After Dusk • Peter Hayes 2

Temptation

Piper let her head fall back blissfully while Peter's lips explored her neck. Every time his teeth dug into the soft skin he heard soft little moans escaped her, something he hadn't been witness to in such a long time. He had been deprived of her touch, her kisses, just being deprived of her in general for far too long.

Her fingers had found their way to his curly hair, tugging and running through while he worked on her.

His brain was screaming at him to stop, to tell her this was a mistake, only his heart knew it wasn't. His heart knew he needed this, needed her.

Piper Canning had no idea the effect she'd always had on him. He felt like her lips were made to fit his, like they had been two halves of the same soul. He knew, that he was going to break her heart after, when he told her they couldn't be together. He knew she'd hate him and yet he had to force himself away from her.

Feeling their breath tangling while he pulled back.

"Piper" he whispered in a breathless state, watching her eyes shut for a moment before meeting his again, "I can't do this to you" his thumb which was on the side of her face caressed her cheek calmingly, "I can't kiss you just to go back to how we were after" shaking his head, "it's selfish, I can't be selfish with you"

She stared at him, knowing how much it would hurt for him to act like he'd hated her once again after this, her self respect told her to smack him but when it came to Peter, she couldn't. She wanted to stop, she knew future Piper would appreciate it but current Piper wouldn't.

"Selfish?" She repeated that word.

Peter tried to figure out what was going on in that head of hers but he couldn't, he could only probe.

"Yes Piper" shaking his head while his hand fell, knowing this was it for him, knowing how desperate he was, but he couldn't do it to her, "if I continue kissing you now, that would be selfish"

He watched her heart beat speed up, her chest giving it away. Her lips parted while she looked to be in deep thought, going between her head and heart.

"Then do it" his eyes which had fell, waiting for her to move lifted to meet hers again, raising his brow at her words, "be selfish" she confirmed. She was telling him to kiss her. Telling him she wanted this too.

"Are you sure?" He questioned her.

He'd realised after saying that she started to blink a noticeable amount, more than you usually would. Her cheeks had turned a faint pink while she sucked in a breath. Her pupils flared while she shook her head, lifting her delicate looking fingers to cover her lips slightly, touching them while she did.

In a very quick motion he watched her push herself off him and off the bed. Walking toward the bathroom while walking he heard her whisper what sounded like a curse.

He had been so unsure of her because he hadn't wanted her.

This was guilt, he hadn't really wanted to kiss her again, he hadn't wanted to be selfish, hence why he hadn't. At least, that's what she'd thought.

In reality, Peter wanted her to hate him, but he didn't want to hurt her, to give her hope that they'd have a happy ending when they wouldn't. He wanted her to hate him because he was a dick to everyone else around them.

"Piper?" He yelled out, letting his feet touch the floor while he still sat at now the edge of the bed.

She hadn't answered.

She just stood with her palms flat on the unit around the sink, staring downward trying to keep herself together. This whole time she'd thought he still wanted her, still wanted to be together despite his actions and words. She had thought he'd only stayed away because he refused to tell her this secret, but really he just didn't want her anymore. Maybe there was no damned secret, maybe he just didn't have the heart to tell her.