At the end of the game, Piper was still sitting with Chase. And I was still pissed.
I ripped off my shin guards, tossed them into my bag, and took a long swig of my water bottle.
“So, pizza?” Blaire asked with a little dance. “We should celebrate.”
“It was a massacre,” August said. “I’ve never scored so much in my life.”
Nora leaned into him. “It was hot.”
He grinned. “Thanks, baby girl.”
“Can I invite Tamara, too?” Nora asked.
“Sure,” Blaire said.
I grimaced. Great. Just what I needed. Then, my gaze shifted as Piper dropped out of the stands to head over to Blaire. “Nice game.”
“Thanks! Pizza?” Blaire asked.
“Sure. I’m down.” And she had this bubbly excitement to her.
“I’ll pass,” Isaac said. “Need to get home to Peyton and Aly.”
Annie, Cézanne, and Gerome bowed out as well for work. Annie and Cézanne were on call, which always made the games up in the air if they’d be there at all. That left me, Julian, and Jennifer to go with Nora, August, Tamara, Blaire, and Piper.
“Sutton?” Blaire called. “Pizza?”
She groaned. “I’d kill for it. But the littles.” She gestured to her children.
“I can take care of it,” David said.
“You sure?” she asked.
“Go. Have fun.”
Sutton skipped forward. “I’m in. Pizza sounds divine.”
I wanted to talk to Piper, but she stayed purposefully away from me. There was never an opportunity that wouldn’t have been much too obvious for the company.
I ground my teeth together and left the parking lot. I followed behind Blaire’s shiny silver Lexus until we reached Capital Pizza, which was The Tacos’ typical after-game celebration. There were only two parking spots left by the time we got there. I pulled in next to Blaire with my door facing Piper in the passenger seat.
Blaire waved at me as I got out. She looked to Piper, who was stepping out of the car. “I’ll see y’all inside,” she chirped happily and then hightailed it away.
Piper crossed her arms. “What do you want?”
I slammed my door shut. “You’ve been avoiding me.”
“Get over yourself. I haven’t been anywhere near you all week.”
“You’re near me now,” I growled, stepping into her personal space.
“And?” She tried to brush past me, but I put my arm out against my truck, blocking her way. “Real mature.”
“What were you and Chase talking about at the game?”
She rolled her eyes. “Why? Jealous?”
Was I? Yes, that was that unfamiliar feeling. That want that went straight to my balls. I ached for her. I wanted to crawl back under her skin. She drove me out of my mind. And I wanted to drive her out of hers.
“I don’t know why you’re denying your attraction to me.”
She laughed. “Do you hear yourself? Obviously, I find you attractive. But that doesn’t change anything, Hollin. You and I would never, ever work out. You’re so…you. Chase is nice, normal…” She paused before saying the final word, “Serious. He’s serious. And that’s what I want. He asked me out, and I said yes.”
“That’s stupid,” I told her.
She scoffed. “Thanks.”
“He’s not serious. He’s a goddamn Sinclair.”
“I don’t need this,” she said.
I pinned her back against my truck. Her breath came out all huffy, and her eyes dipped to my lips before back up again. She wet her lips, as if waiting for me to kiss her.
“Go out with me,” I said in a soft voice, an earnest one.
“What?” she whispered.
“Go on a date with me.”
“No.”
“Why not?”
“I don’t want to date you, Hollin.”
“Then, whatever happened Saturday, I want that.”
She pushed against my chest. I released her easily. “I don’t want to just fuck you either.”
“I can’t date you. I can’t fuck you. What can I do with you?”
“Nothing,” she spat. “It doesn’t matter what happened, Hollin. We had sex. We both enjoyed it. But that was it.”
“Why are you denying this?”
“Why are you pursuing it?”
“Because I’m fucking interested in you, Piper.”
“For how long? Until the chase is over? Until you get bored? Until you fuck me over? No thanks. I’ll pass.”
She shoved my hand aside and stormed off. I was missing a huge part of the conversation. I’d dated a lot of women who wanted more than I was willing to give. People I’d slept with and moved on from. She’d made it seem personal. As if it had happened to her. As if I’d done that shit to her in the past. But I clearly hadn’t. Now, I was left out here, more confused than ever.
17
Piper
My date was going fine.
Fine.
Chase Sinclair was personable, easy to talk to, and even charming. He was definitely serious. A lawyer who had moved back to Lubbock last year to be closer to home. He was also handsome. Very handsome. He had on a suit and tie, slicked his hair up, and had on those fancy shoes that only rich kids wore.
It was exactly what I’d told Peyton I wanted.
That was the main reason I’d agreed to go out with him. I’d said I wanted serious, and then bam! There was Chase, asking me out like a fucking adult.
It had nothing to do with making Hollin jealous. Nothing at all.
Though seeing his face when I’d told him was satisfying. I shouldn’t have blown up on him the way that I had. I’d shown my cards even if he had no idea about Quinn and Khloe. Now, he knew there was a reason for how I always acted around him.
And look, there went my mind again…focusing on Hollin and not my date, who had just paid the check at the nicest steak house in Lubbock.
“That was delicious,” I managed, getting my head back in the game.
“It was.” He finished off his wine and set his glass down. “I was glad you suggested the Willamette Valley pinot noir. It was a great match.”
“Wine is what I know.”
“I like that about you.” He pushed his chair back and held his hand out for me. I put mine in his and let him help me to my feet. I’d worn heels, and Blaire had picked out my pink dress. I’d felt pretty when I left the house, and Chase had been flattering me all night.
We headed back to his car, and he held the door open for me. He’d rushed around earlier to get my door and everything. True gentleman.
We chatted about the winery as he drove to my house. At least that was something I could talk about forever. Our conversation had been kind of flat throughout much of dinner.
Once we parked, he jogged around again to open my door, and I let him walk me up to the porch.
“I had a great time,” I told him.
“Me too.” His smile was wide. “We should do this again.”
“Definitely.”
He waited at the front door, as if anticipating me asking him inside. The entire night stretched before me if I did that. I knew every step that would lead to my bedroom. And part of me just…couldn’t…do it.