“I just can’t wait to get my hands on your little Dimitri. Alla showed me all the ultrasound pictures; he looks like a doll,” Anna said, then added, “I bet he will be handsome just like his daddy.”

Erik’s cheeks burned as Piper smiled up at him. “Let’s hope so.”

Alla giggled in delight and turned to Erik. “Erik, honey, can you go find your father for me?”

Erik wanted to say no, but being a good son, he said, “Sure.”

He turned to leave but then stopped, turning to take Piper’s hand in his. He didn’t know what he was doing, but he wasn’t ready to be apart from her yet. “Come with me?”

Piper’s lips curved into a grin as she nodded. “Of course.”

He took her hand, placing it on his chest as he started to walk through the yard to find his dad. He felt her smiling at him, and when he glanced down, his assumptions were right.

“What?”

“Laying it on thick again, aren’t you? It’s like you’re a sweet southern gentlemen, taking your southern belle for a walk through the countryside. This would be considered our first date, you know.”

Erik laughed, masking that he was upset with the fact that she thought he was acting. Hadn’t she realized that he wasn’t acting a lot of the time they were around each other? He wasn’t sure if he wanted her to realize it, and when he really thought about it, maybe it was good to play along, let her believe it was all a ruse. But did that mean it was a ruse on her part, too?

No, it couldn’t be.

Looking down into her sparkling blue eyes, he said, “Would I get laid on this so-called first date?”

Piper giggled as she shook her head. “I doubt it. It would take more than a walk to get me naked.”

“How about my fattest cow?”

Her snicker sent chills up his spine. “Now we’re talking.”

“Or maybe a big piece of Oreo pie,” he said with a grin.

With a hand on her heart and a bright smile on her face, she cooed, “A man after my heart.”

Erik laughed before pulling her closer to whisper in her ear, “Or maybe a man after what’s underneath that skirt.”

Piper laughed, her eyes bright with excitement. “Eh, this might be true, but at least I’ll have Oreo pie and then a cow to get milk from.”

“I doubt you would want that stuff once I got ahold of you,” he found himself saying. He glanced down to see that her eyes were darker, and her chest was rising and falling quickly.

“I don’t know, I love Oreos and milk.”

Erik leaned closer, his nose almost touching hers as he whispered, “I could make you forget about it all.”

“Is that right, Mr. Titov?”

A grin pulled at her lips before she brought her bottom lip between her teeth. He was going to kiss her, and he wasn’t going to stop.

“Hey, what are you two talking about?”

Erik tore his eyes away from hers to see his father standing in front of them with his hands on his hips. Swallowing loudly, Erik cleared his throat and said, “Nothing, Mom is looking for you.”

“Probably wants me so we can get a good spot for the fireworks,” Cooper said looking over to where Alla was. Looking back at Erik he asked, “Where are you two going?”

When he wiggled his brushy eyebrows at them, Erik chuckled. “Don’t know yet.”

“Probably the dock,” Piper answered.

Erik nodded. “The dock and no, find your own spot.”

Piper giggled as Cooper shot Erik a knowing grin. “Fine, keep your spot. I’ll find my own.”

Cooper gave them one last, knowing smile before turning to walk away. Erik watched as he headed toward his mom. If Erik was to look for a loving relationship he would want one like Alla and Cooper’s. Thankfully, he wasn’t looking for that.

Piper pulled at his arm, and he glanced down at her as she led them across the yard and onto her dock. The weight from their bodies made the boards creak with each step they took. When they reached the end, Erik fell into his favorite beach chair, causing the dock to swish back and forth from his weight. Piper sat down slowly next to him, propping one foot on top of the other. Erik watched as the sun slowly set behind the lake. It had been a good day.

Which was great: Erik needed a good day. Summer training camp started soon and Erik needed as many good days as he could get; the more with Piper, the better. Sneaking a peek at Piper, Erik wondered what it would be like once he left. Would he miss her? Would he crave her touch and conversation? Would he consistently think of her? Would he want her back?

And what about Piper? Would she miss him? Shaking his head as if to shake his questions away, he let out a long breath. He didn’t want to think of all that right now. He just wanted to get through the next couple of months. See what happened between them. Even though he knew nothing should happen, he couldn’t help but feel like something was about to.

And, for now, that wasn’t bad.

“My favorite part of the celebration is coming up.”

Erik looked over to find Piper grinning at him. He smiled and said, “What’s that?”

“The dancing at sunset,” she said with a dreamy grin on her face. “They have a band and play all these sweet songs and everyone starts dancing under the moonlight.”

“Cool,” Erik said as he nodded. He knew she was baiting him, but he wasn’t giving in that easy. “Did you come last year?”