The horn blared, and it made me jump. He steadied me. A shiver coursed through my body from contact, though his hands were warming on my waist.
“Jumpy little sprite,” he said and grinned, showing off a pair of dimples in his cheeks.
I wasn’t about to remove his lingering hands though I was finding it difficult to control my breathing. I was willing to pass out, right there, to keep them on me. I was totally lust drunk—not just because I’d not had sex for a while. His head tilted down. I followed his eyes to my nipples, peaked in the thin fabric of my silk blouse. He took in a sharp breath, and I shifted on my feet. Okay. Sex hadn’t happened for a long while. But I’d bed him without three dates.
The sound of the window going down and my mother’s shrill voice broke the moment apart. “What are you waiting for? Here. Take my platinum card and hurry.”
He let go of me like I had burned him. The smile on his face melted away as he glanced between my mother’s pointed glare and me. I inhaled as he flicked his gaze at me once more before cutting through the cars to the station without another backward glance.
My face heated as I took the card from my mother’s outstretched hand. I turned to look at the pump. “ATM down. Pay at the window.”
“It takes cash,” I grumbled, handing it back to her.
She pulled out a couple of crisp bills and handed it to me. “There is no need to take that tone with me. Hurry up. We have to go.”
I walked across the island to take my place in line at the gas station window behind the gorgeous stranger. I had almost reached the space in line behind him when a young woman cut in front of me and yelled.
“Brody!” I recognized her as the woman with the bright pink helmet, now a bright pink bobbed hairstyle. She was wearing a black and pink leather suit fitting her like a second skin on her thin frame. She wrapped her arms around his waist.
“Calm down, Seren,” he said to her before giving her a hug. His tone had a deep rumble. A sexy rumble.
I lowered my head. Of course, a man that good looking would be taken. I could only imagine how bad she would feel if she saw his hands on my waist. I folded my arms.
“We’re going to The Warehouse tonight? They are going to have a live band,” she said to him.
The Warehouse? Scratch that place off my list.
“Don’t you think you should take it easy after last night?” he told her.
“No. I can cross off a couple of things from my list if we go. Please,” she whined.
“Maybe,” he said smiling at her.
I lifted my head again, and our eyes met; making my heartbeat speed up again. He slowly turned to the window and paid for the gas.
“That means yes!” she said, lifting her hands and giving a pleased howl. They moved away, and I quickly made an estimated guess of how much gas to get and paid for it. I glanced at him and this time, they both were looking my way. Not breaking eye contact, he said something quietly to her, and she laughed.
I felt heat warm my cheeks as I turned and walked back over to the pump. Removing the gas cap, I inserted the nozzle and started pumping gas, all the time willing myself not to look at Brody or Seren again. But then Professor Gilmore came to mind. Stop playing safe. Seize the moment.
I turned back to him with confidence this time and found him smiling. I ran my tongue over my lips and smiled back at him. He climbed back on his bike, still looking over at me. He was leaving. I felt a weirdness seep into my stomach at the thought of never seeing him again. But the moment had to end, and it did. I finished up at the pump and climbed inside of the car. Before my mother could launch into a complaint, I turned on the radio, and the song “Can’t Find My Way Home” by Blind Faith filled the car. I heard the sound of their bikes as they took off down the road. As we followed, my attention was rapt on the way they coasted down the road. What my father called coasting death. He always said on a bike he never felt so free. I let my mind coast along with them for a few moments out of pure envy.
“Piper, stop daydreaming and listen to me,” my mother said, breaking my concentration. She moved the car into the left turn lane. I nodded though my eyes followed Brody and Seren as they moved into the right turn lane. I gazed hard at his black and silver helmet, and my pulse was fast as I watched it slowly twist in my direction. I raised my hand and gave him a little wave through the window, not sure if he could see me. Why on earth did I do that? I dropped my hand back in my lap but kept my gaze glued in his direction until our car moved forward, and we turned off toward the dealership. My mother turned down the music at the same time as my phone buzzed. I dug into my handbag and found it was an incoming message from Jorge.
“I pick you up at nine?”
I stared down at my phone. Seren’s giggle echoed through my thoughts. Do I want to watch the two of them together all night? I blew out and wrote back.
