Beautifully Broken

“I’m kinda out of guest rooms, but you can take my parents room if you want. Or…”

“Or what?”

“Or you could stay with me.” I’m half joking but the moment the words leave my mouth I regret them. Piper’s not that kind of girl. I like that she’s different, guarded. Timid yet fierce. Sometimes I feel like I’m walking on eggshells with her. Terrified that with one wrong move she’ll pull away. The past couple weeks I've made progress in leaps and bounds, crossing from nonexistent semi-stalker to friend with the potential for more. Now I may have screwed it all up with one stupid comment.

“You could always sleep on the floor beside me,” Piper says, a glint of playfulness in her eyes. She’s got a come-and-get-me look mixed with a hint of terrified.

“Ouch. Way to secure my seat in the friendzone.” I tease. Damn. I did screw up. Way to go foot. You found my mouth again. “But if that’s what you want.”

She tucks her hair behind her ear and chews on her cheek. “No. Definitely not.”

We climb the steps together and stop at the top. “What’s it gonna be?”

Piper bites her lip, looking left then right before meeting my gaze. Her big grays that I’m now convinced are secretly blue stare up at me. “I…”

My heart beats against my chest. If this girl doesn’t speak soon my rib cage is gonna be bruised. Please stay with me. Please stay with me. Please… She exhales loudly. “Can I sleep with you?”

Yes! Hell yes! I smile, hoping it looks natural and not overly excited. I put my arm around her shoulders and kiss her forehead. “Anything you want, Babe.”

I take Piper to my room and open the door. She steps in and stands in the center, looking around. She walks over to the bookshelf and studies each trophy. I have six in all, but only three actually count. She then walks over to my desk and picks up the only picture in the room. My arm’s over Jenny’s shoulder. I’m looking at the camera and she’s sticking her tongue out at me. With a faint smile, she sets it down. She does a little spin, taking in the rest of the space and says, “Your room’s really clean.”

I close the door out of habit, then wonder if I should have left it open. Not wanting to seem nervous, I shove my hands in my pockets and lean against the edge of my desk. “You’re lucky. I just cleaned it yesterday.”

Piper looks over her shoulder, her fingers running across the shirts in my closet. “You don’t let the maid in here?”

“Nah,” I say walking over to the bed. I sit on the end of it, waiting, wondering if Piper will do the same. “I don’t want her going through my things.”

She follows and sits beside me her tiny frame barely making the mattress dip. “And what kind of things might she find?”

I shrug. “Normal boy stuff. Dirty magazines. Condoms. Maybe even a little weed every now and then.”

Shock dances across Piper’s face but it’s gone as quickly as it arrived. “I never pegged you as a smoker.”

“It’s not something I do often. Under the right circumstances with the right people, yeah. But those people don’t live here so I gave it away at one of my parties a while back.”

Piper inches closer. “And the condoms?”

I slide my foot underneath me, allowing myself to scoot a little closer. I’m sitting too close to her for my own good, the smell of her perfume does things to me. Add that we’re in my bed…yeah. “Never can be too prepared.”

Piper leans in. Close enough to let me know she wants to kiss but far enough that I have to lean in too. Her fingers run down my chest, sending a wave of goosebumps over my body. “And who are you preparing for?”

I swallow hard. Why the fuck does she make me so nervous? “No one in particular.”

“Too bad,” Piper whispers, her hand sliding up the leg of my shorts. “I almost wish they were just for me.”

Whoa! I scoot back couple inches. Piper’s hand slides off my thigh. My dick is screaming that I’m an idiot. It’s pressed tight against my shorts, ready to come out and play. As much as I want it to, God I want it to, I want more than a one-time fuck.“Piper, just because you’re in my bed doesn’t mean we have to do anything.”

Her eyes widen, mouth falling open. “You don’t want to?”

Fuck! If a man-card were a thing, mine would be revoked right now. Piper is giving me all the signs and I’ve got a damn conscience. Fuck-fucity-fuck-fuck-fuck! “Of course I do, but we should go slow.”

She snorts. “You sound like a girl.”

“Maybe I just want to do things right.” I brush a strand of hair behind her ear, but Piper pushes my hand away.

“Well maybe I just want to see how far I can go before my body freaks out on me again. And I thought...” She groans.

21