he said as he pulled the cookie sheet from the oven. The cookies were burnt to a crisp. “Damn it.”
Piper ran around opening all the windows on the first floor. “Oh my God, poor Sophie.” She ran into the kitchen and said, “I’ll fix this. I promise. I’ll call Willow. I’m sure she can help. Give me the hot pad and I’ll take that outside.”
He gave her the hot pad, and she carried the cookie sheet out the front door. When she came back in, she was talking on her cell phone. “Harley’s dog ate the first batch, and we burned the second.” She listened as she paced the floor. “Yes, I’m still at Harley’s. Would you stop pumping me for information about me and Harley and focus? There’s a little girl upstairs who’s going to be very upset if she doesn’t have cookies tomorrow morning.”
Harley leaned against the counter, watching his girl save the day. He had heard her sisters try to pry information from one another on many occasions, and it was always entertaining. Knowing Willow was vying for info about them made him feel all kinds of good.
Piper turned away from Harley and lowered her voice. “No, I’m not staying here tonight. You know how I feel about sleepovers.”
A wave of disappointment moved through him. Maybe they weren’t coming along quite as quickly as he’d thought. Baby steps, he reminded himself.
“Thanks, Willow. You’re a lifesaver. I’ll pick them up tomorrow morning before the girls wake up,” Piper said, sauntering toward Harley. After she ended the call, she said, “It’s official. I do not belong in the kitchen.”
He wrapped his arms around her and said, “Not to worry. I’m very good in the kitchen.”
“And in the truck.” Her arms circled his neck. “In the bathroom and on the deck—”
Her words were lost in the hard press of his lips.
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
TWELVE INCHES HEADING your way!
Piper’s heart raced as she stood in the kitchen of Windsor Hall reading the text from Harley for a third time Friday afternoon. The sounds of her crew working competed with the rush of blood in her ears. This was not the place for her to be getting hot and bothered over the idea of finally getting down and dirty with Harley. Every time they were near each other, a magnetic pull sent them straight into each other’s arms, and now that they’d told the girls they were seeing each other, Harley was always pulling her into his arms or kissing her cheek. She’d never been insatiable for a man like she was with Harley. She’d always enjoyed sex. But she’d never had any emotional ties to the men she’d been with, which meant sex was a means to a stress-relieving end. She knew it wouldn’t be like that with Harley, but she and Harley weren’t having sex. They were making out, which in and of itself was mind-blowing.
Making out had never been part of the equation for Piper. A little foreplay, sure, but minutes of it, not hours. Everything was different with Harley. She could make out with him for days and never tire of his kisses or the feel of his arms around her. And touching him? Her stomach got fluttery every time their eyes met. She greedily touched him every chance she got, and when they were apart he infiltrated her every thought—she heard his laughter in her head at jokes her crew made, and his expressions—naughty, appreciative, and adoring—flashed in her mind all the time.
But she wanted more with him, and every time she tried to take it, or thought they were heading that way, he stopped them. So why was he announcing the arrival of his beloved blissmaker with a text message now? She liked to take risks, but there was no place private enough for that at the job site. If he thought she was going to fool around in the truck anywhere near that place, he was dead wrong—even though she would like nothing better than to finally see if Harley was as incredible in bed as he was out of it. They were taking the girls to Delaney’s after school this afternoon, now that Delaney didn’t need full-time care, but that still didn’t explain why Harley had announced a visit to her work as if they were planning a lunchtime tryst.
She thumbed out a response. Dream on, Dutch. I’ve got a measuring tape. 8–9 inches max. She sent the text, chuckling at her joke. She knew he’d