Grayson (10 page)

I spotted Diane on the other side of the room. After whispering to Anna that I’d be right back, I pushed my way through the crowd toward her. She shot me a big smile and raised her cup. I liked Diane. She was also a nurse going for her graduate degree.

“To spring break!”

I smiled and nodded. I wasn’t drinking, so I didn't have a cup to raise.

“Hey, we had a meeting about the Work Horse petition the other day. It was a good turn out.”

“I had to work,” I explained, not wanting to get into why I wasn’t signing it.

I was about to ask her where Kim was when a blonde head caught my attention. Charles was staring at me from not too far away. I swallowed hard, suddenly feeling like there were rocks in my belly. He winked amiably and raised his cup. I noticed that he had the undivided attention of several girls. I groaned inwardly and leaned into Diane.

“What is Charles Whitmore doing here?”

Diane laughed. “The blonde hottie? Don’t tell me you want him too? He’s a kid.”

I jerked back. “Eew. Not unless I want to catch cooties, and lose my self-respect.”

Diane’s shoulders shook with laughter. “He’s a friend of Kim’s. I think they’re friends with benefits.”

I saw Charles making his way through the crowd toward me and I groaned again. This night was turning out to be worse than I’d imagined. I wished I’d stayed home. Seeing him instantly made me think of the senior Whitmore, and the dull pain in my chest sharpened.

“Hey there, Ange!” he greeted, shooting me a lazy smile. Diane winked at me and strolled away.

“I was hoping you’d be here,” he continued.

I put on a plastic smile. “Kim and Diane are friends of mine.” I didn’t want to say that I lived down the hall, although I had a feeling he already knew that.

“Did you get my texts?”

I hesitated, then nodded.

“You didn’t respond.”

“Busy.”He made a sleazy perusal of my breasts and stepped closer. I countered with a step back, knowing that the alcohol and the party atmosphere was making him more courageous.

“You’re fucking hot, you know that?”

“I don’t think that’s an appropriate thing for a boss to say to his employee.”

“Fuck that.” He pushed back his blonde hair and leaned in.

“So, I’m making a lot of progress on the house.” I purposefully detoured as I stepped back. “There’s a lot of garbage. I think you’ll need a dumpster for all the stuff I’ve cleaned out.”

He pouted, not really seeming interested. “Talk to Jack. He handles that stuff.”

“It would be nice to clear out the upstairs too. It’s a mess.”

He instantly straightened, his expression sobering and his gaze zeroing in on my eyes for once. I realized what I’d said and my lungs stalled.

Shit on a stick!

“You’ve been upstairs?”

“N—not really.” My mind was groping for an explanation. He’d specifically told me not to venture upstairs. “I just peeked through the upstairs door. I’d wanted to see if there were cleaning supplies. It was before I got your delivery.”

“Did my father see you?” His thin brows pulled down suddenly.

My heart was doing double time. I tried to keep my tone even. “He ran away when he saw me. Scared the shit out of me, actually, so I went back downstairs.”

He let out a snide laugh and took a sip from his cup. “That sounds like him, alright. I told you to stay downstairs. Stay away from him. He’s very dangerous.”

I tilted my head and regarded him curiously. “I thought you said he was harmless, that I wouldn’t even know he’s there?”

“He can be volatile. It’s his mental illness. If he’s provoked, he’s dangerous. He doesn’t know what’s real and what’s not. You should just stay clear of him, to be safe.”

“No problem.” I nodded, a heavy disquiet settling over me.

“Look,” Charles sighed. “I just want the house cleaned up. You’re right. It’s not safe for him to live in the house the way it is. I worry about him. I wish he’d just move into someplace nicer, but he’s stubborn. He’s a sick man and can’t understand the danger. I’m afraid the house might just collapse on him one day. He doesn’t maintain it. Even though we’ve never seen eye to eye, he’s still my father. I don’t want him to get hurt.”

