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In Your Eyes

Four

Piper stood outside on one of the open decks of the Cat, looking over the railing and down at the splashing water lapping against the side of the ship. The ocean was where her heart was, and the deep, dark blue color of the Gulf of Maine was her favorite feature. The cold waters gave life to the coast around her hometown, and was now her highway to Yarmouth, Nova Scotia...and whatever lay ahead in her future.

Though the morning sun was warm, the air was still chilly on the high speed ship and the wind was having a serious hand in messing up Piper's hair. Reluctantly, she returned back inside to the passenger lounge and chose a seat by one of the windows. Nervously, she crossed her legs as her foot bounced lightly second by second. If the ride was only two hours in length, it was the longest two hours of Piper's life. She checked the time on her cell: 9:45 am.

She let out a soft groan.

When boarding the ship earlier that morning, Piper sent a text to Sidney as he asked. They teased one another about who was more excited, and Sid wished her a good trip. He'd be waiting at the terminal, and would be looking for Piper in her skinny jeans with the slight ripping around the knees, and a fitted, floral tank top. She rolled the bottom cuffs of her denim to her ankles, allowing her nautical striped boat shoes to show a little more. She also wore a white hood just to keep the chill off, but the forecast said it would be a warm one, even across the Gulf. Plenty of sun and little in the way of a breeze made for the perfect conditions, so she would be ditching the hood the minute they docked.

Piper checked the time again: 9:50 am.

She let out another groan.

* * *

Sid checked his watch: 9:50 am.

10 minutes to go.

Piper said the ship would dock around 11, but she gave him the Eastern time zone time. So give or take a few minutes, he should see the ship any minute now.

He nervously wiped his hands on his dark jeans, pacing a little as he waited off to the side of where most of the people stood waiting. Many were ready to board the return trip back to Maine, while just as many waited to pick passengers up. Sid tried to stay out of eyeshot of most, hoping to remain somewhat anonymous in his black Reebok hat pulled low. He'd chosen to dress comfortably, since the four button down shirts he'd tried on first had felt too restricting and hot. It was a pretty warm July morning, even for Nova Scotia standards, so comfortable was the path he'd chosen.

It made him wonder what Piper might be wearing.

At the reception, she was a knockout in a green dress that brought out the green of her eyes; one of the many traits Sid hadn't been able to look away from. Her slender body and its curves in all the right places were shown off by that dress, and she knew it. He saw it in her confidence, which he admired and loved about her from the first minute he saw her.

His attention was pulled from his thoughts to the sights in front of him. He felt his heart leap in his chest, nearly choking him inside his throat where it felt lodged when he saw the ship.

With a deep inhale, Sid tried to get his breathing under control. Every part of him was officially tingling, and the sensation only got worse the closer the ship got to the docks.

When it finally lined up and slowly came to a stop between large wooden pylons, he heard a loud voice over the loud speaker announcing the arrival for those who were planning to board for the return trip. Sid slipped his sunglasses off and tried to see if he could spot Piper on the boat, but it was no use. The passengers were told to file down to the main floor towards the exit where they were directed, which wasn't visible to anyone outside. He'd just have to wait a little longer.

His phone vibrated in his pocket, and he saw that it was Piper texting: I saw you! I'll be there in a few minutes!

Sid smiled. She saw me!? And no sooner did he slip his phone back in his pocket did he see what he'd been waiting to see for three weeks.

"Crosby!" Piper appeared from outside the terminal, waving as she hurried towards him.

Feeling his heart hammering against his chest, Sid walked forward to meet her. "Hey you!"

They fell together in a tight embrace, Sid's hands sunk into the long, dirty blonde waves of Piper's hair, feeling its softness once again against his rough hands. When he inhaled, he smelled the salt of the ocean mixed with a deep musk that made him want to kiss her right then and there.

Keep it together a little longer, he told himself. But when they broke the hug, their hands never left one another's arms.

Sid took in her entire image: from the strappy tank top to the small amount of cleavage it showed, down to her slender waist and the curve of her hips. Her skin was a golden honey, her cheeks still the same pale pink he remembered. Even the green of her hazel eyes shone bright beneath short bangs that fell to one side of her forehead.

"I can't tell you how awesome this is" Piper said, her smile beaming. "It's so good to finally see you."

