Yeah. I grew some balls. Y’all this is rough, not edited, nothing. Its raw and grammatically f-ed up! So please dont judge me for that. I swear, later it will be good. I promise.

Enjoy my beautiful puck bunnies. Y’all are the best.

 

Prologue

Everyone remembers the moment when they weren’t using their better judgment.

Piper Allen’s moment started with five slow, lusty words that were whispered into her ear.

“I heard you liked me.”

Piper turned quickly from the bar of Wanna B’s to meet a pair of brown eyes that starred in her dreams ever since the very first moment she set eyes on them. Piper didn’t just like the owner of the dark as night brown eyes; she was hopelessly in love him.

Erik Titov.

Her sister’s brother in law. The man who she had been lusting over for years. The man who made her wet with just one simple glance. He was a straight dream boat and she wished she was the dock he wanted to pull into. Erik was everything she wanted, and she would do just about anything to have her chance with him. Even with being half passed drunk, there was no denying her want for him. Was it his eyes? The way they were partly open, giving off the bedroom vibe? Or was it his lips? Full and lush. Whatever it was, she just wanted that moment when their lips would meet, or when their bodies would touch. But that would never happen. He didn’t want her, he wanted Reese, her twin. That was why she couldn’t believe that he was talking directly at her. It had been years since he had done that, but wait? What the hell did he say?

Brushing her light brown hair that she had just got highlighted out of her face, she asked, “Excuse me?”

His dark red lips quirk at the side, and she took noticed that his face was covered with thick dark hair. She had noticed it earlier when she had come to the club with her best friend, Audrey Parker, but being this close, she could see just how dark and sexy it was. He hadn’t shaved in a month maybe, and it did nothing but make her quiver from the inside out. She could feel her inner drunk slut screaming at her to climb up his hard body, wrap her legs around his waist, take a hold of his thick broad shoulders and ravish his mouth. But before she couldn’t even try, not that she would have, he said “I said, I heard you liked me.”

Well that sure did sober her up.

Blinking like a deer in headlights, Piper felt her mouth part as she gazed up into Erik’s eyes. It was like a record had come to a screeching halt and her inner slut was no long wanting to climb up him; more like run along with sweet Piper to the nearest hole and hide. Even in her drunken state and with how loud the Wanna Bs bar was, there was no mistaking what he said.

Piper’s state also didn’t stop her quick thinking. She quickly masked her dismay with a sly grin and said, “Who told you that nonsense?”

Erik gave a throaty chuckle as he pinned her with the depths of his dark eyes, “Nonsense? I think not, my source is very reliable.”

She noticed that he looked off to the side, and when she followed his gaze, it landed on Audrey, who was dancing with her…okay, she was dancing with Tate Odder and there was no time to even try to decipher that situation.  At that moment, though, she didn’t care about their situation and was also rethinking her and Audrey’s whole best friend status. “That bitch,” she muttered.

“But I thought it was all nonsense,” Erik said in his slow way, bringing her attention back to him. He took a step closer to her, resting his hand along her hip. She looked down at his hand, before looking back up into his eyes. She wanted to laugh because she knew this was some crazy joke that God was playing on her, but then she saw lust swirling in his eyes.

Hmmm, Okay, maybe Audrey wasn’t such a bitch.

Maybe all these years of lusting and wanting were finally going to be rewarded because at that moment she was pretty sure Erik wanted her. Did all she have to do was tell him she was interested? Would that have saved her the two years of heartbreak of watching and reading about him with girl after girl? Saved her from watching him flirt with her sister? It couldn’t have been this easy, though. Surely, this was all a cruel joke, but what if it wasn’t. There was no way she could pass this moment up.

“Maybe I lied,” she said breathlessly as she tried to flirt and desperately failed.

He gave her a condescending smile before saying, “I know you did.”

Piper rolled her eyes and she chuckled, “Cocky, much?”

“Sweetheart, I’m not cocky,” he said with a wink. “I’m confident. I know you want me.”

Shaking her head, she said, “Wow. I’m speechless”

“I have that effect on woman,” he said with a slow teasing grin. Even though he was probably joking, it was by far a joke. It was the damn truth. He did have that effect on her, and Piper honestly didn’t know how she was still fully clothed when he was pinning her with those eyes.

But she couldn’t have him win like this. Her blood boiled with attraction to him, and she was sure he was feeling the same thing. His eyes were dark and his lip kept teasing his bottom lip as if he wanted to gobble her up. The bad thing was that she was bound and determined to let him. With her own teasing grin, she got up on her tippy toes to whisper in his ear, “Well, I’m pretty sure you want me.”

