Hale: A Single Dad Sports Romance (Hale Brothers)
Hale: Chapter 32

Piper puts on her leather jacket and strolls toward me. A smile curls my lips, and I don’t even try to hide it. I miss my time with her, our time that we spent in my house. It’s not even about the intimacy, because I don’t think I’ve ever had so much sex in my life. It’s about our talks, about me watching her read, about her watching me try to deal with school-related stuff—anything I do when she’s around feels way better than when she’s not. She fills my life with her affection, her kindness and care. And I can’t get enough of it.

“What are you going to tell your dad if he sees us?” she asks.

“The truth.”

“Don’t you think⁠—”

“Mom doesn’t keep secrets from Dad,” I point out. She gasps, her eyes rounding.

“Great.” Piper folds her arms over her chest; her lips are pressed tightly together. She looks away and then sneaks a glance at me. “Why are you so calm?”

“Can we talk about it in the car?”

Piper doesn’t answer, and it makes me realize her mood is drastically changing. And not in a good way. She’s frustrated and annoyed, while I’m having a hard time figuring out why. Why should I care if my parents know about my relationship with her? Their opinion won’t change my mind or my behavior.

“Piper?”

“Yes, we can talk about it in the car,” she blurts, irritation rising in her voice.

I huff, opening my mouth to answer her, and that’s when my father steps into view. He stops in his tracks, a mug pressed to his lips. Slowly lowering it, he looks between Piper and me. “Going somewhere?”

“We’re going for a ride,” I tell him, holding his gaze. “If Story wakes up, please call me, and we’ll come back.”

“Sure.” Dad nods, focusing on Piper. He takes in her stance, her rigid posture, and frowns. “Is everything okay?”

She exhales harshly, boring her gaze into his. “Yes, we’re just going for a ride. I haven’t seen much of the city, and Hunter promised to show me around.”

“The city is very beautiful, even in the dark. I’m sure you’ll enjoy it.” My father’s face softens.

“I’m sure I will too,” she says, resuming her walk. “Good night, Colin.”

Piper opens the door and ambles outside, but my dad blocks my way.

“If you hurt her, no one is going to like it. Especially not Hayden,” he says.

“You have no idea what you’re talking about.” I veer around him and head to the door.

“Quite the contrary, Son.” I look over my shoulder, meeting his eyes. “You have no idea what you’re talking about. You don’t take a girl you’re just using for sex on vacation with your family.”

“Speaking from experience?” I smirk and close the door with a thud. He has no right to lecture me. Not after what he’s done.

Piper is already by the car, standing with her arms crossed over her chest. She needs to drop this attitude and tell me what’s wrong; I’m not a fucking mind reader.

“Ready to go?” I approach her, unlocking the car.

“Yes.” She yanks the door open and slides inside. I close the door for her and go around to the driver’s side, counting to ten and taking a few deep breaths. The last thing I need is to get into a fight with her over nothing.

I start the engine and drive away from the house. Piper is sitting quietly, looking ahead of her, not paying attention to our surroundings. I highly doubt she sees anything. Her gaze is glassy, and her fingers play with her butterfly pendant. She’s lost in her thoughts, and I need her here with me.

“Piper, is something wrong?”

“Wrong?” She blinks and turns to face me. “What was rule number one?”

“It’s a secret.”

“How is it a secret if both of your parents know?”

“They aren’t going to talk about it with anyone—not even with your best friend, if that’s what you’re worried about. Hayden won’t know unless you tell him,” I mutter, and she snorts.

“It’s just sex. Why would I talk to him about it?”

I snap my head in her direction, slowing the car down. The way she says it…the tone of her voice implies the contrary. And that’s bad.

“Piper, I couldn’t care less about my parents knowing. I’m fully capable of making my own decisions, and I know what’s right for me and what’s not.” I drive out toward the beach. There’s a secluded area, and no one will bother us since it’s close to midnight. The reason I’ll always choose Minorca over Mallorca is simple: it’s way less crowded, and much quieter. Exactly what I want for a vacation with my daughter.

“We should’ve set another rule. One neither of us thought of,” I say.

“Which is?”

