Title Page
Prologue
Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 3 Chapter 4 Chapter 5 Chapter 6 Chapter 7 Chapter 8 Chapter 9 Chapter 10 Chapter 11 Chapter 12 Chapter 13 Chapter 14 Chapter 15 Chapter 16 Chapter 17 Chapter 18 Chapter 19 Chapter 20 Epilogue
About the Author Newsletter Sign Up Also by Kristen Proby:
All Rights Reserved. This book may not be reproduced, scanned, or distributed in any printed or electronic form without permission from the author. Please do not participate in or encourage piracy of copyrighted materials in violation of the author’s rights. All characters and storylines are the property of the author, and your support and respect are appreciated. The characters and events portrayed in this book are fictitious. Any similarity to real persons, living or dead, is coincidental and not intended by the author.
Cover Design: By Hang Le
Cover photo: El Earl Photography
You literally have tattoos all over your body,” I point out and prop my hand on my cocked hip, glaring at my ridiculous father. “I just want a little flower on my rib cage, where no one can even see it unless I’m in a bikini.”
“No tattoos, and no fucking bikinis until you’re over eighteen,” he says. Dad’s voice is calm, but his eyes warn me to drop it. But I won’t drop it.
“You’re being unreasonable,” I say. “Dad, I’m sixteen. I know what I want. It’s small and hidden.”
“If you’re so sure now, you’ll still be sure in two years when I don’t care what you do. In the meantime, no means no, Stella.” “But—”
“You might want to quit while you’re ahead, kiddo,” Mom says, not even looking up from the magazine she’s perusing at the kitchen table.
“Do you two understand how much worse this conversation could be? I could be telling you I’m doing drugs. Or that I’m pregnant.”
Now my dad’s eyes narrow, and I know I’m teetering on the edge with him.
But I don’t care.
“You let me pierce my ears. Mom said I could even pierce my navel if I want to.”
“Not permanent,” Mom murmurs.
“Maybe I want new boobs, too.” I glare at my mom, who does have fake boobs.
It doesn’t hurt her feelings. She just looks up at me and raises an eyebrow.
“We’re done here,” Dad says brusquely. “You can be mad all you want, Stella, but you won’t insult your mother. I won’t have it.”
I frown and look down, feeling immediate regret. Why do I always pop off with an insult at someone I love when I’m mad?
“I’m sorry. I really am. I just don’t see what the big deal is.”
“You don’t have to understand it,” he says. “It is what it is. I’ll be in my office for a couple of hours.”
He walks out of the room and down the hall, then closes his door with a firm snick.
“Argh, he makes me so damn mad.”
“I’d say you do the same for him,” Mom says with a sarcastic smile. “It’s two years, Stella. Time passes in the blink of an eye. If you still want the tat then, you can get it. Nate isn’t wrong this time, and you know it.”
“It’s so stupid. Pretty much everyone in this family has tattoos. It’s hypocritical.”
“Hypocritical?” Mom tilts her head to the side. “Name one of your cousins who got inked while still underage.”
I open my mouth and then close it again before letting out a breath and slumping in the chair across from where Mom’s sitting.
“So dumb.”
“Yes, I know. We’re ruining your life.”
“Dad makes me crazy. You know that, right?”
She laughs and picks her magazine back up, flipping the page.
“I can’t wait for you to marry someone just like him.”
“Oh, hell no. That’s never going to happen.”
“Right.” She shows me a page from the magazine. “What do you think of these boots? I think they’re cute, but maybe I’m too old to pull off the thigh-high boots these days.”
“Are you kidding? You have killer legs. You can pull off anything.”
“Even with these fake boobs?”
I huff out a breath. “You know I didn’t mean that in a bad way. I was trying to prove a point.”
“All you did was piss off your dad, and you knew that would happen. You were just mad. I know we’ve given you just about everything you could want, but there are times in this life that you’ll be told no, Stel. Shocker, I know.”
“I don’t like being told no,” I decide after a moment of contemplation.
“None of us do,” she agrees with a laugh. “But that’s life. You’ll survive it. What do you think of these jeans?”
“Too short,” I reply as I move from the chair and snuggle up next to her. “Your legs are too long. But this top would be awesome on you.”
“I think it would be awesome on you,” she says and kisses my cheek. “You okay?”
“Yeah. I should probably apologize to Dad.”
“Good idea. You do that, and I’ll order this top.”
I walk down the hall of our condo to Dad’s office and knock on the door.
“Come in.”
“Hi,” I say as I poke my head in. “Can I come in?” “Yes.”
He sets his pen down and just watches me as I walk around his desk and wrap my arms around his neck, kissing his rough cheek.
“I’m sorry I’m such a jerk.”
Dad sighs and hugs me back. “You’re not always a jerk.”
I grin and sit on his desk, letting my feet dangle.
“God, you look like Julianne.”
He always calls Mom by her full name. Everyone else calls her Jules, but not Dad. It’s kind of romantic.
My eyes drift over the sleeve tattoo that runs up his arm to disappear into his T-shirt.
“Did they hurt?” I ask.
“A little. See? Better avoid it.”
I laugh and shake my head. “How old were you when you got the sleeve?”
“About twenty-one, I think. I added the chest when I was twenty-five.” “Hmm.”
“Stop trying to grow up so fast, dollface. You’ll get there.”
“I guess. If it’s okay with you, I’d like to go hang out with Liv at her place tonight.”
“Okay. I’ll drive you over.”
“Can I drive?”
He cocks an eyebrow.
“Not by myself. I’ve taken driver’s ed. I need the hours so I can get my license.”
“Yeah, okay. You can drive this time.”
“Awesome. Thanks.” I hop off the desk and walk toward the door. “I’ll grab my stuff.”
“Stel.”
“Yeah?” I turn back to him.
“I love you.”
I wrinkle my nose and blow him a kiss. “I know. I love you, too, Daddy.”
Ilove this color,” my client, Simone, says with a happy sigh. “And the material is like butter. But will I be able to clean it? I have kids.”
“You’ll be able to take the covers off the cushions and throw them in the wash. Easy-peasy.”
My phone and watch vibrate at the same time. I sneak a peek at my watch and scowl.
Danny, my coworker, has been texting me all day, but I’m in the field with clients, and he knows it.
He’ll have to wait.
“Well, that’ll be a lifesaver,” Simone says. “Yes, on this. Absolutely. That sectional is going to be the bomb.”
“You’ll never want to leave your sofa,” I agree and reach for some wallpaper swatches. “Now, let’s talk about your pantry.”
“I love talking about my pantry.”
I laugh as I turn the pages in my swatch book. “You and me both, sister. Okay, I was thinking this one for the wall opposite the cabinets.”
For the next hour, Simone and I finalize the plans for her remodel, and I carry an armload of sample books and tiles out to my SUV.
“Thank you!” Simone calls out from her porch. “I don’t know what I’d do without you.”
“You’re more than welcome. I’ll be in touch!”
Simone waves, already tapping on her phone as she walks back inside.
Before I leave, I check my messages.
“Geez, Danny, you’re blowing me up,” I mutter as I shoot him a brief text, letting him know I’ll be in the office late this afternoon, then pull away from the curb to head to my next appointment.
I’ve been an interior designer in Seattle for almost five years, and I’m completely in love with my job. Seeing clients like Simone light up with excitement over their project, whether it’s redecorating one room or building a new house, is the best feeling in the world.
Not all my clients are as easygoing and excited as Simone, though. Some are like my next client, who doesn’t want to participate in the design at all and is very hard to read. I’ve talked with her assistant more than I’ve spoken with her. But the end result is always worth the hassle of the few grouchy and difficult clients I have.
Several hours and two appointments later, I walk through the showroom of Emerald Interiors and smile at customers and colleagues as I make my way back to my office.
I’ve just set my Starbucks cup on my desk and fired up my laptop when Danny comes rushing into my office. He closes the door behind him and holds his phone in the air, his future husband staring at me through the screen.
“Uh, hello there,” I say with a frown. “What’s up, guys?”
“Only a major catastrophe,” Danny says and sits on the edge of the yellow chair across from me. “You remember last month when we went to Vegas for my bachelorette party?”
“Well, I remember most of it,” I reply with a laugh, but my smile falls away when neither Danny nor Brandon laughs with me. “Yes, I remember the trip.”
“And do you further remember when we thought it would be absolutely hilarious to go have Elvis marry us, just for fun?”
An image of Danny with a short, white veil pinned to his blond hair and me stealing his Bride-to-Be sash and looping it over my head flashes through my mind.
“Oh, yeah. That was hilarious. He even sang Love Me Tender.” I laugh at the fun memory. “Man, we were so drunk.”
“Yeah, well, we actually got married,” Danny says.
“I’m sorry, what?”
“We went to get our marriage license,” Brandon adds, speaking for the first time—and he doesn’t sound pleased at all. “And we can’t get it because Danny’s already married.”
“To you,” Danny adds helpfully.
“No way.” I shake my head and lean back in my chair, crossing my legs. “It didn’t even look like a real chapel. I mean, Elvis can’t marry people, Dan.”
“You have got to be kidding me,” Brandon mutters, pulling his hand down his face.
“You’re an attorney,” I remind Brandon. “So, give us a quickie divorce or an annulment or whatever, and we’ll get on with our lives.”
“I always did want to be a divorcée,” Danny says and waggles his eyebrows. “But not from B, of course.”
“Well, then you’re welcome.” I smile at him, but Brandon isn’t laughing.
“I can’t be the attorney on record for this,” he says. “It’s a conflict of interest. But here’s what you’re going to do. You’re going to come to my offices tomorrow at ten in the morning and meet with my partner, Gray. He will handle this mess. And, hopefully, it won’t dick with our wedding date.”
“We’re moving forward with the wedding no matter what,” Danny informs him. “If we have to take care of legal stuff later, so be it, but the
wedding for friends and family is happening.”
Brandon sighs, and I feel bad.
“Listen, B, I’m sorry. We didn’t mean for this to happen.”
“I know. But it just reinforces that you two are never allowed to go to Vegas together again. Ever.”
“It wasn’t just the two of us there,” I point out, but when his eyes flash through the phone, I zip my lips. “We’ll figure this out, and everything will be okay. I’ll change some things in my schedule so I can go see Ray tomorrow.”
“His name is Gray,” Brandon corrects me. “Grayson Sterling. And don’t be late, okay? Danny, I’ll see you at home.”
“Okay. I love you,” Danny says, turning the camera back to his face. “I’ll make this all up to you, I promise.”
Danny makes kissy faces at the phone, and when Brandon clicks off, my friend blows out a breath and slumps back in the chair.
“Well, shit,” he says. “Honey, I can’t make it at ten tomorrow.”
“But—”
“I need you to go, and I’ll swing through and sign the papers later in the day.”
“You’re ditching me on our divorce?” I demand and glare at him. “Did our marriage mean so little to you?”
Danny snorts out a laugh. “B’s pissed.”
“I don’t blame him. You married someone else. A woman.”
He shivers at the thought, which makes me laugh again.
“Don’t worry, I’ll go meet with this old attorney dude, and we’ll get it all worked out. I’m sorry. I should have known better. Of course, Vegas weddings are real. But we were so drunk that I wasn’t thinking straight.”
“Honey, I never think straight.”
I cough over the sip of coffee I just took, and Danny rushes around my desk to pat me on the back.
“I’ll divorce you. You don’t have to kill me.”
“Oh, a widower,” he says with too much delight. “That trumps divorcée.”
“You’re so dramatic.”
“Which is why I’m so damn good at my job, and you love me so much.” He winks at me. “Hey, why do you think Gray’s an old guy?”
“With a name like Grayson Sterling? That has old attorney written all over it.”
“Whatever you say,” he replies and stands to leave my office. “Thanks, babe. See ya.”
He waves and leaves my office, seemingly without a care in the world.
That’s what I love about Danny. He may be a tad dramatic, but he’s fun, and he lets so much roll off his back. Brandon is much more serious. The two of them balance each other out perfectly.
I feel bad that we might have done something to mess up their wedding.
After making some calls and juggling tomorrow’s schedule, I lock up my office and leave for the day. I’m meeting with my cousins for dinner at one of our favorite restaurants.
The Celtic Swell is an Irish pub not too far from where I live on Alki Beach on the west side of Seattle. The drive there from downtown Seattle can be tricky in traffic, but I know all the tips and tricks of driving the backroads and arrive just five minutes late.
Olivia and Lucy are already sitting at a high table with three pints of beer.
“Hey,” I say as I lean over to kiss Liv and then Lucy on the cheek before climbing onto the tall stool.
“You’re only five minutes late,” Liv says in surprise. “That’s practically early for you.”
My family always gives me shit for being late. But I’m hardly ever more than a couple of minutes late.
“Yeah, yeah. Sorry. Today has been…eventful.”
“What’s going on?” Lucy asks and sips her beer. The server delivers some nachos to the table, and my empty stomach growls gratefully. “Everything okay?”
“I think it will be.” I tell them what happened with Danny, and their jaws drop.
“Holy shit, Stel, you’re married?” Liv whispers.
“It’s a technicality,” I reply, waving her off. “And we’ll get it sorted out. I just feel bad that this put a wrench in their planning, you know?”
“Homewrecker,” Lucy says playfully. “Oh, man, if this was going to happen to anyone, it would be you. Because you’re fun like that.”
“No more drinking and making bad choices for me,” I insist and pop a chip loaded with cheese and sour cream into my mouth. “I’ll go see the lawyer tomorrow morning and get it all squared away.”
“That is an interesting day,” Olivia agrees.
“What about you guys?” I ask. “Liv, how’s Vaughn?”
Liv’s face softens at the mention of her fiancé, the super sexy and super famous Vaughn Barrymore.
“He’s great. He left this morning for a couple of weeks of filming in Vancouver.”
“Oh, that’s close,” Lucy says. “You can go visit.”
“That’s the plan. I’ll be here during the workweek and then drive up there on the weekends. It’ll be fine.”