All he could do was smile. "You look just as stunning as I remember."

Piper was thinking the same, especially when she felt that thick body made of nothing but muscle beneath her hands. "Thank you." She tapped the bill of his hat playfully. "I like this look."

"It's Casual Crosby" he joked, getting a laugh out of her. His hand founds hers, squeezing gently. "Shall we?"

"Lead the way, Captain."

Before they left, Sid noticed she'd packed only one bag. It was medium sized but seemed to be stuffed pretty fully. He wondered briefly if she'd packed for an overnight stay. He could only hope. "Here, allow me." He lifted the strap of her bag over his broad shoulder.

As they walked to the car, Piper couldn't stop looking at Sid's eyes. They were like caramel mixed with hot chocolate, and she wanted a taste of everything he had to offer. His eyes were even more lively than they'd been when she first looked into them. When he glanced over, she didn't bother looking away. "They're gorgeous."

One dark eyebrow shifted beneath his hat. "What are?"

"Your eyes." Piper elbowed him gently. "And everything about you."

Sid lowered his head humbly. "Thanks."

"And get used to this" Piper said. "There's going to be nonstop compliments as long as I have the chance to shower you with them."

"As long as I get to repay them."

"You remember what I said?"

"No, what?" Sid was intrigued. She'd said a lot of things he remembered and loved.

"So many treasures - and I want to find them all" she answered.

When Piper looked at him now, there was the hint of desire in her gaze that he remembered most from the reception night. When she asked him What's the deal, Crosby?, and he had no idea what she'd meant. Now he was holding her hand and walking to his car to take her to his house. If she wanted to find them, he'd be willing to let her.

* * *

They'd been on the road back to Halifax for only 30 minutes, and they'd talked nonstop. There were only a few instances where they had fallen quiet, but it was a comfortable silence...something neither expected and were both pleasantly surprised by.

Piper was currently in the middle of a exuberant story about her family, and Sid listened with great interest. She was funny and vibrant, she told a good story, and she made him smile. They found out during their car ride just how similar they were, but through the course of their long talks on the phone and being together now, there were just as many ways in which they weren't. Sid was intense and driven, Piper let life come at her and tackled it as it came. Sid was an over thinker, Piper was calm and cool no matter what. Sid was quiet more often than not, while Piper was talkative and sprightly. Sid was also discovering the positive effect she had on him already, as her personality was helping him to open up more than normal.

At one point when the conversation settled and their comfortable silence returned, Sid stole a glance to his right. He saw Piper staring out the window, her window slightly cracked to allow the breeze in. It played against her shoulder length hair, further exposing her shapely bare shoulders and arms....shoulders and arms he wanted desperately to kiss slowly and with purpose...

"Whatchya thinking about over there?" he asked with a grin.

Her eyes shifted towards his. "It's so pretty here."

"Is it similar at all to Bar Harbor?"

"Kind of..." Piper looked out the window again, sighing blissfully. "But also different...in a good way." She turned her head to meet his gaze again, her hair shifting over one shoulder. "Although I like this view better."

She didn't care that she was blatantly staring at him. What Sid had on was enough to cause her to need a change of panties already. And just how he managed to keep his biceps from splitting the baseball-style shirt in half, she didn't know. The light blue sleeves contrasted with the white of the body, every fiber of the soft cotton straining against his mile-wide torso. Even driving, one hand resting casually on the top of the steering wheel, the other on one of his thick thighs, the subtle shifting of muscle made Piper weak. If he looks this good WITH clothes on...

Sid caught her blushing. "Uh oh."

She rolled her eyes. "Don't even."

"Do girls blush for no reason?" he teased.

"This girl suddenly does." Piper winked at him, then reached over and squeezed the arm closest to her to further let him know she was kidding. Solid as stone. Good God.

To get her mind off of all the dirty things she was hoping she might do with all that muscle mass, Piper took a closer look at a small stack of cds that were shoved in the middle console separating them. With one eyebrow sharply lifted, she picked up the stack of cases as Sid watched her.

"Do not judge me by what you're about to see."

She smiled at him, going through the selection one by one. Laughing, she held up the first cd case. "Ja Rule?" She went to the second disk and the third, her mind absolutely blown by what she was seeing. "Jay-Z? Juvenile?"

"I told you not to judge!"

