First Down (Texas Titans #3) (18 page)

His breath was ragged as they finally pulled apart. “About that dinner tonight… Are you sure I can’t talk you into it?”

She rested her forehead against his chest, groaning. “You don’t fight fair.”

“That’s why I always win, beautiful.”

Grayson couldn’t believe how nervous he was as he waited for Alana. They’d agreed to a casual dinner at his house, so he’d asked his housekeeper to prepare homemade pizza and salad before she left. She’d also surprised him with peach cobbler. It wasn’t quite as good as his mama’s, but it was damn close.

He had to figure out how to tell Alana about the contract Cal had sent him and the background checks and the building. No doubt about it, she would think he was a domineering control freak—just like her ex. If he kept her in the dark, she’d think he was a liar, and that seemed even worse.

Before he could decide what to do, his phone rang, and his sister’s number flashed across the screen. “Hey, Terri, what’s up?”

“I’ve been trying to reach you since the party. I just wanted to tell you I love Alana!”

Grayson held the phone away from his ear, fearing he might have to endure more of his animated sister before she calmed down enough for a normal conversation. When he heard her calling his name, he inched the phone closer. “I’m glad you like her, Ter. I do, too.”

“Oh my God, she’s so perfect for you, Gray. Mama and Daddy are going to love her! Are you bringing her to dinner on Sunday?”

“I don’t know yet.” He stretched his legs out in front of him as he tried to decide whether to ask for her advice. “I don’t wanna rush things. Alana wants to take things slow, and I’m trying to respect that.”

“Please, that girl is crazy about you. It was written all over her face. And when she heard about Patti…” Terri laughed. “She reacted the same way I did when I found out the head cheerleader was trying to get her hooks into my man back in high school.”

Grayson brightened. Terri was usually pretty good at reading people. “You really think she’s into me, huh?”

“I’d bet anything on it,” Terri said. “I really think she might be…” She hesitated. “Never mind, that’s for you to decide.”

He knew what Terri had been about to say. She thought Alana might be
the one
for him, and as much as falling in love and being vulnerable terrified him, he couldn’t claim the same thought hadn’t crossed his mind. Alana had everything he was looking for in a woman, and if he let her get away, other guys would be waiting in line to take his place. He couldn’t let that happen, but what if he didn’t have a choice after he told her the truth?

“I’ve got a problem, Ter. Cal wants me to have Alana sign a contract stating that she’s entering into this relationship voluntarily, and if it doesn’t work out…”

“It has no impact on High Rollers?” She sighed. “God, Gray, this could be over before it even gets started if you ask her to sign something like that.”

“That’s what I’m afraid of. But I can’t do anything to jeopardize the business. If it were just me, I wouldn’t think twice about it, but five of my best friends are as heavily invested in this company as I am. I can’t just ignore that.”

“No, I get that. But is there another way?”

“I know Alana’s not an opportunist. I had her checked out. She could have walked away from her marriage with millions, but she didn’t want anything from her ex.”

“You had her checked out?” Terri groaned. “What the hell were you thinking?”

“It was before we, uh, got to know each other. It was just a standard background check I would have run on any potential employee.” That sounded like a lame excuse, even to him.

“Really? So Alana knew about it?”

He should have known Terri wouldn’t leave it alone. “No, not exactly.”

“Either she did or she didn’t, Gray. Which is it?”

At times like that, Terri reminded him too much of their mother. “She didn’t know, okay? She still doesn’t know about it.”

“That’s a total invasion of her privacy, you big jerk! How would you feel if you found out some woman was digging around in your past?”

He’d have felt violated. He hated himself for getting into such a mess, but not as much as Alana would if he told her what he’d done. “That’s not all.” He squeezed his eyes shut and pinched the bridge of his nose. He hoped his housekeeper had stocked up on pain relievers. He would definitely need them. “I bought the apartment building she lives in.”

“You what?”

If he thought she’d been loud before, that was nothing compared to the screech she’d just let loose. “You heard me.”

“Please tell me you’re joking.”

“You haven’t seen this place, Ter. The landlord’s a real scumbag. He refuses to do any work on the place. Trust me, the tenants are going to thank me for getting rid of him.”

