Page 1 of Lead Me A Stray

1

MACK

Oh shit.

The faint sound of running water down the hall means I’ve overstayed my welcome. I might bewelcomeif Piper knew I was here but she doesn’t, and if I’m lucky I’ll be able to sneak out before she’s any the wiser.

Easing off the couch as quietly as I can, I grab the corners of the throw blanket and fold it, placing it back where I found it as I grab my jeans from the floor. The bathroom door creaks open andfuck—her bare feet pad down the hall and there’s no room to hide.

Fuck, fuck, fuck!

Like a freight train comin’ at me at full speed, there’s no time to avoid the inevitability of this situation as I stand there frozen, my fingers unmoving where they’d attempted to button my jeans.

Because my first glimpse of Piper is her dark hair, messy from sleep and falling around her shoulders, bare legs, and a silk lavender robe that hangs open, revealing the curve of her naked breasts and light gray panties.

And nothing else.

Nothing except her nipples imprinting against the fabric.

God dammit.

Abandoning my quest to secure my pants, I slowly open my hands and place them in front of my dick that is mostdefinitelygetting hard just from looking at her. And while I’ddefinitelylove to get acquainted with her, now isnotthe time.

She must catch the movement out of the corner of her eye, her whole body snapping to face me as she lets out a blood-curdling scream.

And then a growl.

“Jesus Christ, Mack Crosby, what the hell are you doin’ in my house?!” Piper’s cheeks are flushed as she fights to close her robe, clutching the fabric up by her neck as if that makes everything better.

It doesn’t.

It just pulls the silk tighter against her full breasts, and I have to swallow back a groan becausefuck she’s hot.

“Mornin’, Honey Girl. If I’d known you were gonna be up so early, I would have put on the coffee.” I give my sister’s best friend my most winning smile and try not to outwardly react when I catch her staring at my bare chest.

Hell, yes.

“You can’t just be in my living room, Mack! And where are your clothes?”

“I have a key.”

“That’s for emergencies.”

“Itwasan emergency.”

“What, couldn’t find a girl to go home with?” she snarks and I watch as a flash ofsomethingmoves across her pretty face.

“First of all, I’m insulted.” I try to sound offended but don’t quite pull it off because she’s rolling her eyes before I’ve gotten the words out. “I was stuck out on the Jacobson Ranch. He’s gota lot of work to do and paid extra to make sure everything was fixed before I left.”

“And?”

“And, I saw a plastic bag float across the intersection down the road and thought it was a bear or a raccoon or something and decided that hallucinating at three in the morning wasn’t a good idea.”

Her lips twitch. “So you slept naked on my couch?”

“I kept my boxers on.” Pausing, I add, “I only sleep naked at home.”

This time the faintest pink stains her cheeks, and I’ll take that as a win because I have loved this woman what feels like my whole life. Unfortunately, she’s never given me the time of day, instead relegating me to being her best friend’s little brother.