Page 24 of Kiwi

I wait for Tai to answer me, but Betty interrupts. "Hey Kiwi, you joinin' Piper and her friend for lunch? Want me to bring your usual?"

"Yeah, doll. The usual sounds great."

Without another word, Tai drops down into the booth beside me, giving me no choice but to scoot over and make room for him. What the hell is he playing at here?

"Uh, you know, Kiwi, I'm kind of in the middle of something here," I jerk my head toward Colton.

Draping his arm over the back of the booth behind my head, Tai looks at me long and hard. "You don't mind if I join you two, do you, Curtis?" he asks, not bothering to take his eyes off me.

"Uh, sure. No problem, man. And the names Colton."

"You see, babe. Curtis here doesn't mind at all," Kiwi says purposely calling my ex by the wrong name and it's pissing me off.

A few beats of uncomfortable silence pass before Colton speaks again. I know he doesn't know what to think of Tai imposing on our non-date, but he's also not dumb enough to say anything.

"So, I'm going to be in town for another two weeks, and I'd like to spend more time with you. Some of the old gang is getting together next Saturday and spending the weekend in Biloxi. Do you want to go? I can pick you up…"

"No," Tai grinds out, cutting Colton off mid-sentence, shocking me.

What the hell is he doing?

"Since when do you speak for me, Kiwi? Is there a memo I missed stating that you're suddenly my keeper?"

"No memo, babe. That's just the way it is."

I can feel my blood start to boil. "Have you lost your mind?" I hold up my hand. "You know what, don't answer that." Turning my attention back to Colton, whose eyes dart between Tai and me, I tell him, "I'd love to go. What time..."

This time I'm the one who is cut off when I'm abruptly pulled from the booth by Tai, then dragged across the dinner and down the hallway that leads to the back. Pulling me into the woman's bathroom, Tai flips the lock and presses my back against the door, caging me in. His nostrils flare. "You're fuckin' playin' with fire, Piper."

I narrow my eyes at him. "I don't know what you're talking about, Kiwi."

He slams his palm against the door above my head. "Stop callin' me that. To you, I am Tai, and you fuckin' know it."

"What the hell does it matter what I call you?" I hold my breath, thinking Tai will finally pursue this spark between us, but when he doesn't answer, I shake my head. I try to step away from him. Only his next question causes me to freeze.

"You fuck him?"

Shocked by his intrusive question, I gasp. "What?"

"Last year, when you two were together, did you fuck him?"

"That's none of your goddamn business."

"Answer the fuckin' question. Did. You. Fuck. Him?" Tai growls out each word.

If Tai thinks he can bully me into answering his question, he has another think coming. "Do you really want me to tell you about all the things Colton and I did with each other? How about I tell you about the times I sucked his cock. Hmm? Oh, I know. You want me to describe in detail how he used to go down on me?" I smirk. "Wait, that wasn't what you asked, was it? Well, to answer your question, no, we haven't fucked."

By the time I finish my rant, my heart feels like it is about to beat out of my chest. It's not like me to be so crass or even this blunt. But the way Tai came into the dinner, took over my date, then went full-on caveman here in the woman's bathroom, brought it out of me. I'm sick of the mixed signals and tired of the back and forth. And by the set line in Tai's jaw and the murderous look in his eyes, I might have made a mistake with my little confession. Even I can admit I probably went a bit too far.

"Are we done? I want to get back out there before Colton starts to worry I ditched him."

"No, babe. We are far from fuckin' done. In fact, we are just gettin' started."

Before I have time to process his words, Tai's mouth comes crashing down on mine. His lips are soft but demanding as his tongue traces the seam of my mouth. I open, granting him access. Tai doesn't hold back, and neither do I as I take what I have wanted for so long. His kiss is everything I imagined it would be, stealing my breath away, yet breathing life back into me, all at the same time. Tai pulls away and rests his forehead against mine. His chest rises and falls with his rapid breathing, and my body starts to tremble. I wait with bated breath for him to say something, anything. And just as he is about to, there is a knock on the bathroom door followed by Colton's voice.

"Piper, are you in there? Is everything okay?"

Tai growls deep in his chest.

On shaky legs, I turn and flip the lock on the bathroom door. Tai takes a step back, allowing me to pull it open. Colton is standing there with a concerned look on his face. He takes in my appearance then flicks his gaze to the man standing behind me, then back to my face. I watch a light bulb go off in his head, and the situation once again turns awkward. Luckily, Colton handles it well. "I, uh, just wanted to tell you that something came up and I have to go. I paid the check already."

"Thank you, Colton. It was nice catching up."

"It was good to see you too, Piper." Colton gives me a warm smile then looks over my shoulder to Tai, giving him a nod before walking away.

Turning back to Tai, I open and close my mouth several times, but no words come out. Taking a deep breath, I go to speak the same moment his cell rings. Pulling it from the inside of his cut, he answers, "Yeah?" I watch as Tai listens to whoever speaks on the other end. "Alright, brother. I'll be there in ten."

Pocketing his phone, Tai takes a step forward, invading my space once again. Placing his finger beneath my chin, he brings my eyes to his. "This isn't over." Then lightly brushes his lips against mine before disappearing out the door, leaving me to wonder what the hell just happened.