“What kind of movie is he working on?” I ask and sip my beer. This is the best way to unwind after a long workday. The three of us—and sometimes some of the other cousins—meet up on Wednesdays to help break up the workweek.
I look forward to it, almost more than Fridays.
Especially since I’m a workaholic and work most weekends anyway.
“They’re filming the movie I was doing the costumes for when we met,” Liv replies and tells us about Vaughn’s role.
“And what about wedding news?” Lucy asks her. “Have you set a date? Started planning anything yet?”
“No.” Liv shakes her head. “It’ll probably happen next year, but we’re still getting settled in his house and figuring each other out.”
“That’s a good idea,” I agree. “You’re still learning each other. There’s no rush to get married.”
Liv cocks an eyebrow. “Are you speaking from experience?”
“Haha, smartass. Lucy, what’s new with you? We’ve monopolized the conversation.”
“Your lives are way more interesting than mine,” Lucy replies. “I do get to go out to Uncle Dominic’s vineyard this weekend to meet with Alecia. You know she stepped away from all the wedding and event planning stuff to manage the vineyard and raise Emma.”
“God, I love it out there,” I say with a happy sigh. “It’s just so pretty, you know?”
“Gorgeous,” Liv agrees. “We should do a party out there sometime. Just a big family thing.”
“Well, hold on to that thought,” Lucy says, pointing at Liv with a corn chip. “Because I think I’m going to be the new event coordinator at Cuppa de Vita.”
“What?” Liv and I say together.
“Oh my God, that’s awesome, Luce.” I lean over to high-five my cousin. “I didn’t know that was something you wanted to do.”
“I didn’t either,” she admits. “But I have a bachelor’s degree in business and hospitality, and I want to use it. I love weddings, and Alecia mentioned a while ago that they were looking for someone new out there. So, we started talking about it, and, well, I guess the rest is history. I haven’t been
offered the position yet, but I’m excited to go talk to her about it. And any excuse to spend some time at the vineyard is time well spent.”
“Well, now I know who to call when shit starts to get real,” Liv says with an excited smile. “I’ll need all the help I can get, and I was already thinking about getting married at Dom and Alecia’s vineyard. It’s the perfect spot.”
“Cheers to all of this happiness,” I say and hold my glass up to theirs. “This is some of the best news ever.”
“I’ll keep you posted,” Lucy says as she clinks her glass to ours. “How are things going at the house now that Liv moved out and Haley moved in?”
“Pretty good,” I reply with a nod. “We’re going to host a cousins’ night soon. Did you guys know that Uncle Will and Uncle Matt are buying the house next door so they can open up the fence and we can have a sort of cousins compound?”
“I thought I heard something about that,” Liv says. “I think it would be cool. So many of the cousins are getting out of college and don’t want to live at home anymore.”
“Plus, this way, the ‘rents can make sure the security is state of the art and we’re all in one safe place. Isn’t it really just a control thing for them?”
“I don’t think so.” I finish off my beer, thinking it over. “I think it’s a convenience thing. And given who some of our parents are, it’s a safety issue. Uncle Will and Uncle Luke, in particular, are big on that. And Uncle Matt is a freaking cop, so it makes sense.”
“The cousins’ parties will be easier, and we won’t need a designated driver,” Lucy says. “Maybe I can get in on that and live in the new house.”
“But if you’re working at the vineyard, that’s a really long commute every day,” Liv reminds her.
“True. I think I’ll have to get a place closer to Cuppa di Vita.” Lucy shrugs. “I’ll figure it out.”
“What time do you meet with the lawyer tomorrow?” Liv asks me.
“Ten.” I wrinkle my nose. “I have to go visit the old guy right in the middle of my morning. But I’ll make it work.”
“Maybe don’t be late?” Lucy suggests.
“I’M NOT GOING to be late,” I promise myself as I hurry away from my parked SUV and rush down the sidewalk toward Brandon’s offices. I had to park a block away because snatching a space in downtown Seattle is almost impossible, and it was too far to walk from my office.
Just a little winded, I hurry through the heavy glass doors and search the sign by the elevator for the right suite, then hit the up button.
“Of course, they’re on the thirtieth floor,” I mutter as the doors close, and the elevator begins its climb. “Gives me farther to go.”
I tap my shiny red Jimmy Choo and watch the numbers above the door.
When I reach the right floor, I hurry out and to the office door.
I paste a professional smile on my face and walk inside.
A woman with stark gray, shoulder-length hair looks up from her computer and purses her lips as she takes me in from head to toe.
“May I help you?”
“I’m Stella McKenna. I have an appointment with Gray.”
She narrows her brown eyes. “Mr. Sterling will be with you in a moment. You may sit there.”
She points to a black leather chair. I wonder what she would do if I sat in a different chair.
She reminds me of a moody schoolmarm, and I’m the bad kid who has to meet with the principal.
She speaks quietly into her phone, and I sit, cross my legs with my handbag on my lap, and check my watch.
I walked in that door at ten on the dot.
I’m not late.
Ten minutes later, when I’m starting to get heated and ask if Mr. Sterling plans to waste any more of my time, a dark wooden door opens, and a brunette on stilettos motions for me.
“Mr. Sterling is ready for you, Miss McKenna.”
Boy, Brandon’s office is stuffy. Which is surprising since Brandon himself is not stuffy in the least.
“Thank you.” I stand and follow the other woman down a hallway lined with offices. When we reach the end of the corridor, she opens a door and pokes her head in.
“Mr. Sterling, Miss McKenna.”
“Thank you.”
I can’t see him. I can only hear his voice. Two words.
Yet my stomach clenches.
Jesus, who in the world has a voice like that?
The brunette nods to me, and I step across the threshold, my eyes landing on Grayson Sterling.
He’s standing with his back to me, looking out at the city through his windows. He has his hands in the pockets of his trousers and wears a matching suit jacket.
Every hair on my body stands on end with awareness.
The brunette closes the door behind me, and Gray finally turns to me.
This isn’t an old man.
He’s tall with shaggy, dark blond hair and piercing blue eyes. He looks like he belongs in a Viking movie more than in a suit and tie, though the tie is the same color as his eyes, and I can’t help but imagine him doing things to me with it.
Things I have no business imagining.
“I’m Stella McKenna,” I say with more bravado than I feel as I step to his desk and extend my hand to shake his.
He pauses, holding my gaze. Just as I’m about to pull my hand away, he steps forward and folds his around mine.
I can’t help but gasp.
His eyes narrow.
The electricity that moves up my arm and down my spine is undeniable. “Gray Sterling.”
Stella’s blue gaze doesn’t leave mine as she takes the seat across from me and sets her bag on the floor.
She’s not nervous at all, which I find almost as sexy as her plump, pink lips.
“Did Brandon explain what happened?” she asks, tilting her head to the side with the question.
“He did, but I’d like to hear your side of the story.”
More than anything, I want to hear more of her smoky voice. Stella proceeds to explain what happened in Vegas last month, and I can’t help the smile that comes as she finishes with how Danny barged into her office yesterday to explain that the whim wedding was, in fact, real.
“I know it sounds ridiculous,” she says with no remorse in her voice. “I’m smart enough to know that it would be real. But in the moment, drunk and silly, it seemed like the funniest thing ever. And now, it’s an annoyance.”
She doesn’t blush or look down with shame.
I fucking love the confidence Stella McKenna carries.
“I’m not a family law attorney, but this is a simple matter,” I inform her. “We can get an annulment quickly.”
“Good. I hate that something so silly might have hurt Danny and Brandon’s wedding. They’re the best, and I can’t wait to watch them get married.”
I nod slowly. “Brandon is one of my good friends. I’ve drawn up papers to file with the court. I just need your signature where the tabs are.”
I slide the papers over to her and watch as she scrawls her signature on the appropriate lines.
“Danny said he’d stop by today, as well,” she informs me.
“Great. Now, that was easy.” I take the forms from her and raise an eyebrow. “You’ll go to dinner with me.”
Her stunning blue eyes don’t even flicker at the abrupt change in subject. Instead, she fucking smirks.
“Oh, yeah, I will.” She reaches into her purse and pulls out a business card, sliding it over to me. “My cell is on there. You can call or text whenever you’d like.”
“Tonight,” I reply. “You’ll have dinner with me tonight.”
She raises a perfectly arched eyebrow. “Luckily for you, I happen to be free this evening. You can pick me up at seven.”
She pulls the business card back, writes her address on it, and then stands when I do.
“We appreciate your help on this matter, Mr. Sterling.”
“Gray,” I reply immediately and walk around the desk to join her. “I’m Gray.”
Her eyes flick down to my lips and then up again.
“Do you have tattoos under your suit jacket?” she asks.
“Maybe.”
She steps back and eye-fucks me, her gaze eating me alive as she loops her purse over her shoulder.
“I bet you do,” she says before heading for the door. With her hand on the knob, she turns back to me with a smile. “I like a man with tattoos.”
She winks, and then she’s gone, leaving the door open so I get a view of her fine ass encased in a tight pencil skirt as she heads down the hall and through the door to the waiting area.
I immediately walk two doors down to Brandon’s office, knock on the door, and walk inside.
“Stella just left,” I inform him as he glances up from his laptop.
“How did it go?”
“You know it’ll be easy. She told me the story and signed the papers. As soon as Danny signs, we’ll file. Your wedding won’t be affected by this.”
“Good.” He sighs and sits back in his chair, pushing his hands through his hair. “What a pain in the ass.”
“You didn’t warn me about Stella.”
Brandon raises an eyebrow. “About her sass? Yeah, the woman is outspoken, but she’s a good friend, and Danny adores her.”
“No, about how fucking beautiful she is.”
Brandon’s eyes narrow. “Oh, that.”
“Yeah, that.”
“I guess it didn’t occur to me.”
“Right. Anyway, I’m taking care of the situation.”
“And of her?” he counters.
“I’m going to see her later tonight.”
“You work fast.”
I just shake my head and cross to the door. “Not usually, no. But I want to see more of her.”
“Keep me posted,” is all he says as I walk out of his office and return to mine.
I have plenty to do and no time to think about a stunning blonde.
But something tells me that’s exactly how I’ll spend the rest of my day.
CARRYING THE GROCERY BAGS, I bypass the door to my condo and knock on the next one.
“Come in,” Betty calls, expecting me.
“They didn’t have self-rising flour,” I inform her as I walk inside and set the bags on the kitchen island. “I don’t know if there’s some kind of baking shortage happening, but there wasn’t a bag to be found.”
“That’s okay,” the older woman says with a wave. “I can make it work. What do I owe you for these? And if you know what’s good for you, you won’t say ‘nothing.’”
I smile down at her. She’s like a mother to me, having lived next door since the day I moved in six years ago. Betty’s funny and always dressed in a sweatsuit. Today’s is lime-green. Her gray hair is short and curly, and she needs glasses but refuses to wear them.
She swears she’s correcting her vision.
“Twenty bucks,” I reply. The groceries were actually closer to fifty, but I hate taking her money. She knows I undercharge her, but this is the system that works for us.
“I’ll give you twenty-five,” she says and slips the cash into my coat pocket as I set a jar of Nutella in her cabinet.
“Hey, Grams,” Willie, her sixteen-year-old grandson says as he cheerfully walks through the front door. “Oh, hey, Gray. Is it grocery day?”
“No, I just needed a couple of things, and Gray was going to the store anyway.”
“Cool, you got my favorite Pop-tarts,” Willie says with a smile. “Thanks.”
“You’re welcome. Don’t eat them all at once, okay?”
“I mean, I could eat them for dinner.”
“I’m making ravioli and meatballs,” Betty informs him. “Not Pop-tarts. You should stay for dinner, Gray.”
“As much as I love your ravioli, I have to pass tonight. I have a date.”
The room goes quiet as I stow some cheese in the fridge. When I turn around, both Willie and Betty are staring at me.
“What?”
“You have a date?” Willie asks.
“I do go on dates, you know. I just don’t always tell you about them.”
“Well, bring her for dinner,” Betty gushes. “We want to meet her. I have plenty to make enough for one more, and I have a brand-new blue sweatsuit that brings out the color of my eyes.”
“Thank you, but no. It’s a first date. Let’s not get ahead of ourselves.”
“Is she pretty?” Betty asks.
“Yeah. Yeah, she’s pretty.”
She’s the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen in my damn life.
“Then you’ll come for breakfast tomorrow and tell us all about it,” Betty says.
“I have court first thing,” I inform her with a wink. “Don’t you have more exciting things to gossip about?”
“Wilma Fitzpatrick was just telling me this morning that Mr. Breck from the seventh floor once served time in the pen,” Betty replies. “For arson.”
“He set a campfire in the wrong place,” I inform her with a roll of my eyes. “He didn’t realize what he was doing and spent six days in the county jail. He’s not exactly a felon.”
“Still,” Betty says with a sniff.
“How was school today?” I ask Willie, who’s currently eating his second sleeve of Pop-tarts.
“You know,” he says with a shrug. “School always sucks.”
“How did you do on your math test?”
“Aced it,” he replies with a smug smile.
“And the science quiz?”
The smile falls.
“You know I hate science.”
“Willie, we studied for that damn quiz.”
He shoves the rest of the Pop-tart into his mouth and shrugs. “Ms. Bumble hates me.”
“She’d like you better if you tried harder,” I inform him. “Okay, I have to go. I’ll see you both later.”
“Have fun,” Betty says as I hurry into the hall. I push through my front door and sigh.
My floor plan is the same as Betty’s with the same crazy view of the city, the Space Needle, and the water.
But that’s where the similarities end.
Where Betty’s is bright and colorful, mine is neutral with a simple color palette and modern furniture.
I’m hardly here, but I like my place. I like the view. The building is quiet.
And I love Betty and Willie.
My housekeeper was here today, so the smell of cleaner hangs heavily in the air. I cross to the sliding glass doors that lead to a nice-sized veranda and open them wide to let in the fresh air. It’s mid-October and smells like fall.
For once, it’s not raining. That’s a miracle this time of year, so I leave the door open as I walk through to the main bedroom, strip out of my suit, and cross to the bathroom to take a quick shower.