When she moved away, Erik was smiling and it wasn’t a cocky or teasing smile. It was a lusty one, one that sent chills up her spin. It also had her thinking he liked her flirty side, which was different since she was a complete dork when she was drunk. She was surprised she wasn’t talking with her pinkie in the air, asking him questions, “How do you do good sir?”

Her inner princess always came out in full force. But maybe, Princess Piper was lock away because she knew that this wasn’t that kind of moment. This was a holy crap things are about to get hot moment. She felt it and she knew he did.

Still grinning down at her, he asked, “What evidence do you have to support that statement?”

She bit down on her lip as she glanced down at where his hand was, tightening on her waist. Her gaze traveled up some to where an impressive outline of a hard on was on display in his fitted black jeans. She looked back up at him, and said, “I’m pretty sure there isn’t much room in those tight jeans.”

He ran his tongue along his bottom lip again, his eyes holding hers in a fire hot embrace for what seemed like forever. It was always like this when their eyes met. It didn’t happen much, but when it did, it was explosive and she was sure that he felt the same. Was it the alcohol or was it him, she didn’t know but before she could do anything or say anything, he declared, “I want to dance.”

Well didn’t that just ruin the moment?

Looking away, Piper scoffed at his proclamation, and was a little confused as she waved towards the floor, “Then by all means, there is the dance floor.”

When he didn’t say anything, Piper looked up and Erik’s eyes held hers as a grin played on his lips, “I want to dance with you.”

Piper blinked twice before she realized she was being pulled onto the dance floor by him. Lemme See, by Usher blasted through the speakers of the club and Piper knew that she would never forget that song for the rest of her life. Erik brought her body close to his, swallowing hers in his large body. He had large arms, and sexy tattoos adorning them. Soon she was being caressed by his large coarse hands and her eyes rolled to the back of her head as she let out a sigh. His hands traveled from her waist, down to her bare thighs where he gripped as she began to move against him. His hands tighten on her as she found the right spot, before rubbing her bottom against his growing erection. It was mind blowing, what the hell had brought them to this moment, she wouldn’t question. She couldn’t.

She had waited for this for the past two years. So she would dance. She would rub and she would caresses, even if she didn’t think anything would come out of it. She had to do it, she couldn’t regret not taking this chance.

But it wasn’t a onetime thing. They had spent the whole night dancing. When they weren’t dancing, Erik always had his hand somewhere on her. She had spent no time with Audrey, but really she didn’t have too. Tate had her completely distracted which was good. They belonged together and Piper honestly didn’t think she could handle trying to keep her cool about the attention Erik was giving her. If Audrey came over, Piper was sure to burst with excitement. She had told Audrey about her love for him countless times and this moment still wasn’t real to her. The whole night wasn’t. The way his fingers would slowly drift along her cheeks and over her lips or the way he would look directly into her eyes and laugh when she knew her jokes were horrible! He was funny, he was cocky, both traits she loved in a man. He had dimples, big ones, that made her squeal in delight every time he smiled. He had amazing stories of about his hockey career and he listen when Piper talked about the boring stuff about her job at the jewelry story. Erik was everything she imagined he was.

He was perfect.

Not once did she think of anything she had heard about him. The serial dating was no where in her mind and she sure wasn’t remembering the way she had spent two years lusting over him. All she could do was think that they were there. They were in the moment together and she wasn’t looking back. She had to jump in with both feet or she would forever regret not doing it and she would never ever do that to herself. She wouldn’t burden herself with the ‘what ifs’.

It was well into the wee hours of the night when Piper, Audrey, Tate, and Erik finally left the club. Standing outside in the cold, since their other friend Phillip Anderson, who was also their ride, left with his date of the night, they were thrilled when two cabs pulled up. Tate threw the door open and held his hand out to help Audrey.

“You’re good, Pipe?” Audrey asked, her beautiful caramel eyes locked with Piper’s as a worried expression came over her face. Her best friend was such a sweet heart, crazy and a bit suborn, but a still a breath of fresh air. She knew from first glance that she and Audrey would be great friends and they had been. She could see the questions in Audrey’s eyes and knew that they would be on the phone for hours tomorrow. Piper only hoped that she would be going to Tate’s bed instead of her own, but knowing Audrey and how damn stubborn she was, it was more than likely not going to happen.

“I’m fine. I promise,” she said with a reassuring smile.

“I’ll make sure she gets home okay, Audrey, you can trust me,” Erik said but Piper could tell Audrey didn’t trust him at all.

“Don’t make me kill you, Erik.”