He smiled at me, all teeth. Suddenly, he was the innocent nineteen year old again, trying to be charming. “I know you’re a nurse and it’s sweet that you care.” He reached a hand toward my hair and I pulled away.

“Hello, there!” I turned as Anna sidled up to me, beaming at Charles. Her sweater was unbuttoned and hanging open.
Oh my God, this was the night from hell.
Dread settled in the pit of my stomach as Charles turned slowly toward her, his gaze caught in the beams of her two headlights.

“Well, who is
this
lovely?” He smiled slowly and said the words directly to her displayed cleavage.

“My sister,” I answered, stepping in front of her.

“Nice to meet you,
my sista
!” he grinned, sending Anna into girly chuckles.

I had a hard time finding anything that came out of his mouth funny. “I’ll catch you around, Mr. Whitmore,” I said pointedly, still blocking Anna.

Charles grinned down at me, a challenging gleam in his eyes. For the first time, I was actually worried. Talking to him always made me feel dirty, like I needed to take a shower, but the vibes I was catching from him lately had become more and more unsettling. He winked at Anna and then smiled at me before stepping away and blending into the crowd.

“I can’t believe you just fucking did that!” Anna exploded. “I’m mortified.”

I was pissed. “Button up that fucking sweater, or we’re leaving this second!”

“Why were you so rude to him? He’s so hot. You know I wanted to meet him,” Anna scoffed, her fingers working her buttons.

“Anna, he will eat you alive. He’s a total player, a pig! I just did you a mega favor, trust me.”

Anna glared at me and stomped back over to the girls she’d been talking to. I sighed heavily.
Why, oh, why had I let her talk me into letting her stay with me?

It seemed like just last year she was a kid playing with Barbie and Ken dolls.
What happened?
Now her Barbie and Ken were doggie-styling it in their dream house. My parents were much better equipped to deal with her.

About a half hour later, I lost sight of Anna. Frustrated and angry, I looked everywhere for her. When I found her, she was sitting on a chair with Charles, growing out of his lap. She was giggling at something he’d said and the sound made my teeth hurt. Anger moved through me like a hurricane. I marched up to her and grabbed her arm, pulling her from on top of Charles.

“We’re leaving!” I hissed.

Her eyes splayed with shock, but thank God she didn’t make a scene.

I rounded on Charles, gritting my teeth. “She’s off limits.”

He stood and shot me a lazy grin, his gaze meandering down my body. “Whatever you say.” He leaned into my ear and whispered, “You’re the one I really want to fuck.”

I was fuming. I wanted to fucking quit my job right there and then.
Fuck this damn job! Fuck it to hell! Fuck this egotistical prick.
I knew the only reason he wanted me so badly was because I didn’t want him. I was a challenge, an object he needed to obtain to satisfy his colossal ego. This was all a big game to him. But I couldn’t give up my job. I needed the money. And honestly, the thought of never seeing Grayson again was unbearable.

I grabbed my sister and practically dragged her through the crowd and out the door.

I couldn't sleep. Anna and I got into a huge fight after we got back to the apartment. She said horrible things to me. She accused me of wanting Charles for myself, of being jealous of her. Scornfully, she dubbed me Ms. Perfect. Perfect daughter. Perfect role model. Perfectly boring. She said that I never took risks and that I never lived.

Those harsh words along with my conversation with Charles kept circling in my head. And layered on that were the things Grayson had said to me the last time I saw him. The look of distrust that had been on Grayson’s face haunted me. Why on earth would he think that Charles put me up to seducing him? Why would I not be attracted to him? He was a very handsome man.

I twisted and turned until the covers had me tangled up like a mummy. I closed my eyes and searched for sleep, but it stubbornly eluded me. I counted sheep. I counted clouds. I counted each time I imagined smacking Charles’ smug face. I pounded my pillow, took out my vibrator, and then returned it to my bedside drawer. I sat up in bed, rubbed my eyes, and then turned to the clock. Two am.
Ugh!