By the time I’ve changed into jeans and a blue Henley, the condo has cooled considerably, so I close the door and turn on the gas fireplace.
I check the time as I slide my feet into a pair of Jordans and reach for my black leather jacket.
I’m right on schedule.
Due to some construction and a little traffic, the drive from my building to the house near Alki Beach takes about thirty minutes. I double-check the
address Stella gave me, and when I confirm that I’m in the right place, I admire the house before me.
It’s not new by any means, but it’s been well maintained, and given the neighborhood and area, the property is definitely in a desirable location.
I walk up to the door and ring the bell. When the door opens, a young brunette in short denim shorts and a pink crop top takes me in, grinning slowly. She leans on the doorjamb and crosses her arms over her chest.
“Well, hello. I ordered dinner, but I wasn’t expecting something as delicious as you to show up. Lucky me.”
“Does Stella live here?” I ask her.
“Is that him?” I hear Stella call out from inside the house. “I’m just grabbing my shoes.”
The woman leering at me smiles again. “She’s grabbing her shoes.”
“I heard. I’m Gray.”
“Haley,” she says and offers her hand for me to shake. “Stella’s cousin. We’re roommates.”
“I see.”
She laughs, her green eyes full of humor. “No, you don’t know the half of it. Stella said you were hot. She wasn’t wrong.”
Her eyes flit down to the ink on my forearm and then back up at me with that humor still in them.
“Yeah, she definitely wasn’t wrong. Stel! You comin’?”
“Coming,” Stella says, slightly out of breath. When she rounds the corner, just the sight of her has me out of breath. “Sorry, I had a shoe snafu.”
“I’m in no hurry,” I reply as Stella stumbles to the door, hopping on one foot while zipping up the boot on the other. “Take your time.”
“There’s my food,” Haley says as she hurries around Stella and me and heads down the sidewalk to intercept the delivery guy.
“She’s hungry,” Stella informs me. “Haley’s a runner, and she hasn’t eaten since her afternoon run.”
“Starving,” Haley agrees. “Have fun, you two. I’m gonna go devour this food.”
Haley closes the door behind her, and with her boots zipped, Stella lets out a sigh.
“Okay, I think I’m ready.”
“I really didn’t mean to rush you.”
“Oh, you didn’t. A heel broke on a pair of shoes. I had to shed a few tears.”
“Over shoes?”
She stops cold on the sidewalk and stares at me.
“They were Gucci,” she says as if that explains everything.
“Well, then, we should have a memorial service.”
I continue to the car and open the door for her.
“No way. I’ll have them brought back to life. I have a cobbler.”
I shut her door and walk around to the driver’s side. Once I’m in, I turn to her. She’s a damn beautiful woman.
“You have a cobbler.”
“Sure. Those shoes were expensive. I’m not going to just toss them out. We’ve been going to the same guy for years for this kind of stuff.”
“And by we you mean…”
“My mom, my aunts, and my cousins. We’re all a bunch of shoe people. What about you? Do you like shoes?”
“I wear them every day,” I confirm and pull away from the curb.
Stella leans over to look at my feet and then nods in satisfaction. “You’re wearing retro Jordan 1s. You’re a shoe guy.”
“So, you know luxury brands and sneakers?”
“Half my cousins are boys,” she says. “And my uncle had his own shoe line for a while.”
“Who’s your uncle?”
“Will Montgomery,” she says with a shrug. “Don’t tell him, but I prefer the Jordans.”
“You’re a fascinating woman, Stella.”
Her face brightens as she turns to me in her seat. “That’s the best compliment anyone’s ever given me.”
I want to take her home—to my bed. I want to fuck her, explore her, learn more about her.
Alone.
She’s wearing black leather pants with a wide leg, and a white blouse. The boots are red. Her bag is red.
And those plump lips that I’ve been thinking about all damn day are also red.
I’ve wanted women before. Hell, with thirty-four years on this Earth, I’ve wanted plenty of women.
But no one has managed to turn me inside out so quickly. It’s not just her killer body and that shapely mouth.
It’s her confidence. Her directness.
I just met her this morning, and I can’t get enough of her.
“What’s for dinner?” she asks.
“Do you like pizza?”
“Sure, I like a good pie. You surprise me.”
“Why?”
“You struck me as the steak type. Maybe seafood.”
“If you’d rather that, we can do a seafood place.”
“No, pizza’s always good. I’m just surprised, that’s all. How long have you lived in Seattle?”
“Ten years. You?”
“I was born here,” she says with a grin. “I went to college, and then came back. I love it here. Where are you from?”
“Northern Idaho,” I reply.
“Oh, Coeur d'Alene is gorgeous.”
“That’s my hometown.” And she’s right, it is beautiful there. I should go home and see my family. “I have family there, but I wanted to practice law in the city. I like Seattle, and I’m close enough to home that I can get there quickly if I need to.”
“That makes sense.”
I pull into the lot of my favorite pizza joint and put the car in park. Before I can move to get out, Stella reaches over to drag her fingertips over my arm.
“I knew you had ink,” she says quietly. “And just so you know, I’m not sleeping with you on the first date.”
“Is that a challenge?”
She laughs a little and then shakes her head. “No, it’s the facts. Come on, let’s go get some pizza.”
Everyone seems to know him in this place. From the hostess to the waitstaff, Gray is the freaking center of attention.
It’s actually really fascinating.
“Do you own this place?” I ask him after we’re seated and he’s managed to wave or say hello to just about everyone. It’s kind of cute. “No.”
“Come here often, then?”
He doesn’t even have to look at the menu. He sips his water and watches me over the rim of the tall, clear glass.
“What tipped you off?”
I smirk and set the menu aside, and then laugh outright when yet another waitress waves at Gray from across the packed room.
“Okay, I need to know what the story is here. Do you moonlight as a pizza delivery guy?”
“No,” he says again and laughs with me this time. Gray leans his elbows on the table and smiles at me. “I might come in here about once a week or so. Sometimes more if I work late nights and don’t have time to cook or go to Betty’s for dinner.”
I raise a brow. “Who’s Betty?”
“My neighbor,” he says as our waiter approaches to take our order. “I’ll have my usual.”
“What’s that?” I ask him.
“Large pepperoni on the thick crust.”
“I’ll have that, too,” I inform the waiter.
Gray’s eyebrows wing up in a ridiculously sexy way.
“We could probably just add some garlic bread and salad and split one pizza,” he suggests.
“Okay, I’m good with that,” I say with a nod, and the waiter leaves to put in our order. “So, tell me about Betty.”
“Maybe she’s the femme fatale that lives next to me, and I sleep with her whenever it’s convenient for both of us.”
I watch him as I sip the beer the server just delivered. Gray’s sticking with water, and given that he’s driving, that’s a point in his favor.
“If she’s a femme fatale, I definitely want to know more.”
But I don’t want to think about him sleeping with someone else. I know it sounds stupid given I barely know him—and I certainly haven’t slept with him—but…no.
Gray just chuckles and shakes his head, making his blond hair fall over his forehead.
I instinctively reach over and brush back a lock. Before I can pull away, Gray grips my wrist, and with his intense blue eyes on mine, kisses the palm of my hand.
And, just like that, all my lady bits are on fire.
“If you’re fucking your neighbor, you’re going to want to stop doing that.” My voice sounds way firmer than I feel, which is a relief.
When Gray’s eyes narrow, and his grip doesn’t ease, I simply lift an eyebrow.
He kisses my knuckles and then sets my hand on the table just as our salads arrive.
“Betty is my neighbor,” he begins, his voice light as if that little exchange didn’t happen. “She’s about seventy and one of my best friends. She’s raising her grandson, Willie, and I help him with his homework a couple of times a week.”
I blink rapidly. This is not what I expected to hear.
“What happened to Willie’s parents?”
“From what I gather, the father was never in the picture. And the mom?” He shrugs and pops a cherry tomato into his mouth. “Unreliable. In and out of jail. Not a good role model for a kid.”
“Well, I’m glad he has his grandma, then.”
“Yeah, Betty’s great. I got her along with the condo, and I think it was a pretty good deal.”
This man is full of surprises. In the suit and tie with the cold look on his face, he seemed so…formal today in his office.
But this man is laid-back, quick to smile, and so freaking attractive I can’t look away from him. And it’s not just the way he looks in that sexy Henley and jeans. It’s his whole demeanor. His wit. That crooked smile.
And he helps a teenager with his homework.
Why is that so damn hot? I’m going to have to ask Liv about this over martinis.
“So, you live with your cousin?” he asks.
“Three of them,” I confirm. “Haley just moved in because Olivia moved out of our house and into her fiancé’s place. Which I, of course, understand. But, damn, I miss her. Liv and I are best friends. Our moms have been best friends forever, and we’re related in a weird, convoluted way that would require graphs and a PowerPoint presentation.”
Gray’s mouth twitches. “Maybe a spreadsheet?”
“Spreadsheets should definitely be involved when it comes to my family. Let’s just say I have about a dozen aunts and uncles and more cousins than that. Most of us are in the Seattle area, so we’re very close.
Liv’s parents own the house I live in, and it’s kind of been a sanctuary for our family over the years. If someone needs a place to flop or hide, or somewhere to gather themselves before moving on to the next, that’s the house they use. And now that all the cousins are growing up, we’re using it.”
I take a sip and then keep going.
“You met Haley. She’s Olivia’s younger sister. Drew and Erin also live there. And my uncles just bought the house next door. They’re going to do some renovations and open the fence that separates the two properties. Then there will be space for even more cousins.”
“A compound,” Gray says in surprise.
“Sort of, yeah. All the dads are always hyperaware of the security situation. It comes with being in a family with celebrities. I think having most of us in one place is comforting to them.”
“I get that,” Gray replies. “And I think it’s an excellent idea. The PowerPoint demonstration is also a good idea because I’m already a little lost.”
“I haven’t even scratched the surface,” I say with a laugh and then ogle the huge pizza the server sets in front of us.
It’s not just a large. It should be labeled gargantuan.
“So, where’s your pizza?” I ask Gray with a grin.
“You think you can eat this whole thing?” he asks.
“Oh, I know I can. But I’ll be a lady and share.”
I take a slice and dust a nice, thick layer of parmesan on top before biting in and wiping my mouth with a napkin.
“Damn, that’s good,” I say as I chew.
“There’s a reason I come here as often as I do,” he reminds me. “So, your family is the size of Texas.”
“Mm, I’d say about the size of Colorado.” I laugh and snag another slice. “Now, tell me more about your family.”
“Not as big as yours,” he says and sips his water. “More about the size of…Connecticut. My parents are still married, retired, and live in the same house that I grew up in, right on Lake Coeur d'Alene.”
“I bet they’re happy they bought it when they did,” I say as I twist a long string of cheese around my finger and then pop it into my mouth. “Real estate has gone bonkers over there.”
“It was definitely a very sound investment,” he agrees. “I have two younger siblings, both sisters. Both a pain in my ass.”
I smirk, and Gray just nods solemnly.
“Do you have any siblings?”
“No, I’m an only child. But, like I said, I have a million cousins that I grew up with.”
“It’s not the same,” Gray says firmly. “They didn’t live with you. They didn’t borrow all your shit or taunt you mercilessly.”
I laugh and reach for a third slice of pizza. “True. There is torment, but I was always able to go home and escape them. But you love your sisters. I can tell.”
“Not true.”
Still, his lips twitch, and I laugh out loud.
“Do you have cousins?”
“A few, but they’re scattered all over the place. It’s mostly just the five of us.” He drops his crust onto his plate and reaches for another slice. I stare at him in horror. “What?”
“That’s the best part. You don’t just cast the crust aside.”
He lifts his plate and offers it to me. “You can have it.”
I snatch it up, dip it in my ranch, and then take a bite.
“You aren’t shy about eating,” Gray observes.
“Nope.” I take another bite. “If you’re looking for someone who only orders salad and eats delicately, I’m not your girl.”
“That’s definitely not what I’m after,” he says. “For such a little thing, you can pack the food away. Where do you put it?”
“I still have room in my left leg,” I inform him and watch as his face splits into a big grin. “You’re an attorney. Answer a question for me.”
“Okay.”
“Isn’t there some kind of law or rule or statute that says a man shouldn’t be as insanely handsome as you are?”
His eyebrows wing up in surprise. “Excuse me?”
“You heard me.”
“I don’t believe there are any laws out there regarding attractiveness.”
“Huh.” I push my plate away, finally completely full. “I think there should be. Or, at the very least, there should be a warning label or something.”
Gray laughs again, and the sound tickles my skin.
“I don’t see any tattoos,” Gray says, suddenly changing the subject.
“Excuse me?”
“This afternoon, you made a point of saying that you’re attracted to tattoos. But I don’t see any on you.”
“Maybe they’re hidden.”
He narrows his eyes.
“Okay, I don’t have any. I used to want some, but my tastes have changed, and then I just got busy and forgot about it. But I like them on other people. A lot. When I was a kid, I loved to sit on my dad’s lap and trace the ink on his arm. He has a sleeve.”
“So, you like tats because of your dad?”
“Maybe. But don’t worry, I don’t have daddy issues or anything. My dad’s the best. He’s strict and serious a lot of the time, and some people think he’s scary, but he’s the best.”
“And your mom?”
I smile as I think about my mother. “All of us cousins refer to our moms as the old ladies. But, honestly, they’re all so freaking gorgeous. And funny. My mom is a force, too. Smart as hell. And my dad worships the ground she walks on. Sometimes, it’s a little disgusting.”
We box our leftovers, and Gray pays the bill. Before long, we’re back in his car.
“Holy shit,” I say when I check the time. “Gray, we were in there for three hours.”
“We had a lot to say,” he replies as he pulls out of the parking lot and points the car toward my house. It’s dark out, and it feels like he and I are the only two people in the world as we drive through west Seattle toward my house.
When he pulls into the driveway behind Drew’s Jeep, I sigh.
“Okay, so…I don’t want this to sound wrong.”
“Tell me.” We’re both staring straight ahead. Not touching. Barely breathing.
