Falling Apart (On Hold)

Chapter Seventeen

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Waking up in Pierce's arms felt like heaven. He was holding me to his body and my head was on his chest, both our legs tangled together. I could hear his heartbeat and the sky was still dark, the soft light of the moon caressing our skin.

I stared up at the sky. It was going to be dawn soon and I remembered that I hadn't even called my mother to tell her that I wouldn't be able to pick up Tanner until morning. I found my phone in my purse and a found a text from her. It seemed like she had gotten the gist of what went on and I smiled the slightest. I sent a reassuring text to her and then crawled back to Pierce, resting my head on his chest.

Shifting a little, I turned my head up towards him and watched him sleeping. He looked so innocent. His lips were parted a little as he breathed in and out evenly, chest rising and falling. His flat black hair was brushing the tips of his eyebrows. I could see his eyes moving under his closed lids and I wondered what he was dreaming about, especially because his lips curled up the tiniest bit.

After a few minutes of me staring at him, the smile grew a little. "Stop staring, it's creepy," he said, eyes still closed.

I shuffled a little so I was in a much more comfortable position. "How did you know?" I asked.

Pierce peeked one eye open. "I can almost feel your eyes burning holes into me," he told me, laughing.

Giggling, I got up, holding my dress up to cover myself. But he tugged it away. "Pierce," I gasped.

There was a mischievous smirk on his face and his eyes were twinkling with amusement. "Come on. I want round two," he said, trying to tug me down on top of him.

"Come on, Pierce, we have to go," I said, trying not to let him pull me back under his spell again. I pulled on my dress until he finally let go and slipped it on again. It was slightly wrinkled, but I didn't really mind. It wasn't one of those expensive, designer dresses Cash had insisted on buying me.

"Please?" There was a pout on his lips and I tried to hide my smile, but failed.

"We're in the middle of a lake. Maybe when we get home," I said, teasingly. There was a spark of interest on his face and he got up lazily, pulling on his boxers, then pants. He didn't bother with his suit jacket and only put on the white shirt. I tried not to stare at the muscles flexing on his stomach and arms, the same muscles I had memorized with my hands just few hours prior.

"You're staring again." Pierce strode forward, gathering me up into his arms and kissing me fiercely before walking off. He started the boat again and began to steer back towards the dock while I smoothed out the fabrics covering my body.

I leaned against the edge with my back against the railing, hair billowing out behind me as the breeze blew across my face. Pierce looked so at home as he steered the boat and I felt a rush of emotions sweept through me as his dark locks brushed over his eyes. Mine. He was mine. Maybe I was jumping into a relationship too soon, but hadn't Cash already moved on from me? He had brought another woman to a family affair. I had been replaced. So it was only fair that I got to do the same. Besides, Pierce was a man I'd known practically my entire life. People moved on in different paces - sometimes it took years, other times it was only a few months. Having feelings for someone else so quickly didn't make me a bad person.

When I felt the boat stop, I was surprised. I had been so lost in thought that I hadn't even noticed we'd already reached the dock. Pushing away from the railing, I slipped on my heels and let Pierce help me off. He scooped me up in his arms and I giggled as I wrapped my arms around his neck.

With a smile in my voice, I said, "I can walk, you know."

Pierce glanced down at me, corners of his eyes crinkling. "I know. But I like holding you."