"Phoebe, I am the biggest idiot in the world. Or, I'm not, I don't know." Phoebe laughed.
"What'd you do this time?" Piper frowned even deeper.
"Not funny. Let me ask you a question."
"Shoot."
"Do you apologize to a guy for not having sex?"
"Who, this mysterious Leo Wyatt? Well, let me ask you a few questions about him. Is he cute? Does he make a lot of money? Does he even work? Never mind, you wouldn't be interested with a guy who didn't work, does he dress well? Does he smoke? Do you guys have a lot in common? Does he—"
"Phoebe!"
"Sorry. So, do you apologize to a guy for not having sex...It depends!"
"Phoebe!!"
"I mean, we all know that guys can control their sexual urges but..."
"Phoebe!!!" Phoebe sighed.
"Piper, look. Were you naked?"
"No."
"Then well, what happened?" Piper related the whole story.
"...And then I'm yelling at him and running out of his office." Phoebe ignored the "office" part as she wheeled away from her computer.
"Look, I'm not sure an apology is in order, but you should at least go talk to him before it's too late. You obviously care about him, right?"
"I guess so." Piper said grudgingly.
"Well, get off the phone with me and go to him." Piper glanced at the clock.
"Nah, I've got to get to work." Phoebe made a noise.
"Piper, you've got to get a different job."
"Pheebes, there is nothing wrong with what I do. I don't take my clothes off and I don't accept money from anybody except the boss, for anything but dancing. Except when I fill Jeanie's waitressing shift, then I get the tips." Phoebe smiled.
"Get to work. Bye."
"Bye."
-----
Piper rubbed her eyes. It was far too early for her to be awake. She didn't get to bed until 2:30 and it was 7:00 in the morning. The phone rang. "Hello?" she listened patiently to the person on the other end of the line. Then she blew up.
"What!? You've got to be kidding me! I need the renovators here today!" she slammed her finger into the counter top to emphasize her point. "They're supposed to start at 8:00, I can't afford to not do this today! I'm spending my life savings and then some on this place—"
Piper shut her mouth and listened again. For a full ten minutes she and the man haggled back and forth before coming to an agreement. Piper looked around the slightly dilapidated soon to be club and restaurant. "Fine." she agreed indifferently, "They get here at 11:00 and I get a 25 percent discount."
"You drive a hard bargain, lady." He said sourly. Piper smiled.
"I know, and you're signing a contract when you get down here."
"Alright, alright geez." They hung up.
"Hey." Piper looked up to see Jeff in the doorway.
"Hey, Jeff!" They greeted each other with a kiss, but somewhere in Piper's mind, she felt guilty about it. "What are you doing here?"
"I couldn't come see my favorite girl make something out of herself?"
"You're so sweet." She said, hopping up onto the bar. He kissed her again. He climbed onto of the bar too and lay on top of her. "Jeff, stop, I've got renovators coming here at 11:00 and you should be at work."
He laughed, putting his hand to the side of her face. "I've got the day off, figured I keep you company." Piper cleared her throat.
"Um, Jeff, I think we should talk."
Jeff's face turned serious and he clocked his had to the side as he sat up. "Uh oh, this sounds serious." They both sat up on the bar.
"Jeff, I'm kind of halfway seeing this guy and um, maybe it's not so good that we um...see each other right now." Jeff's face turned angry.
"What!?"
"Jeff—"
"Piper, how could you do this!?" he jumped off of the bar to stand in front of her. Piper's face became one of surprise.
"Jeff, I thought this was part of the arrangement—"
"I haven't considered that dumbass, fking arrangement in forever!!! We've been together for 4 and a half years now and—"
"Been together!?" Piper interrupted.
"Don't you get it!? I've considered us more than 'friends with benefits' for a long time now and I don't understand how it is you could just spring this sht on me!"
"What are you talking about?" Piper asked confusedly.
"I'm in love with you!!" Jeff shouted, the last piece of the puzzle falling into place and he quieted.Piper's eyes widened.
"What did you say?" Jeff's shoulders stiffened.
"Never mind, it doesn't matter now. Just...I'm just gonna go." Jeff turned around and stalked out of the club.
-----
This is a stupid plan, Piper thought as her red stilettos clicked on the marble floor as she walked into Elway. A very stupid plan. She wrapped her trench coat around her naked body and walked faster. She walked up to Leo's office and past the secretary. "Ms. Halliwell—" Piper ignored her and knocked on the door.
