Forbidden Love (Forbidden Trilogy) (19 page)

She kneels beside me and pushes my hair away from my face as Bailey rubs my back. I’d be lying if she didn’t cross my mind as a suspect. What if she did this when we were still feuding and only made up with me to cover her tracks or out of remorse? I’ll have to speak to Jordan about it later, but for now, I’ll try not to speculate. The girls help me to the sofa and wait for me to calm down enough to share what Grayson told me.

“Damn. I know my brother. He is going to fall on the knife to protect you. We have to find a way to keep you both safe so it won’t come to that,” Bailey says.

“I wonder what evidence they have. Grayson is right though, you need to hang low until he gets back so the two of you can come up with a plan. My guess is they would want to get your side first since they know he is away. You can’t let them corner you,” Jordan advises. I listen to the advice from them both, but my heart aches. Life is so fucking unfair. He’s not even my professor anymore. It would kill me if I ruin this man’s reputation or if I mess up my standing at the school. The collateral damage will be my mother’s feelings and the feelings of his family. They were indirectly clear that they didn’t want him to be with me anyway.
Holy Shit. What if it was his dad who turned us in?

Okay so maybe I’ve become quite the conspiracy theorist, but what if this was a way to kill two birds with one stone? The dad may have wanted to get Grayson to leave me and by losing his job as a professor he would have to focus all his time at their company. I’ll have to let Jordan in on that theory as well. I’m pretty sure that accusation wouldn’t go over well with Bailey so I’ll keep it quiet for now.

“I have a headache so I’m going to lay down now. Maybe the whole sick ruse won’t be an act after all,” I say begrudgingly. Jordan wipes the tears from her eyes and simply nods. “Thank you for coming over so quickly, Bailey. I appreciate your help.”

“Of course,” she says waving her hand. “We’ll talk more after you’ve had a chance to talk to Grayson.”

“Okay.” I agree, but I still have my eye on her. I don’t want to discredit our trust again, but the truth is, aside from Jordan, anyone can be a suspect. I continue to my room, close the blinds, and strip down to my panties and bra. I snuggle under my comforter, just barely able to catch a whiff of Grayson’s lingering scent. It’s enough to bring me some comfort though. I have to believe that we will get through this. Love is not volatile, it’s what we make it. This is just one more barrier to get past to find our way to happiness.

My phone rings somewhere in my bed and I scramble to find it. By the time I find it in the tangled sheets, it stops ringing. It was Grayson. Three hours has passed. I guess I was both mentally and physically tired. I quickly tap on his name to return his call. He answers on the first ring.

“Hey baby, did I catch you at a bad time?” I look and see that it is only a few minutes after seven here so that means it’s after ten his time.

“No. I took a little nap. That must have been some meeting.”

“Sorry. One meeting turned into one giant strategy meeting that continued over dinner.” He lets out a deep breath. “I wanted to text you, but I knew that would’ve had me distracted. Bad enough, I had to know that you were there crying and I wasn’t there to comfort you.”

“Grayson, I’m fine. I just needed to get that out. All the girly emotional crap will be dealt with and out of the way by the time you get here,” I promise.

“You’re feelings are not crap and I don’t want you to ever hear you say that again. You have the right to be scared and hurt. The good news is that I have one more meeting tomorrow afternoon and then I’m heading straight to you. By this time tomorrow, I should have you in my arms.” That’s a comforting thought and actually brings the first smile to my face since I overheard the gossip.

Jordan has already left for class and I find that I need to distract myself from the hell that is my life. Soap making is my go-to form of relaxation so I head to the kitchen and pull out all the ingredients I’m going to need to make Bulgarian lavender soap. I love the fresh scent and soothing qualities of lavender. I connect my phone to the Bluetooth speakers that Jordan keeps in the kitchen. I’m in the mood for some 80’s music so I select that playlist. Billy Idol’s
“Eyes Without a Face”
fills the room. I pop some chamomile tea in the Keurig, since I really would be an alcoholic if I grab that glass of wine I really want at eleven in the morning. I put a splash of lavender in my tea and continue on with my soap making. When my batch is complete, I look for something else to keep my mind busy.

I plop in front of the television and scroll through the DVR for some senseless reality show. After coming up empty, I finally decide on Real World on Netflix. The irony is not lost on me. I skip forward to season twenty-one since it looks to be the most interesting. When Jordan comes back from class at two, that’s where she finds me half asleep.

“Well somebody had a productive day,” she laughs.

“Hey, I made soap,” I defend.

“That’s what I was speaking of. I can smell the lavender before I opened the door,” she laughs harder. “I sure wasn’t talking about your Real World vegetation you had going on when I came in.”

I can’t help but join her in laughter. “Yeah, I kind of needed a distraction,” I admit.

“What time is Grayson supposed to get here?” she inquires.

“About seven or eight tonight. Why?” She has that up-to-something look going on.