"I'm not!" Piper said in return, still slightly stunned. "I just didn't expect Sidney Crosby to listen to rap."

"There's always the radio." He smiled, hitting the button on the dash that turned the music on. Piper waited in the seat beside him as he turned the volume up.

After a few chords, Piper busted out laughing. "What the fuck is this!?"

"Country." Sidney was smiling from ear to ear. "Come on - you don't like country?"

She had to bite her lip. "It's okay, I guess....."

They stared at one another.

"Okay, its terrible."

Sid laughed. "So what do you like?"

"Better stuff than country." She scrunched up her nose at him in jest. "Buuuut....I actually don't know how you would describe what I like. I guess it's kind of like....indie stuff, but more rugged. Kind of electronic with a good groove, plus I like a lot of underground bands no one's heard of yet."

"Would you play some of your favorites for me sometime?"

Piper smiled. "I'll play you whatever you want, anytime."

Sidney saw the joy in her eyes at him asking that question, which made him fall even more for her. Shifting his position in his seat, he changed the arm that rested on the steering wheel, letting his other hand fall at his lap. Piper stared at the amount of defined tendons in his forearm that were obvious even through the fabric. Without even bothering to control it, she let a little giggle escape, catching his attention.

"What?" He was smirking at her, wondering why the sudden laughter.

Piper shook her head, embarrassed but willing to roll with it. "I just....I just never saw..." She exhaled and turned to face him. "Your muscles are intense, Crosby."

"What!?!" Sid started to laugh, which turned into the giggly laugh most of the guys gave him shit for in and out of the locker room. He didn't care, either; not even when Piper opened her mouth in surprise.

"AND you giggle?" She put both hands over her mouth to cover her guilty smile. "Is that what that was?"

Sid rolled his eyes and wiped a hand on his pants. "So what if it is?" He looked over, his crooked smile taking up half his face.

"I love it" she said. "It's adorable."

And without hesitation, Piper leaned across the middle console and gave Sid a kiss on the cheek. When she sat back, he was looking at her in complete surprise.

"There's more where that came from" she said.

I hope so, he thought.

* * *

When Sidney pulled up to the house, Piper was silenced by her awe.

The house was massive, especially for one person. Because it was just recently built, it still had that new feel to it, but it was built in the fashion of a typical lake house: homey, just a touch rustic, with plenty of modern accents. Despite the newness, Sid seemed right at home, especially as he led Piper in the front door.

If she could've read his mind at that moment, she would have known just how uneasy he felt. He hid it well though, and made Piper feel as at home as he could, despite his nerves. Sid wanted Piper to love the house, because Sid wanted Piper to stay in the house. He wanted her to approve of him...his life...his surroundings. He wanted to win this girl's heart more than she realized.

As they both moved inside and the large wooden door shut behind, it was officially the first time Piper and Sid were actually alone together. It hit them both at almost the same, and standing there in the foyer of his large, empty home, their eyes met with a whole new realization. It was just them, for however long Piper actually stayed.

"Grand tour?" Sid asked, breaking the tense, heavy silence that seemed to close in around them.

"Of course." Piper took his large hand in hers, giving him a sweet smile. Their clasping hands couldn't be more different: her smaller hand in his, her bright teal nail polish and soft skin against Sid's rougher, larger hand. His grip was firm but comforting as it held onto hers as he took her around the house.

Piper studied Sid's simple style...if that's what it could be called. Lofted cedar ceilings with white beams gave the place a chalet feel, but still felt rather homey. They moved from one room to the next, ending up in the kitchen. Giant skylights cast rays of sunlight down onto a spacious kitchen and seating area, which was totally bare.

"The room I hardly use" Sid teased, leading her across the tiled floor.

They crossed into the living room, which was quite homey with its rustic-meets-modern feel. At the center of the room was a giant fireplace made of gray bricks. Flanking each side were floor to ceiling windows, which opened up to a view of the rest of his property and the lake below.

Piper went over, disconnecting from Sid's hand for just a moment. She stood at one of the windows, gazing out at the blue waters below. "This view...."

Sid went and stood beside her, hands going to his pockets. "Great isn't it? It's why I chose this location. Well...that, and it's close to home."

She hooked her arm in his, linking at the elbow. "I could look at this forever and never get tired."

