“I guess. He’s still a dickhead though.”
A snort of amusement left me. “Preach it!”
***
Somehow, I avoided seeing Gray for the rest of the day, and when I got up the next morning we was still sound asleep. But the next night, we all went to First Bass. Kale didn’t hang out with all of us that often, but he brought Santana, the photographer who had done Tainted Knights’ photoshoot earlier in the week. I liked her personality, and the way Kale was so possessive of her was adorable. Like my brother had with Kin, Kale had fallen hard and fast for his Santana.
There was a large group of us in our usual corner on the VIP floor. The place was overflowing with people coming and going from the club, but Harris had set up two couches and two chairs. Harris and Lucy took one of the chairs, with Lucy on Harris’s lap, while Jace and Kin took the other, Kin snuggling into my brother like he was a blanket. Jenna and Angie took one of the couches, leaving room on one end for anyone to sit, while Caleb, Kale, and Gray took the other couch, with Santana on Kale’s lap.
I could have taken the spot beside Angie, but one look at Gray and I knew I couldn’t be that far from him. I sat on the arm of the couch though, not daring to sit on his lap like the other girls had with their boyfriends. While everyone else was talking and laughing together, drinking their drinks and having a good time, Gray leaned in closer to me, his hand rubbing over my rear before he discreetly cupped my ass.
I slapped his hand away, smirking down at him when he gave me a pout and pinched my hip. “You’re a dick,” I muttered low enough that no one else could hear.
“Your dick, baby,” he countered in the same low tone I had used so only I heard him.
I turned my gaze away from him, liking the idea of that way too much. As the night went by quickly, Gray found one reason after another to touch me in discreet ways no one else noticed. Or, if they did, no one questioned it. Everyone but Santana was used to how Gray and I were together. He had always openly touched me in such a casual way that it seemed like second nature for him to do it.
But the way he kept skimming his fingers over my back in those barely there caresses was anything but casual, and it was slowly driving me crazy. I started to move to take the empty spot beside Angie, but he caught my hips and pulled me down between him and Kale. I elbowed him hard in the stomach, but he barely grunted at the blow.
Deciding to ignore him, I turned so that my back was to him, but he draped his arm over my shoulder, softly brushing his thumb back and forward over my collarbone. It was distracting because it felt so damn good, but I couldn’t let him get to me. Not when I was determined not to let what he had said the day before get my hopes up. I didn’t want to know how broken my heart would get if we did give in and go down that road together, because deep down, I knew that was what would happen in the end.
“Can I sleep in your bed tonight?” he murmured close to my ear, making my entire body clench to keep from shivering.
I glanced up at him over my shoulder. “Why are you asking? You never have before and it hasn’t stopped you yet.”
“Because I want you to say yes.”
“I’ll think about it,” I said instead.
Later, after everyone but Jenna, Angie, and Caleb had left, Gray got to his feet. “See you three later,” he told them and took my hand, pulling me up. “It’s past Kassa’s bedtime.”
My mouth fell open, my cheeks turning pink. “You did not just say that, you jerk.”
He chuckled as he linked our fingers and carefully walked in front of me, down the stairs, and past Tiny.
“Why do you have to be an ass?”
“That’s how I am,” he said with a shrug, “and you still love me despite it.”
I pressed my lips together to keep from saying something I would regret if I allowed them to be said. It was true—I did love him, whether he was an ass or not. Damn it.
Outside, the line to get in was just as long as it always was, with the paparazzi camped out across the street, flashing lights blinding anyone who watched them for long. A valet appeared as if out of thin air, and Gray handed his ticket over without dropping my hand. As the guy ran off to fetch the car, Gray pulled me in close and touched his lips to my forehead.
“Well?”
I cocked my head back, lifting my eyebrows at him. “Well, what?”
“Can I sleep in your bed tonight?” he asked patiently.
“You know the answer is yes, Gray. I can’t sleep without you,” I told him with a shrug like it was no big deal—while my heart pounded erratically against my ribs.
A grin lifted at his lips. “You can try to make me sweat all you want, little butterfly, but it’s not going to work. I can see everything you want to keep hidden from me right there in those pretty, blue eyes.?
??
“Don’t you mean caterpillar?” I whispered.
“No, Kas.” He pressed another kiss to the middle of my forehead just as the valet pulled his car up behind me. Still holding my hand, he moved to the passenger’s door and opened it. As if I were made of priceless China, he helped me into the seat before closing the door.