PiperHoly crap!! I’m making out with Ethan McKay! It’s unreal. It’s insane! It…must be a dream. Even when I’m sure it’s not. My fingers tighten around soft strands of hair. That’s real. And he’s doing all sorts of sinful things with his tongue. That’s real too. A yummy sound seeps between us from the back of his throat, and I know it’s him.Ethan is my tormentor. And my reason for living. Honestly, he barely pays me any attention—that’s the tormenting part. But in the rare occasion that he does see me, I stand there like a dummy, forgetting how to speak. I’m a lost cause. But in my defense, I’m probably not the only one. Those damn McKay boys are freaking hot.There are two of them. Ashton, is the oldest, who works for McKay Corp, one of the biggest companies in the world. They’ve produced so many products and softwares, there isn’t just one trade to the name. And that includes creating hot as hell offspring. Ashton has been named sexiest man alive twice in his twenty nine years. And
ETHANWhat the fuck is she doing here? She looks out of place, rocking back on her sneakers, as she stands awkwardly in the center of the room, like she's unsure if she should be here. Yet, somehow, I still find her adorable. She looks just as sweet as ever. Like something I’d like nothing more than to have a taste of, even though I shouldn’t. My eyes drift over her body as if she’s completely exposed to my view when she’s not. Oversized jeans that hide an ass I can’t make out. And a shirt that’s open in the front showing off her tits to the world. They’re huge. At least way bigger than I thought. Not that I spend a lot of time thinking about her. Or those big blue eyes, always widened with curiosity. Like that silly look on a sweet and lovable cartoon character. All bubbly-eyed and innocent. Too innocent. It pisses me off.And now she wants to stand there like she’s down for anything. Fronting for the guys here, because she’s obviously desperate for a little attention after all this
PIPER“Who’s in here,” someone asks, taking cautious steps down the stairs. I freeze. I know that voice. I’ve been studying it long enough.Ethan.Of all the people that could show up here. Now. To witness how pathetic I really am, it had to be him. Locked in the basement at a party, because I didn’t want to talk to Paisley. She totally embarrassed me and didn’t see a problem with the things she said. Even if I wasn’t crushing hard on this guy—even if she has no idea about it— basically telling a guy that I’m an innocent virgin would be humiliating to anyone. Why would she do that?“I’ve been trapped for a while,” I finally say.“Yeah,” he replies. “Adam said the door sticks.”“Do you have a phone,” I ask. “I left mine in my dorm.”He shuffles, then swears under his breath. “Uh. No. Jordan used it to find his phone in the car. It’s probably in the center console.”I let out a long doomed breath. “Seemed like I was pounding on that door and screaming for the longest.”“Yeah…party,” he
ETHANI don’t know why I stopped her from kissing me. But I don’t want her to go. Pulling her back so she’s close to me again, I ease a hand up her neck, until my thumb tests the softness of her face. She’s slender, but not skinny, with rounded cheeks that are warm to the touch. My thumb moves back and forth of its own volition, closer and closer to her jawline until I reach her hearted chin. The tip of my finger brushes just below her bottom lip. Wide enough that I know it’s full. But I test the waters anyway, with the pad of my thumb on the plush surface. It’s so fucking soft. Heated like my touch alone is making it that way. And I’ll have to admit. This innocent touch is moving the blood flow in my own body too.I lean closer. It’s tempting. Her full voluptuous lip beneath my fingertip is beckoning for me to find out what it tastes like. She parts the bottom lip from the top, like she knows what I’m thinking. And right now I can’t think of anything else.Our lips touch. And it’s fu
PIPERHe’s reeling me back in. This is so bad. I know it. If Ethan knew who he was making out with in the dark right now, he’d probably flip. I should’ve known better. Why didn’t I stop this when I realized who it was? If I’d told him who I was, he would’ve maintained his distance. Tried to get us out of here instead of making conversation. Instead of kissing me the way I always dreamed he would. I could do it now, tell him who I am and stop this. Maybe pretend that I’m just now realizing who he is. I open my mouth, and poise the words at the tip of my tongue that’ll send all of my hopes crashing to the ground.“Don’t go,” he pleads.And—crap—my insides melt some more. I want to hold onto the sound of his voice. The way he’s asking me to stay like he really means it. I wrap my mind around that. The prayer that Ethan McKay might actually know it’s me that was on the receiving end of his kiss and he wants me as badly as I’ve pined for him. I let myself believe it for a minute longer, gr
ETHAN“Ethan, dude, what the fuck is taking so long?”Beats the shit out of me. I don’t know why I’ve been in this room kissing some unknown girl. Begging her to stay. To tell me who she is. To meet me tomorrow night. What the hell is wrong with me? “There are twins practically begging to know where you are, and Antonio said if you don’t hurry up, he’s taking them both home,” Adam yells. By now, he’s thoroughly fucked up, clopping down the stairs sloppily.“Why are you down here in the dark,” he asks.“Couldn’t find the light switch,” I reply, adjusting my junk in my pants just in time.The lights come on and I can see Adam standing near the bottom of the staircase. The light switch is on the other side of the wall, where obviously neither me nor my mystery kisser looked. I’ve been down here a million times. The light switch was the last thing on my mind every time. I don’t know why she didn’t find it.The fridge is on that wall as well. That much I did know and could’ve opened the o