My mind raced with preposterous ideas. I sighed deeply, making a bold decision. Not wanting to wake Anna, who was asleep in the room next door, I quickly dragged a jacket over my long night shirt, pushed my feet into my sneakers, and quietly slipped out the front door of my apartment.

CHAPTER SIX

I tapped my code into the digital pad, answered the security question, and then entered the house. Shadows knocked around inside, but like a trained lab rat, I made my way through the maze of clutter. I didn’t want to think about what I was doing. It was foolish, I knew. Grayson had thrown me out of this house the last time I was here. It was the memory of his body’s response, and the urgent passion in his kiss that kept my feet moving forward and up the stairs. It was also something else: A desperate longing I had for this man that I couldn’t explain.

I found him sitting at his computer, bathed in dim light, again busily pecking at the keyboard. His broad back was hunched over and from what I could see of his face, it was pinched in concentration. A huge lump of anxiety sat at the base of my throat and I had to saw my voice through it. I could hear the rush of blood in my ears and my palms grew damp. I cleared my throat and called his name. His hands stilled, but he didn’t turn around.

“Grayson?” I called again, holding every muscle tight.

Finally, he swiveled in the chair, facing me fully. His eyes were wide, questioning, seeming doubtful of my presence.

“Grayson, I—I needed to see you.”

He shook his head and the shadow of uncertainty cleared. He whispered, “What are you doing here?”

I stood before him, paralyzed by his gaze, knowing I must look like a total mess. My nightshirt ended mid-thigh and was covered by my short jeans jacket. My bare feet were pushed into my sneakers, and I knew I must’ve had some serious bed head after all my restless tossing and turning.
Dressed for seduction.
I took halting steps to his chair and stopped directly in front of him, my heart ramming against my ribs as if trying to break through.

He tilted his head, gazing up at me, and I thought I saw a small smile seduce his lips. “Was there something you needed me to put together?”

I caught my lip between my teeth and nodded. I looked away, feeling as fragile as thinly blown glass. If he sent me away again, I’d shatter.

“Yes,” I whispered. “My heart. It’s broken.”

He was so still that I wasn't sure he’d heard me. I took a chance at looking into his eyes. The blue was consumed by the shadows, but the inky depths sparkled like a midnight sky and was dotted with emotion.

“Angie, how old are you?”

I hadn’t expected that question. I thought about lying.
Would he believe I was forty and had found some great facial products?
Hmmm…
In the end, I confessed, “Twenty four.”

Raking a hand through his hair, he sighed and leaned back into his seat.

“Do you know how old I am?”

I nodded. “Yes, and I don’t care.”

“I’m old enough to be your—.”

“I don’t care!” I said, dropping to my knees. My palms rested lightly on his thighs. “It’s just a stupid number and it means nothing to my heart.”

He leaned forward and studied my face, and I wished for the millionth time that I had the ability to decipher his thoughts. He feathered his fingers down my cheek, dragging hot sparks along my skin. He traced the pad of his thumb across my lower lip, and I turned my face into his palm and held it tight against my open mouth. I placed a kiss there, then pulled back and stared up at him. I unveiled all my emotion, hoping he could see what was burning in my heart.

“This is no deception, Grayson. I can’t stop thinking about you. I want to be with you.”

A deep groove split his brow, but I could sense his resolve dwindling.

“Besides,” I grinned. “You make great coffee.”

He gifted me with a smile that tilted my heart off balance. “You don’t give up easily, do you, Angela Roberts.”

I shook my head, biting my smile as I boldly rose to sit on his lap. He positioned my legs so that my thighs straddled his in the chair and my arms wound around his neck. I loved the warmth of his body pressing intimately against mine. It was a good fit.

“How do you know my full name? I never told you,” I inquired, smiling, then answered my own question. “Oh yeah, that’s right, you’ve been stalking me.”

“Stalking?” He seemed to ponder that word.

“It’s just that you seem to be a recluse. I’ve never seen you leave the house. Yet, I could sense you following me.”

