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“Piper. Goddammit, Piper. Yes, I want to dance with you but—”
“Okay.” Piper nodded and wiped away the tears. “I’ll dance with you.”
For a long moment, I stared at her. What the fuck was that? Somehow, I got trapped in one of those Looney Tunes reruns and I found myself agreeing with the rabbit. I glanced back and forth between the bedroom and her, Piper, gazing up at me expectantly. I held my hand to argue but Piper raised her eyebrows, watching me.
“I—” I stopped myself. “What the hell was that?”
She tilted her head to the side. “One dance?”
“That is the most manipulative shit I have ever…what the hell?” I muttered to myself, slipping out my phone. I scrolled for playlists. Nothing in my library would work for romantic Piper. I finally found a list of classic songs to slow dance to, a playlist that looked just sentimental and mushy enough to be up Piper’s alley. Glancing over my shoulder, I made sure Piper knew what we were bargaining for. “Piper, one dance.”
She smiled at me.
“One dance and you go to bed, and you don’t argue.” I shook my head. “That is some devious shit.”
It’d been a crazy day anyway, what was a dance added on to it? I clicked the playlist and walked over to Piper with my hand out. One dance and she could finally go to sleep. One dance and I’d get her dorm picked up and finish the online reports, which would be so much fun, considering I had to write them in the methodical way I knew Piper would’ve.
Slowly, Piper took my hand and crossed the space between us.
The music started, soft and low.
It was different with her so close to me. My fingers curled along her back and she wrapped her arms around my neck. Piper was so sleepy, she pressed her cheek to my chest and whispered something against me.
“What did you say?” I asked.
“Huh?” she murmured against my shirt, blinking blearily. “I didn’t say anything.”
Piper was the most out-of-it I’d ever seen anyone, ever. Usually, she had everything planned and put together, but there she was, quiet, with her body pressed against me. I swallowed and gazed at the wall behind her, tugging her closer. When would I get this chance again? To have her so close?
“Hey, Piper?” I cleared my throat. “There’s a…uh…there’s a banquet coming up.”
“Mm-hmm…”
“It’s for the end of spring training.”
Piper just nodded against me, her cheek pressed against my chest.
“I was—uh—wondering…”
Fuck. How do people do this?
Gently stroking her hair, I curled a few strands around my finger. “You see, I was wondering if you—you know—wanted to go. With me.”
I glanced down to see her reaction, but Piper just nodded, a little smile on her face, her eyes closed. She said yes. I asked her and she said yes.
How much of this is she going to remember tomorrow?
The song switched to the next one and Piper stumbled on her feet, barely able to keep her eyes open. She was literally falling asleep in my arms. It was time for the dance to end. Reaching down, I scooped her up and made my way to the bedroom.
My heart had never beat faster.
“You’re going to sleep, okay?” I whispered and pulled back the blankets. As carefully as I could, I laid her down and brushed her blonde hair behind her, bringing the blankets up to her chin. Piper was so beautiful, it made me hurt just looking at her. But I couldn’t stop. I kneeled beside the bed and she opened her eyes, smiling at me again with that breathtaking smile that haunted me.
“Hi,” she whispered.
I’d do anything to make this moment last forever.
“Hey,” I said, brushing back another strand of blonde hair from her face.