With that, Audrey shut the door with a glare, but it fell when Tate wrapped his arm around her shoulders. Tate, of course, had nothing but pure admiration in his eyes for Audrey. Piper could still remember the first time, around a campfire in the front yard of Audrey’s condo, when she saw how much Tate cared for Audrey. He wore his emotions his sleeve but Audrey was too blind to see them. All Piper could do was pray that changed.

“She’s funny,” Erik muttered as they got into their out cab.

“She wasn’t joking,” Piper said with a laugh. Erik chuckled as he scooted closer to Piper, wrapping his arm around Piper’s shoulders. His chuckles shook her small body and she couldn’t help the grin or the butterflies that went crazy in her stomach. She felt like a fourteen year old school girl being held by her crush, who of course was Justin Timberlake. But this man was no Justin Timberlake, no, he was Erik Titov and at that moment, Piper was honestly thinking that Erik was better.

He was intoxicating and the way he made her feel was insane, but Piper loved every minute of it. She wanted to scream out in victory. ERIK TITOV WAS HUGGING ME! But instead, she glanced up at him and smiled. His eyes locked with her, and she watched as his head slowly dropped towards her. Holy mother of everything good and gracious, he is going to kiss me, and then their lips met. Piper couldn’t breathe or move for that matter. All she could do was bask in the feel of his soft red lips moving along hers. When his hand came up, cupping the back of her head before his other hand gently held her chin, she finally remember that its way more fun when the other person participates and started to kiss him back. Her lips moved smoothly against his, and when she ran her tongue along his bottom lip, she heard his growl of appreciation before he deepened the kiss, taking her out of this world.

She wasn’t one of those girls to pass up a moment. Piper believed that in life there were moments that changed everything and this was one of those. She could go home and live life with those what ifs, but why? Why do that when this man, this sex on legs, had her basically in his lap, kissing the stuffing out of her. When they parted, only for air, his eyes searched hers as his breath was hot against her swollen lips. She couldn’t believe this was happening. For the past two years, she went on thinking he wanted nothing from her, but after a kiss like that, she was sure she was an idiot for thinking those things.

“I thought for the longest time you didn’t see me,” she found herself saying.

Erik eyes soften, his thumb running slowly along her bottom lip, “Maybe I wasn’t looking Piper, but now I am,” he placed a kiss to the side of her mouth before going on, “and sweetheart, I’m not looking anywhere but at you.”

“Alright folks, we’re here.”

Breaking their heated glance, Piper looked out the window to see that they were in front of her apartment. The cabbie was looking at her through the rearview mirror and when she glanced over at Erik, he was looking at her expectantly. She had a choice to make, she knew that, and it took only a month later to realize that the choice she made wasn’t the right one. At that moment though, she thought it was the greatest idea since slice bread.

“Are you coming up?” she asked.

Erik smiled and for some reason, she could have sworn it was a shy smile before he said, “Only if you want me too?”

“Oh, I want you too.”

Erik slapped a bill in the cabbie’s hand quickly as she threw the door open and jumped out, with him right behind her. He wrapped his arms around her waist, hugging her close to him, his rock hard length stiff against the small of her back. Dropping her head back into his chest, she looked up at him as he grinned down at her.

“Ready for some fun?” he asked.

She nodded before she said, “I’ve been ready for a while.”

And that was that.

Little did she know; that wasn’t it. A month later, Piper found herself sitting in the middle of her bathroom with tears gushing down her face. She was still wet from her shower, the water dripping from her long hair that fanned out against her back. She wasn’t sure if it was tears or water that dripped down her face, but she didn’t care. All she cared about was that night a month ago with Erik and what she held in her hand.

How did she not know better? He hadn’t talked to her or even noticed she was around until that night. Of course, he said all the right words and even when he called her a week later to talk, he was as nice as he could be. He explained that their night together was a mistake. That he couldn’t be with her because of their families, and because he wasn’t the kind of man to settle down. He never meant to hurt her, he assured her, but he couldn’t let this go any farther than it already had.

He was sorry.

It was hard not to think that he was up to no good, though. That he was probably just using her, she couldn’t help the feeling that he did. How could he spend the whole night make sweet, hot love to her and then leave so quickly.  Did her love for him cloud that much of her judgment? How could she have been so stupid? But it didn’t matter no more, what’s done is done. There was no going back; there was no way to change it.

Glancing back down at the little stick she held in her hands, her eyes clouded again, making it hard to see the two little blue lines that screamed the truth at her before the tears spilled over her cheeks.

And the truth was that Piper was pregnant.

With Erik Titov’s baby.

© 2012 Toni Aleo. All rights reserved.