“No!” I gasp. “Don’t tickle me.”
He stops and turns my face to the side, drawing my lips in a scorching hot kiss. His soft lips demonstrate exactly what I’ve been missing out on, his tongue demanding as it plays with mine. When he pulls away from me, I’m more than willing to screw going slow and to take things straight back to the bedroom. I tell him so. He laughs at me, shaking his head no, but his eyes say something completely different. His eyes are dark, lids at half-mast and giving away how much he wants me. So does his hardness. I stand up and offer him my hand.
“Babe,” he says, lip twitching.
“What?” I ask innocently, batting my eyelashes.
“You just want me because now I’m unattainable,” he says in a mock high pitch voice.
My body shakes with silent laughter. Damn, it feels so good to laugh. “You’re never unattainable to me, Mr Mills.”
He raises a brow. “Is that so?” He runs his hand down the side of my body, touching over the side of my breast and down to my hip. My breath hitches, and a knowing smirk plays on the corners of his lips.
“I better take you home,” he mutters, smiling down at me.
“Or,” I say, dragging out the word.
“Or what?”
“Or you could take me into your room and put me to work,” I say, sinking my teeth into my bottom lip.
He groans. “You’re trying to kill me, aren’t you?” He lifts me into his arms, and just when I’m about to cheer and think I’m winning, he carries me outside and to the car.
“Slow,” he says when he puts me down.
I sigh heavily and nod. Guess we’re taking things slow.
Chapter Twenty-Three
I methodically write down notes, hoping not to miss anything I need to know for exams. I’m stressed out to the max, wanting to do well and trying to balance work with some kind of social life as well. And by that I mean spending time with Grayson and Anaya. I see London enough at work, and to be honest, London in small doses is definitely the right way to go if you want to leave with your sanity. It’s been just over a week since Grayson and I decided to start over. We haven’t slept together yet. Although there have been times I wanted to give in, it’s good to take things a little slower and get to connect on a different level again. That doesn’t mean I’m not dying to get him naked—because trust me, I am.
“You do realise you’re the last one left in class,” he says, looking around. Amused eyes land back on me, waiting for my response.
“You’re here too,” I point out.
“Only because I’m waiting for you,” he says, bending down and grabbing my files and notebook to pack them away in my bag for me. “There you go. We can study some more when we get to my house.”
“I thought we were going to mine?” I ask, standing up and pushing the chair back in. Going to my house is usually a little safer, because Anaya is there sometimes, or London will invite herself over. That way we aren’t alone, and it’s a tiny bit easier to avoid temptation. Stupid I know, but true all the same.
“Need to go to mine,” he says, not looking at me. Something is definitely up.
“Why?” I demand.
He grimaces. “I don’t know why. I got this message,” he says, lifting his phone and showing it to me.
London: Take Paris somewhere else after class. Don’t bring her back to her apartment just yet please! It’s important.
My jaw falls open. “What the hell is going on?”
“I don’t know,” he says, taking my hand in his. “I was torn between not wanting to upset you and knowing that if I didn’t tell you the truth you would kill me.”
“You know we have to go there and see what’s going on now, right?” I say, marching out of the room.
“I wouldn’t expect anything else,” Grayson mutters from behind me. I turn and give him a look, which makes him shut his mouth. We park his car and run up to my apartment. I can hear London yelling from out here. I walk inside; the front door’s been left unlocked, and storm into the kitchen where I can hear all the commotion. I freeze in my tracks when I see my brother, Brody, standing there looking back at me.
London’s blue eyes narrow on Grayson. “One thing I asked you to do!” she snaps.
“Don’t yell at him! We’re trying a new thing where we’re completely honest with each other,” I say, my eyes not leaving Brody.
“I get that! But come on, Paris, do you really want to see him?” she asks, looking worried. For the first time in London’s life, she was trying to protect me. I’m speechless. Grayson puts his hand on my lower back, a sign of silent support. I’m grateful and flash him a look that tells him so.
“What are you doing here, Brody?” I ask him. He looks the same, short blond hair, familiar blue eyes and a tall, lanky build.
“I wanted to see how you are,” he says solemnly. “London mentioned she was here when I rang her last week, and I wanted to see you both. I’m so glad you’re both together now.”
My brow furrows, wondering why the change of heart. “You hate me,” I say, the words hurting me even to say.
He shakes his head furiously. “I hated what you were doing. Come on Paris, stripping? Mum and Dad must have been tossing in their grave.” He pauses. “Is this your boyfriend?”
I puff out a breath. “Yes, Brody, this is Grayson. Grayson, this is my brother.” Grayson gives him a chin lift, not saying anything else. I know he’s angry. I can tell by the tension pouring out of his body and his rigid stance. He knows what Brody did to me, and how much it killed me.