The Private Serials Box Set(88)

I knew my little sister was trying to come to terms with the fact she wasn’t the only important woman in my life. I also knew it had nothing to do with how she felt about Lena. Piper loved Lena—of that I was sure—but this was the first time I’d ever let my future depend on someone else and Piper was feeling the gravity of the situation.

“You’re always going to be my twin sister, my baby twin sister. My relationship with Lena isn’t going to change that and she wouldn’t want it to; she loves you. I’ll always be here for you in any way I can.” Piper still wouldn’t look at me, but I could tell there was more than one tear to wipe away when her hands brushed over her face. After a few moments, she finally turned to look at me, her face red and blotchy.

“I’m so happy you found Lena,” she said, smiling weakly through tears. “This is just the first time I’ve felt truly alone in a while.”

“You’re not alone, Piper.”

“I am, Preston. I am alone, and as sad as I am right now, I know that being alone is what I need. I am one hundred percent, completely aware of the fact that I need to work on me.” She took in a deep breath and then sighed it out loudly. “It’s just hard to think about being separated from you again and being on my own.”

She was right. In all our years together, since birth, she’d never been on her own. She was either always with me or with a boyfriend. I hadn’t realized it until she’d said it, but it was true. And based on her last relationship and how it had ended so disastrously, she didn’t need to be jumping into another one any time soon.

“I don’t really know what to say,” I admitted. As much as I felt the need to protect her, to keep her safe, I knew that with Lena was where I was supposed to be. Lena was who needed me the most. Piper needed to find herself.

“Just tell me I’ll be all right and that you’ll never be too far away,” she said, looking exactly half sad and half happy, as if she were torn completely in two.

“You’re going to be fine, Piper, and I’ll always be here for you.”

“You’re the best big brother ever,” she said, smiling more, true happiness pushing out the sad.

All I could do was return her smile, hoping she found herself sooner rather than later.

We both turned our heads back toward the apartment when we heard movement from inside. I watched as Lena’s slender body walked out of the hallway and into the kitchen. She’d put on some sleep shorts and a tank top, looking sexy and sleepy all at the same time.

“Lena’s up,” Piper said, not taking her eyes off her for a moment. When she finally looked back to the water, she wiped her face with her hand, making sure she had gotten rid of all the residual tears, then took in a deep breath, stood, and walked into the apartment. I followed, still worried about her but unsure how to help.

“Hey, Piper,” Lena said with a genuine smile. “Where’s Sam?”

“She’s probably still in a puddle on the floor of the shower,” Piper answered with a smirk. Lena laughed and the sound of it made the hair on my arms stand up and the beat of my heart pick up as well. Her dark hair was loose and it fell down almost to her waist in carefree waves. I shook away the image of her naked back, my hand running up her spine while my other hand grabbed hold of her hair, pulling her back onto me.

She turned back to the cupboard, opening the door to pull out a mug, and I walked up behind her, pressing my front into her back, loving the way my now hardening dick fit nicely up against her backside. She yelped a little, surprised by my sudden proximity, then laughed again as she pulled all her hair to one side of her neck.

“Sleep well?” I asked, just before I pressed my mouth against the skin of her neck.

“Mmm. I slept very well. Until I woke up and you were gone.” She accommodated my lips on her skin, never moving away as I trailed my mouth up to her ear, then back down to where her neck met her shoulder.

“Miss me?” I mumbled, purposefully scraping my stubble against her, loving the way her breath caught from the friction.

“Something like that,” she said as she pressed her ass further in to me.

I bit down, a little rougher than I intended, but knew my point had gotten across when she gasped. “Careful, Lena,” I said quietly into her ear, then licked the spot I’d just bitten.

“Would the two of you knock it off?” Piper’s voice interrupted my thoughts of Lena’s ass against my cock, and thinking about my sister just in the next room calmed me down quite a bit. Lena turned her head and smiled at me right before she pressed a small kiss against my lips. Then she poured coffee in her mug and took it to the table, sitting across from Piper.

“What’s with the midday nap?” Piper asked, a smirk still stretched across her face.

“I was tired,” Lena answered before she took a sip of her coffee, trying to hide a smile behind her mug. I walked to the table and took the chair between them.

“Piper wants to go to a luau tonight.”

Lena’s face lit up with a bright smile. “That sounds amazing. Great idea. I’ve never been to one before, but always wanted to go.”

“Great, now we just have to convince Sam.”

“Sam will go. It’s right up her alley—attractive shirtless guys playing with fire? Done deal.”