PIPERI find Paisley with a cup in her hand and a smile on her face, sitting in a room surrounded by people.“Never have I ever had a threesome,” a girl on the far side of the room says.People begin to drink, my best friend included, which leaves me a little shocked. My mouth opens as wide as my eyes and I stare.Noticing me, she giggles. “What happened to you?”I’m still kind of thrown by what I just learned about my friend that the words don’t come out yet. She frowns, coming over to me, with a strange look on her face. My fingers go to my kiss-swollen lips. Can she tell what I’ve been doing in the dark? And who I’ve been doing it with? I mean she’s known Ethan just as long as I have. Okay, that’s not entirely true. Let’s forget the fact that I saw him seven whole minutes before she did. I can guarantee I know him far better than she does. From keen observation, and a desperate need to know. “What do you mean?”“You disappeared for like thirty minutes,” she says, sipping from her
ETHANThis party blows. I’m in even less of a good mood than I was in before I went down to the basement and I know why. It’s her. My secret kisser. The sexy girl with the hot body. The one with the good sense of humor whose bold enough to make the first move, but somehow timid enough that I can tell she’s not easy. I don’t know who she is. And it’s killing me. She’s still in my head, making me want her again. Needing to be around her—at least so I can figure out her identity. It’s driving me crazy. I scan the room, looking for Jordan, but I’m not sure that’s all I’m looking for. It feels like I’m looking for her too, even if I have no fucking clue what to search for. Then my eyes land on a familiar face in the crowd of people. Piper. A name I only learned tonight, but a face I know well. And my legs just begin to move.It’s annoying. Both my intrigue in an unknown woman, and the way Piper can show up and draw my attention to her. Somehow better than any other girl on campus. It’s st
EPILOGUEETHANSeven Years Later“I don’t even know why we came to this,” Piper says.I smirk, and reply. “You wanted to come. I was good with staying home between your legs for the next fourteen hours. It’s been a busy week for the both of us.”“When I made these plans it was because it’s been a busy seven years, especially since graduation and I wanted to do something normal. Now more than ever,” she says.“What’s so great about now?”“It’s our reunion,” she replies.“Okay. But I could’ve easily taken normal to mean my tongue in your pussy for a few hours and spending the night fucking like rabbits.”“Oh. We’re still doing that,” she says with a smirk. “This is just a detour. Plus Sabrina is in town and I haven’t seen her in so long.”“What are you up to,” I ask. She’s got a look on her face that tells me she’s harboring a secret.“What? Nothing.”“No. You’re up to something.”“Maybe. I’ve got news to share and we haven’t been face to face with our friends to share it with them too.
PIPERWe find Paisley easily just across the courtyard. And it seems we have a little more to talk about besides the beating I sustained right here on these sidewalks.Shaina is beside her, sipping a smoothie that Paisley takes and makes her own for a minute. Seeing Ethan, she hands it back to her friend, licking her lips like lunch has arrived.She hasn’t paid me any attention, until I speak. “We need to talk.”With an attitude, she drags her eyes away from my boyfriend. Though she’s looking at me now, her words are still to Ethan. “I thought you were coming to tell me living with this isn’t working out.”Ethan folds his arms across his chest. “Why would I do that?”She smiles, still looking at me. “Maybe you’d rather live with me instead.”It’s so pathetic, it’s sad.My boyfriend smiles too, only it’s not pleasant. “Given the choice between sleeping in a bed with you, or a bed of fire, I’d rather add more coals to the flames,” he says.Paisley frowns the hopeful tone leaving her voi
PIPERIt’s the next morning and I’m still reeling from Ashton’s finds and confession. Bryce. Paisley. Well, maybe not Paisley. If I know anything, it’s just how much she truly hates me. At least, by now I think I know. She spent our entire friendship putting me down, keeping me in a bubble that suited her needs just fine. She’s spent our entire lives being jealous of me. I just wish I’d seen it before. No. What I really wish is that I’d pieced it together sooner. Paisley was the one whispering in Ashton’s ear. And ultimately, the one behind my attack. “The catfight gone wrong”.“You ready,” Ethan asks.I look over my shoulder at him, standing in the doorway. He’s got a look on his face that I can’t decipher. He’s just too calm. Nothing like the way he was with his brother yesterday. Or with Adam before. I’m a little worried for the people I’m about to face, but then I think about the hell they put me through, and I know whatever is going on in his head is justified. I’m lucky to have
