CHAPTER FIFTEEN
PIPER
DAY 20
Being away from home and my sister is starting to gnaw at me, but I'm happy Tristan's here to distract me. We get to be alone without interruptions, and I've learned so much about the man who has quickly stolen my heart.
As I lounge on the couch, Tristan moves my legs and plops down under them. His firm hand rubs up my thigh, and he smiles. Seeing him like this, so relaxed and comfortable with me, makes my heart flutter.
"Easton won't be able to come today due to the bad weather moving in. He'll be here as soon as it passes."
I look out the windows, noticing the overcast sky outside. "What's going on?"
"Tropical storm."
My eyes widen, and I begin to freak out internally because I have no idea what that means, especially right here on the coast. "Oh my God, will we be okay staying here?"
He nods, but I quickly grab the remote and turn on the weather channel. Meteorologists are on the scene as the wind causes the rain to fall sideways. In the background, the sky looks deadly as the waves crash.
"Looks like Tropical Storm Carolyn is coming in strong. The surface winds are measuring around sixty miles per hour, and they're expected to gust up to over seventy," the guy explains.
"Do you think it'll make landfall as a category one hurricane?" the woman in the studio asks just as the man's hat flies away.
"No, Bethany. But it's close. Floridians, if you're near the beach, stay indoors. Could see some flooding as well as down trees and powerlines."
As they continue chatting, I feel like I'm having an anxiety attack. Tristan notices and scoots closer.
"Come here," he says, opening his arms. I crawl onto his lap, and he holds me tightly. "Don't worry."
"I've never been through anything like this before." I create enough space to meet his eyes.
He leans forward, brushing his lips across mine and tucking loose strands of hair behind my ear. "When Easton and I were younger, we'd go surfing during tropical storms."
I laugh. "Are you kidding me? Out in that?"
"The waves were much larger than normal, and being out in the ocean was dangerous because of the rip currents, but we were young and stupid, completely fearless. It was some of the best times. Growing up around this kind of weather desensitizes you to it."
"So, the roof isn't going to blow off? A palm tree isn't going to uproot and land on the house? Floodwaters aren't going to rise ten feet and get in the house?"
He chuckles. "No. Nothing like that. We'll probably get a lot of rain for a couple of days and some strong winds. We might lose power."
"Thank goodness." I loop my leg around his waist and straddle him. "So I guess that means you'll have to keep me occupied?"
Tristan grips my hips as I grind into his cock. He groans out, and right now, I want him more than ever.
"Damn, sweetheart. I wish we could continue what you started, but we should probably do some preparation before Carolyn makes her arrival. Tempting, though, real fucking tempting."
Tristan glances at the TV. "We have about an hour before it makes landfall."
"Okay, fair enough." I reposition my body and let him stand.
Tristan goes to a storage closet in the hall and pulls out a few vintage-looking flashlights.
"I'm gonna look in the shed outside to see if there are more. Don't move," he says.
Five minutes later, he returns with a fancier lantern and a bottle of liquid.
"I don't think I've ever seen anything like this in my life," I tell him as I follow him to the breakfast bar.
"Experiencing lots of firsts these days." He winks.
"Thanks to you. It's been an eye-opening experience and has shown me a lot about myself."
"Yeah?"
"I just didn't realize how much life I've been missing until I broke out of the cycle, ya know? Not being online, not being around my parents, not having every luxury handed to me." I linger for a moment, thinking about everything we've gone through so far.
"So, being stuck here hasn't been so bad?"
"Only because of you." I waggle my brows. "Now, teach me how to light this lamp from the 1800s."
Tristan choke-laughs. "It's not that old, but we might need this."
"What's that?" I point at the bottle he's emptying into the bottom of the glass reservoir.
"It's kerosene. It burns for a while. This wick goes from the top, down to this well, and it keeps the flame fed. You only have to worry when you run out of wicks, but we've got extras." He pulls them from his pocket.
"That's cool. Another thing to add to my list of things I've learned."
Tristan grabs some scissors from a kitchen drawer, then trims the wick before lighting it. He puts the glass cover over the top. "This knob will make your flame larger or smaller."
I reach forward and turn it, and when the room brightens up, I realize how dark it's gotten outside in just a short amount of time.
Once the counter is full of flashlights, extra batteries, and a lantern, he meets my eyes.
"Now we need to fill the tubs."
"Huh? Why?" I ask, following him.
"In case the power goes out, and we need to use the bathroom. The water well is powered by electricity. The water pressure won't be strong enough to flush if it's off. It'll only be a trickle otherwise."
My mouth falls open. "You're joking, right?"
"Do I look like a comedian?"
All I can do is laugh because a tropical storm coming while I'm here is just my luck.
