Risking the Crown (The Crown 2)

“Am I in the way? Am I keeping you from Grayson?” I tossed a handful of shirts on the bed.

“Stop. Just stop.” Cole spun me around until his hands clutched my wrists. “You’re not leaving. And not like this.”

It was happening again—the air was charged and even though there were only inches between us, all I wanted was to erase them.

“Let me go, Cole.” I didn’t want to look at him. I knew he could melt any resistance I had, and the way he was holding me, he knew it too.

“I don’t know what’s going on in that head of yours, but you’re not interfering with Grayson. Amber has made a huge decision and she wanted to talk to me about it.”

I let me eyes travel from the floor to his face.

“What did she say?”

He rubbed the scruff on his chin. “She wants to take a residency in London and write poetry.”

My mouth dropped. “What?”

He rolled his eyes. “Yeah. She’s unpredictable that one. As far as I know, she’s never written more than a text.”

“And Grayson?” I was almost afraid to ask.

He looked at me. “I’m going to have full legal custody.”

“You are? Oh my God, Cole. That’s amazing. That’s what you wanted.”

He nodded, hiding a smile. “Yeah. It’s exactly what I wanted. And I have to get the documents drawn up before she leaves. Her classes start in the fall. That gives me about two months to get the Dunes set up and a real place for Grayson to live. It’s one thing for him to spend some time at the motel, but I need to find something permanent.”

“And it was Amber’s idea? The custody arrangement?”

He nodded. “It was her idea. I couldn’t be more shocked.”

“That’s not at all what I thought I saw.” I felt embarrassed and ashamed.

Cole crossed the distance, drawing me toward him. “I know it looked bad. I can only imagine, but Amber is only around because she has to be. And as much as it’s going to be hard as hell on Grayson, her taking a break is going to be a good thing.”

I nodded. “I know you’re an amazing father.”

His thumb grazed over my bottom lip.

“I don’t know. He’s two. It’s pretty simple right now.”

“Cole?”

“Yeah, baby?”

I searched his blue eyes. “Can I meet him some time?”

“How about tomorrow?”

“Really?”

He nodded. “Really.”

His lips crashed into mine as he gathered me in his arms. I inhaled the nearness of him as my body softened in his hands.

“Darlin’, don’t ever do that again,” he whispered in my ear. “Don’t walk out on me.”

I nodded. “I’m sorry I spilled my drink on you and ran out of Peabody’s.”