He nodded thoughtfully, his brows furrowing. “I don’t like people. But, in your case…”

I held my breath, waiting to hear what he’d say. Did I dare hope that he’d admit to having feelings for me?

“I was curious,” he said with a quirk of his lips. “I wanted to know more about the person who’d been coming into my house every day and ‘
not bothering
’ me.”

I rolled my eyes in mock exasperation. Then my gaze landed on the screen, noting the columns of numbers and a logo that read: Global Systems.

“What do you do on there all the time? Stalk people? Is that your
work
?” I teased.

“I buy and sell small companies.”

Oh
. I nodded, impressed that he could do that from home. Then I remembered that he’d run his own successful business for many years.

“What else do you know about me?” I brushed his hair back with my palms, letting the soft strands sift through my fingers.

He smiled again, his hands coming to rest at my waist. “I know that you are persistent, motivated…you walk everywhere, you have a strange obsession with paperclips,
and
you’re all thumbs.” He wiggled his at me. “That you like your coffee with a little milk, no sugar, and…that you have horrible judgment when it comes to men.”

Although his last statement made me think of Mark, I knew it had been a shot at himself. I tightened my arms around his neck. Despite what he’d said, I had no intention of letting go any time soon.

“You know nothing about my life, Angie—nothing about me,” he said earnestly, giving up his previous lightness.

I cradled his face between my palms and looked into his        eyes. “I know you have issues, Grayson. I also know that when you look at me, I melt. I know you are brave, and smart, and protective.” I smiled. “You’re good at fixing things.” Heat filled my cheeks, but I plowed ahead, still smiling. “Which is good because I seriously thought that you were going to break your chair when you orgasmed.”

He sucked in a shocked breath, but then laughter rumbled from his throat and crinkled the corners of his eyes. I joined in, marveling because I’d never heard him laugh out loud. The musical sound stroked down my spine, then saturated every cell inside me.

“What did you think of the sketches?”

His laughter tapered off, but his eyes were still twinkling with mirth.

“Well…” he drawled.

“Well, what?” I asked warily.

“About those sketches... Your depiction of reality is somewhat… exaggerated.”

I tossed my head back with unrestrained laughter. I guess I’d been a bit overzealous in my rendition of his nude form.

“I think I’d have to be a member of the horse family for that sketch to be accurate.”

I laughed again, hugging him close. I knew that I’d felt a connection with him, knew that this man with his own brand of humor had somehow seeped into my skin, but who would‘ve thought that this playful, exquisite, truly beautiful human being was hiding amid all of this rubbish. It was like finding a perfectly polished diamond in a sea of gravel.

“I draw it as I see it,” I responded cheekily. I’d included the sketches in the thank you note because I wanted Grayson to know how I felt about him. I adored the lines of his body: The form, the passion, the intensity. He was simply beautiful. I kissed the tip of his nose, then rested my forehead against his.

We were so close that I caught the breaths pushing from his lungs, inhaling them into mine. The shadows wrapped around us and we were cocooned in our own private oasis.

“You’re so beautiful, Angie,” he whispered, warming me. “What are you doing with me? I—”

I leaned in and kissed him, intentionally silencing his words. His lips melted against mine, feathery soft and quietly reverent. So different from the feverish kiss we’d last shared. His tongue licked tenderly into my mouth, skimming the edges of my teeth, and stealing back his breaths.

“
Oh, Grayson
,” I sighed. I palmed his cheeks and looked into his eyes. “I enjoy spending time with you. I love the way you gaze at me when you think I’m not looking, the way you smile when I tell a stupid joke, and even the way you tease me.”

He smiled then, tracing the bow of my lips with his thumb. He leaned in and licked his tongue along the seam then drew my bottom lip into his mouth, gently sucking the flesh. I pressed into him, small whimpers of pleasure bubbling out of me. His mouth shifted and his lips planted a garden of kisses over my face and neck. I shuddered from the sensation, nascent desire coursing through me. There was an intensity to him that simmered just below the surface, and with each sweet kiss, I could sense more and more ripples undulating.

