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With tears burning my eyes, I undress and step into the warm, soothing water. It keeps the full-on tears from shedding. As I douse my loofa with my soap and scrub my body, I analyze every detail of Grayson’s response and what he’s potentially thinking and how he might react to what I said.
I fight back the tears trying to escape when I realize I could be wrong. He may not love me like I thought.
With the towel wrapped around me, I open the door to his room. Grayson isn’t there and I’m even more worried as I put on my new negligee and dry my hair. Hoping to find him, I search his condo, checking his office first. He’s not there either. The spare bedroom is pointless, but I check anyway. A walk through the living room and kitchen proves he’s left the condo.
Unsure of what to do, I retrieve the wine glass from his room and pour a fresh glass in the kitchen. Calling his phone, it goes straight to voicemail. I pour another glass as the clock ticks by and Grayson is still a no-show.
An hour later, sleep pulling at my eyelids, I tuck myself into his blankets, breathing in the lingering scent of his cologne. Tears trickle down my cheeks as I wonder if I’ll be sleeping in his bed alone all night or if maybe I should go home.
Hearing movement in the condo startles me awake. I glance at the clock on the nightstand. Blue lights display 1:36 a.m. Grayson enters his room, moving with heavy steps and no attempt to be quiet. Shifting for a better view of him, he glances at me. His eyes narrow. Clearly, he’s surprised to see me. Undressing down to his gorgeous naked frame, he crawls into the bed, over me.
My thoughts dart between wondering where he’s been, what he’s been doing, why he left, yet my body tingles, responding to his tender expression. Holding himself up, he stares down at me with glossy eyes and heavy lids. The scent of scotch is distinct on his breath. Caressing my cheek with his hand, he studies my face. “Do you love me?”
Tension tightens in my chest. It’s now or never, Emma. “Yes, I’m in love with you.”
His silence is a weight pressing down on my body, threatening to crush me. Staring at me, his eyes roaming my face, he kisses my lips, slowly, sensually, taking me by surprise. He removes the sheet from between us and raises my negligee to my waist.
Never taking his lips from mine, he reaches under the silky fabric, finding my breast and kneading it as he slides between my legs and presses his erection into me. Desire ripples through my body and eclipses all emotions jumbling my mind. Everything goes blank as heat and need fill me. With each passionate thrust, he loves my body with his.
For the first time, he makes love to me and I know in this moment, Grayson Cole owns my heart.
Chapter Twenty-One
Grayson
I’ve read over the same damn paragraph on my computer screen for the last twenty minutes. I have no idea what it says because my thoughts are elsewhere. This weekend with Emma was one of the most enjoyable weekends I’ve ever had, probably, the most enjoyable. Yet, it took her saying four words to turn my head into a shit storm. I bolted like a wild animal and drowned my confusion in whiskey rather than face her and admit any sort of feelings.
No doubt, adding to her confusion, I got piss-ass drunk, came home and had sex with her. When I woke from what little sleep I had, I looked over at her sleeping peacefully. She’d had an incredible birthday weekend and the last thing I wanted was for her to wake up and look at me with worry or confusion in her eyes. Like a bad habit, I left her again. It’s better that way. I need the time to think.
My office phone rings and I appreciate the distraction.
“Hello, Son.”
Just what I fucking need.
“Arnold.”
“Have you had enough time to bury your dick in that girl’s pussy and get over the disagreement we had Friday night?”
As if I’m not tense enough. “Tell me a good reason not to hang up.”
“It doesn’t matter if you’re still angry with me. We have business that needs to be completed. I emailed you several files. You’ll need to read over them and provide your signature. Now, in regards to our disagreement and this girl, you know very well I did what I did because I care about you. Getting feelings involved will only get you fucked over, you know I’m right. That whore you loved in college wasn’t the only one to prove me right. You’ve had other women that were only interested in riding your cock and draining your bank account. Tell me I’m wrong. This girl, she isn’t special. She isn’t different from the others. She’s new. Given time, she’ll do what they all do.”
My jaw’s so tight, my teeth are painfully grinding together. A dull ache is forming in my hand gripping the phone. “We have a type, Arnold. We seek out beautiful, independent women who only want sex and money from us. Emma doesn’t give a damn about money or what it can get her. She’s in love with me.”
Arnold snickers. “You’re being a fool. She loves what you can offer her. I see her wearing the diamonds you bought her, and no doubt, you spared no expense. But what has she done for you, Son? Love is an illusion. Do you truly want the picket fence, two-and-a-half kids, the damn dog, all to fall hopelessly in love and then have it ripped away from you? Get your head together and end things, now. The girl is your employee for fuck sake. She’s young with many opportunities awaiting her. You think she’ll stick around when they come along?”
The Atlanta job comes to mind and the lump in my throat drops to my stomach. “I have work to do. I’ll look over the files and get back to you.”
“The sooner you end things with her, the better.”
I disconnect without a goodbye. Leaning back in my chair, I loosen my suit jacket and look out the window to the city beyond it, trying to calm my agitation. My gaze shifts to the clock on my monitor. Emma will be arriving any moment and that realization adds to my unease.
Emma
As soon as I enter my office, the first thing I notice is there’s no rose. Disappointment filters in, adding to my concern. After all that happened the night before and waking up to Grayson being gone, I’m worried that the missing rose might mean something. We haven’t had a chance to talk and I’m anxious to see him.
I drop my purse by my desk and turn on my computer. As I pass Claire’s office I wave but don’t stop to chat. I head straight to Grayson’s office. The glass is un-shaded and I can see him standing with his arm above his head, resting on the window, looking at the city. The side profile of his face reveals he’s deep in thought. Jittery nerves come alive as I reach for the door knob. His attention remains out the window as I enter.