I don’t answer her. I speed up, turn right, and drive straight for ten minutes. Piper keeps glancing at me, but it doesn’t bother me. I know what I need to tell her, and it has the power to change everything. I’ve been honest with her from the start, and if things are different for her now, it’s not my fault. I’m not leading anyone on. Not anymore, at least. I know what might happen if I’m not clear enough. Being accused of things I haven’t done and then having to lessen the damage isn’t my favorite thing to do. Especially when my daughter’s perception of me is at stake. I’ll never risk that.

I stop the car and climb out. Then I head to the hood and sit on it. The Mediterranean Sea is calm, even if the weather is a bit windy. Nothing unusual for this time of the year. Moonlight casts long shadows, allowing me to see the waves crashing against the shore, and calming my nerves. I like Piper. I’ve never met anyone like her. I’ve never felt the way I feel around her. Does that change what I want for my future? Or where I see myself in five years or more? No.

“Why are we here?” Her voice is quiet as she joins me, stopping in front of me and blocking my view of the sea. My eyes roam over her face, my skin warming up from her beauty.

“Water always helps me clear my head. It’s soothing. I don’t know how to explain it better.” Tucking a strand of hair behind her ear, Piper tries to suppress her smile but fails. She grins at me, stepping closer until she’s between my legs. “What?”

“I feel the same way. Water has always had a calming effect on me,” she confesses. I wrap my arms around her waist, pulling her closer. “I didn’t think we had that in common.”

“Neither did I.” My hands slide down to her butt, and her gaze instantly darkens. The way we react to each other is out of this world.

“What rule did we forget to add?” Piper curls her hands around my neck, our noses nearly touching.

“If one of us starts to fall for the other, we need to stop. Immediately. That’s a deal-breaker.” She swallows nervously as I even my voice, making it sound emotionless. “Is this more than just sex for you?”

Moonlight reflects in her eyes as she stares at me. She’s pensive. I don’t see even a hint of the smile that was on her lips a moment ago. Taking a deep breath, she shrugs.

“No. It’s just sex. You were more than clear when we made this agreement.”

Searching her face, I know damn well she’s lying to me. Her expression speaks way louder than her words. It’s the first sign of denial.

“Piper, I don’t want you to get hurt.”

She looks up at the sky, pouting. “What’s wrong with your family? First your brother, then your mom, and now you. Why are you all so adamant I’ll get hurt?”

Because my family knows me better than anyone, baby.

“My mother loves you, and she wants what’s best for you⁠—”

“And that’s clearly not you. Exactly what your brother told me, almost word for word.” She sighs and focuses her attention on me again. “I’m not going to get hurt, Hunter. Our agreement ends as soon as my contract is over. I’m okay with that. I promise.”

Am I okay with that? The question appears in my mind out of nowhere, but as I let it sink in, goosebumps rise on my skin. We will go separate ways once she goes back to school. She’ll be seeing other people…and just the thought of it makes me see red.

“That’s good to hear,” I say, ignoring the tsunami of emotions in my chest. “Your pussy is mine.”

Piper leans closer to my face. “For now.”

This girl…dammit. I twirl us around, lowering her onto the hood of the car. I bend down, and she hooks her legs behind my back. Not just for fucking now. An obsessive desire to have her crosses my mind. I’ll deal with all that shit later. Right now, the only thing I want is to kiss her. Over and over again.

I smash my lips onto hers, and Piper opens her mouth for me, welcoming my tongue. The kiss is fiery and passionate; it’s full of need and our longing for each other. She didn’t lie when she said she missed me, and I didn’t lie when I said I missed her too. Staying away from her when my parents or my daughter are around is hard, and I’m glad to finally be with her again. Even if it’s just for a few hours.

I haul her to my chest, carry her to the car, and climb into the backseat with her. She’s on my lap; my eyes are glued to her face. She takes off her leather jacket and tosses it aside. Pulling down her dress, she reveals her tits to me. I glance between her face and her pebbled nipples, my dick growing hard at once. Inching forward, I take her nipple into my mouth and suck.

“Fuck me, Hunter, please,” she begs, digging her fingers into my hair.

“That’s exactly what I’m planning to do, baby. My cock is lonely without your warm, tight pussy…and I’m going to fix that.”