I could look at you standing here forever and never get tired, Sid thought. He would've said it, if it didn't sound so silly in his head.

After another minute or so, Piper sighed. "Okay stud, lead the way. There's miles of house left to see, right?" She looked at Sid with eagerness in her eyes, and Sid happily took her by the hand once more.

Before they headed upstairs for the tour of the second floor, Sid picked up Piper's bag. He had every intention of dropping her stuff at the door to one of the guest rooms, but something in him told him not to. He carried it with him, pretending to forget to put it down.

For the most part, the house was everything Piper expected from a multi-million dollar bachelor, although Sidney kept plenty of pictures of his family in various frames here and there. If decor wasn't important, family and friends sure were, if these rooms had anything to prove.

When Sid finally showed Piper the entirety of the upstairs area, they finally ended up at his bedroom.

"Annnnd here's the most boring room in the house", he said, opening the door.

Piper stepped in and the first thing she did was inhale. It smelled like cologne; expensive cologne. The next thing she did was stare with wide eyes. The bedroom wasn't anything like she was expecting, because she wasn't expecting a set of large doors that opened up to a small balcony and the killer view of the lake beyond. The room itself was also just as impressive. Sid had two dressers, both of which were made of rich mahogany wood. His bed frame was made in the same dark wood design, with a large mattress covered in dark gray linens. Exactly two pillows lay at the head of the bed covered in dark gray cases, with a simple lamp perches on the bedside table.

Sidney set down Piper's bag near his walk-in closet and stepped forward. He watched her face for any signs of disappointment or displeasure, but there didn't seem to be any. Instead, her face had a somewhat faraway look as she walked slowly through the room. Her hand softly ran along the baseboard of his bed, then over the soft sheets. She turned halfway to face him.

"It's perfect."

Sid exhaled the air in his chest he didn't realize he was holding. "I'm glad you like it."

Piper sat down on the edge of the bed, letting the luxurious feel of Sid's sheets slide beneath her fingers. She could see herself in this bed, with him, with that view that he got to look at every night before he went to bed and every morning when he woke up.

Sid came around to the side of the bed where Piper was and sat down next to her. His eyes searched hers, wondering what she was thinking. He wanted to tell her to talk to him, to tell him her every hope and fear and dream, but it was too soon for that. Instead, he simply lifted his hand to the back of her neck and gave her a gentle rub there, her hair spilling over his hand. Piper felt sparks shoot up her spine and through her body at his touch. She rewarded his small move with a smile.

At that moment, they both wanted to kiss the other, but fear held them back. They felt the exact same thing at that exact same moment, but neither said anything. Piper supposed Sid's hand was talking for them, so she connected with him with her hand...sliding it over the denim covering his knee.

"Thanks for having me, Sidney" she said softly.

A smirk spread across his face. "Sidney?"

Piper looked at him with question.

"You've always called me Crosby."

Now it hit her. Piper looked down, totally guilty of losing herself in the moment and he caught her. Then again, he told her before he had a way of 'picking up on things', and maybe this was just the tip of the iceberg.

"And you know what?" he asked her.

She shook her head.

Sidney smiled. "I like it."

* * *

Piper smoothed down her dress, the only dress she brought, and ran a damp hand through the long strands of her dirty blonde hair. Dabbing a little perfume behind her ears, and once in her cleavage, she took one last look at her very plain makeup and went out to find Sidney.

She found him outside on the veranda, pacing back and forth slowly. When Piper appeared outside with him, closing the door softly behind her, Sid left his thoughts and locked eyes with her.

"Jesus, Piper."

Her eyes went wide. "Oh no. Is it too much? For where we're going?"

His sideways smile appeared, lighting up his whole face. "No....no, not at all. "You look perfect."

Piper felt her heart jump a little. "You don't look too bad yourself."

Sid reached for her hand, and he led her to his Tahoe. Upon opening the door for her, Piper took a seat and inhaled heavily, then exhaled just as Sid got in the driver's seat. He was wearing a pair of dark gray dress pants paired with a sleek black belt. His flawless skin, soft with the signs of a mid-summer tan, was the perfect compliment to his navy blue button down. Because he had the first two buttons undone, Piper caught a hint of the gold chair he wore beneath.

