His eyebrows rise. “If I got rewarded any more, my dick would fall off.”
Anaya starts laughing again, and London gives me a look that clearly says, ‘your friends are crazy.’
Grayson comes back with popcorn and a drink for me, smirking at Anaya and Paul’s antics. The two of them always do this whenever they get together, but I know they don’t take anything to heart, because two seconds later, their tongues are down each other’s throats.
“Thanks,” I say, snuggling back into him as he sits next to me and possessively wraps an arm around me.
I fall asleep through Grayson’s choice, Lord of the Rings. He carries me to bed and tucks me in, sliding in beside me. The others continue to watch the movies, while Grayson holds me in his arms and whispers ‘goodnight’ before falling asleep.
*****
“Good morning to you too,” I say through a smile. Grayson draws my lips into another soft kiss.
“Mornin’ beautiful,” he says, his voice thick with sleep.
“What are your plans for the day?” I ask, placing my lips on his chest.
“My mum wants me to drop by, so I guess I’ll head there before work. You?” he asks.
“I have to study for Monday’s exam. Then I have work at five.”
“Until eleven? I’ll pick you up when you’re done,” he says, bringing my palm to his mouth.
“Yeah, sounds good,” I say. Grayson puts on the TV while I head into the kitchen and grab us something to eat for breakfast. I’m about to take the plates into my room when I get a text from London.
London: Guess what I’m doing right now?
What? I reply.
London: The walk of shame!
A familiar path for you. I type back, laughing to myself.
London: Ha ha, very funny.
I walk into the room and hand Grayson his plate.
“Thanks, babe,” he says, grabbing the piece of toast and taking a huge bite.
My phone beeps again.
London: I need to be more careful who I sleep with just in case you end up dating them after.
I shake my head at her; the girl has no shame.
London: Too early to joke??!?!
“London?” Grayson asks, nodding at my phone.
“Yeah,” I reply, putting my phone down on the bed and sitting down. “She said she’s doing the walk of shame. I wonder if she slept with Aiden.”
Grayson stills. “Would that bother you?”
“Why would it bother me?” I ask, even though it kind of does. Not because I have any feelings for Aiden, at least not in that way. I care about him a lot as a friend, like a big brother. I don’t want him to get hurt, because he really is one of the best men I’ve ever met in my life.
Grayson shrugs and dusts the crumbs off his fingers. “I don’t know. I know the two of you are close.”
I nod slowly. “We are. He’s a good friend.”
“As long as that’s all he wants to be,” he replies in a cautious tone. I stare at him, lying on his white bed sheets in nothing but a pair of black boxer shorts.
“Of course that’s all he wants to be. Besides, everyone knows how crazy I am about you.”
His dimples let me know he likes that comment. “They better.”
“So…” I begin. “You and Jake aren’t friends anymore?”
He cuts his eyes to me, his face losing any of its joy.
“Babe, he didn’t even tell anyone. He could have made my life a living hell if he wanted to,” I say.
Grayson grunts. “Yeah, then he would have got his ass kicked by me, and he knows it. Trust me it wasn’t out of the kindness of his heart.”
“Fine, but I don’t know, he spoke to me and he looked sad.”
He sits up straighter. “He spoke to you?” he asks, his voice low.
“Yeah, just for a minute or so…”
“Looks like he and I will be having another talk,” he says, cracking his knuckles.
“Oh, come on, Gray,” I snap, not wanting him to get into another fight over me. It’s in the past, and I want to leave it there. Time to look forward now. “Don’t start shit for no reason.”
He makes a non-committal noise and then takes me in his arms. “I won’t let anyone talk badly about you.”
“He didn’t,” I say, but he cuts me off with a kiss.
“Open your mouth,” he whispers against my lips.
“No, I haven’t even brushed my teeth yet!” I say, my face going red.
He grins. “I don’t care.”
By the minty taste of him, I can tell he did brush his teeth, probably when I was making breakfast. I squirm out of his hold. “Where do you think you’re going?” he asks.
“Shower.” And to brush my teeth.
“I’m coming,” he calls out as I leave the room.
I wouldn’t expect any less.
Chapter Twenty-Six
I knew it would happen. Of course, my luck isn’t that great, but never once did I think it would happen at a moment like this. At Grayson’s dad’s business function.
“S-snow,” the man stutters, staring at my br**sts. “I’m a huge fan.”
I drop the chocolate brownie square back onto my plate and look around awkwardly. “I’m sorry, I have no idea what you’re talking about,” is apparently all I can come up with. More and more lies.
“Oh,” he says, checking me out. “Are you sure? You look exactly like her…”