Sounds good, but let’s go to Newton instead of The Warehouse.
I felt my shoulders droop as we rode the rest of the way to the dealership.
I LET OUT A LOW whistle that got lost in the wind as I rode down one of the many brick and stone streets in Boston. I couldn’t stop myself from smiling at the memory of the blonde’s little wave. It was cute. I like it when a woman does something unexpected like that. Welcome to Boston.
We had been here just over a day, but Boston was easily turning out to be a good leg on our trip. Although I’d had reservations, I had to admit that Seren was right about this city. It looked like the builders had a plan with its rows of symmetrical shops and decorated awnings. Not to mention the well maintained, tree-lined streets nearly everywhere we rode. Hell, even the medians looked like a centerpiece on a table. And with the Charles River running through it, it was a glossy brochure. Compared to some of the places we had ridden through—gutted ghost towns—it was up there, in the top ten we’d seen so far. Sure it had ugly too, every town had ugly, but this city I enjoyed a bit more, like that beautiful blonde and her waving.
She showed up at the gas station. She was tightly strung and almost maimed me with her car door. But when she’d jumped into my arms and pressed her firm round tits into my chest—I’d forgiven her. She didn’t even try to move my hands from her waist, just stared up at me with her big blue eyes, licking her plump, suck-me, lips. Hell, I’d have let her do it all over again to keep those eyes on me and feel her soft curves. She had me dazed. Good thing Mama Bear released me from my trance and put me back in my place by flashing her platinum card. If I’d learned anything in my twenty-five years; it was to stay in my league.
My excuse the last time was that I’d been blindsided. As with all rich ones, they were looking for a good fuck from men like me. And a couple of years back I’d given her and her friends something to brag about in the shadows of their charmed lives. I might have even tried to pump up my past to be good enough to come through the front door. But that was before. When I was stupid enough to let myself get caught up with someone out of my league. I survived, and never would go back again. I walked away; unused and unscathed.
As I snaked through traffic, I noticed my bike wasn’t running as smoothly as I liked it. It wasn’t bad, but I always kept my bikes in optimum shape. This bike had been going well for the six months I’d had it out here, but just like life, you never knew what was coming along down the pike. I looked in my rearview mirror, saw Seren behind me and sighed. Life. It had shown once again how shitty of a hand it could be for those who didn’t deserve it. After spotting the place we were staying at tonight, I signaled to Seren to follow, willing her not to try to slip off to find some trouble, not that she could be controlled. My brother Cole had his hands full with her. He wasn’t my birth brother, but he and his father were as close to family as I would get. Not that I didn’t still have one, but I hadn’t reached the status in life that would make me good enough to be a part of their lives. I didn’t think about it all as much as I used to. Another good perk of being out here on the road.
I eased up into the par
king lot and parked in front of our room. I cut the engine and sighed; looking around at the bright, pastel-colored, panel-sided hotel we were staying tonight. It wasn’t as bad as some of the places we had stayed in lately. But it would be our last night here and in Boston too. Although I liked it here, I was antsy to leave. I don’t stay in one place too long. If I did, I’d start thinking. And the useless feelings came that weren’t going to change the past or make the future better. All I had now was Seren and Cole. And that was all I needed.
I heard the gunning of the engine as I pulled off my helmet and ran my hand through my hair. Seren weaved an eight before parking. I patted my jacket for my one-hundred-and-eighty-five-day-old cigarette in my leather jacket. She would be the one who drove me to light it. But now her little elf-shaped face was giving me all sweet and innocence. She wanted something.
“So, boss, shall we head over to the business center and upload the photos for Cole or wait for his call?” She crossed over to me and batted her eyelashes. We took close to a hundred a day, and she wanted every last one, sent to Cole. It was sweet, but a time suck, often making us late to get back to the group.
I shook my head and pulled out our keys. “Cole will be calling any minute, and after that, you need a nap.”
Her whine came out anyway, but she knew better than to press me any further. Who was I fooling? She knew I would be up and out, doing it for her and she would be happy. Seren was just that easy to please, and I liked that about her.
