Greer had to stop shirking his responsibilities. He started every morning at EnviroCapital. He worked closely with his analysts, requiring daily briefings on all their accounts, but he could tell his heart was no longer in it. By early afternoon, Greer gravitated to the StreamTrainer offices just to be around Dallas a few more hours during the day.
Greer was looking for a new life. Something different. EnviroCapital could handle itself with Evan as his managing partner. Greer loved his company, but the Washington State venture had broken ground. Outside of Dallas, that project held all of Greer’s interest. With each dig of the shovel, he wanted to be there to watch personally.
“They broke ground on the Washington State project,” he murmured.
Dallas’s eyes lit up with excitement. Any attempt Greer had made to start their dance ended. He wasn’t even frustrated when Dallas stepped completely out of his hold. “You’ve started?” he asked, enthusiastically.
“I have and it’s exhilarating to me.” Any excitement Greer had managed to tamp down exploded through him. He stepped back, scrubbing his palms down his face, his grin as wide as ever. “I have an excitement I haven’t had about work in a long, long time. If my team can do this right, it could be a game changer.”
“Show me the plans,” Dallas encouraged.
“I’m supposed to be wooing you. Let me.” Greer fisted his hands and started back for Dallas. Perspective. They had done nothing more than shovel some dirt around for a photo op today. They had time to go over all the plans. It didn’t have to be now.
Dallas kept a distance, and it wasn’t easy with the way Greer tried to pull him back into the hold. “Greer. Tell me what’s on your mind before this goes too much further and we’re in the bedroom.”
“Are you complaining?” Greer asked, cocking a single brow.
“Not even a little bit.” Dallas drew Greer flush against his chest. “You don’t have to keep doing all this.”
Greer’s attention split between his honey’s palms traveling a tantalizing trail down his back and his words causing a puff of breath to hit his heated skin.
“I choose you. Nothing will change that.” Dallas reared his head back again, trying to look Greer in the eyes. “It’s an oath easy to give. I feel like you should’ve been there for the groundbreaking, not here babysitting me. Go to Washington, focus on EnviroCapital. I’ll be here, waiting for you.”
“Do you promise you’ll be here? In this house, away from all that chaos of your family,” Greer asked, moving face to face with Dallas.
“If that’s what you want.” Dallas’s voice was husky as he gave his promise. “Now, show me the plans. I’m interested.”
“Wait.” Greer placed both palms on Dallas’s cheeks as he started to pull away. “Thank you for reading me so clearly.” He angled Dallas’s head for the sincerest kiss of his life.
Chapter 36
November, eight months later
With his arms crossed, Dallas leaned against the wall at the entrance of the studio, watching the inaugural cardio class with a room full of active participants. Skye led the class; a film crew followed her every move. She was such a natural in front of the camera. An incredible motivator and leader. Today, Skye had an extra bounce in her step. Probably due to the company vote last night making her a full-fledged partner of StreamTrainer. A place she’d deserved from the beginning.
The decision hadn’t come without problems. Dallas and Ducky had strong-armed the vote, leaving Donny outraged at the idea of splitting the profits four ways.
Of course, the offer came with inherent risk. Their business was growing at an astronomical, almost inconceivable rate. Most days felt like a tightrope of balancing inventory, shipping, and monitoring the hundred thousand daily users. The only part of StreamTrainer that ran like a well-oiled machine were the classes. Those were always top tier, and Skye needed all the credit for those.
Dallas barely had an extra minute for a stationary bike these days, and those few times came during the long, lonely evenings when Greer was in Washington State. Greer spent three days a week there; he loved that project. Every so often, Dallas found the time to tag along, but the national sales position had become a small department of five salespeople and two assistants. They were growing faster than any of them thought possible.
“You should be giving up part of your shares to Skye,” Donny hissed in his ear. “You’re the one never around.”
Dallas’s shoulders tensed. He hoped Donny hadn’t noticed. He ignored his brother and didn’t budge a muscle to let him pass by. He and Donny had never truly gotten over their ugly fight after signing the investment contract all those months ago. Every time he looked at Donny, he saw judgment and aggression, remembering the fucked-up way Donny treated him while he was at the lowest point of his adult life. Dallas couldn’t seem to let it go. He’d barely seen his parents since then either.