I laugh with her to keep it from being too awkward.
“No, seriously. It’s a good thing you didn’t marry Kurt the billionaire and have his babies,” she says. “It’s a good thing you didn’t rush it—that you actually get to live. Eight years ago, I wasn’t ready to have kids. But I was given two at once and I seriously thought I was going to die.”
“Stop it,” I laugh. “They are good kids… well, sometimes,” I add on, picking up my glass.
“Sometimes,” she giggles. “But not always. I love Dexter and my kids and I wouldn’t trade them for anything in this world, but if I could go back, make my own choices and build my own career, and still have them, I would. Because I know I could have done something better for myself. I was just too stupid and too stuck in my ways, listening to Mom and Dad, thinking they knew what was best since they pretty much have it made.”
“Don’t be so hard on yourself. You have a great life! Plus, you are the oldest, Lena.” I rub her arm. “They expect you to do what they want you to do because you are their first. It’s tough being the first girl and firstborn, carrying all of that weight, having to live up to the standards and remain a little better than the rest.”
“Yes, but it will also wear you out.”
My lips press.
She looks up at me, meeting my eyes. “Are you happy with Matthew? He’s a handsome guy, by the way. Glad you have good taste, unlike Bailey,” she teases.
I let out a coy laugh, as if Matthew is really mine. Oh, get a grip, Piper. “I am happy with him. We’re really good together.”
“And how long has it been for you guys again?”
“Eight months.” I nod.
“Eight? Wow. That’s a pretty long time. Well, don’t let him go. He seems like a real keeper. I can’t wait to get to know him a little more when everyone’s awake.”
“He’s a great guy.”
“Great in bed too, apparently,” she says, snorting.
I gasp, giving her a look full of horror. “Oh my God! Lena! You heard?” I whisper-hiss.
“I heard enough. I tried not to listen as I walked by but I did catch an earful. Did he say something about Santa giving you coal?” She chortles, dropping her fork and clutching herself.
I groan, face-palming myself dramatically. “Oh my goodness. You weren’t supposed to hear any of that, Lena.” I can feel my face burning, my embarrassment on full display.
“Don’t worry,” she says, standing from her stool, scraping her plate off and then placing it in the sink, “I won’t tell a soul. But you sounded like you had a good time. That’s all that matters, right?” She walks toward the mouth of the kitchen, winking over her shoulder. “Keep it up, Pipey. Stay happy. I admire you for not always caving in to what our parents demand of us. Whether they want to admit it or not, I know Mom and Dad are actually really proud of you.”
“That’s good to know, I guess.”
I watch her walk away until I can’t see her anymore. After I finish my glass of wine, I place it in the sink, and then I turn and lean my back against the edge of the counter, smiling—not only because of what she’s just told me, but because I am damn proud of myself, too.
Now I feel sort of idiotic for bringing Matthew with me. Maybe I didn’t need to hire a pretend boyfriend to please my family. Maybe I just needed to stick with my dreams, my goals, and hope for the best.
For their approval.
For their appreciation.
It was bound to come sooner or later, but with Matthew here, maybe I’ll hear those exact words coming out of all of their mouths before this Christmas weekend is officially over.
Chapter 8
Piper
The sun is bright when I wake up, the light seeping through my cracked eyelids.
I groan, flipping onto my stomach and checking the alarm clock with one eye open. It’s nearing 7:30 a.m.
I look to my left, noticing Matthew isn’t in bed. My eyes travel over to where his suitcase is, a pair of clothes folded neatly on top of the chair.
I should get up. Everyone will be in the kitchen within the next half-hour.
Pushing out of bed with a heavy yawn, I tread toward the bathroom, pushing the door open.
I gasp when I spot Matthew in front of the mirror with a white towel wrapped around his waist, and those impeccable abs on display again.
He’s just finished brushing his teeth, placing his toothbrush in the holder. When he hears the door open he turns halfway, glancing over his shoulder.
“Finally awake, sleepyhead?”
