Crossing the Line Page 10

  Piper and I stay in bed the rest of the afternoon before taking a shower together, and then we get ready to go out. Just like in our office, I’m peeking at her as she gets ready.

  “Noah, you’re staring at me,” she teases me and puts her makeup brush down.

  Walking over to her, I bend and kiss her. “Sorry, I just thought about how you don’t need all that.”

  “Trying to score extra points, huh?”

  “Nope. Speaking the truth.” I kiss the top of her head.

  She grins at me. “Tell me about your friends so I’m not completely lost tonight.”

  “You met Xander.”

  “He’s a surgeon, right?”

  “Yep. And Chance and Jamison will be there. They were both paramedics, and now they own ambulance companies in several states. Actually, Xander was a paramedic, too. We’ve known each other since elementary school. We met Chase and Jamison in training, and all of us became close.”

  “Why did you become a paramedic?”

  “I did it to put myself through college.”

  Piper gapes at me. “You put yourself through college?”

  “Yes. Why do you seem shocked?”

  With a guilty look, she says, “I just assumed because you’re Bennett’s nephew that you were rich.”

  “Bennett is rich. My parents weren’t. He would have paid for my school...he offered...but I didn’t want him to.”

  “Why?”

  “I’m not into handouts.”

  Piper bites on her lip and turns away.

  I know she thought I was a rich kid who had it easy and didn’t have to work for anything.

  “Why aren’t you still a paramedic?”

  “You seem really interested in my paramedic life.”

  She shrugs. “I’m just curious. So...why aren’t you still one?”

  I almost tell her it’s not her business but decide that if I want to win her over, I’m going to need to let her in some, so I tell her the truth. “My brother died.”

  Her face drops. “Noah, I’m sorry.”

  I turn away. “It happened a long time ago.”

  She quietly asks, “How did he die?”

  “I didn’t save him.”

  “What do you mean.”

  I blink back some tears. “Piper, I can’t go there right now. Can you not hate me and ask me something else?”

  She stands, pulls me down, and kisses me. When she pulls back, she asks, “So, are your parents still in New York?”

  I take a deep breath.

  “Noah?”

  I’m tempted once more to tell her that it isn’t her business but stop myself because that was then and this is now, and I want my now to be with Piper.

  “My parents died while on vacation when I was eighteen. They were in Hawaii celebrating their anniversary and got caught in a mudslide. My brother was sixteen, and I became his guardian.”

  Piper’s eyes widen.

  “Are you ready to go?”

  “Noah.”

  Don’t be a dick. Don’t screw this up over the past.

  “Piper, I don’t want pity. It is what it is. I can’t change it. Can we just go have fun tonight?”

  She nods. “Okay. I’m not pitying you. But I’m here if you ever need to talk, all right?”

  Leaning down, I kiss her. “Thank you. Are you ready?”

  “Yeah.”

  Taking her hand, I lead her through the hotel and out into the street, relieved that she doesn’t seem mad at me and that she didn’t push me to go into more detail.

  “Have you been to New York a lot?”

  “Just Times Square for New Year’s Eve once.”

  I put my arm around her waist and steer her around a panhandler. “What did you think?”

  “Little crazy, but it was fun. Not sure I would want to do it again.”

  “That was the worst night of the year for us. Too many drunks needing their stomachs pumped.”

  Piper cringes. “That must have been fun.”

  “You have no idea.”

  I realize I don’t know much about Piper, and I want to know more. “Are you from Chicago?”

  “The outskirts. My mom still lives in the same house I grew up in.”

  “That sounds nice.”

  Piper shrugs.

  “You have siblings?”

  “My brother and sister are eighteen and fifteen years older than me. I don’t really have much of a relationship with them. I was the oops baby.”

  “The oops baby?”

  “Yep.”

  “You hang out with your parents a lot?”

  “Not really. They are older, and I never really felt like I had a ‘normal’ childhood. My mom was almost fifty when she had me.”

