Page 134 of When Darkness Calls

“Dee?” He calls from my doorway, a frown plastered on his face.

“Yes?” I bite.

“Tell me what’s wrong. Please.”

I soften. My insides turn to mush at the sweet voice he uses. I sigh, slumping on the bed. I look up at him, but what do I say?

My mouth opens, but he cuts me off.

“I’m sorry, Dani.”

Okay, maybe I don’t need to say anything.

“I see that I have upset you, and I’m sorry. I—” he sucks in a deep breath, coming to kneel before me, grabbing my hands into his warm ones. His thumb traces each knuckle.

“I know that it must be bothering you the way I have been acting, and I never meant for that. I swear to you. After you found my mask, found the truth, I thought that it would be best to give you space.”

“I never wanted that—”

“I know. I know. I’m realizing now that I’m really bad at assuming when people need to be left alone. But in my head, I thought that given everything…from Halloween at that party, to afterward finding you, and the whole year leading to the Fest, and then everything that came after…we were getting back to how we always were…maybe even more just as myself.”

His chin drops to his chest as he shakes his head slowly. “Add to that at the same time what was going on when I was wearing the mask. It’s a lot…and I thought you might change your mind.”

“But you know I don’t blame you for Halloween, Grays…” I whisper, squeezing his hand.

“I know. I do, I swear I do now. But it’s the other stuff. Plus, while we do agree on a lot, we also argued a lot too—before—I didn’t know how you would feel—I didn’t know if you would be happy with me being the one behind that mask—”

“Grayson, the only reason we’ve ever argued is because you’re the only person aside from Cade who isn’t afraid to point out my bullshit, and vice versa. You don’t just go along with stuff. You ask questions and want explanations and to actually discuss things and talk. And yeah, maybe they get a little heated, but that’s being human. We meet each other head on. Equals. I understand you the best, and it’s like you’ve always been able to read my mind.”

He cracks a grin. “You’re so easy to read sometimes. It’s written on your face or in the way you fidget with your hands.”

I couldn’t help my guffaw. “Oh, yeah? And what am I thinking now?”

An impish gleam flashes behind his cool eyes. “Well, for one, you’re thinking I’m a dumbass.”

I shrug, giggling.

“Two, you really wish we would have had this conversation days ago because…” he leans in close, whispering against my lips, “Three, you’re begging for me to kiss you.”

My breath hitches, and I give a slight nod.

“Do you want me to kiss you, sweet girl?”

“Yes,” I breathe and the word is barely audible in the space between our lips. His movement is slow, tantalizing as if he’s trying to savor every millisecond he gets in my presence. But my patience wears thin, and I surge forward, lips crashing against his.

The metal of his lip ring is so strange, but it feels so entirely him, I can’t imagine what this kiss would be like without it.

His palms move from my hands to grip my thighs, squeezing, massaging the pillowy flesh. My legs part, inviting him to come closer. He groans, kneeling between them, hands tightening, and beginning a torrential trail up to my hips and back down to my knees.

“Grayson,” I mumble. He groans again, pulling away to kiss me softly along my jaw.

“You don’t know how fucking good it is finally hearing my name on your lips, Dani.”

“Do you want to keep hearing it?” I challenge with a wicked smirk.

He chuckles low, the sound vibrating against my neck, increasing the pulse settling in my core.

“Fuck yes, I do.”