“You and I are going back to the spa at The Landing for a little rest and relaxation,” she smiles

“Jordan…”

“Don’t Jordan me. It’s done. Go get dressed.” I hate to admit it, but a massage may be just what I need. I change quickly into jeans, ankle boots, and a cute top since I know where we’re going. I won’t get caught looking a hot mess this time. I grab my purse on the way out and we’re off. The car ride over to the hotel is filled with various tunes that we sing off key to. I love that Jordan knows just what I need. Once we arrive and change into our robes, she hits me with the idea of getting a Brazilian wax again.

“What the hell is in your infusion water?” I point to the drink the ladies gave us to begin our relaxation. “Miss, miss,” I pretend to call out. “I think you put too much crack in hers.” Jordan laughs so loud it would be embarrassing if I actually gave a shit. I finish off my drink because let’s face it, I need some of what’s in her glass.

“Come on. You’ll thank me later and I know Grayson will,” she winks. That wink is so Grayson and I laugh at the thought.

“Fine.” I know that will definitely act as a distraction. Jordan is grinning from ear to ear at her ability to convince me with little persuasion.

“Let’s get you buffed and primed for your man. Trevor better hurry up and get his ass out here for a visit or I’m going to replace him,” she kids. I know that she is only joking. He just started a new job in Santa Monica so he doesn’t have seniority to take many days off yet. She’s just missing him.

“That’s right. Get me all ready for him and then you’ll be complaining about the fuckfest that will be going down in my room,” I say for pure shock factor. Mission accomplished. Jordan’s mouth is hanging open like a fish. I walk up to her and close her mouth with my finger. “That’ll teach you for trying one too many times to hint at our sex life.” Score one for me. I don’t know how many points she has, but who cares. I’m not counting hers. I laugh to myself.

“Rrrrr, Grayson is making you naughtier. Go Grayson.” She gives me the thumbs up and we laugh. These people are going to think that we are so silly. Our masseuses come to get us and take us to separate rooms. I’m given some mist to inhale before I lay face down with my face resting in a hole cut-out. The little Asian lady kneads her knuckles into my back and it feels so heavenly. That is the only thing I remember as slumber takes me under.

Before I know it, the little lady is waking me and telling me that my massage is over. Next stop is the Brazilian wax. This is where it would be nice to have some wine. This lady looks just as sweet as the last one. She smiles and nods at me. She’s probably secretly a sadist that is smiling at the pain she is getting ready to inflict on me. And what does that make me you ask? The freaking masochist that is crazy enough to have this done a second time. I dig my nails into my skin and gnaw at my lip like crazy, only to be told that the pain is mental.
Okay lady, whatever you say.

“See you look pretty, so smooth,” she says. My skin looks like an angry shade of pissed off. I thank her and head into the lounge area to find Jordan. She is laying in one of the chaise lounges sipping on another one of those concoctions.

“All done?” Jordan asks

“If you’re talking about my wooha, then yes it’s done.”

“And, we’ve regressed. You were doing so well with the dirty talk. A work in progress,” she chides.

“Oh shut the hell up,” I say slapping her shoulder.

“A little better, but I’m going to have to tell Grayson he has his work cut out for him.” She has been Mrs. Giggles all afternoon and it’s infectious because she has me laughing like a looney tune with her.

Arriving back at the condo, we are met by Grayson’s limo idling near Jordan’s assigned parking spot. Shit, I must have missed his call. I retrieve my phone that I had silenced from my purse and sure enough I have five missed calls from him. His driver lets him out as we park. I run up to him, desperate to offer my apologies.

“I’m so sorry Grayson. We were at the spa and I forgot to turn my ringer back on.”

“It’s quite okay love. I’m glad you were able to relax.” He mouths a thank you to Jordan and walks us back toward the limo. “I’m taking her home with me,” he tells her in way of explanation.

“I don’t have any clothes.”

“We’ll get you new clothes,” he offers.

“Don’t start. Just let me run up real quick and I’ll be back down before you know it,” I argue.

“Fine. Please make it quick love.” True to my word, I’m back within ten minutes. During my time packing, Jordan told me that she was having the girls over so I don’t feel bad about leaving her. When I get back to the limo, Grayson is standing right where I left him. He kisses the top of my head before helping me inside. He hands my overnight bag to Stanley, the driver before scooting in next to me. Silence permeates the car, neither of us wanting to step outside our bubble of love for the shit that is in store for us. Grayson just holds me and I allow myself to be engulfed by his scent.

We arrive at his place and he grabs my hand. That small gesture is enough to settle my heart. God, I love this man. We walk into his kitchen and he seats me at the counter. “Do you want to eat first or talk?” I shake my head.

“I want to stay in our bubble a little longer baby.”

“Bubble?” His sexy brow lifts in confusion.

“Yes. The Siobhan and Grayson bubble where it is just us. Bullshit chaos can’t penetrate our bubble.”

“Hmmm, I see. Can fucking penetrate this bubble?” That’s it. I laugh so hard, I swear I’m going to pee myself.

“Yes you perv. Sex is in our bubble.”

“I didn’t say sex. I was very specific when I said fucking,” he teases.

“What is the difference, almighty sexpert?” I’m struggling to maintain my giggles—knowing that he’s explained this before.