“I’m not ready to go home.”
“Oh, we’re not.” He turns to me and grins. “Can I interest you in a walk?”
I take in that face illuminated by the reflection of the headlights and smile. “That would be nice.”
“Excellent.”
He surprises me when he grabs the bag full of our leftovers and takes my hand as we set off toward the Alki waterfront to walk down the sidewalk that spans about four miles. Because it’s dark, we can’t really make out the dark water, but several ships are lit up, making their way back and forth between the islands in the Sound.
For the next few hours, we walk and talk and laugh. He holds my hand.
And when we sit on a bench and share the leftover pizza, we’re quiet and just take in the beauty around us.
“Why is it that I feel like I’ve always known you?” I ask as I brush off my fingers. “I know that might sound stupid—”
“It doesn’t,” he says immediately and takes my hand as the sky begins to lighten above us. “I’d say it’s recognition.”
“Yes, that’s exactly what it is. It’s just…easy. And I’m usually pretty damn leery of anything easy.”
Gray grins over at me and then reaches out to brush a strand of hair behind my ear. Although he’s held my hand and been close, he hasn’t really touched me.
His fingers leave a sizzling heat on my skin that I’ve never felt before.
“I doubt that whatever this is between us will always be this easy, but you are a breath of fresh air, Stella.”
I watch as the water lightens with the sky.
“It’s almost morning,” I murmur and check the time. “Holy shit, I have to be to work in three hours.”
“I have to be in court in two,” Gray adds. “But I’m not sorry.”
I smile at that and lean over to rest my cheek on his shoulder. “Me, either.”
“I want to see you tonight.”
“Is it Friday?”
“Yes.”
I wrinkle my nose. “I can’t. I have a family thing this evening. But I’m free tomorrow.”
“Tomorrow it is, then. I guess I should walk you home.”
We walk to a garbage can to dispose of the empty food container and then make our way just a block over to my house.
To my surprise, Gray doesn’t stop at his car. Instead, he walks me up the steps to the door.
“Thanks for a fun time,” I say as I punch the code for the door into the digital lock and turn the deadbolt.
When I turn back to him, Gray’s blue eyes are intense. I was expecting a sweet goodbye kiss.
Instead, he moves in until my back is against the door and places his hand around my neck. He’s not pushing, not choking me.
It’s just firm enough to command my attention.
And turn me the fuck on.
Gray leans in and brushes his lips across mine, and I can’t hold in the light gasp. He’s pure sex, complete seduction.
And I’m deliciously under his spell.
I lift my chin, and his gaze drops to my lips before he closes the gap once more. This time, it’s no light brush of lips.
It’s hot and needy, full of lust and greed.
And when he finally pulls back, both of us gasping for air, he nudges my nose with his and sighs.
“You’re so fucking beautiful,” he whispers and lowers his hand from my neck before stepping back. “I’ll be talking to you very soon.”
“I hope so,” I reply and press my fingertips to my lips as he turns and jogs to his car.
“Go inside, Stella, so I can change for court.”
“I’m perfectly safe.”
He turns and raises an eyebrow.
“I’m going.” I blow him a kiss and walk inside, then close the door and watch him through the window.
My eyes widen when he presses his hand to his chest and blows out a breath before sitting in his car and starting the engine.
So, it’s not just me that’s a little overwhelmed by the past twenty-four hours.
Good.
I walk up to my bedroom and close the door. I should take a nice shower and then rest for an hour or so before getting ready to go.
In fact, that’s exactly what I do. The shower does not cool my stirred blood, but it’s refreshing, and when I’m all dry and in bed, naked, I take a long, deep breath as I remember everything that happened throughout the night.
I’ve never had a man take me out, spend the whole night with me, and not expect to fuck. Not even one time in my life.
I know Gray’s attracted to me. That’s obvious.
But he’s also not a horndog. He’s respectful.
My phone pings with a text, and I grin when I see Gray’s name.
Gray: I’m home. I had a great time last night. I hope you’re able to rest before work.
Me: I’m resting now. Thanks again for everything. I enjoyed it. Looking forward to next time.
There’s no response, but I don’t expect one.
I set the phone aside and stare up at my ceiling.
“Holy shit. I think I just met the man I’m supposed to be with.”
“HOLY SHIT, YOU LOOK HORRIBLE, ” Danny says when he walks into my office a few hours later and closes the door behind him.
“Yeah, well, I didn’t sleep last night.”
“Don’t stress about our mess. It’s being handled.”
I smirk at him. “I’m not stressed about that. I had a date.”
Danny’s frown turns into a smug smile. “How scandalous! Tell me everything. Did he have a big, you know?”
“I didn’t sleep with him.”
Danny clutches his imaginary pearls. “What? Who was it?”
He coughs and steals my water bottle to clear his throat.
“You’re kidding,” he croaks out.
“Not even a little bit. You didn’t tell me he was hot as hell.”
“I mean, he’s handsome, but he’s a bit older than you. Maybe more than a bit. He’s in his mid-thirties for Christ’s sake, Stella.”
“Who cares?” I shrug and sip my coffee. I need all the caffeine I can get. “He’s kind and sweet, and we had a great time. We ate a lot of pizza and went for a walk on the waterfront.”
“And didn’t end up doing the nasty?”
I laugh and shake my head at him. “Nope. No sex. I’m pretty sure I’d sleep with him on the second date, though.”
“I hope so. I want to hear all the delicious details.” Danny checks his watch. “Before I skip out of here, how’s the big job going?”
“The one with Florence Paddington?” I ask as I log into my laptop. Danny nods. “I don’t actually speak with Florence much. I speak with her assistant. But the renovations are almost done, and I think it’s beautiful.”
“Well, everyone was clamoring for that job, and I’m still jealous that you got it. Oops, I have a client in five. See you later, beautiful.”
“Have a good day.”
Before I can open my email, there’s a knock on my door, and I look up to find a huge bouquet filling the doorway.
“Uh, hello?”
My assistant, Liz, pokes her head around the blooms and grins. “Delivery.”
“It isn’t even nine in the morning.”
“Someone’s on their toes,” she says as she sets the vase on the corner of my desk. Her pretty brown eyes are full of curiosity. “Read the card.”
“I will, after you leave.”
Her expression falls, and she sticks out her lower lip. “Killjoy.”
When Liz closes my door once more, I pull the card from its holder and sigh.
Best pizza I’ve ever had. XO Holy shit, I’m a goner if this is the norm when it comes to Gray Sterling.
You’ll pay the fine to the clerk on your way out of here,” the judge instructs my client, looking over the frame of her glasses to stare him down. “And I don’t want to see you back in my courtroom. Understood?”
“Yes, Your Honor,” Pete says with a nod. “Thank you.”
“Court adjourned,” she says, hits the gavel on the desk, and then exits the courtroom.
“Thank you,” Pete says to me, shaking my hand. “I didn’t want to go back to jail, man.”
“Then clean your shit up and stop getting into trouble,” I suggest. “For real this time.”
“That’s the plan,” he replies and leaves as I gather my papers and put them into my briefcase before walking to the courtroom door. I don’t usually handle matters like these, but it was a favor for a friend.
“Mr. Sterling?” A young woman approaches me with a big smile. “I have a delivery for you.”
She passes me a white to-go cup of coffee.
“I didn’t order this.”
“No, sir. It’s from Stella McKenna. The note is on the side of the cup. Have a good day.”
She rushes off, and I hold the cup up to read it.
Are you still awake?
With a laugh, I walk to the wall of windows that look out across the city, set the briefcase on the floor next to me, and pull out my phone.
She may be in meetings, so I shoot her a text rather than call her.
Me: Thanks for the shot of caffeine. Still awake over here. You?
I take a sip of the drink and scowl down at it. Jesus, it’s so sweet it’ll put me into sugar shock. But the gesture was sweet, as well, so I just shrug and chance the coma as I take another sip.
I have another case in thirty minutes, so I check my email and drink the coffee. A few moments later, I get a reply from Stella.
Stella: No one could sleep with these gorgeous flowers on their desk. They’re too pretty. Thank you.
The florist worked fast. Excellent.
Me: You’re welcome. Have a good day.
I sip the sugary coffee as the three dots bounce on my screen.
Stella: You too! Talk to you later.
“Why are you all smiles?” Brandon asks as he joins me. “You never smile.”
I drop my phone into my pocket and eye the other man over my cup as I take a sip.
“I smile.”
“Rarely,” he amends. “What’s up?”
“I saw Stella last night.”
“Jesus, you really are moving fast.”
“I like her.”
“Are you taking her to the thing tomorrow night?”
I frown over at him. “What thing?”
Brandon rolls his eyes. “The thing. The celebration party McMasters is throwing.”
“Ah, that thing,” I reply and rub my hand over the back of my neck. “Is that tomorrow?”
“Yep. Bring her. I’ll have Danny with me, and she’ll have fun.”
“Are you insinuating that she wouldn’t have fun if she only knew me?”
“Okay, she’ll have more fun. And so will Danny. He comes with me because I want him to, but he’s usually bored stiff. Can’t really blame him.”
“Actually, it’s not a bad idea. I have to go, but I want to spend time with Stella, so it’ll work.”
“Excellent,” Brandon says and pats my shoulder. “I’m due in court. See you later.”
“Good luck,” I reply with a nod.
Am I ready to introduce Stella to everyone I work with? It seems fast, given that I’ve been on exactly one date with her.
“Fuck it,” I mutter quietly and grab my case, headed for the next courtroom. “I’m not going to overthink it.”
“SO, we’re going to an apple orchard on our second date?” Stella asks and smiles over at me from the passenger seat of my car. “How…cute.”
I smirk and take in her dark denim jeans, pink sweater, and sneakers. “It’s a company party.”
“Wait, what?” She sits up straight and stares at me. “Go back. I have to change. Shit, Gray, I’m dressed too casually.”
“No, you’re perfect,” I assure her and gesture at my jeans. “It’s at an orchard. Heels wouldn’t work where we’re going.”
“I didn’t fuss with my makeup at all. I just did the bare minimum because I thought this would be the laid-back outing you said it would be.”
“It is.” I reach over and take her hand, giving it a squeeze. “People are bringing their dates. It’s a BBQ spread with an open bar and a DJ. It’s not a
fancy affair. McMasters, our president, saves the fancy shit for midDecember when they do the holiday thing.”
“At least I brought my lucky lip gloss,” she mutters and fishes the tube out of her purse, smoothing it on her lips using the mirror on the back of the visor.
“You look fantastic,” I assure her and retake her hand, bringing it to my lips. “You take my breath away.”
I can feel her gaze on me as I merge onto the freeway.
“You’re charming,” she says at last.
“You say that like it’s a bad thing.”
“Not a bad thing, just sometimes difficult to trust. People can be charming and say what a person wants to hear to get their way.”
“That’s called manipulation. There’s nothing charming about that. I’m not a liar, Stella. I won’t say things to get on your good side or for any other reason. If I say something to you, it’s because it’s fact, and that’s how I feel. You’re a beautiful woman. And you do, indeed, take my fucking breath away.”
“Glad we cleared that up,” she says brightly and makes me laugh out loud.
“You are unlike anyone I’ve known before, I’ll tell you that.”
“Good.” She checks herself one last time in the mirror and then sits back to enjoy the ride to the orchard just outside of Seattle. “How often does your company throw these parties?”
“A couple of times a year,” I reply. “Usually, when someone wins a big case and McMasters wants to celebrate.”
“And what case was won?”
I shrug a shoulder and guide my car onto the exit I need. “One I’d been working on with Brandon for about a year.”
“Wait, this party is to celebrate you?” she demands, her sexy voice going a little shrill. “Why didn’t you tell me that?”
“I just did.”
“This is a big deal.”
“It’s just a party,” I reply and turn down the road that leads to the orchard. I park next to a brand-new Mercedes, and when I get out of the car, I walk around to open Stella’s door for her.
She nervously brushes her light blond hair over her shoulder. I just kiss her temple and whisper in her ear.
“You’re amazing. Don’t even worry about this. Easiest party you’ve ever been to.”
She sighs, and with her hand clutched firmly in mine, walks over to where they have the tent set up with tables and chairs under it. People mill about.
“Babe!”
Stella and I turn at the sound of Danny’s voice. He sweeps her up in a big hug.
“I wasn’t expecting to see my wife here,” Danny says with a wink and then tips his head back and laughs. “And those are words I never expected to hear come out of my mouth.”
“Welcome, Stel,” Brandon says and kisses Stella on the cheek. “I’m glad you came.”
“Oh, God. Me, too,” Danny says. “With you here, it won’t be so incredibly boring. Sorry, B, you know I love you more than anything, but I’m only here because I love you to the moon and back.”
“The sacrifice is noted and appreciated,” Brandon replies with a grin. “Let’s go grab a seat, shall we?”
“Oh, crap,” Stella says and immediately reaches for my hand.
“What’s wrong?”
“That woman hates me,” she replies and nods to where Mrs. Hadfield stands speaking with a woman I recognize from accounting.
“Why do you think that?”
Stella shakes her head and blows out a breath. “It doesn’t matter. I just hope I don’t have to talk to her.”
I pull Stella aside and stand directly in front of her, my back to the crowd so she can’t see the others. “What happened?”
“Let’s just say that if that is the face you want greeting everyone when they come into your offices, you’re setting people up to immediately be on edge. She was rude and treated me like I was in high school and got caught giving a blowjob in the bathroom. I’ve never had someone look down their nose so hard.”
I feel my mouth drop. I’m not accustomed to being at a loss for words— in any situation.
Until Stella.
“You’re kidding.”
“I wish I were, but no. Just don’t make me socialize with her, okay?”
“Okay. Take a deep breath. You have nothing at all to worry about. We’re actually a really welcoming office, so I don’t know why she would treat you that way. I wish you’d said something when you came in.”
“Yeah, well, you weren’t much better, if we’re being honest.”
I narrow my eyes on her, and she just shrugs.
“You’re an intense guy, Gray.”
