"Okay." She looks up at me. "Anyone else coming?"
"Yeah." I bite my tongue. I have enough self-control to walk her to the hotel.
Piper's eyes light up but she plays cool. "Joel? Mal?"
"Nah, I want to catch the headliner's set." Joel looks to me. "Don't you?"
"I'd rather have coffee," I say.
Joel stays incredulous, but he doesn't call us on anything.
After a few rounds of goodbyes, Piper and I make our way to the side door.
The air is warm. The sky is dark except for a big, silver moon.
Piper walks next to me. The back of her hand brushes mine. Her eyes are nervous but her voice is even. "Do you know the way?"
"Yeah. It's a few blocks." I direct her around the corner. "How is school?"
"Almost over. I can't wait for it to be over. There's a lot I want to do this summer."
There's a lot I want to do right now. No. Just her. But there's a lot I want to do to her.
I want her against the wall of that building, her dress at her waist, her legs wrapped around my shoulders—
Fuck, I need to get laid.
It's been six months now. Maybe seven.
I've had chances. A lot of them. But every time a woman propositions me, I think of Piper's earnest blue eyes and her sweet smile and—
Fuck, I need to stop thinking about her like this.
I shake it off as we walk into the lobby. It's a nice pl
ace, sleek and modern with egg shaped furniture in shades of grey.
"I missed you." She bites her lip. "I mean seeing you. Texting and talking on the phone isn't the same."
I nod and lead her into the elevator.
"What floor?"
"Penthouse." I wave my room key and hit the button.
"We have the penthouse suite?"
"How else can we party like rock stars?"
"If the four of you are any indication, playing video games and watching monster movies all night is about right."
I laugh. It's true. For a while we all partied too much, but now we spend more nights watching movies than we do going out.
Piper leans against the mirrored elevator wall. Her blue eyes fix on mine.
Damn, we're alone in here and there's barely any space between us.
And the way she's looking at me—