“I’m not even sleepy,” she said stifling a yawn. She walked in, fell on the bed, and took out her phone.
“You keep telling yourself that,” I said as I grinned at her, heading toward the adjoining bedroom.
“Toss your phone,” she requested. I did, pulling it out of my leather jacket and tossing it on the bed next to her. Then asked her, “What you need it for?”
“I got a picture of Platinum Card eye fucking you.”
I gave her nothing with my expression, but she giggled anyway. Little shit stirrer.
“She was hot in a secretarial sort of a way,” Seren went on. “Want me to send it to your phone?”
I gave her a smirk. I didn’t need a picture. She had a face that nobody would forget. Seren wasn’t listening—as usual—she was sending the photo and checking her successful delivery on my phone. “Why did you ask if I wanted it in the first place?”
“I don’t know, but now you have a copy to jack off to. You should have gotten her number—” she replied.
Here we go again. Her quest to get me laid. “I’m not interested, and we’re not staying here,” I said cutting her off.
“I don’t care what Cole told you. You can have fun, Brody. He’ll be back soon—” she said, her tone going high. As luck would have it, her phone went off, and she bounced up and answered it.
“Speak of the devil . . . Cole!” Seren squealed putting him on speaker. “Where are you?”
“You know I can’t tell you,” he said. “How’s my beautiful girl? Brody taking good care of you?”
“Of course I am. Better than you would,” I teased, and he broke into a high-pitched laugh. For two hundred pounds of muscle, he laughed like a tween.
“You’d better be, asshole, or you’ll have to answer to me,” he teased back playfully. Cole knew he didn’t have to worry on that front, or he’d never have asked me. He trusted me. He and his father gave me a place to live and tools to make a life. His father taught me mechanics and everything I needed to build my business. They helped me get my first loan for my shops and the contacts to grow. I owed him. I would keep his trust.
“He is. When are you coming home for good?” Seren asked.
I exhaled long. She asked the same question every time he called. Cole was a Special Forces Navy Seal. He needed to stop being a pussy and tell her the truth. To serve was his life. He was never leaving. I reached over and patted her arm, and she bit her lip.
“That’s the reason I called. I’ll be coming home for a visit in a few weeks, maybe sooner,” Cole announced.
Seren cheered and jumped on the bed. She hadn’t listened to the visit part. I got her attention and held up my finger to my lip to get her to listen to the rest.
“Wait, Seren. I’m not sure. We have a few more things to do, but I’ll be able to tell you more on the next call,” he finally got out.
She nodded, as though he could see her. Her joy, wilting.
“She heard you. Better get here before we get to Vegas or you’ll find her married,” I joked.
“That would be okay. We’ll have another ceremony with me when I get back,” Cole replied not missing a beat. Cole and I shared women sexually in the past, but never in a relationship.
“I like you, Brody, but Cole will marry me first. Though my sex drive is shot so maybe, you can find that sexy blonde over from the gas station, and I could watch? Hey, I’ll add that to my list—” she said.
“Like hell you will,” I said nipping that dumb idea right out of her brain.
“What is she talking about? You didn’t change your mind did you?” Cole asked. His tone light, but I’d known him most of my life, and I heard the worry in it.
I gave Seren a pointed look, and she lowered her head. His question was for both of us, but it wasn’t an easy answer. I was here for Seren and had no plans to leave her. Even so, worry led to distraction, which was the last thing he needed while in harm’s way.
I had my answer ready to ease him some. “My word is what you have. I’m not going back on it.”
“You don’t need to do anything. Cole’s coming back so. . . .” Seren mumbled.
I shook my head. She was losing her happy and getting depressed again. I needed to bring her back. “Tell him where we’re going tomorrow,” I prompted her to change the subject.
“We’re going to meet some Patriots at Gillette Stadium tomorrow,” she said with a lift in her voice.
“Get me something. A football, or a jersey, triple-X,” Cole requested.
“I’ll get the jersey. I will send some photos to your email,” she promised.
“Get one too and we can wear them when I see you soon. I’ve got to go, but I’ll email when I can call next,” Cole assured.
“I miss you. I love you, baby,” she said.
