“That’s the best offer I’ve had all day,” he murmured against her neck as her fingers went to work on his belt.
He growled as her fingers slid down his zipper before reaching into the opening. Lust assailed him and blood pooled in his groin at her hot probing touch. Snagging two handfuls of the silky nightgown in his fist, he tugged at the material.
“Remove this,” he commanded in a guttural rasp. “I can take care of the rest.”
Seconds later, they were both naked and facing each other across the narrow gap, breathing hard as their excitement rose.
“Bed,” he ordered, pointing toward the king-sized bed they’d been sharing these past few nights. “Now.”
Her eyes twinkled mischievously before she squeaked at his glower and rushed off to strip back the covers, throw herself onto the mattress and await his pleasure.
He followed her after a beat, determined to squash all thoughts of her mother from her mind. His lips and hands came at her in a rush, but she was already rising up to meet him, her fingers tangling in his hair to draw his mouth to hers. As their lips fused together, her tongue darted out to lure him to the exotic pleasure of her mouth.
She spread her legs and drew him into the cradle of her thighs, playing a treacherous game as his unprotected erection slid along her core. The glide of his bare flesh against hers once again demonstrated just how dangerous she was to him.
Shifting away from temptation, he eased down her body. His lips trailed over her neck and into the hollow of her throat before drifting down into her cleavage and up the gentle swell of her breast. He teased her nipple with the edge of his teeth, drawing a moan from her throat. Closing his hand around her other breast, he applied the perfect pressure to make her moan. Her hips lifted off the mattress, encouraging him to slide his hand between her legs.
“Grant,” she whispered, her voice a breathy plea.
He lifted his head so he could observe the flush cascading over her skin, put there by the heat his hands and mouth had stirred in her body.
“I need to feel you inside me.” Her voice broke until it was nearly a whimper. “Don’t make me wait any longer.”
“Not yet,” he growled, arousal making his voice harsh. “Come for me first like this.”
Her breath spiraled out in a rush and her eyes closed. She threw her head back as every muscle in her body tightened. Watching her surrender to erotic oblivion was the sexiest damn thing he’d ever seen and he locked his full attention on her, his hands guiding her through every wave of her shattering climax, filing away this moment to relive again and again.
To think he could’ve had five years of this. Five years of pleasure and happiness. Of connecting with the one person who understood and accepted him. He’d been a fool. An arrogant idiot, too afraid of letting his guard down to appreciate how wondrous the surrender could be.
And then he remembered their earlier conversation and a chill swept over him. It was all just temporary. Over and over, Harley spoke of her life in Thailand. Of her intention to return once she’d funded Zest. She hadn’t come home to be with him. Nor had she returned to Royal so he could meet his son.
Just as she had her life planned out, so did he. That their goals were in opposition to each other—hers to return to Thailand, his to remain active in his son’s life—meant he had to keep his purpose unclouded by emotion. For the moment, she was his only link to Daniel and that meant she held all the cards. Until the balance of power evened out, he would be wise to keep his wits about him.
Ten
Harley lay facedown in Grant’s big empty bed, her arms and legs splayed across the mattress, and let the tranquil white noise of his shower sweep over her. Right now, he’d be running soapy hands all over his hard, muscular body, washing away all signs of their lovemaking. An ache bloomed between her thighs at the thought of joining him, but she was uncertain about facing him until she sorted out what she was feeling. Instead, she replayed the moments since she’d been awakened by his lips coasting down her neck.
Morning sex with Grant had a different vibe than noon, evening or nighttime sex. Slower. Softer. His kisses reached deep into her soul, soothing her like the first touch of dawn on her face. She’d buzzed with contentment as his hands skimmed her curves and coaxed her body awake. By the time he’d slid into her, she was floating on a cloud of bliss and poised to climax.
That deep extended orgasm had left her breathless and her heart wide open. Caught up in his own pleasure, he’d buried his face in her neck, her name a sweet moan wrenched from his throat, and hadn’t noticed her bite her lower lip as tears sprang to her eyes. The urge to cry had come out of nowhere and she had no defense against the sneak attack.
A week ago, she’d stopped returning to her empty room at Jaymes’s house in the wee hours of the morning. She wasn’t sure who’d suggested that it would be easier if she just spent the night. As tempting as it was to read something into their unofficial living arrangements, she couldn’t help but think great sex and convenience comprised Grant’s list of reasons why he let her stick around.
A chime erupted from the dresser where their phones sat side by side, the tone alerting her to an upcoming appointment. With urging from the ever-organized Grant Everett, she’d started using her calendar to keep track of everything she had going on. Today, she was attending another lunch with the foundation board member Jaymes had introduced her to. They were meeting at eleven o’clock and she had to run Daniel to day care before making the drive to Fort Worth.
Having no idea of the time, she slipped out of bed and donned her discarded nightgown as she crossed to the dresser. As she reached out to touch the screen and wake up her phone, the shower ceased to run. Momentarily distracted, she didn’t realize she’d chosen the wrong phone until the screen displayed the photo of her and Daniel that Grant had chosen for his wallpaper. The sight made her smile. A second later, her good mood faded as she read what the appointment banner showed.
Grant had made an appointment with an attorney.
Harley’s stomach twisted as she took in the implications. In the seconds before the screen faded to black, she memorized the name of the attorney and law firm and quickly searched the internet while she revisited every conversation they’d had about her eventual return to Thailand. As she’d feared, the lawyer Grant was meeting with specialized in family law.
Bile rose to her throat. Was he planning on taking Daniel away from her? There was no question that he had the money and power to do it. Especially with her family’s current troubles calling into question her financial stability. Harley took a couple deep breaths to steady herself, unclear how a man who’d just rocked her world in the most loving way
possible could be out to hurt her.
On the other end of the spectrum, however, maybe he was simply meeting with an attorney to legally establish himself as Daniel’s father and had no interest in seeking custody of any kind or preventing her from leaving the country with his son.
Needing some space to think before she confronted him and said something foolish, Harley headed toward the kitchen, lured by the scent of coffee. Grant’s housekeeper was mixing up Daniel’s favorite chocolate-chip pancakes. Harley snagged a cup of coffee, added a splash of milk and headed for her son’s room to get his morning started. To her delight, he was already up and dressed in the clean clothes Grant suggested they put out for him each night. After smothering him in kisses, she shepherded Daniel into the bathroom to brush his teeth and comb his hair, fighting back melancholy at the way her baby grew more independent with each day that passed.