Page 131 of Wicked Dares
There I find my girl, standing by the stove. She’s just taking what looks like a banana loaf from the oven.
She looks up and smiles when she sees me. There’s flour dusted lightly across one of her cheeks and her hair.
I smile back.
This is a good look.
Before Piper, I came home to an empty house. By the time I get in, all my staff have gone home for the day. Marie is usually the only one I see in the morning because she starts so early.
Piper has brought more than life into this house.
She’s made it feel like a home.
And now she’s baking.
“That smells amazing,” I murmur, walking toward her.
“I hope it tastes amazing, too. Aunt Bess sent me the recipe. Thought I’d make it for you because you’re always making me food. I must warn you; nothing I make is as good as hers.”
“I can already tell you I’m gonna love it.”
“I’ll hold you to that.”
I slide an arm around her waist and pull her against me, then I kiss her slowly.
“Mm,” I murmur against her mouth. “But you smell like I should be eating you.”
A soft laugh escapes her. “You can eat me later. How was your meeting with Arthur?”
“It went well.”
The answer comes a little too quickly, and I guess I must sound a little hesitant because Piper studies me immediately.
“You’re thinking about…” She trails off carefully. “About how everything started, aren’t you?”
I exhale slowly. “Yeah.”
“I’ve been thinking about it, too.”
“I don’t want you worrying about that,” I tell her honestly.
“I just feel a little bad. Though I know it would be worse if we ever came clean.”
That’s not an option. Itwouldbe worse. “Things may have started on the wrong foot, but they definitely didn’t end there.” I caress her face. “Look at us now.”
Piper’s expression softens completely. “Yeah,” she whispers. “You’re right.”
“Come here.”
She moves back to me, and I kiss her again, slower this time.
And as long as nobody ever finds out the truth about our fake arrangement, we’ll be fine.
It’s time to stop thinking about it now and start planning for the future.
Chapter Twenty-Eight
PIPER
