Breathe With Me (The Breathe Series Book 3) (17 page)

I look at Judd, remembering all that I said to Abby last night; nope, there is no doubt.

“Oh yeah…no, I definitely told her. Like an idiot, I just let it all fall right out of my trap.”

Judd laughs, his eyes filled with a mix of you-poor-damn-sap and wow-you-screwed-up.

“I figured as much. You don’t usually think things through before saying them. I’m sure it’ll all work out though.” His phone chimes and he glances at it before stepping toward the door. “Just keep trying.”

I nod once and press my lips together in a somewhat appreciative smile. “Will do. Think I’m going to test these heaters out by seeing if I freeze my ass off in the shower. You better get going before your girlfriend gets too lonely. I’m sure going a whole morning without sex is about to drive you two insane.”

Judd stares me down as I chuckle. “Bye, Evan,” he says, rolling his eyes dramatically.

Once he is out the door, I toss my sweatshirt and jacket across the sink while I pick up a few tools we missed. The tee I have on sticks to my back like a silent plea to turn the heater down. Damn, that thing can pipe out some heat. Walking over, I stare at the dial set on high and make a decision to turn it down to medium. Maybe a bad decision, especially if I step out of the shower and freeze.

After adjusting the temp, I pull the curtain to the first shower stall closed, strip down and let the hot soothing water rain over me. It doesn’t take long to wash off, considering I didn’t take the time to go gather my shampoo or body wash, but it’s wet and relaxing; that’s all I care about right now. Tossing the curtain open, I look down at the bench in the changing space and all I see is my clothes. Dammit; I didn’t even think to grab a towel.
Shit.

I stand there, buck-ass naked and dripping wet, weighing my options.

Shake like a dog and then slip my clothes back on?

Stand under the blow dryer and hope that I get at least a tenth of my body dry?

Turn the heat back up and air dry?

At least the room is plenty warm.

“Evan…” My eyes go wide, not particularly at knowing I’m not alone as I stand here nude, but at the voice itself. “Hey, can I talk to you…” Piper rounds the corner and my heart stops. “Oh God!” she spits out, throwing her hands and her jacket over her face.

I don’t move; don’t make any effort to dart behind anything.
Is that my sweatshirt?
Placing both of my hands on my hips, I squint at the gray material she has her head buried in. A ‘Ro’ with a ‘C’ below it is all I can make out, but I know it’s my sweatshirt. Piper no longer went to Rosemore our senior year, and that in fact, is the sweatshirt I got my senior year…Rosemore High Class of 2014.

“Are you decent?” her voice comes out muffled, making me think she may smother if she doesn’t come up for air soon.

I look around, before leaning back against the edge of the shower and folding my arms across my chest.
Guess my choice is clear; I’ll air dry.

She slowly drops her hands and my sweatshirt a fraction of an inch. “Oh geez, Evan…why on earth are you standing here naked?” She places her face back in the wad of fabric, sounding like she’s in a tunnel when she speaks. “This is a public restroom.”

“I was in the shower,” I point out the obvious, staying comfortable against the wall.
I don’t have anywhere to go.

Droplets of water still slide down my chest, tickling my skin and letting me know I have plenty of time.

She sighs and drops her hands to her waist, annoyance blanketing her expression now with a hint of amusement in her eyes. I want to laugh, but I keep a straight face, completely serious and confident standing here in the buff.

“Ok, well fine…you can’t at least cover yourself?”

I look straight at her face, my lip ticking up at the corners. “I forgot my towel.”

“Ooooookkk…” She looks down at my discarded clothes with the exception of the one in her hand. “So get dressed.”

Pressing my lips together to hold back laughter, I stare at her hands still gripping my shirt. “I’m trying to dry off first.” I glance up to make eye contact and then back to the shirt with a grin on my face. “Is that my sweatshirt?” I nudge my chin forward.

Her eyes dart down to it. “Oh ahh…well I saw it on the sink and I, ahhhh…” I grin as she searches for an answer that doesn’t include her hugging my shirt. “Yeah…I just thought…” she clears her throat and straightens her stance, still clinging to it. “Anyways, I was hoping we could talk for a second.”

Arching one brow on her words, I remain comfortably perched against the shower wall, not even chilly in the slightest. I level my gaze with her, staring at her hard; curious.
I know she wants to look.

“About?” I smirk, raising my brows.

She hugs my sweatshirt to her chest, making me a bit envious. “All I wanted to say is…” Her chest rises on a deep breath. “…thank you,” she spits out as she exhales, like those words took every ounce of courage she had.

I don’t say a word, my playfulness on enticing her to possibly take in an eyeful evaporating along with the shower water that had clung to my body. For once there is no bitterness in her words; it’s the voice I used to know.

She gives me a close-lipped smile, igniting a tidal wave of nostalgia. It was never an expression that meant she was happy, not even one that would necessarily open up a gateway to tell me she wanted to talk. It was more of a pained smile, an I’m-going-to-smile-through-the-hurt kind of look. Just that, breaks me. It slaps me down and makes me regret that stupid ass mistake I made back then.

She goes on, “Thank you for helping me last night. I forgot…” she pauses, looking down and taking another profound breath. “…it was nice.”

My eyebrows shoot up and I stand up straight away from the wall, my arms still across my torso.

“It was? I mean, yeah…ahhh…you’re welcome.” I gulp down all the heavy shit I want to say and go for subtle. “I meant what I said…I’m still here…ya know.” I dip my chin and grit my teeth, wondering if that may unleash the storm.