It all happened in a matter of seconds. Leo opened the door. Piper opened her coat. And the mouths of those behind Leo, fell open. "Oh my God!" Piper exclaimed, rushing over to one of the chairs by his door. Leo excused himself to his guests and knelt down beside her.
"What was I thinking?" she asked rhetorically.
"What were you thinking?" he responded softly, still in a daze because of what just happened.
"I'm so sorry." She said, putting her face in her hands, "Was the meeting important?" he sighed, running a hand through his hair.
"It was the boss." He said quietly.
"Who?" Piper asked in the same tone, though she knew the answer.
"Henry Elway." Piper went pale.
"As in 'Elway' of 'Elway Agency and Entertainment'?"
"The very same." Leo responded with a meek nod. "Let's talk later, okay?" Piper nodded. It had been a stupid plan.
-----
There was a knock at the door. Piper looked up from The Da Vinci Code at the clock. Around 1:00. She slipped her feet into some house shoes and padded to the door. She opened it. Leo stood there a rose and a bottle of wine his hands.
"Leo what are you doing here wand what's all this?" He smiled an 100 watt smile.
"You stubborn, crazy girl!"
"Don't I feel flattered." She muttered sarcastically, but she looked at him nervously. He kissed her right on the lips after she let him in. She shut the door.
"I think you just got me a promotion." Leo exclaimed happily. Piper's face brightened with a smile.
"What?" Leo's eyes widened and his eyes sparkled even more.
"Elway says I've got guts and that 'my girl' has got moxy and spunk." She crossed her arms.
"So... you forgive me?"
"I was never mad." He maintained. He put the rose and wine on the coffee table. "And that trench coat thing was pretty sexy. I was just wondering...about..." Piper sighed.
"Look Leo, I'm sorry. It's not that I don't like you but..." She sighed again. "I run from a lot of relationships because, well, I don't know, experiences have hardened my heart." He nodded as if he understood.
"But," Leo began, "would you set it out to thaw for me?" she gave a small smile and nodded. Piper found herself moving closer to him. They kissed passionately. They stumbled over many things and fell against the wall. He skimmed her body with his hands. She started to unbutton his shirt. She opened it all the way and kissed his chest.
He growled in pleasure and se pressed the side of her face against him. "Is this really what you want?" he asked, breathing already heavy.
"Yes, Leo, this is what I want. He removed her shirt from her body.
"Oh." She wasn't wearing a bra.
"You expect me to go around the house in one of those things?" They slid down the wall in another kiss. He lay on top of her, kissing her neck and cheeks and shoulders. Piper closed her eyes. He was good to her, sweet, caring and he knew his way around a woman's body.
He would be good to her, but was she good for him? No, he deserved someone more together, well-bred and of high society. Not a poor Vegas showgirl.
"Stop." Piper said, clearly.
"What?" he asked.
"You have to get off of me. Now." Leo's once aroused face turned angry.
"You know what Piper?! Fine! I'm through! I'm sick of chasing you!!!"
"Leo—" She sat up.
"No, Piper! When you're ready to work something out, you know where to find me." Piper fell on her back as Leo shut the door.
She closed her eyes as a tear trickled down her cheek. She pulled her shirt on and looked to the second rose he'd given her. He was sweet and kind and deserved better. Better than her.
There was no one better than her, Leo thought as he climbed into his car. And she obviously liked him a lot, so why the hell was she always pushing him away? He was tempted to turn around, race up the steps, and express his feeling for her. God, he wanted her, bad, and not just for her body.
He wanted all of her. God, he lo— Wait. Was love the right word? He dragged his hands across her face wearily as he stopped at a stoplight. Leo gave a bitter laugh. How could he love the girl when he didn't even know her middle name? She as so goddamn passive aggressive with her feelings sometimes. For a swift moment, as he started driving again, if her all-over-the-place feelings were his fault. No, that was her problem. Then why did he feel so bad? Leo called his friend Vance out to a drink.
AN: Hum...so. We get quite a bit of info in this chapter. Jeff loves Piper, Piper thinks she might love Leo, and Leo's pretty sure, but everything with every body is a little sketchy. The next chapter will be a dozy. Piper and Leo talk, and something happens and there might be more to mess up the relationship. Please review!