  I can’t hide my shock. “So, your mom is almost eighty?”

  Piper laughs. “Yep.”

  “Wow.”

  “My dad passed a few years ago.”

  I pulled her tighter to me. “I’m sorry.”

  She doesn’t say anything.

  “You like living in Chicago?”

  “Love it.”

  “The girls that were at Club D, how long have you known them?”

  “Quinn and I have been friends since kindergarten. We met Charlotte and Vivian once we moved to Chicago. The four of us shared an apartment at one time.”

  “That must have been interesting.”

  “Two bedrooms, one bathroom, and four girls. You have not experienced life until you experience that.”

  “I can only imagine.”

  “So where exactly are we going?” Piper gazes up at me.

  “To The Vibrator.”

  She stops moving. “The Vibrator?”

  “Yep.” I grin at her.

  “Someone actually named their place of business that?”

  “Everything goes in New York.”

  Piper gives me a sly look. “Are you taking me to a sex club?”

  I laugh hard. “No. It’s a bar.”

  “Did you go there a lot?”

  “No. Come on. We’re going to be late.”

  We walk a few more blocks, and there’s a long line out the door. I guide Piper past it and to the front. My old buddy Johnny is working security.

  “Noah! Man, where have you been?”

  I slap his hand. “Moved to Chicago a few months ago.”

  “No shit! How do you like it?”

  “It’s different, but it’s a good city. Hey, Johnny, this is Piper.”

  Piper and Johnny shake hands, and he says, “Your boys are inside. You up on the block tonight?”

  “No. Those days are over.”

  “You sure about that? You always got the largest bids.”

  Heat rises to my face. “I’m just here to support the guys.”

  Johnny chuckles. “Okay, well, go on in. Piper, nice meeting you.”

  Piper smiles at him then leans into me. “What does he mean by bids?”

  “Oh, you’ll see.” Piper scrunches her face in confusion, and I laugh. “Come on.”

  The Vibrator is a unique bar decorated in life-size sex toys. It’s a popular spot, and tonight it’s packed. Once we get in the door, it doesn’t take long before I find Xander, Chase, and Jamison.

  Xander winks at me. “Hey, Piper, good seeing you again.” He leans in to kiss her on her cheek.

  “You, too. How’s your move coming along?”

  Xander shrugs. “I still need to secure a place. Charlotte said I should talk with Vivian?”

  Piper smiles, probably because he mentioned Charlotte. “Vivian is an excellent real estate agent. You’ll be in great hands.”

  “Okay, I’ll do that.”

  “Hey, Piper, this is Chase and Jamison.”

  Chase and Jamison kiss Piper on the cheek, and we sit down at a table.

  “What do you think of the bar so far?” I ask Piper.

  Her face lights up. “It’s pretty interesting. I need to send the girls some pictures.”

  I pic
k up my phone and take a quick selfie of us and text it off to her friends.

  “Noah!”

  “What?”

  “Why didn’t you delete that text chain?”

  “And give up access to your friends? No way!”

  Text messages start popping up from the girls. I take a pic of Xander, Chase, Jamison, Piper, and I and send it off. Then I put my phone away.

  The waitress comes over, and we order drinks.

  Xander holds up a bag. “Hey, I have your outfit.”

  “Nice try, but not happening.”

  “You’ve gotta defend your title. You don’t want one of us to take it over, do you?” Chase says.

  “Go for it. It’s not happening,” I repeat.

  Piper scans my eyes. “What’s not happening?”

  Jamison pats my shoulder. “Noah gets the highest bids every year.”

  “Highest bids?” Piper looks at us all in question as my face flushes.

  “Noah didn’t tell you?” Chase asks.

  Piper shakes her head.

  “Tonight’s the First Responders Charity Date Auction. Noah has a title to defend.” Xander grins.

  “Just here to support you guys.” I point to all of them.

  “What do you mean by outfit?”

  Xander pulls a speedo out of the bag.

  Piper covers her mouth with her hand and glances around the table. “Are you guys all being auctioned off tonight?”