ETHANOur first week in the new place goes by fast. Mostly because we spent the week at the beach and hanging with our friends. Then there was a lot of moving stuff to get done, and things to pick out. What’s the saying about time flying? Yeah. That. Most of the furniture has already been delivered, and we’ve unpacked a majority of our boxes. The way I see it, we’re entitled to a break. I drop onto the couch and turn on the TV. The cable and internet didn’t take long to get set up either, which is good, since we’re relying on having wifi for class anyway.“Must be nice,” Piper says from the kitchen. She’s standing at the stove stirring a pot of pasta sauce.“You don’t want my help in there,” I say.“It’d be nice if you offered,” she replies, with her nose in the cookbook.“Okay. Do you want some help?”“Why yes,” she says. “That would be lovely.”With a small chuckle, I rise from my seat and go over to her. Without her sling, it seems like she moves twice as fast. Adjusting the temper
PIPERIt's not an ideal situation. But it’s not Ethan’s fault whatever happened. It also wasn’t Ashton’s doing, though I’d like to know his involvement. What I’d like more is to know who’s behind the whole thing. That is if Ashton can be trusted. He did try to pay me to stay away from his brother. How high did his offer go? I don’t remember. Something tells me if I was the type to ask for more, he would’ve given me what I wanted to get the job done. So, maybe he is capable of hurting me. Or paying someone to hurt me, though everything in my gut tells me he’s a pawn in all of this. But without talking to him myself, without the whole story, I don’t know what to think.So, I’m focusing on him. Ethan. Sitting with our friends, yet again trying to make plans for our class- free week. Everyone who’s going away for spring break has already began heading down to party central. And we’ve booked nothing.“I say we forgo taking a long trip and make the most out of what’s nearby. Then we spend t
ETHANI’m not letting Ashton off the hook that easy. So, Piper’s family has money. And he was wrong. He should apologize to her. If that look in Piper’s eye has anything to do with it, he needs to come clean about whatever he said that sent her running the night of the party and apologize for that too. And I won’t take no for an answer. The kitchen is busy with women working on dessert. The same ones I've known to cook for special occasions since I was probably in diapers. They wave to me and I say hello, with as much of a smile as I can muster while looking for my shitty ass big brother. He isn’t down the hall, in the sitting room, or in any of the downstairs bathrooms. I think that maybe he might be upstairs in his old bedroom, until I come across the den at the foot of the stairs with the door cracked open.“You lied," my brother fumes. “She’s not after his money… Because I know. What else did you lie about?”“Were the two of you even dating?”“Where is the proof that she upload
PIPER“We don’t have to do this,” Ethan says, as we get closer to his family’s house. Too late to turn back now. Though, he’s probably offered to turn the car around every seven minutes or so, sensing my uneasiness.I disagree. “I want to go.”That much is true. I do want to go, especially if Ethan’s parents are willing to make the effort. Besides, I want to succeed where I think I failed before. And without Ashton there, maybe I can sway them to my side then he’ll be easier to convince that I’m not some gold digger. I can prove once and for all that I only want Ethan. Where did he even get that idea of me anyway?We turn onto a quiet street.“Last chance,” Ethan says. “Are you sure?”Gripping his hand in mine, I nod. “It’s just dinner. And I want to get to know your parents. We didn't talk much at the party.”Bringing my hand to his lips, he nods. “Okay. If anything makes you uncomfortable—anything—you tell me.”I smile, with a nod, as we turn onto what looks like a dark rode. But be
ETHAN“I don’t care where we go,” Sabrina says. “As long as there’s drinks, sun, and a reason to wear a bikini the entire time.”“Amen to that,” Jordan says slapping her on the ass.I laugh, lacing my fingers with Piper’s as we sit at a picnic table. “Where do you want to go?”She shrugs. “I kind of like Sabrina’s way of thinking.”“Hell yeah,” Jordan says, making me laugh again.“Fine. Everyone is going to Florida,” I say.“We live like thirty minutes from a beach. And I think the flight to Hawaii is closer,” Sabrina replies. “It depends on how wild we plan to get.”“Not too wild,” Piper says, motioning to her arm. She’s still in the sling through spring break. Luckily, she only suffered a dislocated shoulder and a bruised humerus. But she sprained her hand.“Oh sure, go easy now that it’s party time. I don’t think you were complaining when you spent the night on the end of Ethan’s dick,” Sabrina pouts.“Sabrina!”“What? We all know that’s what happened. That’s why you two keep makin
PIPER“I’m sorry,” Bryce says. “Did I do something wrong?”“No,” I reply, after all it’s not his fault what I almost allowed to happen. Still I scoot away, putting more space between us. “It’s just—”“Too soon,” he guesses. “It’s too soon, right?”“Bryce—”“I just really like you. And I know I can make you happy,” he says.“It’s not going to work,” I reply.“Give yourself some time.”But I’m already shaking my head. “I don’t want to. I’m sorry. I’m not trying to lead you on. But I just realized how stupid I’m being.”“No you’re not. You’re being smart. Actually think this through. It’s only a matter of time before he hurts you. Cheats on you, or worse.”“Ethan would never,” I reply.“You really believe that don’t you?”“I believe him,” I say. “And it took this moment for me to realize I don’t want space. I was just scared and upset.”“You were beaten up, Piper.”“Not his fault.”“And the sex tape? The one in his room?”“That wasn’t on him.”“I can’t believe your judgement is still so