Must Love Wieners

by Griffin, Casey

  But the first words to find their way out were, “I don’t want a boyfriend.”

  His imploring grip around her hands slackened and he leaned against the tufted backrest.

  She smiled, reaching for him. “I want a partner.”

  He leaned forward again like he wasn’t sure if he heard right. “A partner?”

  “Fifty-fifty.” She pointed at him. “Those are my terms. Take ’em or leave ’em.”

  A grin spread across his face, his dimple finally making an appearance. “Fifty-fifty.” He nodded. “Those sound like reasonable terms. I’ll have my lawyer draw up the contract.”

  “Should we shake on it?” She held out a hand between them.

  “No.” He reached over and pulled her toward him. She slid across the hard leather until she was wrapped in his arms. “No more handshakes.” And he sealed the deal with a kiss.

  Eventually, he pulled away, but Piper grabbed him by the tie. “Oh no. We’re not finished here.”

  “We’re not? I thought we came to a pretty good resolution.”

  “That’s just the start.” Standing up, she pulled on his tie, forcing him to his feet. “I’ve got a whole list of demands for you.”

  “You know, you’d make a good lawyer.”

  “Is that so?” She tugged on his tie, leading him toward the stairs like she had him on a leash. “Well then. Come on, counsel.”

  “Where are we going?” His voice growled low and thick, stirring something inside her.

  “To continue our negotiations in your chambers,” she purred.

  He followed her up the stairs and down the hall to his bedroom. The room was dark but for the streetlights glowing through the row of old multipaned Georgian windows. There was a scuttle of little footsteps that chased after them, nails clicking on the hardwood floor.

  Aiden met the two dachshunds at the door. “Sorry, guys. This is human playtime only.”

  The second he closed the door, soft whining drifted from the other side.

  “They’ll get over it.” Piper slipped her hand into his and led him farther into the room.

  “I can be a pretty a hard negotiator, you know,” Aiden said.

  “So I noticed.” Her eyes roamed over his suit pants that were growing tighter by the second. “Hard is good.”

  Wanting to finally see what that suit and tie had been hiding, Piper stopped in front of the windows where the slanted streetlight glowed against his white button-down shirt. Aiden bent his mouth to hers. She pulled at his tucked shirt and ran her hands across the firmness of his abs. Two, four, six, and yup, there were eight.

  Desperate to see more, she tugged furiously at his buttons. His tongue slid in and out of her mouth, caressing hers, making buttons seem like brain surgery. With only two left to go, his muscular chest so close, she said, “Screw it,” and yanked his shirt open. The buttons popped and flew across the dark room. Oh, well, she thought, he has two dozen more just like it.

  As she pulled his shirt back, she wasn’t disappointed. His gym membership was well worth the money. She’d have to remember to thank them. She may not have been a customer, but she was definitely satisfied.

  He took more care with her clothes as he slid her jeans off, making sure not to rub against the bruise on her hip. Her tank top, however, he tugged down beneath her breasts, and he popped the clasp on the front of her bra before she could even gasp. His mouth was moving across them in seconds, licking, suckling, like a starving man.

  She moaned and arched against him, running her hands through his hair, pushing his face into them. “I take it you’re the kind of man who devours his dessert rather than savors.”

  “Oh, I have savored you.” He ran his tongue up her neck, sucking her earlobe. “Every time I’ve seen you in one of your little costumes, I’ve savored, I’ve studied, I’ve thought about it while I’ve pleasured myself.”

  Piper gasped at his husky voice. His words tickled her ear, a direct line to her hips, which automatically pressed against his. These words, his voice so full of craving and hunger, surprised her. They were not the words of her orderly, reserved CEO whom she dreamed of ravaging.

  “I’ve had enough of looking at you,” he said. Hooking his thumb under the lace of her thong—the only one left with a crotch—he dragged it down her body until it fell to her feet. Scooping her up, he tossed her lightly on his bed. “I’m ready for a taste.”

  And taste her he did. Every. Square. Inch.

  He started with her toes, kissing each one. He nibbled his way up her calves, gliding his tongue along her thigh. She held her breath as his mouth worked its way up the inside of her leg until she could feel his hot breath tickling between her thighs. She watched his head bob up and down as he took his time exploring everywhere but the spot that called to him the most.

  Unable to stand it anymore, she wove her fingers into his thick hair and drew his luscious mouth closer. At the last second, he turned his face away and kissed her hip. Her breath left her in a frustrated grunt and he chuckled in satisfaction. She felt the rumble in her belly, stirring something deep inside her that Zoe’s vibrators could never reach.

  Tucking his thumbs under the tank top around her waist, he slid it up over her breasts. He paused to admire. Tongue swirling in delicious circles, he toyed with each nipple in turn until they stuck out, as hard and aroused as the bulge rubbing eagerly between her legs.

  “How have I pleaded my case so far?” he asked.

  She pretended to think for a moment. “Not bad, but I think I’d like to reexamine your briefs.” Piper reached down and unfastened his pants. She slid her hand along the waistband of his boxer briefs, teasing him like he was teasing her.

  His breath hitched. “I think you’ll like what you find.”