I rub my eyes, shaking my head. “Yeah. I’m tired. Stayed up way too late last night.”
“Yeah, I woke up again around 4:30. You weren’t in bed. Thought something was wrong.”
“I went to the kitchen for a glass of wine and caught Lena in there. We talked for a while.”
“Really? What about?”
“Just…life.” I grip the doorknob. “You wanna know what she said to me that actually surprised me?”
“What’s that?”
“She said she admired me for doing what I wanted with my life instead of what Mom and Dad wanted me to do.” I fold my arms, leaning against the wall as Matthew turns to face me. “She also said she loves her kids to death, loves her husband as well and wouldn’t trade them for the world, but if she could go back, she would. She wanted to major in interior design. Our parents said it was a dumb idea so she never went through with it.”
“Wow.”
“Also, I think she may have admitted that she and Bailey are their happy little ass-kissers.”
I laugh as he does. “Good thing you aren’t like that, huh?”
When the merriment simmers, his eyes run over the length of me before pulling up and sighing. “How do you feel?”
I look into his eyes, knowing exactly what he’s implying.
“Exhausted,” I say, stepping forward and grabbing my toothbrush.
I pick up the tube of toothpaste and add a dab, brushing my teeth quickly. All the while I can feel him watching me from behind.
I shut off the water but before I can put my toothbrush away, Matthew is standing behind me, pressing his body against me.
His groin pushes into my ass and I realize that through that towel, he’s hard. I look at his reflection in the mirror.
“What are you doing?” I laugh softly.
“Saying good morning the way a real boyfriend would.” He kisses the crook of my neck and I nearly melt inside. The heat travels down, building up in my most sacred area.
I drop my toothbrush and turn in his arms, looking up to meet his honey eyes. “Wait—” I press a hand against his chest. “I thought you said this shouldn’t happen anymore.” I point between us, confused. “I know I got carried away last night.”
“I liked it. Probably a little too much,” he murmurs on my lips.
“I bet you did.”
“Maybe what I meant is this shouldn’t happen…much.”
My eyes widen, and I bite my lower lip, fighting a grin. “You’re serious right now, aren’t you?”
He responds with a kiss on my cheek and a gentle push of his hard cock into my groin.
“But isn’t that breaking all of your ‘escort’ rules?” I make air parentheses with my fingers.
“Possibly…”
“God, you are so confusing,” I whisper.
“Trust me, I’m confused as fuck about you too.” He looks me over carefully, like he is confused and trying to understand me. “You want to know what I’ve been thinking about all morning?”
He grips my waist and picks me up. My butt lands on the counter, and he steps between my parted legs with a smirk on his lips.
“What?”
“I keep thinking that what happened last night wasn’t nearly enough.” He studies my mouth. “The way you rode my cock, how tight and wet you were. I need more, Piper. A lot more. I know we only have about twenty-five minutes, but,” he sighs, pulling my shorts down and tossing them in the
corner. He takes my shirt off next. “I’ll be quick.” His lips land on the bend of my neck again, and he sucks, causing a tingling sensation to spiral between my legs and hit me right in the core. “I promise.”
His towel drops to the floor, the thick white fabric forming into a puddle around his feet. He moves in closer between my legs until he’s so close I feel his hot erection at my entrance.
Pulling me toward the edge of the counter, he cups my face in his hands, and looks at my lips, but he doesn’t kiss them.
“Do you realize how beautiful you are?”
My breath becomes labored as I shut my eyes, whirling inside from his touch.
“Your family doesn’t see what I see. A flawless, beautiful, independent woman.” Before I can open my eyes, Matthew is deep inside me, hugging me against his hard, chiseled body.
“Matthew,” I breathe. “I—we shouldn’t. Really.” I say it, but who am I kidding? I’m drowning in him right now—so lost. So careless.
“I know…but we can’t help it. I can’t help it. If I want something, I go after it.”