“I love and miss you too, pumpkin. Stay good and feel better. Stop giving Brody hell,” he teased.
“He told you that?” she said and giggled.
“He didn’t have to, baby. I know you,” he said his voice catching.
I chewed my lip. “See you soon, brother.”
“Thanks, brother. Keep the rides smooth,” Cole said.
“Always. See you soon,” I said, and he hung up.
Seren rolled over and curled up in a ball. “I miss him so much.”
“Hey, he’ll be home soon. Keep thinking about that. And if you sleep a while I’ll get those pancakes you like,” I said. That earned me a grin. I sighed in relief. Good. We both wanted her happy, and I was going to make sure she stayed that way.
“You’ll get them anyway,” she disclosed.
She was right. I would. She was getting to know me. I picked up her phone, walked back into the bedroom and fell on the bed to rest for a minute before I went out. Scrolling to the photo of the sexy blonde with the pert tits, I allowed a smile to spread across my face. Was that look she was giving, for me? I let myself dream for a second. Then I heard Seren’s soft sobs and got back on my feet to go to her.
Cole, my brother, you have got to get back soon.
NEWTON? THAT PLACE is over.
Jorge was right. No one went there anymore. The best night out was to be had at The Warehouse now. I touched my neck. Why should I alter our plans just because a gorgeous guy was unavailable? The place would be crowded with plenty of available men, should I decide to meet someone. And with that, I wrote back.
Fine. The Warehouse. But meet me at the Riverside T Station.
He sent back.
The subway? Your mom
doesn’t want me at the big house?
She was being a pain about him, but that wasn’t the reason. So I wrote back.
Nope. This is my idea. I’ll explain later.
He sent back.
Alright. See you there at 9:00 p.m.
I looked down at my watch. I had a few hours to try and figure out what I was going to do about the summer and earning some money.
“We’re here,” my mother declared.
I put my phone away and looked out of the window as she slowly eased her way past the rows of cars and up to the glass-front showroom and parked. Once she turned off the car, she turned to me with the car keys in her hand and said, “I’m going to Gemma’s house before I drive home.”
“I’ll be careful,” I said, reaching for the car keys, but she closed her hand. I flicked my eyes back to her face and found an innocent smile forming on her lips.
“What’s going on?” I asked.
“Royce is here, and he will drive you back to Chestnut Hill.” She spilled the words out of her mouth quickly.
My eyes narrowed. “I would have gotten Jorge to drop me off, or I could have taken a cab. Why did you do that?”
“I didn’t tell you because the two of you need to get along. Especially since you’re staying with us this summer. Maybe he would be more willing to help you if you were nicer to him.”
I grimaced. “I am nice to him.” I’m just not gushing over everything he does like you do.
She tilted her head down and took a deep breath. “I need this to work, and I need you to behave around him. Please try for me.”
I suppressed the retort I had ready when I saw the small tremble at the corner of her mouth.
I nodded my head. “I’ll try,” I answered softly.
Her smile came back, and she quickly got out of the car before I could say anything else, and sauntered over to the open doors of the dealership. And sure enough, I spotted a navy-suited Royce waiting for her. He looked like an ogre next to my tiny mother. She kissed him in greeting. His large hands slid around her waist and dipped down to squeeze her butt. I cringed at his audacity, especially when my mother didn’t remove his hand. Gross! And from what I observed from the expression on the sales representative standing by them, I wasn’t the only one sickened. He was quick to hand something to Royce, filling his hands and ending their PDA scene. They were now heading outside as a group, with my mother following the salesperson toward her new Escalade. Royce, on the other hand, was leisurely walking his linebacker-sized frame toward the car and me. His gray hair plastered down around his round, pale face. His thinly trimmed mustache turned up into a small smile. I lowered my head as he drew closer, but I could still feel his beady green eyes staring in at me. The driver’s side door opened, and the leather seats groaned as he settled behind the wheel. Once the door closed, the sweet scent of his spicy aftershave filled the space causing my nose to twitch. He turned on the car but didn’t drive away. I glanced over and saw he was turned toward me in his seat. So I crushed myself against my door.
Piper Dreams: Dream it, Seize it, Live it. (Dreams Series Book 1) Page 3