  Just as she drew the elastic down around his hips, he pulled away. “But not yet.”

  She pouted, narrowing her eyes playfully. “I object. You’re out of order.”

  With a wicked grin, he knelt between her parted legs. In the dim light filtering into the room, she could see him half-peeking out of the top of his boxers—and half was more than enough already. But he was annoyingly just out of reach. She licked her lips at the thought of him inside of her.

  “I told you I was a hard negotiator,” he said. “You’ll just have to wait.”

  “Is that up for debate?”

  “If it’s a debate you’re looking for, then I’ll give you a good tongue-lashing.” The grin on his face carried a warm surge through her belly.

  Aiden settled on his stomach, nestled between her legs. He took his time exploring every satiny smooth inch that her recent trip to the wax salon had exposed. Each kiss brought him closer to her sweet spot. When she could feel his hot breath tickling it, so very close, the air caught in her chest and fire ran through her nerves, building higher, hotter, almost painful until he pressed his lips against her. So light, so soft and sweet, but her sensitive nerves exploded with the relief.

  Piper gasped with each soft peck he gave her until her hips were grinding closer, craving more. His tongue darted out over and over again, building her need until he finally dragged it all the way up, long and slow.

  Her eyes rolled into the back of her head and she fell back against the pillow. All she could focus on was the swirling of his tongue, his lips closing around her, holding her there. Soon his fingers joined in and it all blended into one mind-blowing sensation that made her toes curl, her hips rock, her legs quiver. This was definitely better than her vibrator.

  She’d lost complete control of her body. It bucked on its own, her back arching to the movement of his fingers. Her moans grew louder, building steadily. Then, with a curl of his finger, like he was motioning for her to come, he took her by surprise. She cried out and clenched the sheets beneath her as her body began to convulse with pleasure.

  Long after her shudders subsided, the sensations continued to run through her veins like a drug. Aiden kissed his way up her body to end on her lips. She kissed
him back hungrily, craving more than his tongue, his fingers. She wanted all of him.

  Piper knew that whatever issues might lie between them still, it would never be enough to keep them apart. She trusted Aiden, wanted him, and at that moment she desperately needed him inside of her.

  Rolling on his back, he reached into his bedside table. He’d barely finished rolling the condom down his exquisite length before she threw a leg over him. Unable to wait another second, she finally opened herself up to him, her heart, her soul, her body. Sliding down, she took him in all at once, his own moan of pleasure rivaling hers.

  Piper felt a sudden onslaught of satisfaction and fulfillment after imagining that moment a hundred times since the day they met. She rocked her hips back and forth, feeling his girth slide in and out of her. He met her with thrusts of his own, matching her greed for more, to fill her, all of her—her longing, that need in her life, to escape from her worries and fears, from the stress and the loneliness. She didn’t have to do it alone. They would do it together.

  And together they did.

  His hands came up to grip her hips, moving her faster and faster, matching the rhythm of her delighted pants until the world, everything going on in Piper’s crazy life, melted away into oblivion. It was just her and Aiden.

  When his final moan joined hers, their bodies shuddered and trembled together, and in that moment the weight of the world seemed as light as a feather.

  30

  In the Doghouse

  When Piper rolled over in the California king bed Monday morning, she reached out, searching for Aiden, but her hand landed on empty Egyptian cotton sheets. He’d already gone to work. In his place, however, she found a little box of her favorite chocolates—and two big lazy balls of fur. It seemed Colin and Sophie had joined her in a snuggle session at some point that morning.

  As tempted as she was to eat chocolate for breakfast, she thought a balanced meal would better prepare her for another full day at the center. It was Zoe’s turn to open early—well, to show up, since no one was allowed inside the building yet. Piper had planned to arrive at the same time; however, she was currently transportationless. As it was, she didn’t know how she was going to get to her telegram gig.

  Aiden’s collared shirt was still lying crumpled on the floor where she’d stripped it off him the night before. She slipped it on and headed for the kitchen. After pulling out some ingredients for an omelet, she headed to the sink. While she washed the vegetables she tried to organize her day, but her disloyal mind wouldn’t cooperate. Instead, it wandered back to her night spent with Aiden.

  Things couldn’t have been more perfect. They were finally on the same page together. Together. The word instilled a calm in her, a fullness. Rather than feeling as though she’d given something up, had become dependent upon this other person, she felt stronger for it. It wasn’t about being reliant or needing help. She was part of a team. They were definitely headed in the right direction.

  As she stared out the window above the sink, something red caught her attention in the driveway. It was her VW Bug. Abandoning the vegetables, she ran upstairs to throw on some clothes—she remembered to make a mental note to pick up some more underwear that day—and headed outside.

  The fresh new poppy red paint job sparkled in the late morning sun, hiding any evidence of Laura’s love note. Piper rounded the car and noticed the passenger window had been fixed.

  Grinning, she opened the VW’s door to have a look, and a wave of pine freshness hit her. It had that new car smell to it. All the broken glass had been cleaned out, every nook and cranny. Her old VW Bug looked like new. Well, sort of.

  She went back inside for her phone and texted Aiden while she continued to make breakfast.

  You fixed my car!