“But why do you want me?” I ask as he picks me up off the counter and turns for the wall. My back bumps against it, and he grunts, building up a quick pace.
I look over his shoulder with my arms latched around his neck, and I get the perfect view of his toned back and sculpted ass in the mirror.
“I like your free spirit,” he breathes in my ear, his fingers curling around the nape of my neck. “I like knowing that you really don’t need me, but that you still crave every single inch of me.”
I bite into my bottom lip, staring into his eyes.
His jaw locks as he focuses on mine, and then he cups my ass, grinding into me, hips circling, body tightening. My back bows against the wall, my eyes sealing.
I can feel my breasts bouncing, but before I can cup one of them, his lips seal around my nipple, sucking, bringing me up to ultimate pleasure, even more so when his beard grazes my skin.
“Shit,” I hear him growl as he brings his head back up. He gropes my ass, sighing, breathing deep. “Your pussy is incredible, Piper. So fucking good.”
I hold onto him, my fingernails sliding down his muscular back. My hands fall lower, cupping his ass and guiding him deeper.
It’s the magic trick.
Just like that, Matthew groans, grinding harder, deeper, cursing and panting in my ear.
He squeezes my ass in his large hands, spanks it twice, and before he can come, he pulls out, places me on my feet, forces me to my knees, and demands me to open my mouth.
I spread my lips apart and he thrusts his hips forward and shoves himself into my mouth, cursing and stroking. He fucks my mouth, making me gag around his thickness, his hands planted on the wall above as I wrap my hands around his thighs.
I take him whole, choking on his length. He watches me with eyes that are lit on fire, and then he shudders and his abs constrict. He comes fast and hard, squirting in my mouth.
“Fuck yes, Piper. Your mouth is so perfect.” He twitches when I pull back and circle the head of his cock with my tongue and then take him whole again. I swallow every single drop he gives me.
When I feel him going limp between my lips, I pull back, and he sighs, offering a hand and helping me to a stand.
But what he does next is completely unexpected.
Apparently Matthew Cooper is a man who believes a woman should be just as satisfied as a man.
Lifting me up, he sits me on the counter, bends on one knee, brings my ass to the edge, spreads my legs apart, and eats me like breakfast.
A squeal fills the bathroom, and this time I’m sure someone will hear it. I try and keep it down, but the constant flicks and strokes of his tongue, the way it moves so quickly while diving deep into my pussy, is enough for me to come undone.
“I knew you’d taste good,” he growls between my legs. “I could spend hours between your legs, Piper.” He kisses the insides of my thighs, his mouth so close to my sex I can still feel his tongue there. “Teasing you,” he groans, tracing his tongue along the lips. “Sucking…licking…tasting all of you.”
His hard, honey eyes move up to mine, and he hauls me forward by the hips, gluing his mouth to my clit and swirling his tongue around it. He holds me hostage to his mouth, eating so ravenously my legs end up locking around his face.
He licks until he sees me trembling, spreading my legs wider apart until I shatter and my back hits the mirror.
“Holy shit,” I cry out, hoping it can’t be heard. It’s a shame I don’t care if I was. This feeling has to be cherished. It feels too amazing to hold back.
My legs quake around his head, and with one final, gradual roll of his tongue between my folds, Matthew lets up, grinning at me from between my legs.
“Weren’t expecting that, were you?” He’s clearly proud of his accomplishment.
Hell, I’m proud of him. A man that loves to please. Now that’s a dream come true. Too bad this can only last for a couple more hours.
“Not at all,” I pant. “You are seriously starting to astound me, temporary boyfriend.”
He chuckles and pushes to a stand, helping me off the counter. “Then I guess I’m doing my job right, Piper Madison.”
Right. His job.
He steps back and turns for the sink. “Come on,” he says, running the water from the faucet. “Let’s get you cleaned up. I’m sure your parents will be waiting for us soon.”
I smile at him through the mirror. “Let’s just hope they didn’t hear us.”
He winks at my reflection. “Let’s hope.”