“How did Alana react when you told her you bought her building? I got the impression she was really trying to make it on her own. Was she pissed at you for stepping in and trying to rescue her?” Before Grayson could respond, Terri rushed on. “I mean, the building needed work when she decided to rent the apartment, right? If it bothered her that much, she wouldn’t have signed the lease.”

She was right. Grayson suspected the condition of the building bothered him a lot more than it bothered Alana. But he wanted the best for her, because that’s what she deserved. Why couldn’t she see that life didn’t have to be a struggle? Especially when she had people who wanted to help make it easier.

“Alana doesn’t know yet,” he said. “She’s on her way over here. I need to tell her everything, but I can’t lay all this on her at once. Hell, if I do, she’ll be on the next plane back to Sacramento.”

“You’re probably right. If a guy I barely knew did the things you’ve done, I might think he was a little off. Or be extremely flattered. I’m not sure which.”

“Thanks a lot, Terri.” He could always count on his sister to be brutally honest. “So what do you think I should do?”

“Tough call,” Terri said. “What do the guys say about you and Alana? They obviously know. Anyone at the party could tell you two are totally into each other.”

“The guys know. We talked about it at a meeting today. Bob’s retiring soon, and he suggested we promote Alana to our accounting manager.”

“That’s a good thing,” Terri said. “It’ll give her more incentive to stick around. Which will give you the chance to prove to her you’re not the overbearing S.O.B. she’s going to think you are when she hears the whole story.”

Grayson ignored that comment. There was no sense arguing when he knew Terri was right. “The guys suggested I talk to Cal, which brought up this legal document thing. I feel like a bit of a hypocrite for breaking my own rules, but I never expected someone like Alana to work for us.”

“You really care about her, don’t you?” Terri asked.

“Hell yeah! Would I be doing all of this if I wasn’t crazy about her?” Grayson sighed and kicked his feet up on a kitchen chair. “I know I come on a little strong, but my heart’s in the right place. You know that, right?”

“Of course I do. But I’m not the one you have to convince, honey. Alana is.”

“I know. The question is how the hell do I dig myself out of this hole? If it were just the contract or just the background checks or just the building, I might be able to make her understand. But all those things combined make me seem guilty as hell.”

“Background checks plural? Who else did you have checked out?”

“Her ex-husband.” Before Terri could interject, Grayson added, “I got the feeling he was a dangerous guy. I wanted to know what we were up against if he decided he wasn’t going to leave Alana alone. I was just looking out for her.”

“I know, but will she see it that way?”

“I don’t know.” Grayson didn’t know anything anymore, which incensed him. He’d always had it all together, and the woman had crawled inside his head. “I guess I’m about to find out though.”

“Was that your doorbell?” Terri asked.

“Yeah, looks like she’s here.”

“Good luck, Gray. Seriously, I hope this all works out for you. Girls like Alana don’t come along every day.”

“Don’t I know it.”

***

Alana’s toes curled in her flip-flops as she waited for Grayson to open the door. After that kiss in her office, she didn’t know what he had in mind for the night, but she couldn’t wait to find out. She was adamant about not sleeping with him too soon, but that didn’t mean she would mind getting lost in his kisses.

“Hey, gorgeous,” he said, lighting up when he saw her. Reaching for her hand, he pulled her inside.

Enveloped in his tight embrace, Alana felt all of her nervous tension melt away. She couldn’t shake the feeling she was exactly where she belonged. “I was going to bring a bottle of wine, but I wasn’t sure what we were having for dinner.”

He pulled back to kiss each of her cheeks before landing a tender kiss on her glossy lips. “I was thinking pizza and beer. Does that work for you?”

“I’m supposed to have one cheat day a week, Grayson. Every day is turning into a cheat day with you.” She blushed when she realized how that sounded.

“I don’t mind you cheating
with
me,” he said, tucking a lock of hair behind her ear. “Just don’t ever think about cheating on me.” Alana sucked in a breath as he stared into her eyes. He framed her face with both hands. “I mean it, Alana. I want you all to myself.”

It sounded as though he were asking for some kind of commitment, but surely that wasn’t the case. Grayson clearly loved women, and they loved him. He traveled the world for business. Why would he want to be in a monogamous relationship with a woman who wasn’t even comfortable talking about the future?

