Chapter 10

Double Figures

Leo couldn't believe it. He was lying in bed with his arm around Piper's waist as she slept peacefully, her head on his pillow, brown hair scattered across the pillow behind her. Surely he was dreaming. Moving slowly so as not to wake Piper, he pinched his arm as tightly as he could.

"Aow, shit." He mumbled rubbing the red mark on his arm.

"Hmm?" He looked down at Piper who was now staring up at him expectantly.

"Piper. I thought you were asleep," he said quickly so that he wouldn't have to explain the pinching thing.

"Obviously not," she replied, a lazy smile on her face. "Don't I get a kiss good morning?"

"Piper, it's five in the evening."

"Well then, don't I get a kiss good evening?"

"Sure," he leaned down and met her half way.

"I really like it here," Piper said softly.

"Las Vegas?" Leo asked confused but Piper just laughed and shook her head.

"No, in your bed."

"Oh," he said a seductive smile forming on his lips as he leaned in once again.

A Few Hours Later

"Shit!"

"Huh? What?" Piper sat up in bed and looked around in a daze. Her eyes were still blurry from sleep and her head felt heavy.

"I can't believe it's that late already," Leo complained as he grabbed his t-shirt from the floor and threw it on quickly.

"Leo? What's wrong?" Piper's head was a mess; normally she needed at least two cups of coffee before she was ever fully awake.

"It's half seven already," he explained trying to tie his shoe with one hand while the other flattened his hair. "I'm gonna be late for work."

"Oh, right. I'll get dressed and go with you." Piper pushed the covers off her body, momentarily distracting Leo from his frantic attempt to look presentable, and padded into the bathroom.

-123-

"C'mon Piper," Leo called through the door. "We're gonna be late."

"Just a second," she replied for the third time.

Leo was about to give up all hope of ever making it to the club in time when eventually Piper threw the door open and emerged dressed to kill. She was wearing a red dress that Leo had never seen before and was looking gorgeous. Of course, Leo always thought she looked great.

"It's about time," he joked, earning him an elbow right in the ribs. "If we hurry we can still make it."

-123-

"Well, that was…" Piper couldn't finish her sentence. How do you comfort someone who just lost their job? And because of her no less.

"Yeah," Leo shrugged, trying not to look too upset.

"This is all my fault," she whispered, shaking her head and standing from the box she had been sitting on.

After Leo's boss told him that he didn't think he was really fitting in the pair had gone outside but never made it out of the alley. Leo was in shock and Piper felt so guilty.

"You can't blame yourself Piper," Leo tried to assure her. "It was him who fired me."

"No!" Piper shook her head again and started to pace back and forth. "Not just this. I invaded your life, your hotel room, I messed up your relationship with your parents and now I've cost you your job. All I bring you is misery Leo."

"No you don't," he argued back. "I'm happy with you, you make me happy."

"At the same time ruining your life. I have to go back to San Francisco tomorrow Leo and quite frankly you're better off without me!"

"Piper-" he stood up and looked her straight in the eyes.

"Leo, don't," she turned away, not wanting to see the hurt, the pain she was causing him. "Don't make this any harder than it already is." She paused. "I'll be out of your hotel by tonight."

She walked away slowly. Not daring to look back. She could almost feel Leo's eyes boring into the back of her head.

-123-

Leo pushed the door open. Hoping, preying even, that she would still be there.
Searching around the entire room for any trace of her he thought of how quickly she could get packed up and leave, if only she could get dressed that quickly.

Why was she doing this? How could she leave him? He loved her, if only she could just listen to his words and not try and do what is right by him by leaving. He needed her. She was amazing, intelligent, funny and beautiful. A woman like that came along once in a blue moon.

His relationship with his family was already in tatters as it was and it's not as if he wanted to be a drag queen for the rest of his life. Some small part of him did want to be angry at Piper, angry at her for coming into his life, for flaunting herself in front of him, for letting him think that he had her and then for leaving. Just like that.

Somehow if he was angry at her he would be glad to see her go and he wouldn't miss her. His heart wouldn't be torn into a million pieces when it sank in that she was gone.

But he couldn't do it. He couldn't hate her, he couldn't not miss her. He had to do something. For most of his life he had sat around and let life pass him by, taking all the opportunities with it and now one fell right into his lap and there he was, sitting alone in his hotel room.

Vowing to win her back tomorrow at the airport he tried to think of something to say to her.

"Piper, come on…come back to my hotel room…what am I trying to get her into bed? Erm, Piper, I love you…I love you! I love you! Yo, Piper, wanna come back to mine for a nice little chat? Yeah, this might take a while."

AN: Sorry if you think this chapter is a bit rushed cos it was, I hadn't updated in ages and felt bad so I hurried and wrote this chapter, the next one will be better cos I have the next two days to work on it! There's only gonna be another one or two chapters so please let me know if you want a sequel cos I have some ideas.

Thanks everyone who reviewed last time, they all made me smile!

Please review and let me know what you think.