She could have stared at him the whole drive there, but realized quickly the creep-factor, so she told herself to behave. They had all evening at dinner to stare.

The restaurant that Sid chose had a patio outside that they passed as they walked to the main entrance of the building. Because Nova Scotia was a heavy wine producer, with some of the finest privately owned estates in the region, Sid chose a wine bar with light fare. He took his mother to this very same place every Mother's Day...and if it pleased his mom, it would please just about any girl.

Riding on this confidence and the knowledge that Piper enjoyed wine, Sid had reserved a private table for the two of them out of the way of most of the other patrons. As was often the case, Sid always had to make sure he was in a private area..away from others and anyone who might interrupt dinner by asking for autographs. Despite being a fixture in the area, he still wanted to play it safe, especially with Piper alongside him.

Their location was on an outdoor balcony table for two, out of the way and very private. Sounds of a piano playing softly filled the air, as did the smell of the flowers that lined the railing separating them from the world.

Piper looked around and gave Sidney a funny look. "You sure they know we're here?"

"I always reserve this table" Sid replied. "They know."

With a nod, Piper looked around. More of the city of Halifax surrounded them beyond their table. The sun was still high in the sky, but lowering steadily, and was now accompanied by a late afternoon breeze off the ocean.

While Piper looked around, Sid stared at her. Everything about her spoke of softness. From her lips to her hair to her golden skin...everything.

As if knowing what he was thinking, Piper moved her green eyes towards him. They both chuckled, feeling like bashful kids on a first date. The waiter came over, immediately recognizing Sidney as if he was an old friend. Piper watched carefully at how Sid conducted himself in front of others who 'knew who he was'...it was an entirely new scene for Piper. She'd never been to dinner with a celebrity.

Is that what he is? she wondered, even as the waiter took their orders for wine and for dinner. When the young man left them alone once again, Piper had to get to the bottom of it all.

"So, Crosby..." she said, one finger tracing the outline of her wine glass. "Is it like this everywhere you go?"

He facially shrugged, his eyes still remaining happy. "Pretty much, yeah."

Piper noticed how there was a slight amount of discomfort in that answer, but she ignored it. "Do you ever get tired of it? I mean....it's a huge compliment, so....I can see how it would be cool, too."

Sid thought about the question before he answered. He wanted to be truthful, without scaring her off with the way he lived his life in the eye of the public....everywhere. "You know, I've been doing this for almost my entire life" he began, his voice soft. "Since I was a kid."

Piper giggled. "All the articles online still think you are" she teased.

"I know; it's been hard to shake" He smiled. "Guess it's because I can't grow facial hair and I'm 26 years old."

"You can't?" Piper wanted to laugh, so she pressed her lips together, doing her best not to. She didn't believe it, of course. She could see the hint of a dark shadow around Sidney's mouth and jaw, even as they sat there.

"Did you see any of our Stanley Cup pictures?" He asked this with a growing smile. "That was the best it ever was."

"Oh! That scraggly thing?" Piper watched Sid's lips open to protest, so she reached across the table and tapped his arm. "Kidding, stud. Continue, please."

His smirk replaced his look of shock. "Well, all in all, I'm used to the attention. However, it doesn't make it any easier, I guess. Especially when I'm with--"

He trailed off and went silent, but Piper knew. WIth girls. She understood, so she didn't push any further. "So what's your favorite part of it all?" she asked, hoping to lead down a better path of conversation. This made his face light back up again.

"Definitely the fans. All of them, but especially the kids."

Piper swallowed a sip of the wine, feeling it course through her just as Sid's words played in her mind. The kids. "You'd love my little brother, then."

Sid smiled wide. "Yeah? Tell me about him."

They talked about how Bailey had just watched a rerun game the other day on tv, and Piper kept most of the conversation focused on him...not on the fact that she'd nearly swooned from the amount of skill and pure testosterone she'd witnessed on her tv screen.

"He sounds great" Sid replied, taking a drink of his wine. "I'd love to meet him someday. Maybe I could take him out and shoot around with him. Think he'd like that?"

Piper almost snorted. "Are you kidding? His head might spin right off his neck if he got to meet you, let alone shoot around with you!"

Sid liked the sound of that very much; not because another kid wanted to meet him, but because Piper had accepted his suggestion. Maybe this relationship would go somewhere afterall...but there was still a ton of ground to cover. The game wasn't over until the last horn sounded.