“Why are you two over here alone? Stop hogging the prettiest girl here,” Danny says as he interrupts us.
“We’ll continue this conversation later,” I murmur in Stella’s ear before she clasps arms with Danny, and they walk over to the bar.
I join Brandon at our table and sigh as I take my seat.
“Have you ever heard of Mrs. Hadfield being rude to a client or anyone who comes into the office?” I ask him.
“Not that I recall,” he says with a frown. “Why?”
“Because she was rude to Stella, and I don’t know why.”
Brandon blows out a breath and shakes his head. “I know why.”
I raise a brow. “And?”
“She probably heard why Stella was coming in to see you. You know how protective Mrs. H is of everyone in the office, Gray. She probably thought Stella was a homewrecker, and the home being wrecked was mine.”
“Still, it’s unprofessional. She knows better than that.”
Before Brandon can reply, Danny and Stella return, each holding two drinks.
“We got you started,” Danny says and sets what looks like a gin and tonic in front of Brandon.
“I hope you like dirty martinis,” Stella says and offers me a glass. “That’s what I usually order, so I got you one, as well.”
“How dirty?” I ask her, and Stella’s eyes narrow in mischief. Danny snorts.
“Pretty damn dirty,” she replies and eats the olive out of her glass, making me grin.
God, she’s something else.
Stella’s phone vibrates, and she checks it, then stows it in her purse.
“That was Liv. I’ll text her back later. Did you like the coffee I sent over?” she asks.
“You mean the coffee-flavored sugar?”
Stella’s grin doesn’t falter.
“Is that also your usual drink?”
“Yep. I didn’t know how you took your coffee, so I just sent it the way I’d drink it. Too sweet for you?”
“The gesture? Not at all. The drink? Dear God, how do you not live in a perpetual sugar coma?”
“Look at that banter,” Danny says to Brandon, not even trying to be quiet. “It’s so damn sexy.”
Stella and I laugh, still looking at each other.
“Thank you for the coffee, Stella.”
“Thank you for the flowers, Gray.”
“Flowers and coffee,” Danny says and wipes an imaginary tear from the corner of his eye. “I love having a front-row seat to this little romance.”
“Who said it’s a romance?” Stella demands.
“Who said it isn’t?” I counter.
“Touché,” Stella mutters, making the others chuckle.
“Getting McMasters to do a tequila shot?” I finish for Brandon as we watch Stella and Danny at the bar. “Affirmative.”
“They only do stuff like this when they’re together,” Brandon says, shaking his head slowly from side to side. “It’s like they just feel safe enough to let go a little and have fun when they’re together.”
“Yeah, enough to accidentally get married in Vegas.”
Brandon smiles.
“That didn’t make you mad?”
“Nah. Aside from me, Stella is D’s person. And let me tell you, Danny’s rarely had someone in his life that he trusted wholeheartedly. Now, he has the two of us, and I wouldn’t deny him that for anything. Sure, I was worried that their fun little stunt in Vegas might postpone our wedding, but aside from that, it didn’t bother me.”
“How long have they worked together?” I ask as we watch our dates laugh with McMasters.
I’ve never seen our boss laugh like that.
“They started at the same time,” Brandon replies. “So, going on five years now. They both moved up from apprenticeships to designers with their own teams. They may seem silly in their downtime, but when it comes to work, they’re both dedicated.”
Danny and Stella try to coerce McMasters onto the dance floor, but the older man just shakes his head and puts his hands up in surrender. The two of them go shake their asses without him.
To our surprise, McMasters makes his way to our table.
“I think you two brought the party with you,” he says as he sits in a chair and sighs in relief. “I don’t remember the last time I had a buzz at one of these stuffy functions.”
“I hate to remind you of this, sir, but you are the host of the aforementioned stuffy functions,” Brandon reminds him.
McMasters just laughs. “Not anymore—so long as you bring those two. What a breath of fresh air. Did you get plenty of food?”
Brandon and I simultaneously pat our stomachs, and McMasters laughs again.
“Good. I’d like to give a little speech about you two and the reason we’re here.”
I glance around at everyone laughing, dancing, and having fun and shake my head.
“There’s no need, Bill. Don’t interrupt everyone’s fun. We appreciate the gesture, and the party has been a lot of fun.”
“Agreed,” Brandon says with a nod. “Thanks for doing this. It’s more than enough.”
McMasters raps his knuckles on the table and nods. “All right, then. I’m proud of you both. And I’m damn proud to have you as partners in our firm. There’s no one better, and I’ve been in this business for a long damn time.”
“Don’t look now, B, but Bill’s a little drunk.”
Bill tips his head back and laughs, then stands to leave. “Have a good night, you two.”
“It’s decided,” Danny says, out of breath as he and Stella return to the table and collapse into their seats. “From now on, Stella has to come to work parties.”
“That doesn’t hurt my feelings,” I reply and wink at Stella as she twists her hair onto her head and fans herself with her hand as if she’s too hot. “I hope you’re having a good time.”
“Are you kidding? I just boogied to Lady Gaga and ate my weight in spareribs. This is the best party I’ve been to in a long time.”
“And that’s saying a lot given who her family is,” Danny adds. “Hey, when’s the next cousins’ party?”
“Next weekend,” Stella says after sipping her water. “Saturday night. All of you should come. It’s at my house. You’re welcome anytime. Most people start showing up around six or so, mostly so they can eat all the food.”
“We should go,” Danny says to Brandon, who nods.
“I’m in,” he says.
“What about it?” Stella asks me. “Wanna meet all of my crazy cousins?”
“You do,” Danny says.
“Looks like I do.”
“THAT WAS WAY MORE fun than I expected it to be,” Stella admits as we drive back into the city. “Your coworkers are really nice, and Bill was just the best.”
“You call him Bill?” I ask in surprise.
“Well, yeah. He told me to. Why?”
“I’ve known that man for fifteen years, been his partner for five, and I barely feel comfortable addressing him by his given name.”
“He likes me,” she says with a shrug.
“Yeah, he does. I’m glad you had fun. I did, too.”
“You know, you are welcome to take me back to your place.”
I glance her way and see her smiling at me in the dark.
“You’ve been drinking, and I don’t want to take advantage of you.”
“Psh.” She waves that off. “I’m not drunk, Gray. I’ve had a nice little buzz hanging in there for a bit, but that’s it. I’m certainly not get-marriedin-Vegas drunk.”
“Good to know,” I murmur and feel myself stir at the idea of having this woman in my home. So, I exit and drive through downtown Seattle toward my building.
“Are you taking me to my parents’ place?” Stella demands, looking around. “How did you know where they live?”
“Uh, no.” I turn onto my street. “I have no idea where your parents live.”
“They live here.”
I frown over at her and turn into the underground garage for my building.
“I live in this building.”
“Oh.” She sighs. “Theirs is next door. Same complex, though. What a small world.”
I escort Stella up the elevator and do my best to keep my hands to myself.
One day, I’d like to fuck her in this elevator.
But not today.
“I’m at the end of the hall,” I inform her and take her hand as we walk to my doorway. “This is Betty’s place.”
“Wow, she’s literally next door.”
I nod and unlock my door, then gesture for her to walk in ahead of me.
As I’ve come to learn about Stella, she’s not shy. She immediately goes about looking around my space. She lets her bag fall onto my couch and crosses to the windows.
“We can go out on the veranda if you’d like.”
“No, I’m fine,” she says and then saunters into the kitchen, dragging her hand along the island’s countertop. “I like your kitchen.”
“It doesn’t get much action,” I inform her, and she raises an eyebrow, giving me a knowing grin.
“Maybe that’s about to change.” She makes her way through the whole place. When she finally reaches my bedroom, she turns to me and props her hands on her hips. “Well, now that you have me here, what do you plan to do with me?”
Does he look like he wants to eat me alive, or is that the liquor talking?
“Not the liquor.”
I raise an eyebrow. “Did I say that out loud?”
His lips twitch into a satisfied grin as he slowly stalks toward me, veering away before he gets within arm’s reach.
“Where are you going?” I ask.
Without answering, he pushes a button on a control panel, and the blinds on the big window lower as the lights come on, set on dim.
“Fancy.”
“I don’t know for sure that the neighboring building can see in here, but I’m not willing to risk it.”
“So, not an exhibitionist then?”
“No.” He pulls his shirt out of his jeans and, with his blue eyes locked on mine, tugs it over his head before tossing it into a hamper.
The arm, inside out, hangs over the edge.
“Nice shot.”
“Are you nervous?”
“Psh.” I cross my arms over my chest. “No.”
“You shouldn’t be,” he says, his voice calm and easy. “Nothing’s going to happen here that you aren’t in control of.” He tugs the top button of his jeans free, but I hold up a hand, stopping him.
He raises an eyebrow but drops his hand and stands up straight. I walk to him slowly, biting my bottom lip and letting my gaze rake over him from head to toe.
“There’s no need to rush that,” I inform him, enjoying how the low light plays across his smooth skin. The way it dances over his ink.
The sleeve covers him from just above his wrist to over his shoulder. If he’s in a suit, you’d never know they’re there.
But without the shirt, it’s a sight to behold.
“Who was the artist?” I ask as I reach out and gently brush my fingertips over a tiger, then down a rose.
“There were several,” he replies softly. His voice is rougher than before, but he stays still, allowing me to explore at my own pace. “It took a few years to complete.”
I circle around him and let my hand slide over his skin. I can’t control the gasp that escapes when I see his back.
“Holy fuck, Gray.”
He turns his head and looks back at me over his shoulder. “Like that?”
All thoughts of seduction are gone as I step closer and examine Gray’s back. The taut skin over incredible muscle is sexy enough.
But add a work of art like this, and it’s beyond sexy.
It’s a big tree, like the tree of life, with twisted branches that lead down to the trunk and then into the roots. Birds fly out of the tree, and I see symbols I don’t understand.
“Tell me about this.”
“It’s the Norse tree of life, with a Nordic compass and runes.”
“It’s stunning. The first time I saw you, I thought you looked like a Viking.”
“As much as I enjoy you checking me out and touching the ink, you’re making me just a little wild over here, Stella.”
I can’t help myself. I lean in and press a kiss to the center of his back, directly in the middle of the tree of life, and absorb the heat of him.
“Fuck,” he whispers and then spins, grasping my shoulders in his hands before kissing me breathless—until I can’t remember my own damn name.
And when he starts urging me back toward the bed, I happily go with him. I can’t wait to get him naked and explore every glorious inch of him.
He’s well over six feet tall, and from what I’ve seen so far, he’s all gorgeous muscle.
The backs of my knees meet the mattress, but before I lie back, I clasp the front of his jeans and unfasten the rest of the buttons, smiling when the denim hangs loosely on his hips.
“That’s kind of hot,” I murmur and then look up into eyes that are so bright and heated they just might burn me.
With my gaze boldly on his, I tug my sweater over my head and let it fall to the floor. Gray’s eyes flick down to my bare skin, and when I unfasten my bra and let it fall with the sweater, those eyes narrow on me.
“There. Equal footing.”
“Not even close,” he whispers. His hands ball and relax at his sides as if he’s itching to touch me.
“You can touch,” I urge him.
“Not yet. Take your pants off.”
I do as he demands. I slide my jeans down my hips and step free, standing before him as naked as the day I was born.
He lets out a long, ragged breath, and without being asked, I scoot back onto the bed, resting on my hands as I smile up at him.
“Are you going to leave me here all alone, or are you going to join this little party?”
He quickly shucks his pants, and before I can properly ogle him, Gray climbs onto the bed and covers me with his body, his elbows planted on the bed beside my shoulders. Pushing his hands into my hair, he kisses me long and slow.
I can’t stop touching him. My hands roam over his back, down to his ass, and return to his neck again. He’s broad and firm with smooth, warm skin, and I want to eat him alive.
I’m cradling him between my legs, and I can feel the hard length of his cock pressed to my very ready center.
But rather than push inside of me, he pulls back and gazes down at me instead, brushing his thumb over the apple of my cheek sweetly.
“You’re the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen in my life.”
I blink, not sure what to say to that. But before I can gather my wits, he presses his lips to my forehead and then my cheek before kissing my lips once again.
I’m more than ready for him—way more than. I know that I’ve never wanted anyone the way that I want Grayson Sterling.
I lift my hips and spread my legs in invitation, hitching them up his hips.
Finally, he rears back and presses the head of his dick against me.
“Yes,” I whisper.
“Wait.”
My eyes open, and I glare at him.
“If you stop now, I swear to God I’ll put a hex on you.”
Gray only laughs, shakes his head, and dives across the bed to the nightstand, pulling a condom out of the drawer.
“I can’t let myself get carried away without protecting you,” he says. But once he’s done just that, he returns to me and wastes no time pushing all the way inside before resting there, balls-deep. “Holy God.”
“So good,” I moan and watch him as he firms his jaw as though he’s fighting to maintain control. I push my fingers into his hair and grin as my hips move, and he mutters an oath before joining me, rocking his hips back and forth in a rhythm as old as time, pushing both of us toward the most glorious finish line.
His lips fuse around my nipple as he teases the other with his fingers, and I can’t help but bow my head back and cry out as electricity shoots through me.
There’s enough energy in this room to power all of Seattle.
“Again,” he commands, leaving no room for argument as he pounds into me, demanding that I succumb to another orgasm.
“You,” I manage to say and reach down to grip his ass, pulling him into me. “You go over, Grayson.”
He bares his teeth and closes his eyes, and I watch in fascination as he loses control. He bucks against me and then comes with a low groan.
He collapses on top of me, and I don’t even care that I can’t breathe.
I’m probably dead anyway.
Finally, Gray rolls away and narrows his eyes at me.
“Do you really know how to do a hex?”
“Huh?” I push some hair off my face and frown at him. “A what?”
“A hex. You said you’d put one on me if I stopped.”
“Oh.” I giggle and roll off the bed, scooping up my clothes. “You’d better watch yourself, just in case.”
I wink at him and then saunter to his bathroom so I can clean myself up and throw on my undies and sweater.