  “Yes. They ask us back each year, so we do it even though we aren’t paramedics anymore,” Chase informs her.

  “And you’re going to wear that?” She points to the speedo.

  The guys all nod.

  “Women bid for you to take them out?”

  “Yes,” Xander says.

  “And what do these women get if they bid on you?” Piper asks.

  I think all of our faces are beet red because at some point over the years, at least one of the women we’ve taken out we’ve fucked. Not because they paid, but because they were hot, and it just led there. Not all years or even most years but once or twice.

  “You fuck all of them?” Piper’s eyes widen.

  “No, not all of them. They aren’t paying for that. We’re only obligated to take them to dinner,” Chase informs her.

  Piper leans in closer. “So some get dessert but some don’t?”

  No one admits anything.

  Piper raises her eyebrows at me.

  I hold my hands up. “What?”

  She tilts her head. “What do you do if someone bids on you and wants some dessert, but you don’t want to give it?”

  “That’s why we have the rules,” Jamison chimes in, quickly downs the shot the waitress sets on the table, and orders another.

  “I think you have to remember that it’s for charity, too,” I tell Piper.

  “All in the name of charity, huh?”

  “That’s why Noah needs to defend his title. It’s not fair to the charity,” Xander says.

  “Shut up, Xander.” I shoot him the eye.

  Piper turns to me and puts her hand on my leg. “You should do it.”

  “Ha, ha. Funny.”

  “But it’s for charity.” She pets my arm.

  “No. I’ll write a check.”

  “Where’s the fun in that?” She raises her brow at me.

  “Yeah, Noah, where’s the fun in that?” Xander smirks at me.

  “I think you’re going to be at risk of losing your office,” Piper teases me.

  “Losing your office?” Jamison asks.

  “Piper and I have a little bet going on. I have to show her a good time, and she has to make me miserable. We each get twenty-four hours.”

  Chase points at us. “You two are fucked-up.”

  Piper and I look at each other and start laughing, and I shrug.

  Piper leans in. “You know what would make me have a really good time tonight?”

  I roll my eyes, already knowing what’s coming. I’m going to kill the guys for this one.

  She holds up the speedo. “To watch you on stage in this.”

  15

  Piper

  Noah and the guys are backstage getting changed, and I text the girls. “Charlotte, you want to bid on Xander?”

  “Bid on Xander?” Charlotte texts back.

  “Yep, it’s a charity date auction. You only are paying for dinner, but certain hotties get perks.”

  “LOL.”

  “Are there any other hotties up for bid? I’m so desperate to get shagged, I’ll fly anywhere at this point,” Quinn texts.

  “Did you find out if Noah has a brother yet? I’m still in awe of the ten hours of sex you two had,” Vivian writes.

  It makes me sad to think about Noah’s brother. I wish he would tell me what happened, but I could see how torn up he was and didn’t want to push him. He said he didn’t save him, which broke my heart. I just write back, “Sorry, Viv, no brother.”

  “How do I bid on Xander?” Charlotte writes.

  “What’s your max bid?”

  “I don’t know. What do these things go for?”

  I survey the bar. There were women everywhere, which I hadn’t noticed before. Most are drinking and lined up near the stage to get a good view.

  “I think there’s going to be some stiff competition.”

  Charlotte starts to type, and as I watch the dots on the screen, an idea occurs to me.

  A group of older women, who could have stepped out of the show The Golden Girls are a few tables over. I tap the shoulder of the one who resembles the mother and say, “Hi. I’m Piper. I was wondering if one of you would be willing to do me a favor?”

  “I’m Lillian. What is that, dear?”

  “My friend is in Chicago. Her fiancé is up for auction tonight, but she wants to bid on him secretly. I obviously can’t. If I sign up her info on a paddle, would you do the bidding?”

  Lillian gets a huge smile on her face. “Oh, that would be so much fun!”

  “You just have to make sure you keep bidding until you win or hit the max bid.”

