“When is your birthday?” Noah asked.
“November.”
“You are a fucking Scorpio!” Noah laughed.
“And the problem is?” Piper said as he lay on the bed exhausted.
“Not a problem, I just vibe well with Scorpio dudes. I’m a Cancer, so we’re good.”
Noah laughed as he dropped his head against Piper’s shoulder.
“That explains nothing and everything all at once.”
“Exactly,” Noah replied.
They fell asleep, tangled, sticky, hearts still racing, the smooth R&B cut by Britney Spears,Why Should I Be SadfromBlackoutfilling the room.
Neither of them had any reason to be sad.
Chapter Eleven: Los Angeles
Piper woke before Noah.
Years of early practices and game-day routines had wired his body to rise before the sun, whether he wanted to or not.
Then he remembered where he was.
Fuck, Joan, this is going to complicate everything. I have to fly to Jayson’s compound today.
Noah slept on his stomach beside him, one arm stretched across the bed. The sheets were twisted low around his waist.
The quiet aftermath of the night before still lingered in Piper's mind, almost like a fantasy he had dreamed.
He thought about the contract, and the fact that he was about to get on another plane to Atherton to fulfill his duties, but something felt different.
He swung his legs off the bed carefully and stood, gathering his clothes from the floor. His shirt hung from the back of a chair, ripped beyond saving. His jacket lay near the couch. He dressed slowly, trying not to wake Noah.
“You’re leaving me?”
Piper turned. Noah hadn’t moved much. Just opened one eye, voice rough.
“Yes.”
Piper adjusted his cuff.
“Well, that was a good time. Hopefully you thought so as well.”
Noah rolled onto his back, looking up at him. The light coming through the windows made the room softer, less charged than the night before.
“I have to fly to Atherton to meet with Jayson in a couple hours.”
“What’s up with you and that creepy billionaire?”
Piper looked away.
“He has helped me a lot since my father died and with my mother, well, I don’t want to talk about it.”
The night before hung in the room like something fragile. Piper picked up his Rolex Sky-Dweller from the nightstand and fastened it around his wrist.
