, taming his bed head.
“I’m so down for that.”
“Oh—my place might not be a good idea.” She winced. “If the girls deviate from plan, they could just show up whenever.”
“My place then. Come on. Breakfast, pick up the game, then back to here.”
Gideon wasn’t going to hesitate when it came to staking his claim to a whole day full of Piper time. He rolled out of bed and snagged boxers from the laundry hamper he’d brought up after her first visit a few days ago. The same hamper she’d gone thieving in, not that he minded.
He peered over his shoulder and got an eyeful of Piper tugging her jeans up over her ass.
Damn.
He grabbed the closest pair of jeans off the dresser and stepped into them. They both got clothed without further conversation, but the easiness was gone. Gideon rushed through his normal routine, eager to move on to a new setting in hopes of regaining that old, friendly spirit he missed so much.
By the time he was ready to go, Piper had already gone downstairs. He wished he knew the words to say or the thing to do that would put them in a perfect stage of being together. The last thing he wanted to do was rock the boat. He was going to take as much of this piece of heaven as he could get and hold on tight for as long as she’d let him.
He grabbed his keys and phone, and headed for the stairs.
Piper waited in the entry, her phone in hand.
“Something wrong?” he asked.
“Hm?” Piper glanced up. “Oh, no. Just answering a few messages.”
“Anything that will interfere with our master plan?” He forced himself to keep smiling.
“Nope. Is there anything you need to do before we get down to business?” Piper asked.
“Pick up some snacks, schedule a pizza?” He opened the front door and ushered her outside. “My car or yours?”
“Yours has the better sound system.”
He grinned and unlocked the Jeep.
They climbed into the Wrangler and he cranked the engine, strains of music playing softly in the background.
“Are you still listening to Ancient Sons?” Piper chuckled and turned the music up.
“You know, as the daughter of a metal-hippie I would have thought you had more appreciation for this kind of music.”
“Hey, if eighties, glam metal is your thing, good for you.” She leaned back in the seat and closed her eyes.
“They’re going to be in San Diego in a few weeks. I’m going to try to drive down and see them. Who knows how much longer those guys will tour?”
“They still tour?”
“Hey, greatness never stops.”
Piper’s throaty laugh signaled the return to easiness. Familiar territory. He’d forgotten how perfect time with her could be, when it was just them, in the Jeep listening to music or doing nothing at all. He wasn’t sure what the hell they were doing together or how to categorize their relationship now that it included sex, but he liked it. He liked it a lot, and maybe that was the problem.
“WOW.” PIPER SET HER controller down on the sofa next to her and blinked at the TV, still not sure how she was—yet again—dead.
“Damn this game is brutal.”
“I don’t understand how that just happened. I loaded, which means I should have had at least ten shots.”
“Maybe it’s a glitch?”
“I don’t think so. Again?”
“It’s five. I’m hungry. I’m tired of dying and watching you try to not die.”
“Okay. Fine.” Piper leaned her head back and closed her eyes. Her stomach rumbled, making its displeasure known. “You know what I’m craving? The fully loaded fries at the Arcade Grill.”
“Is that place any good?”
“What?” Piper turned her head and stared at Gideon. “You’ve never been there?”
“Time, dude.” He spread his hands.
“We’re going.” Piper pushed to her feet. She was grateful she’d thought to grab some extra clothes from her apartment when they picked up the game. The shower she’d had earlier didn’t hurt either.
Gideon blinked at her for half a second before pushing to his feet and stretching. He was used to the her who stayed home and hid from the world. That wasn’t her anymore. Sure, she did plenty of hiding, but going out was something she could do, though these days she did order her groceries online. It had nothing to do with being scared of going out, and was instead all about managing her time so she could afford weeks like this, where she slacked off from work and hung out with friends.
It was such a different life from the way she was raised. Before, food was wherever they stopped on the road or the microwavable fare from a gas station. There was no internet or phones, either. Just her, Dad and the road.
“Ready now?” he asked.
“Yup. Can we take the top off the Jeep?”
“I thought you’d never ask.” He grinned, those dimples of his barely visible under a few days of scruff.
She’d liked the clean-shaven, still rough around the edges man who’d treated her to a magical night out, but this was the man who’d been her rock, the one she trusted. She still liked spending time with him.
In short order they took the hard top off Gideon’s Wrangler and were cruising across L.A. toward the Arcade Grill.
These were the moments she missed most. Being together. Listening to music. There was no pressure to be anything except who and what she was. Gideon had always accepted her in all her broken states without judgment. The girls didn’t always do that. They were understanding and patient, but they pushed when she needed to be left alone. She knew they meant well, but they weren’t Gideon. There was no replacing him. Ever. And that left her at a crossroads she didn’t want to acknowledge yet.
Tonight, she wanted dinner and some more time on the couch with him, like the old days. Maybe they could binge watch Supernatural so she could get caught up with everyone else. Or maybe they’d play more Drudge. Whatever they did, she’d enjoy it. There wasn’t going to be too many days like today in the future.
Gideon pulled into the fairly full lot at the grill and Piper’s stomach sank.
It was a popular place, especially for her work
crowd.
Damn.
She was so accustomed to coming here with a group she hadn’t thought through bringing just her and Gideon. The neon lights in the window, foraged from some long dead arcade, winked at her, beckoning her inside.
When she went out with her groups, they insulated her from the world. With just two of them, she felt naked. Vulnerable.
This had to stop.
“Looks kind of packed. You want to go through a drive through instead?” Gideon said without missing a beat.
She could say yes and they’d do the safe thing. They’d get it to go, and she’d be able to continue without challenging herself. But that wasn’t what she wanted. She would never figure out how to best her anxiety if she didn’t face it down.
“No.” Piper swallowed and unbuckled her seatbelt.
What was it Tamara said? In a crowd of a hundred people, ten want to be you and ten want to hate you. She’d stopped living her professional life in fear of those who hated her. It was time her private life followed suit.
Gideon opened her door for her, his smile warm and not a bit of pity etched on his features. He offered her his hand, and she took it, sliding out of the vehicle. She let go once her feet touched the ground. This wasn’t a date. They were just breaking to eat. Together. In a crowded restaurant.
She swallowed down the first tingle of uncertainty.
She came here all the time. The only difference was tonight she was here with one person, not a tribe.
A warm hand pressed against her lower spine. She took a step and Gideon stayed with her. Together they crossed the parking lot to the doors and stepped inside.
The noise was familiar. A dozen, old games beeped and chirped while adults jockeyed the joysticks. People talked. The smell of food reminded her stomach why they were here.
“There’s a booth.” Gideon nodded at a smaller table tucked in a corner.
She’d take it.
Piper wove through the tables and people, keeping her head down. She was glad to be able to put a pin in what it was that truly bothered her. She wasn’t ashamed to be seen in public with Gideon. What caused her anxiety was the unknown. With any luck they’d share a quiet meal and leave without incident, proving once more that her fears were all in her head.
The Fake Boyfriend and the Geek (Gone Geek Book 6) Page 8
