Blinking, she remembered that she had to act, too, so she muttered, “He is kinda cute, isn’t he?”

Erik’s face broke out in a grin.

“I was going to say the same thing about you.”

Everyone laughed, genuinely happy for them.

Only she knew Erik’s laugh was nothing but a lie.

* * *

Something was wrong.

Erik didn’t understand why he cared so much when something was wrong with Piper, but he did. He knew something had changed when they were surrounded by all their friends and family. It was after he kissed her nose, and then something happened. She went weird after that. When he touched her, it seemed like she wanted to pull away. When he would kiss her cheek or temple, he swore she would tense up. He knew it had nothing to do with the car thing. He had apologized and had every intention of correcting that problem, so what the hell did he do wrong?

This was all really beginning to confuse him. Right now he had no clue where his life was going to lead, and it was all because of Piper. Standing only a few feet away from him, she was talking to Audrey about childbirth classes or something, and for some freaking reason, his eyes could not leave the little space between her armpit and rib cage. The dress she wore gave him a perfect view of the delectable little spot, and he loved how there was a bright red blossom on the branch that ran under her breast. He knew that the branch went that far because he had followed his tongue along that part of her tattoo. Why did he care about that spot? Why did he want to run his tongue along that branch again? Was it all sexual? Lust? Or what? He didn’t understand it at all, because sometimes it wasn’t about the sex.

Sometimes he wanted to ask her questions. He wanted to know if she wanted a boy or a girl. He wanted to know about her job. It blew his mind, and he didn’t understand his feelings, because even with the fact that he wanted to strip that dress off her and have his way with her, he also wanted to know if she had been dating anyone before him, and if she had ever loved them.

Why?

She would be gone sooner than later, and wasn’t he, not even an hour ago, wishing he was in bed with another woman? He wanted anything, anything that would get his mind off Piper. She was driving him insane and he didn’t know how to handle it. He didn’t know what that meant, and he didn’t know where that would lead. To top things off, he couldn’t go to his brother, or Cooper, the two people he confided in for help. He had to keep this to himself, deal with his f**ked-up feelings all on his own.

He also wanted to know if what Audrey had said earlier was true.

I know you’ve loved him for, like, ever but I thought he didn’t feel the same.

What the hell was that about? Love him? Piper didn’t love him, she hated him. He was a dick. He had left her. Why would anyone love someone after that? Erik was the last person that Piper would ever love. Yes, he knew she cared about him. If she didn’t she wouldn’t be helping him like she was. But there was no way she loved him. People don’t love people for the hell of it; there has to be a reason, and there was no reason for her to love him. Not even a baby could make one of them love the other. That was insane, crazy talk.

“I hate cupcakes,” Phillip stated as he walked up to where Erik was standing.

Erik laughed. “They’re okay.”

Really, Erik didn’t care for the mini cakes but everyone in the store seemed to.

Glancing over at Piper from where he stood he saw she was looking over at him. Without really thinking about it he chucked his chin at her. She smiled and he saw the little gap between her teeth and for some f**king reason his heart kicked into high speed.

What the hell was wrong with him?

“Things are going well, I see,” Phillip said.

Erik rolled his eyes at Phillip.

“She got mad at me because I didn’t help her out of the car. I mean if I didn’t call her after we have sex all night, then what made her think I’m gonna help her out of the car?” Phillip laughed.

“This is true, but you did ask her to marry you, and also, she is carrying your kid. You might need to help her out a little.”

“Yeah, I guess. I told her I would.”

“That’s good,” Phillip said with a slap on Erik’s shoulder. “Moving in the right direction. Soon you’ll be wrapping your arms around her, telling her you love her.”

Erik grunted. “Cold day in hell.”

Phillip laughed as he said, “You never know.”

“No, I do know, and I have three months tops before I am out that door and I’ll have to see her every other weekend when I get my kid.”

“Actually four, but ah, who’s counting right?” A small voice said from beside them.

Phillip’s eyes went wide as Erik looked over to confirm who had spoken: Piper. Erik wanted to be anywhere but right there at the moment. He never meant for her to hear that, and with one look, he knew that his stupid statement had hurt her feelings.

Fuck.

“How are you, Phillip?” Piper asked, ignoring him.

Phillip glanced up at Erik, giving him a sympathetic look, before looking back down to Piper and saying, “Great, Piper. How are you?”

“Ah, pregnant, and tired. I was actually coming over to steal your best friend away and ask him to take me home.”

Phillip smiled.

“He’s all yours.”

“This is true, but only for three more months, and then you can have him back,” she said with a little sass in her voice.