Her eyes dart back to meet mine and slowly her lips curve into that bright beautiful smile I remember.
God, I haven’t seen that directed at me in what seems like forever.
This is a bigger victory than seeing those dumbass heaters actually crank out heat when I swore they wouldn’t. The corner of my mouth slightly raises, mocking her own smile and we both stand there in utter silence. Strangely, given the fact that I am awkwardly standing here completely nude and she is grasping my shirt like she desperately needs a cuddle buddy with no one else around except me, my mind still steers clear of any indecent thoughts. I mean this is Piper, I’ve had a thing for her since I was fourteen years old. Even after I found out what happened, it never dampened the way I wanted her or the way I looked at her. She always said that was the trait she loved the most; that I didn’t see her memories like she did. When I looked at her, I saw her and only her; just like now.

I take a U-turn from the ‘I’m always here’ statement and try to lighten the entire mood.
Enough seriousness.

“So you heard the shower going when you walked in and decided
now
was a good time to talk? Like maybe I was over here testing the water pressure, fully clothed or something?” I press my lips tightly together, exhaling out my nose on a chuckle.

She squints her eyes, giving me an evil glare, but I can see through it. This is the playful girl I knew back then; the giggly, trusting personality that usually only emerged when she was around me.

“Evan, don’t flatter yourself. I…did…not…come in here to see you naked by any means.” She clears her throat again, a sign that she is uncomfortable or maybe even putting forth an extreme effort to look me in the eye.

I know she wants to look.

She quirks her brows, looking sexy as hell in a self-confident stare. “I actually ran into Judd outside and he said you were in here testing out the heaters.” She juts her chin side-to-side with a little attitude.

I seriously want to laugh my ass off, but I keep my composure, holding it back for now. “Riiiiigggghhhht,” I draw out slowly and deliberately to emphasize the absurdity of her comment. “By taking a shower.”

Frowning, she shifts and glances behind her to the new wall unit. She shrugs, not understanding my point.

“I was testing out the heaters by taking a shower. You know…seeing if winter vacationers could trust the heaters to keep them toasty, or if they may freeze their goods off by the subzero drafts when they step out of the shower dripping wet.”

I drop all emotion and amusement from my expression and look at her, gauging her reaction. I used to love getting under her skin and riling her up. It was our thing; me teasing and pestering her, and her always giving into my smartass ways with a pissy comment or defiant attitude.

My restraint holds on for so long and then I cave, a huge grin taking over my face. “They work good; don’t you think?”

She shrugs, blinking her eyes rapidly. I’m thinking my willpower isn’t the only one faltering; this is killing her. I know she’s curious.

“I just figured I could gauge the temperature better coming out of the shower, but the boys seem perfectly at ease.” I nod my head once as her eyes dart down so quickly I barely catch it. “It’s ok…I know it’s been killing you since you rounded that corner.”

She looks me in the eyes, rolling her own and releasing an exaggerated sigh which only furthers my amusement. Honestly, I really want to thrust my hips or wobble them side-to-side, but I hold back a bit. I don’t want her to be completely dumbfounded. It may be too much for her eyes to take in all at once anyways.

“Here, I’d say you need this more than I do.” She holds my sweatshirt out, stretching her arm all the way out as if she’s afraid to step into the changing space or get too close.

I glance down, making sure nothing unexpectedly pops up during my playfulness. Looking back up, I tilt my head and reach for my shirt. “Thaaanks,” I say slowly and pull it to my chest, not bothering to take her hint.

“You can dry off with it, since you forgot your towel.” She spins around, then stops. Looking back, her face lights up with a mischievous smile and my body definitely tingles with a subtle reaction. “…and if you ask me…” she glances down and back up.
Ok now I feel exposed.
“…maybe you need to turn the heat up a few degrees.”

My eyes widen as she turns back and starts to walk off.

“Oh no, no…get back here and take another look.”

“I’ve seen it before, Evan. It wasn’t that impressive back then,” her voice is laced in friskiness, but I still bite.

“Oh no way. Come take a better look. That was years ago. I’m older and trust me, all of me has grown up and gotten better with age,” I holler, my voice echoing in the room. “Get back here.” I race around the corner, slipping my sweatshirt over my head with not a scrap of fabric to cover me below the waist.

As soon as I round the corner, I feel a cold draft and see Piper swing around and take another eyeful with a teasing smile. “Bye Evan…don’t forget to crank up that heater.”

“Hey, Piper.”

I have no time to take cover before Jake is in the door and Piper has fled with a sneaky little grin on her face.

“Oh damn, man, put some clothes on.”

I laugh and dart back into the stall.

“Where is your towel?” Jake questions from the other side of the wall.

Slipping one leg into my jeans, followed by the next, I shake my head and relish in the whirling effect that ‘the old Piper’ had on me. A smirk lies firmly across my face along with a refreshed mood that had nothing to do with the shower as I join him.

“What’s up with you?” He looks around and I laugh. “Do I want to know what just happened in here?”

“No,” I crack up at his suspicions.

“Because, I actually came here first instead of Judd’s cabin. I figured I’d be walking into the middle of something there.”

I grit my teeth, knowing exactly what he means. “Yeah…no, good call. Nothing like that has went on here, I assure you, but I can’t tell you what has been shaking up at their cabin. I’d stay away for about an hour longer, then it should be safe.”

Jake snickers. “So you always install heaters without pants?”

I shake my head, knowing I may never hear the end of this, but still smile. Even though I didn’t get the same enjoyment out of the afternoon as Judd is more than likely getting now, it definitely without a doubt, got more than hot in here.
No need to turn that heater up.