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She stared at me for a beat, long enough for me to blink, and then leaned in, closing the gap between us. My eyes widened as hers fluttered shut and my breath froze in my throat as her lips whispered against mine. They were soft, the contact light and barely more than a graze. But it was still more than I had ever imagined, and it electrified me, my nerves buzzing at the contact.
She pulled away a fraction of an inch, her eyes opening slowly. When they met mine, her lips tipped up, her smile brilliant. “Lawson.” She breathed before she leaned in again, the smile still dancing across her face.
This time, her hand went to my neck, pulling me to her, and she wove her fingers through my hair. When our lips met again, it wasn’t a light brushing of lips. This time they were firm against mine, but still impossibly soft. Her tongue swept over my lips and without any command from me, they parted, allowing her inside. Our tongues danced together, meeting stroke for stroke, and in that moment, the world froze. There was absolutely nothing that would ever compare to the way her lips melded with mine, the way her nails against my scalp sent a tingle down my spine. I wrapped my arm around her waist, pulling her into my lap, her petite frame fitting perfectly in my arms.
When she looped an arm around my shoulders, she let out a soft moan, fueling me to deepen the kiss. In all of my wildest dreams, and I’d had plenty over the years, I had never imagined she’d taste like this. She pressed her body to mine, her breasts firm against my chest, and my hand itched to slide up her ribs. But I willed myself to be still, not wanting to go too far too fast. She’d initiated this kiss, and I would let her dictate where it went. Even if it never went any further than this, I knew there would never be anything in my life that would rival it.
Her mouth had expertly moved over mine, her tongue melding with mine, and I’d poured every ounce of desire into her, willing her to understand the depth of my feelings for her. But too fucking soon, she pulled away.
Abruptly, as though someone had doused us with cold water, she pushed out of my lap and turned away from me. Her hands ran through her hair, and I wasn’t sure if my eyes were playing tricks on me, but I could swear there was a slight tremor in them. She cleared her throat and then glanced at me over her shoulder. She refused to meet my eyes, but when she did, I was relieved that there wasn’t regret in them. Confusion, and maybe even a little bit of panic, but there was no remorse for what we’d just done. I cleared the emotion from my throat. “Is everything…okay?”
She nodded and grasped my hand, squeezing as she said, “I’m just tired. I should take a nap.” She shuffled back over to her bed and climbed beneath the covers. Her head was still turned away from where I sat, my chest rapidly rising and falling. “Turn the light off on your way out,” she said as she pulled the covers up to her chest.
I stood, my knees still a little weak, and murmured, “Piper…”
She turned back toward where I stood, and I knew that she could see the worry lining my forehead. Her cheeks were pink as she pleaded. “Please, I need to think. And sleep.”
I didn’t argue. I’d give her what she asked, but that didn’t mean I would understand it.
Was it too much, too soon?
Had I made a mistake in telling her about how I felt?
I swallowed hard. “I’ll be down the hall.”
She pressed her lips together and nodded before sinking further beneath the covers and turning to face the wall away from me. With a heavy sigh, I turned on my heel and trudged to the door.
I closed it quietly behind me, and when the door clicked shut, I leaned my weight against it, sagging as the reality of what had just happened hit me.
Piper kissed me.
I kissed Piper.
Piper and I had kissed.
I knew I was supposed to be a man now, but damn if I didn’t feel like a giddy sixteen-year-old boy who finally got the girl.
Now all I had to do was figure out how she felt.
And find a way to keep her.
“Lawson?” Her voice caused me to jump and I turned. Piper stood in the doorway of my office, the light behind her causing her to have a glow that reminded me of renderings of angels.
I rolled my neck, grateful for the interruption. I’d been entrenched in work for the last few hours and my muscles had been protesting the whole time.
“Pippie. Everything okay?” I asked.
She nodded and then padded into the room. She was still in a nightgown, the hem barely reaching mid-thigh. Her feet were adorned in slippers that had an emblem of a stethoscope on one and a needle on the other. Her hair was pulled back in a lopsided ponytail and her face was puffy from sleep.
“Are you sure you’re alright?” I asked again, concern lacing my voice. Ever since our kiss yesterday, she hadn’t emerged from her room. She’d texted me, assuring me she was fine, but had refused to come out.
I’d spent the last twenty-four hours fighting the urge to knock every time I walked past her door. She’d come out when she was ready.
So, I’d left her alone.
“My make-up shift isn’t until Monday,” she said, perching on the edge of my desk. Her nightgown rode up even farther on her legs and she was so close I could feel the heat radiating from her skin. I leaned back in my chair, putting space between myself and her bare thighs.
“Oh, good. You’ll have a few more days to recover.”
