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Piper
I’m tremblingfrom head to toe from the fright and excitement of what just happened! First being slapped in the face by Stew and then having Matthew heroically come to the rescue. My head is just spinning and I know if it weren’t for my hand still being on Matthew’s arm I would have surely toppled over!
Despite the rush, I’m incredibly thankful that it’s finished and I really hope I never have to see Stew again. If he knows what’s good for him he won’t bother me or anyone else ever again.
Taking a deep breath, I squeeze Matthew’s arm, though what I really want to do is throw my arms around his neck and reward him with a big, wet kiss. I had no idea he was willing to go to such lengths for me, to risk getting himself in trouble just to keep me safe. I’m not sure what it means for us exactly, but I hope at the very least it’s a sign that we can be friends. To be honest though, I want a lot more than that. I know Matthew is a hell of a catch, especially now he’s shown he’s not afraid to stand up for me. I’ve never had a man who was willing to go that far before.
“What the hell were you thinking?” Vanessa’s barely contained whisper draws me out of my contemplations.
I let my hand fall away from Matthew, knowing it lingered a little too long already. I can tell she’s incredibly upset and I really don’t blame her after what she just witnessed her child do. It’s enough to disturb and worry any mother, especially one who is already concerned about her son’s mental health. I’m not about to hang him out to dry, so I quickly step in to defend him and give her the whole picture. “Please, Vanessa, it’s okay,” I start, stepping closer to her and putting my hand on her shoulder, “Matthew was looking out for me, that’s all.”
“I was worried about this, Piper, you know that,” her voice is tight and anxious. “Matty, sweetie, I really think you need to talk to somebody, a professional. You can’t go around with this kind of rage bottled up inside you! Please, honey, I’m scared for you!”
Matthew opens his mouth to answer her, but she unintentionally interrupts him. He lets her keep talking, venting all the stress and concern she’s stuffed down since he got home. It seems he doesn’t blame her for being upset either, which I find incredibly touching. Considering how he just man handled Stew he’s being incredibly gentle with his mother by comparison. He has a right to be frustrated, but he’s doing his best to be patient and that’s very admirable. And sexy.
Stopping my mind before it can wander off somewhere inappropriate, I finally manage to get Vanessa’s attention again. “Please, let me explain, I…” I trail off when I see her frown deepen. Her gaze is fixed on my cheek.
“Oh sweetie,” she gingerly touches what must be a forming bruise, it feels really tender. “What did you get yourself into?”
Biting my lip, I try to decide how to explain. My Dad has joined us by now and is also inspecting my face. The whole thing is embarrassing and not something I would normally share like this, but the discomfort is it worth it to ‘clear’ Matthew’s name. “I dated Stew for a little while a year ago,” I begin, “until he got really clingy and then I broke up with him. He’s been trying to get back together with me, but I told him off today after he showed up here really pissed I didn’t answer my phone.” It’s the simplest way I can explain the situation while leaving out the part about Stew’s paranoia. “Matthew saw him hit me and that’s why he chased him off.”
My Dad pulls me into a hug as I finish. “You should have told me, Piper, I would have helped you.” He whispers, squeezing me tighter. I hug him back, more for his benefit than mine.
“I know you would have supported me, Dad. You always do,” I step back and give him a sheepish smile. “I didn’t mean to keep anything from you. Until today I really thought I could handle it on my own.”
Fortunately for me that’s the end of my awkward conversation with my Dad. We hug again, he pats me on the back and tries to assure me that he’ll always be around if I need him. Graciously acknowledging this is all he needs from me. After that everything between us is back to normal. That’s just how our relationship works, it’s always been that way. He’s not the sort of man who shares his emotions by talking about them, he shares how he feels with little things.
While my issues might be settled, for Matthew on the other hand, the heart to heart with Vanessa is just beginning.
