Wrapped in Lace by Prescott Lane Read Free Book Online Page A

that I had anything against strippers, but I didn’t want to think about any man ever looking at her that way.
    “Would it make a difference to you if I used to strip?” Piper asked.
    “It would break my heart.” I had to be honest. I wouldn’t think less of her or anything, but it would crush me.
    “I better get back inside,” she said, standing up.
    I guess that wasn’t the right answer. I captured her hand and pointed into the darkness. “Look, it’s starting to snow.”
    I pulled her off the porch as the first snow of the season lightly fell all around us. I watched her eyes light up as she held up her hands, smiling and letting the snow tickle her face. The first snow of the season was always the most special, the most magical. And she looked so beautiful, so alive, so happy. I wanted to capture that, to capture her. I put my hands on her waist and pulled her close. “I’m not going to wimp out this time.”
    I leaned down into her smile, my warm lips causing her body to roll into me. I pulled her tighter and wound my fingers into her blonde hair and pulled her mouth closer as our tongues met. I took my time kissing her, her lips familiar. I tasted her and realized I’d been starving for her, craving her since I was fourteen years old. I didn’t want to stop.
    Her hands slid under my coat and gripped my t-shirt. I knew she wanted me closer. Our tongues slowly circling each other’s, the heat of our bodies caused each snowflake to evaporate as soon as it made contact with our skin. I softened my grip on her hair and slowly pulled away then nuzzled my nose with hers and planted a soft little kiss on her rosy lips. “You aren’t going to hit me this time, are you?” Piper smiled and shook her head. “Does the invitation to come in still stand?”
    Piper’s smile widened, and she shook her head again. “Decided the bad girl thing didn’t work for me!”
    I knew that already, but it still made me laugh to hear her admit it. “Then I’ll see you tomorrow.”
    “Sure, how about I drive you home?”
    “Thanks,” I said and removed the coat. I handed it back to her then pulled her back into my chest. “By the way, it wouldn’t matter to me if you used to strip. It would make me sad and jealous, but it wouldn’t change who you are to me.”
    She cupped my cheek tenderly. “When cash was low, my mom would strip on the side. Guys always thought that meant she was easy or that they could treat her like crap. Slap her around.”
    I was getting a very vivid picture of Piper’s teenage years, and I didn’t like it. It made me sick to think about it, and I hated myself for stopping my letters to her. She probably could’ve used a friend, and I just cut her off without an explanation. I pulled her closer and rested my head on top of hers. “I’m sorry.”
    “My mom didn’t always make the best decisions, but she did her best. She took a lot of crap, but the first time any of her boyfriends eyed me or raised a hand to me, she tossed them to the curb. She protected me, nothing bad ever happened to me. My mom saw to that.”
    Jesus Christ, boyfriends eyeing her or raising a hand to her! That was no way to grow up. No wonder Piper thought of McAdenville so fondly.
    “And my mom would’ve killed me for taking off my clothes for money. She’d strip in the worst dives before she let me even work an afternoon babysitting.”
    I released the breath I hadn’t realized I was holding. At least her mother tried to protect her in some ways. Piper stepped back, but I grabbed hold of her hand. “Sounds like she loves you a lot.”
    “She does. People think strippers are bad people, but the thing is, we all have good and bad in us. Given the opportunity, the best people are capable of bad and vice versa.”
    I immediately thought of Rob and Ellie. Was Piper right? Were they simply “good” people who did a bad thing? It was easier to believe they were just horrible. “Speaking of being bad,” I said,