Grip Trilogy Box Set

“Not any time soon.” I sigh, running my thumb over the dark arch of his brows. “Charm’s stuck there, and things are way too hectic for me to get away right now.”

“Yeah?” Grip twists his lips into a grimace.

“Yeah. Kai’s finally about to drop her debut album, and Rhyson’s in the studio working on his next project.” A sudden smile takes over my face. “I forgot to tell you I got Luke that reality show about the making of his next album.”

“Wow.” Grip’s eyes drop to the ground before he looks back to me. “Yeah, you’ve got a lot going on here.”

“The show’s filming in LA for the most part. I need to be on set at least for the initial footage, and don’t get me started on everything happening for Jimmi. I may have to hand her off to Sarah, though she’d kill me.”

“I get it,” Grip says with a small smile. “You’re too busy to go to New York.”

There it is again. What’s that look? Am I talking about work too much? I do that. I get caught up in my career, but I’m lucky enough to make dreams come true for the people I love the most. I never knew how fulfilling it would be, how damn good at it I would be. With every accomplishment, the opportunities double and my ambitions multiply. It’s never bothered Grip before, but maybe now that things are busier than they’ve ever been, he’s tired of hearing about my work and how much I love it.

“I’m sorry, baby,” I say. “Here I am going on and on about Prodigy and all my stuff, and I didn’t even ask about school. You registered for classes today, right?”

He goes still for a second, his expression becoming unreadable. “I’m still looking at classes. There’s a little time before I finalize things for next semester.”

“Well I want to hear all about it tonight.” I tip up to leave a kiss on his lips. “But now I need to get back to Kevin.”

Grip’s face loosens into a grin.

“Tell his goofy ass you already have dinner plans, and to back off my girl.”

“Oh, I have dinner plans?” I take a few steps backward toward the restaurant entrance, my eyes never leaving the handsome face with its stark planes and bold bones. “And what are these plans?”

“Dinner at my place.”

“Am I bringing dinner?”

That’s usually what happens—neither of us is exactly gourmet chef material.

“No, I’ll grill up on the roof.”

Ah, the roof, one of my favorite places in the world. Overlooking everything but isolated from it all, just my love and me. Add medium rare red meat, and it’s my own private utopia.

“Then I’ll see you after work.” I smile and turn to go.

“Hey Bris,” he calls.

I look over my shoulder to find that sober look back in his eyes, tightening the skin over his high cheekbones, making me nervous.

“I love you.”

He says it to me every day, several times a day, and it never gets old, never frays around the edges or fails to palpitate my susceptible heart.

“I love you, too.”

I don’t try to lighten the moment with an easy smile or a flippant comment. Whatever is bothering him, he’ll tell me, probably tonight. I’ll let him come to it on his own.

In the meantime, Kevin.

Chapter 2

Grip

I HAVE to tell her tonight.

I’ve been putting it off, but I need to register