Blue Lines(55)

Erik took a Sharpie from one girl and started signing jerseys while Piper waited, feeling very uncomfortable. People were staring at her, while others took pictures and then someone yelled out, “Who’s that, Erik?”

Erik smiled as he looked back at her. Pulling her to his side before planting a kiss at her temple, he said, “This is my wife, Piper.”

If Piper thought there was a disruption before it was nothing like now. People started yelling and lights were flashing; everything went crazy. Piper was beginning to feel lightheaded, but thankfully, before she could tell Erik, he grabbed her arm and they began walking away. One woman did grab her, taking a picture of them both—what the hell was that all about? Erik quickly knocked the woman’s camera arm out of their way as they continued to wind through the crowd.

He wrapped his arm around Piper’s shoulders and smiled down at her.

“Crazy, huh?”

“Uh, yeah? Why the hell did she want a picture with me?”

“ ’Cause you are a part of me.”

“I wish I would have dressed a little nicer. I did not expect all this attention. You should have told me,” she said, looking down at her yoga pants and cute Pink! T-shirt hanging off her shoulder.

“I think you look great, no worries,” he said, hugging her tighter. “It’s going to be like this all week. Fans will be everywhere; you are now officially warned.”

Piper nodded. “Fantastic.”

And he wasn’t joking. The hotel was infested with Assassins followers, and it was a little intimidating listening to the girls cry all over Erik. They acted as if their lives would be over if Erik didn’t take a picture with them and give them an autograph. Piper was shocked when one girl started to hysterically cry when Erik announced that Piper was his wife.

On the cab ride to the hotel neither of them mentioned the welcome. After checking in and running into another crowd that had waited for Erik, he did his duty before heading to their room.

Looking over at her, he said, “It is a lot of people. I forget how big a crowd the awards ceremony draws.”

“It’s insane. They know things about you that I didn’t even know.”

Erik’s eyebrow arched. “Like what?”

“I didn’t know you played under Metruis Obtucki in Buffalo. I didn’t even know you lived in Buffalo!”

Erik laughed. “Yeah, Cooper and Alla moved us there so I could play for him. He trained me.”

“It’s just weird that these fans know all that stuff,” she proclaimed as the doors to the elevator opened.

“Oh, you just wait; they’ll know everything about you in a week’s time. I can guarantee you that.”

Piper looked up at him. “How?”

“They’ll google you, so let’s hope there aren’t any naughty pictures of you on the Web.”

“Eeek! I modeled when I was nineteen in New York! I was naked with peas glued to my body!”

“Peas?”

Piper laughed. “It was art.”

Erik shook his head. “You modeled, too?”

“Yeah, I had to make money. I made a thousand bucks for the peas but sometimes I don’t think it was worth it because I swear I was finding peas in spots they shouldn’t have been in.”

Erik closed his eyes, with his hand on his chest as he shook his head. Piper giggled, “What?”

Erik shook his head again as they got off the elevator and walked down the hall. Opening the door with his room key he said, “You don’t want to know what I am thinking right now, but do know that I am impressed by your many talents. Peas included.”

Piper laughed as she followed him into the suite and then suddenly she became very quiet. The corner room was spectacular. It was done in soft browns, and there were only two walls because the other two were glass, giving them a perfect view of the Las Vegas skyline. A king-sized bed sat in the middle of the room, with the living and dining areas off to the sides. Piper had never been in a hotel room so posh.

“Wow.”

“It’s not the room I wanted. Shea beat me to the other one. Ass,” Erik joked as he put their bags on luggage stands. He went to the bar while Piper explored the rest of the suite. It was classy with marble-top counters and a huge marble shower and tub. After the long flight a bath sounded divine so she stripped down as the tub filled with bubble bath and hot water. Looking around the vanity area she found a ponytail holder among the complimentary lotions and shampoos and threw her hair up before submerging her tired body into the bath.

As she lay there in the water, up to her chin, she thought she really shouldn’t help Reese with choreography anymore. Being pregnant and on your feet all day and dancing on top of it all, she found her body was aching in every spot imaginable. She wouldn’t say it was painful, but she sure felt all of her muscles talking to her. She thought maybe this glorious bath was what she needed. With a sigh, she hit the jet button on the tub and as the force of the water hit her sore spots she sat back and smiled.