When I return to the bedroom, Gray’s already dressed in gray sweatpants, and let me just say that we should all thank the gods above for inventing said sweatpants. I notice he’s laid out some wardrobe choices on the bed.
“I figure since I’m keeping you here tonight, you might want something more comfortable to wear.”
“Is that right?”
“Well, yeah. The sweater is beautiful on you, but it doesn’t look comfortable.”
“I meant, is it true that you think you’re keeping me here?”
He stops cold, and his face sobers. There’s my Viking. “Only if you’re agreeable. I certainly didn’t mean to imply that I’d keep you here against your will. I assumed—”
I walk to him, straddle his lap, frame his face in my hands, and kiss him hard. His hands cup my ass, gripping tightly.
“I’m staying,” I whisper against his mouth. “I just didn’t want it to be weird or assume.”
“I want you here,” he confesses. “I don’t want you to go.”
“Then I’ll stay.” I rest my forehead against his for a moment and then wiggle off his lap to my feet. “What are my choices? This sweater is a little scratchy.”
“I have an old Van Halen T-shirt.”
“My uncle Leo once toured with Van Halen,” I say as I take the offered shirt from him and slip out of my sweater. “Back in the olden days.”
“Did you just call me old?” Gray demands.
“Me? Psh. No. What else? My legs are cold.”
“I have a well-worn pair of sweats.”
“By well-worn, does that mean you’ve had them since college?”
His lips twitch with humor. “It’s likely, yes.”
“Gimme.”
Gray and I stayed up late, had a midnight snack of olives and cheddar cheese because that’s all he had in his fridge, and then we curled up and fell asleep somewhere around two.
I crack open one eye and turn to look at Gray. He’s still fast asleep, so I check the time.
It’s eight.
I don’t remember the last time I slept until eight. I usually get up early to get a head start on my workday, which generally includes weekends.
But I deserve a morning off.
I think I’ll run down to the store that’s only about a block away and get some breakfast food, then come back and cook for us. I’ve never really been the type to do that, but it sounds kind of fun to make pancakes and eggs for Gray.
I slip into my sweater and jeans, not even bothering to be quiet, but Gray doesn’t stir. He’s not snoring, but his breathing is nice and even, and his lips are parted in sleep.
He’s adorable.
I walk out of the bedroom, and when the kitchen comes into view, I stop short.
A boy is sitting at the island, staring at his phone and eating cold cereal.
He looks up, and his expression is as startled as the one I’m sure I’m wearing.
“Uh, hey.”
I just wave a hand and then run back to the bedroom to shake a sleeping Gray.
“Wake up,” I hiss as Gray blinks in confusion.
“What is it? What’s wrong?”
“You didn’t tell me you had a kid.”
Gray wipes his hand down his face as he sits up, and then he frowns at me. “To the best of my knowledge, I don’t have any kids. And good
morning. It’s nice to see that you weren’t an incredible dream.”
He makes a beeline for my neck, but I dart away.
“Oh, hell no. There’s a teenager sitting in your kitchen.”
Gray scratches his scalp and then chuckles. “That’s Willie. We usually have a homework session on Saturday mornings. He lets himself in.”
“We’re both very lucky that I didn’t decide to make breakfast naked.”
Gray frowns and then takes me in, realizing for the first time that I’m fully dressed.
“Wait, were you about to sneak out of here like you were doing the walk of shame?”
I roll my eyes. “No, I was going to buy the ingredients for breakfast so I could make you a meal while you slept and surprise you.”
His face softens. “I’d like that a lot.”
“Yeah? Me, too. If there wasn’t a strange kid out there. Now he knows what we’ve been up to.”
Gray just laughs and stands from the bed. He slips a plain white tee over his naked torso and pads out of the bedroom to the kitchen.
“Hey,” Willie says with a smile. “Sorry if I interrupted anything back there. You were late, so I ate some cereal.”
“Willie, this is Stella,” Gray says as he moves to the coffee maker and slides a fresh pod into the device before hitting brew. “Stella, this is the annoying kid I was telling you about. My neighbor, Willie.”
“Right,” Willie says with a laugh and then rolls his eyes. “Gray’s the annoying one. Nice to meetcha.”
The young man circles the island and holds out his hand to shake. His grip is firm and confident, and his smile is kind and full of just the right amount of teenage mischief.
I already like him.
“I can come back another time,” Willie offers, but I shake my head before Gray can respond.
“Absolutely, not. I know you just had Lucky Charms, but do you like pancakes? Bacon? Eggs?”
His eyes light up. “Are you kidding? The Lucky Charms were just an appetizer. I’m a kid. I could eat all day.”
I laugh and nod. “Yeah, I know. I have uncles and cousins who eat like it’s their last meal all the time. I’m going to run down to the store to gather the makings for the meal since Gray doesn’t believe in groceries.”
Gray’s lips twitch as Willie laughs out loud.
“Do you want me to come and help?” Willie offers.
“Nah, you stay here and get started on your homework. By the time you’re done, I’ll have breakfast ready.”
“That’s the best offer I’ve ever had in my whole life,” Willie replies and reaches for his book bag, heading for the kitchen table.
“I’ll just walk you out,” Gray says as I step into my shoes and reach for my purse.
Once in the hallway, Gray leans in and cages me against the wall.
“You didn’t have to do that, you know,” he says quietly.
“Do what? Be nice to a kid?”
“Offer to include him. You can tell the offer made his fucking week.”
I grin and pull my fingertips down Gray’s cheek, enjoying the way the stubble feels against my skin.
“I like him already. We all have to eat. It’s no big thing.”
Gray takes my hand and kisses my knuckles before letting me go so I can walk to the elevator.
“I think you’re wrong about that. Be careful out there.”
“It’s only a block away,” I assure him. “I’ll be right back.”
As the elevator doors close, I see Gray walk back into his apartment. When I’m alone, I take a long, deep breath and let it out slowly.
Holy shit, Grayson Sterling is a damn potent man.
It’s early enough on a Saturday morning that downtown is pretty quiet. It rained last night, so the sidewalks are wet, and the sky is gray, but I don’t mind.
I’m from Seattle, after all.
The market is also quiet, and it doesn’t take me long to fill my basket with the things I need. I toss in a pound of bacon, turn around, and run right into a hard chest.
“Sorry.” Strong hands keep me on my feet, and I look up into my father’s face. “I thought that was you. Good morning.”
“Hi, Daddy. What are you doing?”
“I was about to ask you the same thing. I came down to grab some of those croissants your mother likes.”
“Aw, that’s sweet. She’ll enjoy that.”
“And you?”
“Hm?” I raise my eyebrows and press my lips together as if I’m spreading lipstick over my lips.
“What are you doing here, in downtown Seattle, on Saturday morning when you live clear across town?”
“Oh, that.” I nod and look around, trying to bide my time. I’m in my mid-twenties for the love of Christmas. Why is it so hard to admit to my father that I spent last night enjoying the company of a hot man? “Well, I visited a friend in the building next to yours, and I thought I’d make breakfast. But I had to gather some supplies.”
It’s not a lie.
I stare down into the basket and will my father, who never misses anything, to not ask any more questions.
But I’m just not that lucky.
“Who’s the friend?”
“Oh, you don’t know them.”
“Look at me, Stella.”
Dad’s voice is firm but not angry. I look up into his eyes and try for a smile.
“Are you hurt in any way?”
“What? No. Of course, not.”
“Then that’s all I need to know. Have a good morning.” He kisses my forehead and then walks away toward the bakery department to get Mom’s pastries.
I don’t know why I feel tears pricking the backs of my eyes as I walk to the checkout. Maybe because this is the first time in my life that my dad has treated me like his daughter and an adult.
And he didn’t freak out.
“
So, she’s kind of hot.”
Willie doesn’t look up from his textbook as he speaks and then jots down notes in his notebook, but he’s not really paying attention to the work in front of him.
“How’d you meet her?”
“You’re as nosy as your grandmother.”
He smirks, then jerks a shoulder. “She seems nice.”
“Yeah, she is.” I clear my throat, not sure how much I want to tell the kid. Hell, I’m not even sure exactly how I feel about Stella. “She’s friends with one of my coworkers.”
“Oh, that’s cool.” He nods, not saying more, but I know something’s on his mind.
“What’s up, Willie?”
“I probably shouldn’t have come over this morning,” he says softly. “I’m sorry, I just always come over in the morning on the weekends, and you don’t really date much, you know?”
“You didn’t do anything wrong,” I assure him and clap my hand on his shoulder. “You’re always welcome here.”
“Well, maybe I’ll text before I come over from now on. Just in case, you know?”
He always ends his sentences with you know
“That’s fine, too. But, like I said, you didn’t do anything wrong. You startled Stella, that’s all. And you didn’t see anything that you shouldn’t have.”
“Did you, like, have sex with her?”
I press my lips together, shifting in my chair.
I don’t lie to Willie. Not ever. He needs an adult man in his life who gives it to him straight.
Someone he can trust.
And that’s me.
“Yeah. I did.”
He nods a couple of times, still staring at his book.
“Okay, let’s talk about it. I don’t think we’ll get much homework done right now. What do you want to know? I’ll tell you.”
Willie licks his lips, obviously giving my question a lot of thought.
“How long have you known her?”
“A couple of days.”
His eyes fly to mine, and he raises his eyebrows in surprise. “A couple of days?”
“That’s right.”
“So, it’s just a fling, then? Just, you know, screw her and move on?”
“I definitely did not say that.”
“But you don’t love her.”
I blow out a breath and rub my hand over my mouth.
“I mean, you can’t love her after a couple of days. So, you just, you know, screwed her.”
“First of all, it’s not that black and white, Willie. Did someone tell you that you only have sex if you’re in love? Or if you’re using someone like a dumpster?”
“Kind of,” he says. “Grams says you wait until you’re in love and married, and if you do the one-night-stand thing, you’re kind of a slut.”
I blow out a breath and resist the urge to go and give Betty a piece of my mind.
“I don’t believe that at all. Stella is someone I was immediately attracted to. I have a lot of respect for her, and I enjoy her company. There’s chemistry between us.”
Holy shit, is there chemistry.
“I plan to continue seeing her.”
“So, you don’t think she’s a slut because she slept with you right away?”
I lean back and watch the young man next to me. I don’t like that someone has skewed sex for him like this.
“No, I think she’s a woman who knows what she wants, is confident in herself, and is honestly really special. I’m looking forward to getting to know her better. Willie, not all girls who have sex are bad. It doesn’t make them less than.”
“It’s probably different when you’re my age,” he suggests.
“I think you should be extra careful when you’re in high school, yes. Because there should be some kind of feelings involved, even if it’s simply desire and respect. When I was your age, I was not ready to be sexually active. I didn’t know how to properly treat a woman with dignity and respect. I was kind of a chump.”
“No way.”
“I don’t like to admit it, but yeah. I was. Girls are more than tits and pretty hair. Much more. And as you get older and start having relationships, you’ll realize that.”
“I already know that,” he says softly. “I think Grams was just trying to convince me to stay away from sex because she doesn’t want me to fuck up and give her another baby to have to look after.”
“Maybe,” I agree with a slow nod. “And, honestly, I can’t blame her. Your mother—”
“Don’t call her that.” His voice is like a whip.
“Okay, Tammy was a handful. And from what your grandma has told me, it was really rough on her when Tammy was a teenager. So, I understand that Betty has tried to almost scare you away from being physical with girls. Do you have anyone that you’re interested in?”
“Not really.” He jerks that shoulder again. “I mean, there are some nice girls, but mostly I just want to do good in school so I can go to college and have a decent life. I refuse to be like Tammy.”
“I don’t see anything at all wrong with that,” I reply. “You have so much time to think about women and sex and all the things that go with it. I think focusing on your goals is an admirable thing to do. Have you started looking at colleges yet?”
“I’ll probably just go to a community college,” he says. “Or a trade school. I don’t have a lot of money.”
“Well, keep busting your ass like this, and you may just get scholarships. There’s nothing wrong with trade school or community college, though. You’ll figure it out, and I have no doubt that you’ll be awesome at whatever you decide to do.”
“Thanks,” he mutters. “I mean, I think it’s cool if you keep seeing Stella. Not that you need my permission.”
“So noted.”
Just then, the doorbell rings, and before I can get out of my chair, Willie hops up and hurries over. He flings it open and immediately reaches to take the bags out of Stella’s hands.
He’s a good kid. A gentleman. Yeah, he’s going to be just fine.
“Oh, thanks. That orange juice was getting heavy.” Stella breathes out a breath of relief and takes off her jacket, slipping out of her shoes. “Did you guys get a bunch of work done?”
“We were kind of talking,” Willie admits. “You got real bacon. Not turkey bacon.”
“Who in the world eats turkey bacon?” she demands, propping her hands on her hips and staring at Willie in shock.
“My grandma,” he replies with a shrug. “She doesn’t like pork.”
“Well, I prefer the real thing,” Stella says with a wink. “Now, get back to work so I can dig in over here. I’m starving.”
“Yes, ma’am,” Willie says and returns to his seat next to me at the table. He flashes a grin at me and then gets busy reading his physics book. “I like her,” he whispers.
“Me, too,” I whisper back. “Keep working on that. I’ll be right back.”
I walk into the kitchen and smile at the gorgeous woman currently tucking a clean kitchen towel into her pockets, effectively creating a makeshift apron.
“You’re handy,” I comment and feel the smile she gives me in my solar plexus. “Got everything you need?”
“And then some,” she confirms. “I got chocolate chips for the pancakes.”
“Sounds delicious.” My gaze falls to her lips, and when she tugs the bottom one between her teeth, everything in me tightens.
“I saw my dad,” she says, and the sexy little haze I had going dissipates.
“I’m sorry, what?”
“My dad,” she says again. “I ran into him—literally—at the market. He was out buying croissants for my mom because he knows how much she loves them. He’s sweet like that. I told you, they live in the next building.”
“That’s right.”
Stella makes herself at home in my kitchen, digging through cupboards and drawers to find the tools she needs. “He asked what I was doing on this side of town so early in the morning, and I told him I was visiting a friend. Which isn’t a lie.”
