Strong and Steady

“Frankie will take you back to your car.” Beating the shit out of someone was one thing. What Quake planned next for the guy was out of my league, and I wanted nothing to do with it. Quake didn't want me involved either, which was fine with me. As he walked over to the SUV with bloodied Ralph inside, his man moved to open the door for him. They climbed in then drove away, leaving me alone with Frankie.

“I thought my dad was fucked up,

” I told him, watching the brake lights fade away, “but yours is scary as shit.”

25

EMORY

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I had no idea how late Gray would be, but I forced myself to stay awake and decided watching TV would work. It had taken half an hour to figure out how to use his remote for the complex, very male electronic system. By the time I heard the elevator doors whoosh open, I had practically lost my mind from really bad cable. I hopped up and saw him over the back of the couch. He looked… perfect.

He hung his hat on the hook, toed off one boot, then the other, walking into the kitchen. He went to the sink and scrubbed his hands, flicked off the water and dried them with a dish towel. I didn't think too hard about why he needed to clean up. He didn’t seem hurt at all, no cuts or bruises, but there was a stain, something that looked like blood, on his shirt. I wasn’t going to ask what had happened because right now, I didn’t care. He was fine, and he was here.

“Gray,” I almost sobbed, relief washing over me with a strong pulse of adrenaline.

Turning around, his hardened gaze softened, and he held out his arms. I ran around the couch and launched myself at him, our mouths meeting. I wrapped my legs around his waist, my dress riding up my thighs. His hands cupped my bottom as he turned and walked down the hall to his room, carrying me as if I weighed nothing. He put one knee on the bed and lowered me down onto my back, never breaking the kiss.

This was desperate and frantic, the need almost feral. My hands gripped the front of his shirt, and like I’d been longing to do since I first laid eyes on him, I ripped it open, the snaps popping. He helped me get it off him and tossed it onto the floor. We rolled so that Gray could slide the zipper of my dress down my back. He worked it down and off me, his motions just as eager as mine. But then he paused, and my hands stopped working on his belt. He was looking down at me, his breath ragged.

“What?” I asked.

He brushed a hand over the swell of my breast. “Pink and lacy.” His voice was dark and guttural.

Pushing off the bed, he stood and looked down at me, his eyes heated, his lips slick. “I love you.”

I sucked in a breath at his words. It was not what I expected to hear but exactly what I wanted. I came up and onto my knees before him. “Gray, I… this is insane.” I brushed my hair back from my face, ran a palm down his bare chest. All hot skin and steely muscles beneath. “I love you, too.”

His eyes flared, and he took a step back. I let my hand fall to my side.

“Why?”

I frowned. “Why do I love you? Why do you love me?”

He shook his head. “The first time I saw you, it was like I’d been sucker punched. You smiled at that bartender making you the fake gin and tonic, and I was jealous. Jealous! I wanted you to smile like that at me. And when you did, that first time, I fell in love right then and there.”

I couldn’t help the smile or the tears. Gray’s beautiful face blurred, and I didn’t see him step closer to wipe away the tears that streamed down my cheeks. “Shh, don’t be sad.”

A watery laugh escaped. “Sad? I’m happy, you idiot!”

“I’m not an idiot, I’m just distracted by you in your pink lace.”

The tears disappeared, and I flushed as his gaze raked over me.

I continued to watch him as I brought my hands up to my breasts, cupped them. His pupils dilated, and he licked his lips. “Baby, what are you doing?”

“That bartender? I gave him a smile. You? I’m giving you everything.”

“Everything?” Gray repeated, closing the distance between us.

As I undid the front clasp of my new bra, I said, “Everything.”

Epilogue

EMORY

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