This is more than sex, more than attraction, more than some game of revenge we can walk away from.
This is feelings. Real ones. The kind that don't disappear when the roads clear.
And I'm so fucked.
Because soon, the storm will pass. The roads will clear. And she'll leave. Go back to her life and her job and my sister.
And I'll be here. Still the family disgrace. Still the man she's not supposed to want.
But for now, while she's here in my arms, I can imagine a world where this doesn't end.
I press a kiss to her forehead and finally let my eyes close.
I waketo the sound of a door opening.
For a second, I'm disoriented. My arms are full of a warm, sleeping, gorgeous woman, and my brain is fuzzy with too little sleep.
Then I hear it.
“Piper?” A voice calling out. Familiar. Female. “You here?”
Fuck. It’s my sister.
I gently shake Piper awake, my hand over her mouth before she can make a sound.
Her eyes fly open, confused and sleepy.
“My sister is here,” I whisper against her ear.
She goes rigid. I feel the panic spike through her body. She tries to sit up fast and winces, her hand going to her head.
“Careful,” I say, steadying her.
“What do we do?”
“I'll try to sneak out. You keep her distracted.”
“How?” She stares at me like I've lost my mind.
“Piper!” Mackenzie's voice is closer now. Footsteps in the living room, heading our direction.
I grab the flannel from the floor and some sweatpants, then toss them to her.
“Piper?” Mackenzie calls again. “You here?”
The footsteps are at the hallway now. Getting closer to the bedroom door.
Piper yanks the flannel on, pulls up the sweatpants.
“You stay here,” she whispers. “Let me take care of this.”
“Piper, you don't have to…”
“Yes, I do.” She's already moving toward the door. “Just stay here. Please.”
I want to argue and protect her from whatever's about to happen.
But she's not looking at me anymore.