Chapter 9
Piper
After sitting at the table for nearly an hour over a cup of coffee, a pancake, and some bacon, we are finally finished with our cards to Monty.
I’m certain Stanley purposely slept in so he wouldn’t have make one. He watched us all when he finally made his morning debut, annoyed that we’d actually done it. I want to wish Monty a good Christmas, especially if I can’t see him in person anytime soon.
I’m guessing Stanley couldn’t convince the clinic of letting Monty go, which is another reason he seems slightly irritable. Sad that not even phone calls are allowed. What kind of place did my parents put him in?
After Mom collects the cards, stuffing them in her tote bag to ship in the mail, we run to the store for small things like cinnamon, vanilla extract, milk, and sugar cookies.
As we stroll the aisles, Mom, Bailey, and Lena chatting away about their lives and Bailey bragging about her big holiday bonus at her job on Wall Street, my mind is centered on one thing.
Matthew Cooper.
He’s better in bed than I imagined but now I feel like a fool. After Doug, my occasional dose of dick, told me I wasn’t wife material, I try to avoid getting too attached to anyone.
He made it clear that because I work so much, and spend my free time thrift shopping, that I’m not capable of anything serious.
So, because I have a passion for something in life, I’m not meant to be married? My belief is that Doug is intimidated by my independence. And the truth is, sometimes I am too.
I’m afraid of it because I’m so good at being alone. I don’t mind going to the movies by myself with a large bucket of popcorn and a frozen cherry-flavored drink.
I don’t mind going into work early and then leaving later than everyone else to finish a project that won’t be due for weeks.
I don’t mind watching Netflix alone or making margaritas at home and singing so loudly the neighbors can hear me.
I don’t. I really don’t because I love my apartment. I love my job. I love my clothes. I love binging on coffee and donuts in the mornings and then getting on my elliptical to burn the calories right off during my lunch break or at night. I love doing what I want.
To put it simply, I love my life and who I am, and I wouldn’t trade it for a single damn thing in this world.
I can’t help but think what if?
What if Mat
thew and I actually took this past the weekend? What if he became my occasional fling instead of stupid Doug?
I’m too afraid to think of that. What if it got serious? What if we wanted more later on? It would never work because his job would be a huge issue for me, and I work so much he’d hardly get to see me. It’s not that I’m afraid of commitment. It’s just that commitment and I don’t make the best of friends.
I depart from my sisters and Mom, going down the book aisle to browse. I spot a comic book bundle for The Walking Dead and smile when I remember Matthew saying how much he loved the series and wanted it as a hard copy.
I pick it up without checking the price. I know I’m paying him and all, but if we’re going to play the part I have to make sure he has a gift tomorrow, right?
I take the collection along with me, running into Mom by the dairy section. “What you got there, sweetie?” she asks, looking down at the books.
“Oh, they’re for Matthew.”
“Matthew? Really? He likes comic books?”
“Loves them,” I say with moderate exaggeration.
“I didn’t expect a guy like him to like comic books.” Her response is snarky. Apparently reading comic books during downtime is not a suitable pursuit.
I don’t respond to her, and when the twins and Lena round the corner with boxes of sugary cereal in hand, I’m glad.
“Oh, look at my babies,” Mom coos as Jana and Joey rush for her, shouting “Nana look!” repeatedly. Lena looks at me and sighs. I give her a knowing look, smiling sweetly.
Someone bumps into my right shoulder and when I look up, I meet Bailey’s green eyes. “So, baby sister! You and Matthew, huh? How long do you think this will last?”
“I don’t have a timer on it, Bailey,” I mutter, rolling my eyes.
“Hey!” She throws her hands in the air, giving a not-guilty stance. “I’m just asking a question. He’s such a good guy and we all know how you tend to run the good ones out of your life.”
I turn to face her. “Oh yeah? And what about you, Bailey?” I fold my arms, cocking a brow. “I don’t see you bringing home Mr. Right.”
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