* * *

The sun was just beginning to set on the horizon, and the waters of the lake began to turn gray with hints of gold and orange spilling out across its glassy surface. The tall trees that lined the path from Sid's porch down to the dock began to darken in color thanks to the disappearing light. It made the couple feel even more closed off from the rest of the world, which is exactly what they wanted.

Both changed back into more comfy clothing, they brought an extra bottle they bought at dinner to bring home with them. They crossed the distance of the path down the property to Sidney's dock. When they came to the very end of it, Sid handed an empty glass to Piper and saved one for himself. He sat down next to her on the smooth wooden planks, taking notice how the light of the sunset caused the blonde highlights in Piper's hair to stand out even more. It was an image Sid would likely never get used to, and he hoped he never did.

While Sid opened their bottle of wine, Piper took the liberty of removing her navy blue boat shoes to let her feet dangle in the water. She held her glass out as Sid poured her some of the wine. "Did I mention it's gorgeous here?"

"Once or twice" Sid replied, pouring some wine for himself. He set the bottle off to the side, and the pair clinked glasses. "To your first stay in Nova Scotia." He hesitated briefly. "It is your first time here, right?"

Piper giggled. "Yes, silly."

Neither took notice that Sid had said stay, because neither cared at this point. An unspoken agreement had been made, at least in Piper's mind, that she was staying the night. What transpired from there.....well, she didn't want to worry about it now.....not while the beautiful sun was setting and an equally beautiful man sat relaxing beside her.

She looked over and frowned. "Take your shoes off and stay awhile."

Sid glanced down at the shoes he was wearing, then glanced at Piper's bare feet gently splashing in the water. He shrugged and slipped his off, followed by his sock. In no time, both pairs of feet were dangling in the cool water.

"Good idea" he said with a grin.

Piper nodded, then took another swig of wine. She gazed back out across the water. "Does it get any better than this, really?"

It was a rhetorical question, but Sid wanted to answer her. The only way this moment could get any better was if his mouth found hers and did what it was dying to do since he met her. Even now, just the way she was reclined back on one hand, her feet lazily kicking water as she gazed out over the horizon...it was enough to take his breath away.

Setting her glass down, Piper leaned all the way until she was lying flat on her back, her feet still in the water. She let out a happy sigh, shifting her head to the side. "This is even better, actually."

Sidney mimicked her, downing the rest of his wine before setting the glass aside and laying down. Together, they stared up at the dimming sky.

"Ever wonder about how small this world actually is?" Piper asked him.

"I do...sometimes." His eyes found hers. "It's smaller than us humans think, that's for sure."

"It really is." Piper splashed her feet in the water a little, creating new ripples that fanned ever outwards. "You may think this sounds stupid, but I'm going to say it anyways."

Sid let out a soft chuckle. "I wouldn't think that, you know that."

Piper shot him a side eye. "I'm trusting you."

"I'm the trustworthy type." He grinned. "Continue."

She clasped her hands over her stomach. "Well....sometimes, when I'm in one of my yoga classes, and I'm completely in the moment - which is hard, you know? But it does happen. And when it does, I often feel as if I'm one with everything." She glanced over. "Total hippie moment, I know." She saw Sidney smile, which helped her to relax.

"I'm trying to envision you right now in your studio...completely in the moment..." He closed his eyes. "It must be like every game I've ever played."

"Really?"

He nodded. "There's this weird sort of calm that comes over me. It comes at different times, though. Sometimes it's in the locker room, sometimes it's during the anthems, sometimes it's right before I skate out for the first drop of the puck." Looking over, Sid watched Piper roll onto her side, supporting her head with one hand.

"I can picture that." The corner of her mouth turned upward happily. "I'm in the moment right now, in fact."

"Yeah?"

"Mmm hmm." Her eyes sparkled as she looked at him. "And just think how crazy it was for us...little ol' me and big ol' you....to cross paths."

Her phrasing made Sid's smile grow. "Big ol' me, eh?"

"Yes. Big." With her fingers, Piper traced the outline of the muscles beneath the sleeves of his shirt. The fabric was soft to the touch, but everything beneath was hard.

Sid watched her face as his breath started to become unsteady at her touch. Her fingers were light on his skin, but sent such a powerful pulse through his entire body that he knew his self control was losing the battle.