“Say something,” he whispered.

“I don’t know what you want me to say.”

“Tell me you don’t want anyone else either.”

She laughed a little, hoping to lighten the mood. “I’m strictly a one-man woman, but we’re still getting to know each other.”

“The way you kissed me today led me to believe you’d be open to getting to know me intimately. Was I wrong?”

God, no.
“You weren’t wrong.” She slid her arms around his waist and tipped her head back to meet his eyes. “But I’m not one of those girls who subscribes to the three-date rule.”

“Hmm, is this our third date?” he asked, looking thoughtful. “Dinner at the club, apartment hunting, the barbeque, lunch at the office, dinner at my place… I’d say this is technically our fifth date.”

She couldn’t help but laugh. “Nice try.”

He slipped her hand into his as he walked her into the gourmet kitchen. “I wish I could take credit for dinner, but my housekeeper gets all the credit.” Opening the oven door, he gave her a whiff of the warming pizza. “I hope you’re hungry.”

“Starving,” she said, licking her lips.

His eyes lingered on her mouth. “You’re not the only one.” He reached into the fridge for a beer, giving her a nice view of his backside. Turning around quickly, he smirked. “I knew you were checking me out.”

She rolled her eyes as she reached for one of the cold longnecks. “You’re so full of yourself.”

“You can deny it all you want. I see the way you look at me when you think I’m not looking.”

He was right, of course, but Alana wouldn’t give him the satisfaction of admitting it. “How was your afternoon?” She hoped he would let her change the subject. Their physical attraction was undeniable, but if he forced the issue, she may not be able to keep her promise about taking things slowly.

“It was okay,” he said, watching her pop the caps off both bottles.

She passed him one before taking a short pull from the other.

“The glasses are in the cabinet,” he said, his eyes lingering on her moist lips.

“I don’t need one.” She slid back on a stool. She was putting herself at a disadvantage if he decided to move in on her, but the hungry look in his eye told her it was worth the risk. “I grew up with brothers, remember? Drinking beer out of a glass wasn’t an option in my house.”

He smiled as he set down the beer and braced his hands on the counter, caging her in. “Tell me more about your brothers.”

Clearing her throat, she forced herself to ponder his question. The mention of her brothers should have been enough to kill her libido, but it seemed nothing Grayson could do or say would accomplish that feat. “Like I told you at dinner, they’re great. Hard-working, sweet, overprotective—just like someone else I know.”

“That’s definitely a big brother’s job,” he whispered, easing between her legs as thrill bumps rose over her skin. “What do you think they’d say about you being here with me now?”

“I…” She couldn’t think straight with his breath fanning her neck. “Don’t know.”

“Do they want you to be happy?” He closed his hands around her waist. “Do they want you to find a guy who can take care of you, who’s crazy about you… who can’t stop thinking about you?”

Alana couldn’t breathe, much less talk, but she was pretty sure that had been his intent.

“Well, do they? Or are they afraid you’ll get hurt again?” He stepped back. When she reached for him, he took her hands and looked her in the eye. “I’m serious, Alana. Would your family approve of us?”

She didn’t know why he cared. It wasn’t as if he would meet them anytime soon. But since it seemed so important to him, she decided to be honest. “I think they’d be concerned about me getting involved with anyone right now. They know I’m still recovering from the divorce.” She touched his cheek, hoping to soften the blow. “If they met you, I think they’d see the same red flags I saw when I met you. Like it or not, you are a lot like my ex. Both physically and your… personality traits.”

He clenched his jaw. “I’d like to hear about the ways we’re different.”

Alana knew being compared to another man must be hard on Grayson’s ego, but she’d never sweep her concerns under the rug. “I understand why you are the way you are. For Ronan, it was all about controlling people. I think you try to protect the people you care about out of concern.”

Seeming placated, he said, “Go on. I’m listening.”

Alana found it amusing that a man like Grayson cared what she thought of him. His need for approval was as unexpected as it was endearing. “He couldn’t have been faithful if his life depended on it.” She tipped her head back, studying him closely. “I don’t get that vibe from you. I have a feeling if you’re in a committed relationship, you’re all in.”