“No, it’s not.” I lean in closer and speak softly in her ear. “You okay, doll?”
“Actually, yeah,” she says with a nod. “It was good.”
“Good.” I kiss her temple and then turn away. “Now, I have to teach Willie all about physics.”
“Whatever, I usually end up teaching him,” Willie replies.
“Then why do you bother coming over here?” I demand. “I’m not the one who needs an A in the class.”
“Because I like it here,” he says simply and turns back to the book.
I look over at Stella, who just winks at me and fills a measuring cup with pancake mix.
Miraculously, Willie and I get a lot finished by the time the bacon is done sizzling, and Stella has everything set out buffet-style on the island.
“Okay, guys, let’s eat.”
“Thank God, the smell of that food is killing me,” Willie says as he closes his book and walks over to grab a plate.
“Where did you find this?” I ask, pointing to the tall cake plate with a glass dome, currently housing the pancakes.
“Uh, in the cupboard above your fridge,” Stella says and pops a bite of bacon into her mouth.
“I’ve never seen that before in my life.”
“Maybe the last people who lived here left it?” she suggests. “It was pretty dirty. Had to wash it.”
“This looks nice,” Willie says, taking in the spread before him. “Like, not just delicious, but kind of pretty, too.”
“Thanks,” Stella says with a bright smile. “I’m an interior designer, so I kind of get a kick out of making things look fancy. Even breakfast, I guess.”
We pile our plates with food that smells like heaven and sit at the kitchen table to eat.
“I don’t think I’ve ever used this table for eating a meal,” I say with surprise as I chew my bacon contemplatively.
“Never?” Stella asks in surprise. “It’s a beautiful table.”
“He’s never home,” Willie says between bites of pancake. “He’s a workaholic. He eats with Grams and me a lot. Or orders pizza.”
“Sometimes, both at the same time,” I add with a smile. “Betty loves pineapple on her pizza.”
Willie winces. “No one should add fruit to pizza. It should be a law or something.”
Stella and I laugh as my phone rings, and I frown at the readout.
“It’s my dad,” I say as I accept the call. “Hey, Dad.”
“Hi, Gray. I’m just calling to let you know that I’m following the ambulance to the hospital. Your mom took a fall a little while ago, and they think she may have broken her hip. She’ll be fine, but I wanted you to know.”
My stomach drops. “I’m on my way.”
“I don’t think that’s necessary,” Dad says immediately. “She’s fine, Gray. But anything that requires an ambulance should also require a phone call to her children.”
“This is the fifth time in two months that Mom has needed a trip to the hospital,” I remind him as I stand and pace to the living room. “I’m going over there to put my own eyes on her. I’ll be there as soon as I can.”
“I know that tone. I won’t be able to talk you out of this. So, just be safe.”
I end the call and turn to find both Stella and Willie watching me with wide eyes.
“It looks like I’m going home to Idaho today. Shit, I need to arrange for a flight and call Bill—”
“Go call Bill. I’ve got the travel arrangements under control,” Stella assures me, and when I just stare at her, she shoos me with her hand. “Go.
“I’ll clean up from breakfast,” Willie announces and starts carrying our empty plates into the kitchen.
I hurry into my bedroom, pull out a small suitcase, and start shoving clothes into it as I dial Bill’s number.
“You really need to take weekends off,” Bill says in greeting.
“I am, actually. But I just got some bad news from my dad. I need to go home to Idaho. Bill, I don’t know how long I’ll be gone.”
“Go. Everything can be rescheduled. Go take care of your family. I’ll handle the office.”
I sigh in relief. “Thanks. I owe you.”
“Just keep me posted. Good luck.”
I click off and turn when Stella walks into the bedroom, her phone in her hand.
“Okay, I have this handled. You need to be at the airport as soon as possible. A plane is waiting for you and will have you in Coeur d'Alene in an hour.”
I simply stare at her. “What? How?”
“My uncle is Luke Williams.” She simply shrugs. “It’s no big deal.”
“Stella—”
“You need to get to your mom,” she interrupts. “We’re going to get you there as soon as possible. Now, what else do you need? Bathroom stuff?”
She’s all business now as she marches into the bathroom and gathers my shampoo and the few other things I might need, and I’m completely stunned.
She’s arranged for a private plane to get me to my mother.
I knew she was amazing, but Jesus. She’s…incredible.
“Where do I go at the airport?” I ask as I toss a few last-minute things into the bag and zip it shut. “I’ve never flown on a private plane before.”
“I’m taking you, so I’ll show you,” she says. “Of course, I don’t have my car, so I’ll have to drive yours.”
“Done.” I lead the way out of the bedroom and see that Willie is just drying the glass dome of the cake plate.
“Dishes are done,” he announces. “Don’t worry, I’ll keep an eye on things here while you’re gone.”
“Thanks,” I reply with a sigh. “Both of you.”
“Come on,” Stella says, grabbing her handbag. “Let’s get you out of here.”
“FUCK ME, ” I whisper on a sigh and sink onto the edge of the chair in my parents’ den. It’s almost midnight, and it feels like I’ve been awake for weeks.
Stella was true to her word, and I landed in Idaho before noon. I was able to get to the hospital, talk to the doctors, and spend the day with Mom.
“Here you are,” Dad says as he walks into the room and crosses to a beverage fridge, pulling out two water bottles before tossing me one. “You need to hydrate.”
“Always the doctor,” I say with a shake of my head, but I open the bottle and drink. “Why didn’t you tell me before that she looks so bad?”
Dad sighs and sits in the brown leather chair next to me.
“It’s because of the fall, Gray. Of course, she looks frail and tired.”
“I don’t buy it.” My voice is calm and weary, but Dad’s gaze cuts over to mine. “She’s been in and out of the hospital a lot lately.”
“She’s always been medically fragile,” he reminds me. “And, yes, it’s been a bad time lately, but she’s really not doing that badly. It’s nothing to worry about.”
My father is a cardiologist. He’s an excellent physician. But, sometimes, I think he’s in denial about my mom’s medical situation.
“She has MS,” I remind him. “And high blood pressure.”
“Which is all managed,” he insists.
“She told me today that she’s been dealing with some vertigo lately, and that’s why she fell down the stairs. Her blood pressure was so high, it’s no wonder.”
“Sometimes, she forgets to take her blood pressure medicine,” he concedes. “But we have a new system for that. Why do I feel like I’m being interrogated?”
“Because Mom’s been sick, and you haven’t been honest with me about just how sick she is, Dad.”
“You’re a busy man. You have a demanding career, and you can’t just drop everything each time your mom doesn’t feel well.”
“Yes, actually, I can. I want you to be honest with me, Dad.”
He sighs again. Suddenly, he looks so old. So tired.
“You don’t have to do everything by yourself,” I remind him.
“I don’t want you and your sisters to feel burdened,” he admits. “I’m her husband. It’s my job to care for her.”
“We want to help,” I reply. “I know that Sidney and Maya agree. So, stop shielding us from every little thing and start depending on us to help. It’ll make us all feel better.”
I stand, and with my water in my hand, walk through the house and up the stairs to my bedroom. I leave the door open as I turn the bed down, and before I can cross to the bathroom, my phone rings. Stella.
I accept the video call and sit on the edge of the bed.
“You’re a sight for sore eyes,” I say when Stella’s gorgeous face fills the screen.
“I’m sorry it’s so late. I just wanted to see how you’re doing.”
God, I wish I could reach through the screen and touch her.
“I’m okay. Thank you again for the flight today. I could never have gotten here that quickly on a commercial flight.”
“You’re welcome.” She smiles softly. “How’s your mama?”
“She’s tired. She broke her hip and shoulder, so she’s in the hospital for a few days to make sure there’s no clotting. They’ll probably move her to a physical therapy rehab place before she can come home.”
“I’m so sorry, Gray. That’s just horrible.”
“She’s had some health struggles,” I reply and swallow hard, wishing more than anything that Stella was here. I haven’t known her a week and I miss her.
“I don’t know when I’ll be back in Seattle. I might be here a week or so until things get figured out.”
“Of course,” she replies.
“Hey,” Maya sticks her head around the doorway and then grins when she sees that I’m on the phone. “Is that Stella?”
“Go away, Maya.”
“I want to talk to her.”
She snatches the phone from my hands and runs off down the hallway.
I rub my hand down my face.
Maya is a pain in my ass.
Hi, I’m Maya, blah blah blah,” the gorgeous woman says as she visibly runs down a hallway, making me a little dizzy. “I only have a minute before Gray catches me. You should come here.”
“What? Really?”
“Yeah. He’s stressed, and he talked about you a lot today. Plus, we all want to meet you. Gray doesn’t talk about women. Ever. Trust me, I’ve known him all of my twenty-seven years, and he’s always tight-lipped about girls. Until today. So, since he’s here for at least a few days, you should come. Mostly for him. But, like, six percent for me because I want to meet you in person. You’re beautiful, by the way. How do you get your eyebrows like that? Mine are always so damn unruly.”
“Oh, it’s all in the eyebrow wax—”
“Give me the damn phone.”
There’s a scuffle, the phone is juggled, and then Gray’s handsome face fills the screen once more.
“Sorry about that,” he says and shakes his head as he walks.
“All of the walking is kind of making me seasick,” I confess as I close my eyes. “Let me know when you’re stationary again.”
I hear him chuckle, and a few seconds later, he says, “It’s safe now.”
I crack open one eye, and when I see that he is, indeed, sitting, I open them both and let out a sigh of relief.
“So, the whole family is there?” I ask.
“You met Maya,” he replies, and I can see the weariness in his eyes. It makes me want to wrap my arms around him and hold him close. “She arrived just after I did. She lives in Spokane, so it was a quick drive for her.”
“And your other sister?”
“Sid will be here in the morning,” he replies and rubs his hand through his hair. “She’s a singer in Nashville and couldn’t get a flight until tonight. She’s taking the red-eye.”
“I’m sorry,” I murmur. “If I’d known—”
“Absolutely, not,” he says immediately, shaking his head. “You got me here, and that’s way more than you should have done. Sidney will get here safe and sound.”
“And your mom?” I ask softly. “How is she doing?”
Gray blows out a breath. “She’s uncomfortable and a little scared. But they gave her some good drugs tonight so she can sleep.”
“So she injured both on the same side?”
“Yeah, her left side,” he confirms. “She’s been feeling dizzy lately and fell down the stairs, landed hard on that side. I’m just so glad that Dad was here at the time, so she didn’t lay alone for God knows how long until she got help.”
“That’s definitely a silver lining,” I agree. “I hope she heals quickly.”
“Me, too.” He smiles at me and seems to soak me in. “Twenty-four hours ago looked very different, didn’t it?”
I have visions of us rolling around on his huge bed, laughing and moaning, sighing. It was the best sex of my life.
“A lot can happen in a day,” I agree and send him a wink. “Get some rest, Gray. You need it.”
“I don’t think it’s possible for you to look bad, but I can see that you’re worn out. Go to sleep. Hopefully, I’ll talk to you tomorrow.”
“Okay. Thanks again. I’ll be in touch.”
“Good night.”
I blow him a kiss, and when he clicks off, I bite my lip, unsure what to do. Maya seemed sure that I should go and be with him, at least for a couple of days. And I saw for myself that he looked damn tired—and so sad. I do want to hug him. And reassure him.
Which seems so weird because I’ve only known Gray for a few days.
Yet it feels as though I’ve known him for years.
Maybe I need to talk this out with Liv because I’m tempted to just pack a bag, hop in my car, and drive straight to Idaho.
Despite it being so late, I dial Liv’s number and listen to the phone ring on the other end three times before she picks up.
“Sorry if I woke you,” I say to her.
“You didn’t, I was just in the hot tub and not near the phone. What’s up? Is everything okay?”
“I think so,” I reply. “At least, I’m not calling because anything’s wrong with any of the parents or anything.”
“Good.”
“You know, I miss you. I don’t see you much at all, and I barely talk to you these days.”
“I know.” She sighs on the other end. “We really do need to get together. I’ll see you on Saturday for the cousins’ night.”
“And that’ll be fun, but it’s not the same as when we have time for just the two of us.”
“I know,” she says again. “We’ll make it happen some night next week. I promise.”
“Okay. Listen, I won’t keep you long. I just wanted you to know that I’m going to Idaho to help out a friend.”
I want to tell her everything. God, I miss my best friend so much, but it’s late, and I already know what I want to do.
I want to see Gray.
“Who’s the friend?” she asks, but I hear Vaughn in the background before I can answer her. “I’m sorry, Stel, I have to go. Let’s have dinner this week, and you can tell me everything. When will you be back?”
“I’m not sure. I’ll be gone a couple of days at most. I’ll keep you posted.”
“Okay. Safe travels.” She giggles, and I wrinkle my nose.
“I’d tell you to get a room, but I think you already have. Bye, Liv.”
She laughs some more and then says, “Bye, Stel.”
Yeah, I miss her. I want to tell her everything about Gray and get her advice. I would have told her everything days ago if we still lived together. And I wouldn’t feel like I’m keeping some sort of weird secret from her.
Because Gray definitely isn’t a secret.
He’s just new.
I LEFT Seattle at four-thirty this morning. Too keyed up to sleep, I packed right after hanging up with Liv.
Less than five hours later—and thanks to the address Maya managed to text me—I pull into the driveway of a large house on a big lake in northern Idaho.
I have no idea how Maya managed to get my number from Gray, but I’m so grateful that she did because I really want this to be a surprise for Gray.
He’ll either be happy or ask me why in the world I thought it was appropriate to come to his family’s home during an emergency—which wouldn’t be wrong.
I asked myself that at least fifty times during the five-hour drive here this morning.
I step out of the car and shut the door, nervous about which reception I’ll receive from the man I came to see.
But before I can even walk up to the front door, it opens wide, and Gray comes hurrying outside, his face intense.
Crap. He’s not happy to see me.
