Not that she thought he’d been lying when he declared he’d make time for her no matter how busy he was with work. She’d sensed he meant it. But still, as he himself had admitted, they wouldn’t see as much of each other as they did now. So she’d hesitated to reach for their bond, greedily drinking in his attention and time.
There was another reason she’d procrastinated. Piper didn’t want to reverse back behind the platonic lines they’d crossed. It would feel like losing him on some level. Losing an intimacy she’d come to cherish. But she’d have to suck it up, wouldn’t she? To continue to hesitate was unfair to them and their demons.
Besides, despite that she generally didn’t struggle to separate emotions from sex, she really wasn’t certain she could keep her feelings out of their ‘agreement’ any longer. It was time to step back. She’d only get hurt if she didn’t.
Piper had planned to tell Levi when he picked her up from work that she was ready to bond with him. But it would have to wait until later, since her colleagues and Larkin had dragged her out for a girls’ night … which was how Piper found herself sitting in the Underground’s Xpress bar.
Although the girls were a tight group, Piper never felt like an outsider. They’d hauled her into their circle and made her one of them. And as she watched a sober Devon and a tipsy Khloë argue like cat and dog, Piper couldn’t help but smile.
Her hand flexing around her bottle of water, Devon fired an impatient look at Khloë. “You can’t seriously think that will ever happen.”
“Why not?” asked the imp, her head bopping to the music. “Billions of people all over the globe report being abducted by aliens.”
“I’m not saying there isn’t other life out there. I’m just saying there’s no possible way you’ll ever have your own personal ET. He was a fucking puppet.”
Swaying slightly, Raini lifted her index finger. “Actually, I think the little UFO dude was played by people wearing suits.”
“Or wearing the skins of real-life aliens,” said Khloë.
Devon let her head slump forward.
“You know,” began Harper, stirring her fruity drink with a mini umbrella, “I struggle with the idea that UFOs even come to this planet. I mean, why bother? Why kidnap humans, experiment on them, insert microchips in them … and then return them, only to go back several times to, like, check on them or whatever?”
Piper pursed her lips. “It’s kind of what humans do to wild animals and sea creatures, though, right?”
Each head at the table turned her way.
“Wow,” said Khloë. “Mind blown.”
Raini nodded. “Yeah, I never thought of it that way. Humans pluck those poor animals out of their natural habitat for all kinds of reasons. Isn’t it sad how many are on the verge of extinction? We really need to do our part.”
“Too many are already extinct,” said Khloë. “Like mogwai.”
Harper frowned. “There has never been any such thing as mogwai.”
The imp’s brow furrowed. “I saw them on Gremlins.”
“They were puppets,” Devon told her.
“Or tiny people wearing the skins of real-life mogwai,” said Khloë.
Devon shook her head. “It’s impossible to have a rational conversation with you.”
“You’re just moody because you can’t get buzzed. It’s not my fault you got knocked up.”
Larkin peered down at the hellcat’s belly. “How is little Engelbert-or-Hallelujah?”
Devon grinned. “Tanner whined to you about the names?”
“Of course,” said Larkin, her mouth curving. “Are you going to keep torturing him all the way through the pregnancy?”
“Only if he doesn’t stop with the smothering at some point.” Devon spared Piper a look. “Speaking of overprotective males … who wants to bet that Levi’s somewhere close?”
Everyone at the table except for Piper raised their hand.
“He said he wouldn’t hang in the bar,” said Piper, though he’d made it clear that Enzo and Dez would never be far away from her.
“Yeah, this bar,” said Devon. “He could be next door. Or someplace across the strip. He’ll be close by, trust me.”
“I’d have to agree, he’s probably loitering somewhere.” Harper set down her drink, eyeing Piper curiously. “So … want to tell us why you’re so nervous?” It was a gentle invitation, not a nosy question.
“We’re here for you,” said Khloë, forming a heart shape with her hands and pressing said shape against her chest.
“It’s nothing bad.” Piper straightened her shoulders. “I’ve decided to form the bond with Levi.”
Harper’s eyes lit up. “That’s great news!”
Khloë fist pumped, Raini gave a little clap, and a smiling Larkin tipped her drink toward Piper.
“Does he know yet?” asked Devon, her cat-green gaze bright with excitement.
Piper shook her head. “I’m going to tell him tonight and, knowing him, he’ll be all ‘okay, let’s do it right now.’ Hence the nerves.”
Raini patted her hand. “You’ll like being anchored. There’s something very special about the bond. It’ll center you and your demon like nothing else.”