My nipples hardened painfully, stabbing against my shirt, and for every brush of his lips, my pussy gave an answering throb. Sitting astride him, I could easily feel his erection pushing toward my cleft. My nightshirt had ridden up above my hips and the thin panties I wore were an inept barrier. He flexed his hips toward me. At the same time, his hands at my waist mashed me down, grinding me against his swollen cock. He dragged my center up and down the thick ridge until I was groaning and breathing erratically through my nose.

“You are such a temptation…” he breathed.

I grinned. “Good.”

“I want to see you, Angie. All of you,” Grayson whispered, stopping to push my jacket from my shoulders. He looked into my eyes. “You are so perfect, so full of light and passion.”

I breathed deeply and raised my arms when he pulled my nightshirt over my head. The ambient air swirled against my naked skin, dusting it with goose bumps. My craving for this man was insistent and consuming. To finally be in his arms and to feel the absolute rightness of it had me blinking back tears.

I dusted kisses along his jaw and down the column of his neck, tasting the sweetness of his skin. I needed to experience him with all of my senses. I needed to know this was not just another fantasy.

His hungry gaze took in my heavy breasts, then with a groan, he palmed them and rolled the peaks between his thumb and forefinger. He replaced his fingers with his hot mouth, whipping the tight bud with his tongue, then suctioning the crest hard. He then paid homage to my other breast, thorough in his attentions. Streaks of pleasure shot through me, causing me to arch my back and squeezing a broken moan from my throat. I felt his touch down to my aching sex.

My body was on fire. It screamed for him and my fingers gripped his hair with all my strength. My pussy was an insistent, greedy monster that demanded satiation and drooled liberally from its desire to be filled with him. I started panting his name, humping him wildly now and pulling impatiently at the zipper of his pants. His hand moved between us, slid down my body, and plunged into my damp panties. His finger found my needy clit. I shivered with the first touch, so close to exploding that pleasure ballooned inside me, taut and precarious. Grayson reached lower, slowly circling my slick entrance.

“Mmm, Angie, you are so wet,” he whispered hotly against my ear. “You’re dripping. Do you want my cock?”

He captured moisture on his fingers and dragged it up to my clit, rubbing and flicking it until I was trembling and screaming for him to never, ever stop. Each time my muscles tightened, he drew back, petting me softly and killing me quickly.

“Do you, Angie? Do you want me? You feel so good, so wet. I bet you taste delicious,” he said as he leisurely spread my juices along my sensitive folds.

I was lost somewhere in my head. I was percolating with lust and shaking with need. My thighs trembled because my nervous system was a wreck, and with all this, I was in a kind of shock. I don’t know what kind of lover I’d expected Grayson to be, maybe skillful, but somewhat reserved. Timid maybe. I knew I hadn’t expected this. The way he stoked my body and controlled my pleasure was masterful and intensely provocative. I was ready to burst.

“Do you, Angie? Do you want me to fill you with my cock?”

I groaned my response because I didn’t think I could actually put words together. Plus, I loved the sound of his voice and his deliciously dirty words. They were enough to set me ablaze.

“Answer me,” he whispered, his open mouth hot and wet against my neck. “Answer me, so we can both have what we want.”

“
God, Grayson! Yes! Yes!
”

He reached down and jerked open the front of his pants, giving his shaft freedom. I scooted back, my gaze devouring him as the bulky length sprang free. He was just as I’d sketched him. Beautiful. Thick. Eager. Even in the dusky illumination, I could see a road map of heavy veins beneath the tight velvet skin. His crown was fat and glistened with pearly drops of moisture.

I dipped a finger into the slick fluid and traced it slowly around the bloated head, loving the way his cock bucked and spilled more essence. Grayson’s groan was guttural, an inarticulate expression of a desperate need. I looked up to see that he was studying my face, his expression fierce. His body was locked stiff, yet consumed by fine tremors.