  A few minutes later her phone chimed. I was able to get it into the shop early. Tamara drove it back this morning. Are you mad?

  Piper’s mouth twisted at the mention of Tamara’s name. For a brief second, she worried about sabotage. How hard would it be for the girl to cut her brakes? As she considered her response, she received another text.

  I also had them address that check engine light.

  But it’s been there forever. It could have waited.

  Until when? When you were on your way to your exam, or your first day at work, and it exploded?

  It wasn’t going to explode:P

  Your car? Yes. It would have.

  Ha-ha. Don’t hate the car just because you’re jealous.

  She stared out the window at her perfect VW and knew she wasn’t mad. It was actually a very thoughtful gesture. It also fixed her transportation issue.

  Thank you. To show she was sincere, she added a:).

  You’re welcome. X.

  Relying on others wasn’t really her thing. It didn’t come naturally to her. She avoided being indebted to anyone—you know, except for the bank, the credit card company, and the taxman. But with Aiden she didn’t feel indebted, at least not since they’d talked it over. It was about give-and-take, and she looked forward to doing nice things for him in return. She went to get ready for work, smiling as she imagined how she would pay him back when he got home that night.

  That smile remained there as she crawled into her VW Bug with Colin and headed to her telegram gig—only after testing the brakes. It didn’t even disappear when she noticed that, instead of the same Katy Perry CD that had been stuck in her ancient stereo deck for the last two years, she heard the radio tune in. Startled, she glanced down to see her old one had been replaced with a brand-new, very expensive-looking system. Even then, her smile didn’t waiver … much.

  They headed across town in her pine-fresh car to the UCSF campus to tell someone they did a “super” job that year. She’d considered bringing Sophie, but Colin was enough of a handful as it was. He didn’t match her Supergirl costume, but she’d never had to explain his presence during the occasional performance in the past. Everyone would just call him adorable and want to pet him. He’d lap up the attention while Piper would rake in the tips, which were always better when he was with her—because apparently he was cuter than she was.

  On her way to the rescue center, she began to think that life was starting to turn around. Sure, she’d been evicted, all her stuff was destroyed, and she was nearly killed a couple of times, but her contentment surrounding Aiden overshadowed all that. As though that giddy joy could get her through anything life could throw at her, even when she took on way too much.

  Snorting, she shook her head at her pathetic self. She was starting to think like Addison. But maybe now she understood what her friend was talking about. All those sunshine and rainbow feelings when it came to love.

  Love. There wasn’t even a hint of sarcasm in her attitude as she thought of the word. Was it too soon? Was it possible? With Aiden, she felt anything was possible. With him, nothing was too much.

  Of course, there were still those doubts, those questions plaguing Piper, about his work, about why he’d been so secretive, doing everything he could to keep her in the dark about the center. But every doubt she’d had so far always turned out to be something silly and insignificant, something that could be explained away. And this was probably the same. She determined that when Aiden got home that night from work she’d talk to him about everything that had been bothering her. There had to be a simple explanation for everything. Right?

  But her life was never that simple, as it decided to remind her the moment she pulled into the rescue center parking lot that afternoon. The smile that had been lingering since she woke that morning melted from her face. Lording over the lot was a sign with the title in big, black glaring letters. Rezoning Application.

  She parked the car and frowned at Colin. “Rezoning for what?”

  Colin leaned against the passenger window, staring at the sign in the same confused way she was. He glanced over his shoulder and gave her what was most certainly a shrug. “Beats me.”

  Piper slipped on a light coat
over her costume and grabbed her backpack with her change of clothes. They jumped out of her car, marching over to the ten-foot sign. Colin sniffed around the pinewood post before raising his leg and letting the sign know exactly what he thought about it.

  Piper stared at the enlarged map at the top, at its lines and measurements, over and over, trying to understand what she was seeing. Or rather, trying to find some other explanation, some way to deny what it was telling her. With a shaking hand, she slid her sunglasses on top of her head as though that might make things clearer.

  The plot of land in question encompassed not only the Dachshund Rescue Center but several of the surrounding properties as well. They wanted to change the classification from commercial to residential. She read the details of the proposal, thinking there must be some mistake, but it confirmed what the map told her. They wanted to build something where the rescue center was. Her beloved rescue center.

  Holding out a steadying hand, she leaned against the sign, her breaths coming faster and faster. Right in front of her face, she found a note at the bottom of the sign that said: Further information can be obtained from Caldwell and Son Investments Ltd.

  Of course, she thought, tears prickling her eyes. Because the only person who could apply for rezoning was the owner. Her boyfriend.

  31

  Hot on the Scent

  Gravel crunched under Piper’s tall, red Supergirl boots as she followed Colin, running around to the back courtyard. She unlatched the gate and barreled though, yelling, “Addy? Zoe? Have you seen that sign—”

  A lens reared out of nowhere and into her face. She stumbled, catching herself on the tall wooden fence. She got a whiff of Chanel before she was eating a microphone.

  “Piper Summers,” Holly accused. Or at least it sounded like the annoying reporter, but Piper couldn’t see anything but her distorted reflection in the camera lens. “What do you have to say for yourself?”