She did not want to play nice with Erik; it was too painful knowing it was all a façade. She’d rather just stay at home and go on as they had been for the last few days. He would play his game, while she would work or read. When she would cook dinner, he’d fill his plate and would go into the living room to eat and play his stupid games. It was manageable; not what she wanted but it had only been a few nights that she had cried herself to sleep. It was all just so hard because she didn’t want it to be like this. She wanted them to get along.
She wanted them to be happy. Dammit, she wanted them to be a family!
After a hasty shower, she threw on her dance clothes, then layered her sweats over them. She quickly fixed her hair, then grabbed her packed suitcase and wheeled it down the hall. When she reached the living room, Erik was standing at the kitchen counter with a Coke in his hand, watching her. She tried not to look at him, but it was so flipping hard when he wasn’t wearing anything but sport shorts! They were big on him and hung loosely on his defined, hard hips. And she swore she could see the outline of his dick!
It was maddening!
“We don’t leave for a while. I have got to go and work out before we head to the airport,” he said, running his hand down his stomach to the spot above the waistband of his shorts.
She watched as he ran his fingers through the dark hair that gathered there and knew she had to get out of the house, fast.
“I know. I’ve got to go to Reese’s studio and help her out with some stuff, so I guess I’ll meet you at the airport.”
“Okay, but I can drive you to the studio and pick you up when you’re done so we can go to the airport together. I’m about to leave now anyway,” Erik suggested, throwing a shirt over his glorious body.
“It’s okay. I can drive.”
“Why?” he asked with his hands out in front of him. “And why aren’t you looking at me?”
She let out an annoyed breath, then looked up into his eyes. She knew it was a bad idea before she had even done it because his eyes were soft, and sweet-looking, hitting her straight in the chest.
With as much gumption as she could gather, she answered, “Because I can drive myself, and I’m still mad at you.”
He let out an annoyed breath and then came toward her, reaching for her bag.
“Just ride with me.”
He turned from her, grabbing his gym bag and his suitcase as he called for Stanley. The sweet pup hopped up and down behind him, ready to go. Piper decided that it would save gas money to just ride with him, so she followed behind the two of them to Erik’s car.
Once in the car, Stanley sprawled out in the backseat, his snores filling the car as they drove toward Nashville. Piper glanced back at him and smiled. He was so sweet.
“Where are you taking Stanley?” she asked without thinking.
Erik glanced over at her and smiled.
“Tate is going to puppy-sit for me since he isn’t going.”
“Tate wasn’t nominated this year?”
Erik shook his head. “No, when he missed the games while Audrey was in the hospital, his stats suffered.”
“Wow, that sucks.”
“Yeah, because he deserves the award. He’s the best goalie in the league.”
“I agree,” she said as she fidgeted.
“You watch hockey?”
She nodded her head. “Yeah, I love hockey. I’m a big Assassins fan, kinda have to be in the family I’m in.”
Erik smiled. “So, you’ve watched me play?”
Oh, she was about to lie her ass off.
“I guess. What number are you?”
He glanced over at her, his eyes narrowing as he said, “Fifteen.”
“I might have seen you out there,” she said offhandedly.
The truth was, he was the only reason she watched hockey anymore. It used to be about the game, but now it was about how many goals he would get in a game. He was the leading scorer on the team and was pretty much the best forward in the league, in her opinion. He was up against some tough competition at the awards tomorrow, but she had no doubt he would win.
Erik was, hands down, the best.
“That’s nice to know,” he said and that was the last of their conversation for the rest of the car ride.
When he pulled into Reese’s parking lot, he got out and she watched as he came around the car, opening the door for her. It was a little shocking but it was good to know that he meant what he said last night. But as he reached for her hand, something else bothered her, and when he shut the door behind her, she asked, “How’d you know where Reese’s studio was?”
Her fears of him sleeping with Reese came back in full force because how would he know unless he had been there before? She never asked Reese if they had been together, and really, she was afraid of the answer. More than likely Reese would have told her if she had slept with Erik, especially now, she thought. Reese lived above the dance studio, in a cute little apartment, and Piper had a horrible feeling that he had been up there, in Reese’s bed. Hell, he’d been in everyone else’s bed, so why not hers? Oh Lord, she was a mess.
“I was here once with Jacob to take Ally to dance,” he said as he made his way back around the car. “Why?”
“Just wondering,” she said, feeling stupid.
She recalled the time Erik would have driven Ally to class. It was after Harper had one of her miscarriages and Piper couldn’t get out of work in time to take Ally to her lesson.