“So . . . no gooey feelings for Fox?”

“No, actually.” Hannah seemed pleased with herself. “I think I like him as a friend, though. He’s fun. Smart. It was natural for me to notice he’s good-looking. I mean, who wouldn’t? But it’s all aboard the platonic train. Toot, toot. Friends only.”

“You’re sure, Hanns?” Piper eyeballed her sister. “Pretty obvious he’s a lady’s man. I wouldn’t want you to get hurt or—”

“Pipes. I’m not interested.” Hannah appeared to be telling the truth. “Swear to God.”

“Okay.”

“In fact, I’m cool hanging out with him today. There’s no babysitting vibe.” She made a shooing motion with her hand. “You and Brendan can go do couple-y things.”

“What? No way! I want to browse vinyls, too.”

“No, you don’t. But you’re cute for pretending.”

Piper pouted, then brightened. “We will have our sisters wax date!” She gasped. “You know what? I booked it at a place closer to the convention center, because I assumed that’s where we’d be staying. But I’m going to cancel it. I bet they have in-room waxing here. Let’s splurge.”

“Location doesn’t matter to me. Hair is getting ripped out either way.”

Piper lunged for the phone. “That’s the spirit!”

Chapter Twenty-Four

Brendan had been hoping to get a lot of time alone with Piper while in Seattle. He hadn’t expected to get it so soon, but he sure as hell wasn’t going to complain. As the four of them stood in the lavish hotel lobby getting ready to part ways, he did his best not to feel underdressed in jeans, flannel, and boots. He’d taken off the beanie as soon as he’d gotten to his room, kind of dumbfounded by the level of extravagance. The price of their stay had tipped him off that it would be fancy, but he was going to spend the whole time worried about leaving boot prints on the carpet.

This is what she’s used to.

This is what you’ll give her.

Piper was laughing at Hannah’s disgruntled expression. “Is it that bad?”

“She didn’t even warn me. Just rip.”

“Who didn’t warn you?” Fox asked, splitting a curious look between the women. “Jesus. What happened since we left you?”

“We got waxed,” Piper explained breezily. “In the room.”

Hannah poked her sister in the ribs. “Piper.”

Piper paused in the act of fluffing her hair. “What? It’s like a basic human function.”

“Not for everyone.” Hannah laughed, red-faced. “Oh my God. I should go before my sister embarrasses me any more.” She turned to Fox, raised an eyebrow. “Ready?”

For once, Brendan’s best friend appeared to be at a loss for words. “Uh, yeah.” He coughed into his fist. “Let’s go record shopping.”

“Meet back here at six for dinner,” Brendan said.

Fox saluted lazily and followed Hannah toward the exit.

They were almost to the revolving door when Piper tugged on Brendan’s shirt, making him look down. “They worry me a little. She says they’re just friendly, but I don’t want my sister to get her heart broken.”

Brendan wouldn’t say it out loud, but he’d been worried about the same thing. Fox didn’t have female friends. He had one-night stands. “I’ll talk to him.”

Piper nodded, though she cast one more worried glance at her sister’s and Fox’s retreating backs. “So . . .” She turned on a heel and gave Brendan her full attention. “It’s just the two of us. For the whole afternoon. Should we go sightseeing?”

“No.”

“No?” Her eyes were playful. “What did you have in mind?”

She obviously thought he was going to throw her over his shoulder and bring her back up to the room. And goddamn, he was tempted to spend the whole day fucking a bare-naked Piper on that ridiculous bed, but being predictable wouldn’t serve him. He needed to use his time with her wisely. “I’m taking you shopping.”

Her smile collapsed. A sheen coated her eyes.

A trembling hand pressed to her throat. “Y-you are?” she whispered.

He tucked a fall of hair behind her ear. “Yes.”

“But . . . really? Now?”

“Yes.”

She fanned her face. “For what?”

“Whatever you want.”

Those blue eyes blinked. Blinked again. A line formed between her brows. “I can’t . . . I can’t think of a single thing I want right now.”

“Maybe once you start looking—”

“No.” She wet her lips, seeming almost surprised by the words coming out of her mouth. “Brendan, I will always love shopping and fancy hotels. Like, love them. But I don’t need them. I don’t need you to do”—she encompassed the lobby with a sweeping gesture—“all of this in order to make me happy.” Her cheek pressed to his chest. “Can you let me into the recharging station, please?”

Without delay, his arms were wrapped around Piper, his mouth pressed to the crown of her head. Until she said the words and relief settled over him, he didn’t know how badly he needed to hear them. He might be able to afford places like this, but he couldn’t deny the need to be enough on his own. Oddly, now that she’d erased that worry, he found himself wanting to treat her to a day of her favorite things even more. “I’m taking you shopping, honey.”

“No.”

“Yes, I am.”

“No, Brendan. This isn’t necessary. I’d be just as happy watching them throw fish at Pike Place Market with you, and oh my God, I really mean that.” She snuggled in closer, her hand fisting in his flannel. “I really, actually do.”

“Piper.” He dropped his mouth to her ear. “Spoiling you makes my dick hard.”

“Why didn’t you say so?” She grabbed his hand and tugged him toward the exit. “Let’s go shopping!”

* * *

“Jeans?”

Piper lifted her chin. “You said whatever I want.”

Enjoying the hell out of himself, Brendan followed Piper through the aisles of the classy Pacific Place shop, watching her ass punch side to side in her pink skirt. She was so in her element among the mannequins and racks of clothes, he was glad as hell he’d pushed to go shopping. As soon as they’d walked through the doors, salesgirls had descended on his girlfriend and they were already on a first-name basis, running off to retrieve a stack of jeans in Piper’s size.

“Of course, you can get whatever you want,” he said, trying to keep from knocking over racks with his wide shoulders. “I just figured you’d go straight for the dresses.”

“I might have.” She sent him a haughty look over her shoulder. “If I didn’t remember you sarcastically asking me if I owned a pair of jeans.”

“The night you went dancing at Blow the Man Down?” He thought back. “I didn’t think you recalled half that night.”

“Oh, only the important parts,” she said. “Like backhanded slights against my wardrobe.”