"Let me show you how you'll do it." He grabs a small bucket from the bottom of the pantry, then we go to the bathroom.
"So, you'll take the top off the back of the toilet." He lifts it and sets it to the side.
"That looks heavy."
He smiles. "Then you fill the bucket with water and pour it in here."
"And that works?"
Tristan chuckles. "Yep. Tropical storm flushing at its finest."
We make our way downstairs, and Tristan fills an empty milk jug with water, then places it in the freezer.
"What sorcery is this?"
"The frozen gallons will help keep items cold for longer if we lose power. Oh, and if that happens, we'll need to keep the fridge door closed so our food doesn't spoil."
I tuck my hair behind my ear. "We should've gotten a generator."
"That works fine until you run out of gas and can't drive to a station to get more. And eventually that will happen, trust me. I've lived through it."
I let out a deep breath and watch the dark clouds and angry waves roll in. "I'm anxious."
Tristan moves close, wrapping his arms around me. I squeeze him tight, breathing in his manly scent. "If it gets too bad, your dad said he'd send a private jet to get us, but it's predicted to pass quickly."
I push away. "He did?"
"Yeah. Making sure you're okay is my number-one priority, Piper. If I thought it would be a dangerous situation, we would've already been on the road headed toward the airport. I won't let anything happen to you, ever. Do you trust me?"
A smile slides across my lips. "Absolutely."
"Okay then."
We sit on the couch, and he unmutes the TV.
"If I had to choose anyone to be with during this, it'd be you."
He chuckles. "That makes me happy, considering weeks ago, I'd probably have been your last choice."
I chew on my lip. "You would've followed me anyway. So it's not like I would've had the option to choose."
"You're damn right about that." He leans over and places his strong palm on my cheek and kisses me. My tongue twists with his, and I melt into him, wanting and needing more. His stomach growls and so does mine. Eventually, we break away, both breathless and greedy for one another, but I also know we need to eat.
Tristan puts a pizza in the oven, and we devour the whole thing when it's done. Not too long afterward, the rain taps against the house. I guess I didn't realize how many damn windows there were until now. The palm trees bend and buck, and I hope the ocean doesn't rise any farther.
Lightning strikes nearby, and I nearly jump out of my skin. Tristan reaches over and firmly places his hand on my thigh.
Instead of continuing to watch the news, I grab the remote and turn off the TV. I close my eyes and count to ten. Sure, we've had storms in New York, but it's nothing like this.
"Hey," Tristan says, reaching for me when he notices I'm a ball of nerves. "Come here."
I go to him, and he holds me close. "You okay?"
"Not really," I admit, hating that I sound like a scared little girl.
"I know how I can take your mind off things." He waggles his brows.
"And how?" I smirk, eager to hear what he has to say.
All he does is arch his brow, and I read between the lines.
Standing up, I slide down my shorts and throw off my shirt, revealing my see-through black lingerie set I packed just in case.
"Damn," he hisses, studying my curves.
I give him a sexy striptease, humming T-Pain's "I'm N Luv" song. Tristan's eyes never leave my body.
"I think when I get home, I'm gonna get one of those stripper poles installed in my room. That way, I can give you a proper show."
He smirks. "I'd love to watch you practice."
Laughter escapes me as I pull my hair from my ponytail. It falls around my face, and Tristan swallows hard.
"You're so beautiful, Piper. I'm so damn lucky."
"No, I am," I counter, then spin around, touch my toes, and wiggle my ass in his face. He reaches forward and smacks it. The pain mixes with pleasure, and I'm ready for a repeat of yesterday.
"You're a filthy little girl," he hisses when I take my bra off and throw it at him.
When I straddle his lap, I feel his hard erection, and the friction as I rock my hips has my body begging for more of him.
"Those jeans need to come off right now," I demand, falling to my knees and reaching forward.
I unbutton and yank them down forcefully while taking his boxers too.
His thick cock is at full attention, and I admire every bulging vein before tracing them with my tongue. As he runs my fingers through my hair with a groan, I'm encouraged to take him deeper into my throat.
"I can't wait to taste you," I admit, loving his eyes on me as he cups my breasts and pinches my nipples.
"I have a confession to make," Tristan grunts out.
"What's that?" I say, between sucking and licking.
"I watched you touch yourself upstairs after you drank all that old whiskey."
I lift a brow, thinking back to my moment of weakness when I wanted Tristan so bad it hurt. He constantly teased the fuck out of me, even if he was trying to avoid me.
"Yeah? Did you like what you saw?"
"I always love watching you play with your perfect pussy," he admits. "Seeing you pleasure yourself with my name on your lips was something I won't forget for the rest of my life. You're enough to bring any man to his knees."