  “I can do that!”

  “Okay, thank you.”

  I call Charlotte, get her credit card info, and go sign her up for a paddle then hand it to Lillian.

  “So what is your max, Charlotte?” I text.

  “I don’t know. What do you think? Ten thousand?”

  “Ten thousand? Jeez! He must be a hell of a lay!” Quinn texts.

  I spit out my drink.

  “It’s for charity,” Charlotte texts.

  “Sure, sure!” Quinn replies.

  Vivian writes, “Piper, how much are you going to bid?”

  “Who says I’m bidding?”

  “Puh-lease. No way you’re letting some other woman win Noah,” Vivian texts back.

  “Viv nailed that one!” Charlotte writes.

  “Ditto!” Quinn sends.

  I send an eye-roll emoji.

  “So should I tell Lillian your max is ten thousand?”

  “Yes.”

  I tell Lillian the max bid and also send a picture of her to the girls. I show her a picture of Charlotte, and she’s so pleased that she can help her out with her fiancé.

  I go back to my table and tell Charlotte that I told Lillian she’s Xander’s fiancée.

  Charlotte sends me eye-roll emojis.

  “I think we need to watch this!” Quinn texts.

  “Agree!” Vivian shoots over.

  “Facetime us!” Charlotte writes.

  “Okay. It’s getting loud, so I’ll put it on Facetime, but I won’t be able to hear you.”

  “Okay, just go get my date!” Charlotte writes.

  I send a thumbs-up emoji.

  Then Quinn says, “Make sure we get a good view!”

  “All right. Get ready, ladies!”

  I turn the screen to Facetime and find a shelf on the wall. I put my phone on it. Then, I pick up Noah’s phone that he asked me to hold, punch in his code, and pull up the text chain
.

  “Can you all see?”

  “It’s perfect! Full view!” Quinn replies.

  I give them a thumbs-up on the screen and go back to my table.

  An MC comes on the stage. After the introduction, men come out one by one.

  And I have to admit, the New York First Responders do not disappoint. They are mostly young, ripped, and hot. Noah’s phone vibrates as the girls are sending me comments over all the different guys.

  The MC announces that it’s time for the friends of the first responders part of the auction.

  Jamison slinks out, and, from Quinn’s texts, I can tell she is getting her panties in a twist.

  “That’s Noah’s friend Jamison,” I message.

  “Shut up,” she writes. “Is he coming to visit soon?”

  “LOL. No idea. I will ask.”

  Chase struts out, and Vivian writes, “Ummm...hello!”

  “Noah’s friend Chase.”

  “Stop it!”

  “Nope.”

  “Do you think he can do ten hours?”

  “Shut up, Viv. You know this is Noah’s phone, right?”

  “So! A girl’s gotta get what a girl’s gotta get!”

  “I was thinking more about my self-preservation, not yours.”

  “Oopsie! Sorry! But seriously, do you think he’s got the stamina?”

  I send some more eye-roll emojis.

  Xander comes out.

  “Jeez, he’s hotter than I remember,” Charlotte writes.

  “Well, that’s good since you just issued a ten thousand dollar maximum for a date,” Quinn writes back.

  The bidding starts, and Lillian is on it. Every time anyone bids on Xander, she puts her stick up. A couple of young women, probably in their mid-twenties, fall out of the running around fifteen hundred dollars.

  It’s down to Lillian and a pretty hot redhead. Xander is eyeing them both, and when Lillian wins the final bid at three thousand fifty dollars, he goes over, gives her a big hug and kiss on the cheek.

  Lillian’s face gets all red, but as he’s leaving, she smacks his ass. “I’m going to own you on our date, sweetheart.”

  Xander turns around, appearing a bit in shock, and hightails it to the backstage.

  “So I might have told Lillian to do that,” I tell the girls.

  “What did she say?” Vivian asks.

  I tell them, and emojis go flying all over the screen.

  “So, how are you going to tell Xander you won him?” Quinn texts.