Her hand moved down to his torso and he flinched ever so slightly. A cool smile came to her face as their eyes met. "Ticklish?"

"A little."

Her hands slid a little further down his stomach, landing on his belt. "Ticklish anywhere else?" She looped a finger beneath the leather and gave it a tug.

Sid had to focus hard, because all of his blood was now traveling south to one spot. "Mostly above the belt."

Piper gave him a naughty smirk. She drug her hand back up the center of his torso, feeling Sid flinch again but with much more control this time. She stopped at the neckline, tracing along the curve of muscle that defined his shoulder. "I'm glad our paths crossed, Sidney." When she looked into his eyes again, his expression was intense. The brown of his eyes were a shade darker, and the look within them spoke of nothing but hunger.

"I'm glad our paths crossed, too."

The longing became unbearable. In one move, Sid rolled onto his side as his hand cupped Piper's face. He pulled her into him, his lips meeting hers, his nose brushing against her soft skin.

Piper moaned softly at the strength within Sid's kiss. His hand was strong and his lips were like pillows; made for kissing, and for kissing often. She opened her mouth to him, and moaned again when she felt his tongue barely touch hers. Her body ached for more; there was absolutely no going back now. She wanted all of him.

Their mouths parted, and Sid stared into Piper's heavily-lidded eyes. They were easy to read, and they told him to keep going. He shifted his body further so that their they were pressed against one another. In doing so, Piper felt his hand move down her neck, over her bare shoulders and then along her waist. His lips moved expertly along the nape of her neck, allowing her the air she needed as she slowly felt herself drowning beneath his touch. Her hands sunk into the depth of his dark curls, feeling his lips graze across her collarbone.

When Sid lifted his head, he was smiling. "Is this okay?"

Piper heart fluttered at the question. She slid both of her hands up his neck to each side of his face. "It's very okay."

"Good, because you're killing me." His mouth found hers more softly this time, but no less intense. Only Piper's hushed giggle caused them to part again.

"I actually know that I am." She moved her eyes as if to point downwards.

Sid grinned. "See what you do?"

And how. Piper answered his question with another slow, needful kiss. "I want to see more" she breathed, before her lips met Sid's again.

It was all it took. Just five little words...and the pair found themselves back inside the house.

* * *

Notes

Sorry to make you wait *one* more chapter for the goods! It'll be worth it. :)

Comments

I really really miss youre updates :(

Listor87 Listor87
9/24/14

I agree - the trade brought me to tears. Each time I think about it I cry. It won't be the same without Lazy running alongside G. I hope Nealer does great things in Nashville. He will always be a Pen, no matter what. Still trying to wrap my head around it as well as Matty, Joey V, Tanner, Elko and Orpik.......I just hope this new GM knows what he is doing. Sucks, it really does. I hope you decide to write again. Loved your stuff!! Here's hugs to you Winter OOOO - 73 days till puck drop!! Let's Go Pens!

KWeber8771 KWeber8771
7/29/14

6-28-14 ** A NOTE TO MY READERS **

As a result of James getting traded, I've found myself at a loss for words; a loss I'm not sure I'll be quick to recover from. The trade was a hard hit, and it will take some time for me to get over the initial hurt.

I wanted to post a message to at least tell all of you who have followed my stories up to this point that after this, I'm not sure how long it's going to be before I post a new story. James will forever be a Penguin to me, and likely to many of you as well. I'm just not sure how to go forward right now. As a result - I can't promise I'll be back, but I hope to be. I really do.

Let's let the dust settle and the hurt fade...and maybe we'll find one other again on this wonderful site.

Thank you all again for your support...It really has made writing so much fun for me, and I don't want to go forward with another story until it's fun again. Right now - that doesn't seem plausible.

I'll leave it open for any of you to message me anytime, if you'd like. I will occasionally check in just to see how everyone's doing. :-)

Regards,
Winter

Winter22 Winter22
6/28/14

Great story - you need to write one about Geno!!!

KWeber8771 KWeber8771
5/21/14

Omg. Seriously girl you never disappoint. Omg. I can't wait to see what you have up your sleeve. And what's to come for piper and Sid and james and Ali and the baby <3

kristinnx kristinnx
4/21/14