Dad and I only stay long enough to accompany them back inside where we briefly discuss leaving early instead of getting in a couple hours more of skiing. After all the excitement it’s a unanimous decision to check out in the next hour. That gives Vanessa a chance to talk with Matthew and then for all of us to get our gear packed up.
Giving Dad one last hug, I split off from him to get a head start on gathering my things. I’m really quite eager to be alone with Matthew again so we can have our own talk about what happened with Stew. I want him to know how appreciative I am, but I also need to ask what’s going to happen to us in the immediate future. Right now, I don’t even know if there is an us.
To keep these thoughts at bay I utilize the time I have to get my bag re-packed and to neatly pile all of Matthew’s stray items on the bed so they’re easy to find. These tasks don’t take me long, maybe ten minutes total and then I’m left waiting anxiously again. Finally, after what feels like a day, but was only about another ten minutes or so, the door opens and Matthew strides inside.
“Are you okay?” I blurt, jumping up off the bed. “How’d it go?”
For a second I think it must have gone terribly. His face is so impassive I can’t tell if he’s melancholy, serious or ticked off! Then he cracks a roguish grin. “Five minutes into the lecture the resort manager interrupted! Talk about lucky!” The way he says it makes him sound like a little boy who just got away with stealing cookies from the jar. It’s probably the most adorable thing I’ve ever seen and I can’t help but smile.
“I’ll say,” I giggle at first and then the other part of what he said sinks in. Feeling a pang of dread my jovial expression fades into a frown. “What did the manager want? You didn’t get into trouble because of me, did you?”
Matthew strides over to me, putting his hands on my shoulders and leaning down to brush his lips against mine. I want to push him away until he answers me, but I can’t resist the chance to taste his kiss.
“They just wanted to apologize for the disturbance. Seems one of the cleaning ladies saw him hit you, so Stew not only got his ass dropped in a snowbank, but he got a lifetime ban from the Lodge.” Matthew seems quite proud of that, though he has to know he didn’t really have anything to do with the latter.
All the same I’m relieved and thankful that the incident won’t be biting my rather dashing hero in the ass. That alone is worthy of a small, private celebration. My smile returns and I tilt my face up to kiss him again, but I see right away that his mood has become dark again, conflicted. Is he upset with me? Once more my grin is abolished. I nervously bite my lip, whispering softly, “thank you for looking out for me, Matt.”
I half expect to be chastised for not calling him Matthew, but my gratitude is instead rewarded with a faint quirk of his mouth. It’s fleeting, replaced a second later with a thoughtful, distant expression. After a couple quiet, uncomfortable moments, he turns his gaze to me and reaches up to gently touch the bruise on my face.
“You should have told me sooner,” he murmurs, sounding remorseful. “I should have…” he trails off for a second then starts again. “I’m sorry I haven’t been here for you, Piper.”
A million responses run through my mind, from light hearted jokes to romantic drivel and everything in between. I could tell him so much right now. I could share my anger or my sorrow, I could tell him it’s okay and then apologize, too. None of those answers seem right to me, none of them capture what I really feel in this moment. I’m scared of losing him, of having my heart broken again, but I’m also eager and excited to see where this strange, new connection takes us. In the end, the only thing that can properly convey the torrent inside me, is the most simple of gestures.
Standing on my tiptoes, I take a firm hold of Matthew’s shirt and pull him into a warm, emotionally charged kiss. At first, he wraps his arms around my waist and holds me tight against his chest, returning the kiss with the passion and fire I’ve come to crave from him. Suddenly though he pulls away, long before the moment should have ended. There’s uncertainty in his eyes as though something is holding him back. I wish he would tell me what it is, but after a second he shakes it off.
“We should get our things and head out to the lobby. I’m sure Leo will need my help to get all the crap loaded back into the Jeep,” he kisses my forehead before stepping away.
“Yeah, don’t want to make them await again,” I manage a weak chuckle, but I don’t feel any humor. I’m not sure what just happened, but I know what it was, it most certainly wasn’t a good sign.
