Piper didn’t speak, she just watched him go and grab something from a shopping bag as she struggled to grasp the fact that this morning she’d woken up worrying about what to wear, and tonight she was going to bed a... a mother.

“Here, eat this, but you have to save me some.”

She caught the bar of chocolate, and then he was gone. The bathroom door had shut, and seconds later Piper heard the shower.

Opening the chocolate wrapper, she ate it straight from the block while she thought through what needed to be done. What she would need to do for Grace.

“I do that.”

Dylan came out of the bathroom, hair damp, jeans sitting on his hips, but no shirt. Even with all the stuff going on in her life at that moment, her mouth still went dry. She knew he had a nice body, because she’d seen it wet, in the shower, but seeing all those wonderful slopes and planes of muscle had her aching to touch him again.

“What?” She dragged her eyes up his body to his face.

“Eat the bar, instead of breaking it off.”

“I don’t at home, because I have to share.”

“Ah, see I don’t have to do that, because I live alone.”

He moved to his side of the bed and sat on top. Piper had never spent the night with a man in her bed.

Breaking off a piece of chocolate, she handed the bar to him.

“You should try and sleep, Piper.”

“I know, but what if Grace wakes and I don’t hear her?”

“You will.”

“I have to thank you—”

“Again? I think we been over that already.”

“Not nearly enough, especially as this is not something that you would normally do.”

His eyes held hers.

“I mean, you’re putting yourself out for me, and I don’t know how to say thank you.”

“You don’t think I put myself out for people normally?”

The words weren’t spoken in anger, but Piper had a feeling she’d annoyed him... maybe even hurt him.

“Of course, but not like this... maybe.” Piper ran a hand through her hair. “I’m making a mess of this, so can we leave it at thanks, again.”

“Sure.”

The word was clipped, and she knew then she had hurt him. He got up and switched off the lights, then she heard his jeans hit the floor and he was suddenly in the bed beside her, under the covers.

“I’m sorry, I handled that wrong and sounded ungrateful.”

“No, actually you didn’t, but it’s never easy to be slapped in the face by the person you are.”

“Dylan—”

“It’s okay, Piper. We’re both tired, let’s try and get some sleep.”

“Why have you never come home, Dylan?”

He exhaled slowly.