“I’m sorry—”
Before I can complete the thought, he grips my ass and lifts me, simply lifts me as if I weigh nothing at all and kisses me with more intensity and passion than I’ve ever felt from another human being in my life.
“You came,” he says at last as he tips his forehead to mine. “Jesus, it’s like I conjured you out of my imagination.”
“I took a gamble and came,” I admit and frame his face in my hands. “I should have told you.”
“It’s the best surprise of my life,” he says with a soft smile, and the vulnerability in his eyes is breathtaking. “I’m glad you’re here.”
He finally sets me on my feet and takes my hand, bringing it to his lips to kiss my knuckles.
“Can we discuss this house?” I ask, taking it in before we go inside.
“Sure, what do you want to know?”
“You made it seem like your family had a simple house on the lake. One you grew up in. This is a freaking compound. Who are you, a Kennedy?”
Gray laughs and shakes his head. “Not hardly. Dad’s a cardiologist.”
“Ah.” I nod and follow Gray into the house. When I see the view through the wide windows in the living area, I gasp. “Holy shit, that’s gorgeous.”
I look his way and roll my eyes when I see that he’s looking at me.
“So charming.” I walk to the windows and admire the blue water and the bald eagle soaring over the lake, looking for his breakfast.
“Dad’s already at the hospital,” Gray says and wraps his arms around my middle from behind. “Maya’s still asleep, and Sidney should be rolling up in about an hour.”
“Then I should make breakfast,” I suggest and turn in his arms, finding him laughing at me. “What did I say?”
“Do you just enjoy feeding people in the morning?”
“I—” I shut my mouth and narrow my eyes on him. “I’m hungry. I left the house before five and haven’t had anything to eat.”
“Then I’d better feed you,” he says before gently kissing my lips. “There’s always plenty of food around here. Do you want some coffee?”
“I might sell my soul for some coffee,” I confirm as he leads me into a gorgeous kitchen with ornately trimmed woodwork and more of that beautiful view just beyond the breakfast nook, where I take a seat and watch Gray bustle about as he fills a mug for me and then gets to work heating up some food.
“Are those potatoes?” I ask as I stir the cream into my coffee.
“Yes, along with quiche and a cinnamon roll.”
“Who does the cooking around here?” I ask with a grin. “That’s quite the spread.”
“My dad cooks when he’s stressed, and it’s not always the heart-healthy foods that he preaches about in the office. Although, I think my mom made the cinnamon rolls the other day. You won’t go hungry here.”
“It’s probably better food than the hotel offers,” I agree and pop a potato into my mouth, sighing in happiness.
“What hotel?”
We both turn at the sound of the woman’s voice, and I smile.
“You must be Maya.”
“And you must be Stella,” she replies with a grin. “And what is this talk about a hotel?”
“Well, I’d rather not sleep in my car, so I reserved a room at the resort on the lake. It looked really nice from the website.”
“You’re not staying there,” Maya says firmly, and I turn to Gray with a raised eyebrow.
“You heard her,” is all he says.
“Then where am I staying?” I ask them.
“I don’t know if you noticed, but this house is big,” Maya replies. “There is plenty of room here. Just please, I beg you, if you do…things… please don’t make me listen to them.”
“I don’t think I intend to do…things…in your parents’ house.”
“I plan to do things,” Gray says and licks icing from the cinnamon rolls off his thumb.
“Look, I don’t mind staying at the hotel,” I insist. “I just showed up here.”
“I invited you,” Maya reminds me, earning a frown from her brother.
“Wait. You invited her?”
Maya just rolls her eyes and then smiles at me. “You’ll stay here. Trust me. Now, I have to go get a shower in so I can go see Mom.”
“Sid will be here soon,” Gray calls after her, then turns to me. “So, coming here wasn’t all your idea.”
“No, Maya mentioned it when she stole your phone, but then I saw you, and I wanted to be here with you. Mostly so I could hug you.”
“You haven’t hugged me yet.”
I stand and cross to him with a smile, wrapping my arms around his middle and pressing my face to his firm chest, holding him close. His gray sweater is soft against my cheek, and he feels warm and safe.
After just a moment, his arms come around me, and he hugs me back until it feels like he just might break me if he tightens his hold any more.
It’s not a bad feeling at all.
He presses his lips to the top of my head, and I let out a long breath that I didn’t realize I’d been holding.
“Are you going to the hospital with Maya?” I ask him without pulling away.
“I’m going to wait for Sidney and take her after she gets settled.”
“If you all don’t mind, I’ll cook dinner. I know it seems like I just sit around and cook for people, which I usually don’t. But I don’t want to meet your mother at the hospital because that feels weird, so let me do something to feel helpful.”
“It all depends on what you plan to cook.”
I look up into his face and smile at him. “Lasagna? It’ll keep for as long as it needs to.”
“Sounds delicious. But you should do more than sit here and cook, Stella. Book some time at the spa at the resort. On me, of course.”
“It feels weird to get pampered while you have to be at the hospital, worried about your mother. Selfish, really.”
“It’s not selfish at all. You came a long way. Get a massage, take a nap, relax a little. I’ll come home a bit before the others and help with dinner.”
“Maybe I shouldn’t have come. I feel like I’m in the way.”
Gray’s eyes narrow, and his jaw tightens as he cups my cheek in his hand. “You’re never in the way. I want you here. I’m so fucking grateful that you came. I understand that you don’t want to go to the hospital, but I want you here. So, get pampered a bit, and I’ll be here with you a little later.”
“Sid’s here,” Maya calls out as she runs down the stairs and to the front door.
“Looks like I’ll be going to the hospital with both of them, after all,” he says with a smile. “And if you truly are uncomfortable here and want to stay at the resort, I understand.”
“Where’s Stella?” Sidney demands as she walks inside. When her gaze finds mine from across the room, she stomps directly to me and nudges her brother out of the way before wrapping her arms around me for a hug. “Hi. Maya told me everything she knew when I was driving here. We already like you.”
“Well, hi.” I look at Gray over Sidney’s shoulder. “Wait. You’re Sidney Sterling.”
“The one and only,” she says as she pulls away and smiles at me, then wraps an arm around her brother’s waist and leans her head on his shoulder.
“Gray said you were a singer in Nashville, but I didn’t connect the dots. I love your music.”
A slow smile spreads over Sidney’s gorgeous face. “You do?”
“Hell, yes, I do. It’s nice to meet you.”
“Same goes. We’ll definitely talk later. But first, I need to go see Mama.”
“I’m ready when you are,” Maya says and turns to Gray. “Ready?”
Gray looks down at me with uncertainty. “I’m fine,” I assure him. “I’m going to go to the resort and check in. Wait.”
I hold up my hand to stop Maya’s protest.
“This isn’t my home; it’s yours. And I’m grateful that you invited me to stay, but for today, while you’re all at the hospital, I’ll be at the resort. I’ll get a nap in and maybe a massage, and I have plenty of work that I can do. And then I’ll meet Gray here later so I can cook everyone dinner, and we’ll go from there.”
“Get an extra massage for me,” Sidney says, shifting her shoulders in a stretch. “That red-eye almost killed me. Okay, I’m going to the car.”
Maya follows her sister, and Gray reaches for me.
“You’re incredible. You know that, right?” he asks.
“I’m just okay.” I laugh and kiss him back. “Go be with your family. I’ll see you later.”
“Enjoy your day,” he says. “If you need anything, just text me. I can get to you in less than fifteen minutes.”
“Good to know.” I kiss his cheek. “But I’ll be okay. I really do need to get some work done. Thanks for breakfast.”
“You’re welcome. And thank you for being you.”
We walk outside, hand in hand, and Gray waits while I get into my car and start the engine. I follow them out of the driveway and onto the highway toward town. I turn off before them and follow the road to the resort on the lake.
I’m glad I came, and I can’t wait to see Gray later this afternoon.
So, did Gray tell you the news?” Sidney asks our mom. We’re all sitting in the hospital room, chatting, with Dad stopping in periodically between seeing his own patients.
“What news?” Mom asks, looking over at me. She’s sitting up today, her arm in a sling. Her blond hair is tidy and pulled back from her face, and she even put her red lipstick on today.
She always says she wears the red when she’s feeling sassy.
“Nothing,” I reply, shaking my head.
“Not nothing,” Maya corrects me. “He brought home a girl.”
“A real one. Like, she breathes and everything,” Sidney confirms with a satisfied smile. “And she’s pretty.”
Mom’s eyes narrow on me. “And you didn’t tell me?”
“Well, to be fair, you were pretty preoccupied yesterday,” I remind her.
“I’m never too busy to hear about a potential love interest,” Mom says with a sniff. “What’s her name? Where’s she from? What does she do? Is she from a good family?”
“You really are feeling better today,” I reply with a grin. “And the answers are…Stella, Seattle, interior design, and yes.”
Mom purses her lips. “You’ve always been a little shit.”
Maya and Sidney laugh with glee, and I just shrug, happy to see Mom feeling good enough to give me a hard time.
“I need coffee,” Sidney declares. “Maya and I are going to the cafeteria. Do you guys want anything?”
“I’m good,” I reply.
“I would love a fruit cup. Thank you, honey.”
When my sisters are gone, I cross to Mom’s bed and gingerly sit on the side, taking her uninjured hand in mine.
“You scared me,” I admit soberly.
“I didn’t much care for it, either,” she says and pats my cheek, then brushes my hair off my forehead. “You need a haircut, Grayson.”
“I never seem to make time for it,” I confess. “So, I spoke with Dad last night, but, honestly, he always downplays everything. He’s one of the best doctors in the country, and I can’t get an honest answer from him regarding my own mother’s health.”
“He doesn’t want to worry you,” she insists softly. “You have enough on your plate, Gray.”
“You’re my mom. I need to know what’s going on. You said yesterday that you’ve been dizzy a lot, and that’s not okay.”
“It doesn’t feel good, either,” she agrees. “I’m bad at remembering to take my medicine a lot of the time. But I’ve set reminders on my phone, and I have a pillbox sitting in the kitchen with everything laid out for me. Your dad and I fill it together on Sunday evenings.”
“How romantic.”
That makes Mom laugh, and then she sobers and looks down at her lap for a moment. “The truth is, there is something that I wanted to talk to you about. I was hoping to discuss it with all three of you together, but I can share it with you first.”
She grips my hand, holding on tightly.
“I have early-onset Alzheimer’s disease, Gray.”
I blink at her slowly and then shake my head.
“No. Absolutely, not.”
“Hey, it’s okay. Look at me, baby.”
My heart’s thudding quickly, and I feel like someone stole the breath from my lungs.
“I’m fine. For now, I’m fine. I forget little things here and there, like taking my medicine in the morning, but I’m okay.”
“But you’re going to forget,” I manage to say around the lump in my throat. “You’re going to forget us.”
“No, honey.”
“That’s what the disease is,” I remind her softly.
“I may forget your name or your voice, but you’ll always be my child in my heart. All three of you are as important and dear to me as anyone ever could be. I’ll always know, in my heart and soul, that you’re my children.”
“How fast will this progress?” I ask her.
“Well, it’s unpredictable. I could be fine, just the way I am, for years.”
“Or?”
“Or it could happen quickly. Your father has consulted with some of the best physicians in the field, and I’m on medication that should help. I have no intention of going quietly into that dark night, my boy. I’m entirely too stubborn for that. I have weddings to attend, babies to meet, and a whole retirement to enjoy with the love of my life. I won’t be robbed of that.”
I smile, but the fact is, she doesn’t know that.
“If anyone can make it so, it’s you. And if you start to forget, we’ll all just remind you. Often.”
“I’m counting on it,” she replies, and I see the fear in her blue eyes for just a brief moment.
“Do you remember,” I begin, wanting to lighten the mood and give her a fun memory to think about, “when I was a kid, before the girls came along, and you and Dad took me to Montana to go skiing?”
“You were not a natural on the slopes,” she says with a chuckle.
“I hated it.”
“And that surprised us because you were always so athletic.”
I laugh at the memory of falling on that hill over and over again. “It was so damn cold. And hard. I hated doing the snowplow over and over again.”
“Well, you have to know how to stop, don’t you?”
“I wouldn’t know,” I say, making her laugh. “I never got on another pair of skis in my life.”
“You enjoyed the hot chocolate by the fire afterward,” she reminds me. “You charmed the waitress into giving you extra marshmallows. You were a little heartbreaker, even at nine years old.”
“I deserved those marshmallows after the torture I endured on that godforsaken mountain.”
Mom’s laughing harder now, tears coming to her eyes.
“On the plane home, you told anyone who would listen that skiing should be part of the punishment in prisons.”
“I still believe that,” I agree, remembering that and feeling relieved that Mom does, too.
“I hope Stella doesn’t love to ski,” Mom says, changing the subject.
“I don’t know if she does,” I admit.
“You might want to find out. It could be a deal-breaker for you.”
I can’t imagine anything Stella has to say being a deal-breaker for me.
“When do I get to meet her?” she asks.
“Well, I didn’t plan to invite her up here with as bad as yesterday was.”
“You had better bring her up here before you both go back to Seattle. I don’t know how long I have to be in the hospital, and I will not miss out on meeting her. Understand me?”
“I’m an adult, you know.”
“You’re still my kid, and you’ll follow orders, young man.” She narrows her eyes at me, but I can see the humor in them, as well.
“Yes, ma’am.”
“Has your father met her?”
“No, he was already at work when she arrived this morning.”
“And where is she staying?”
“She has a room at the resort, but I think I’ll talk her into staying at the house, if that’s okay with you.”
“There’s plenty of room for her,” she assures me. “The guest room next to your bedroom has fresh linens on the bed, and the bathroom is clean. Put her in there. No sneaking in with her to do God knows what.”
“I wouldn’t dream of it.”
Mom snorts just as my sisters walk back into the room, carrying their coffees and Mom’s fruit cup.
“You should go,” Mom says to me as she accepts a fork and the open container from Maya. “Go hang out with your girl.”
“I came to town to spend time with you. ”
“I’m boring,” Mom says. “I’m just sitting here. I have the girls to keep me company, and your father will pop in now and again. Go see your girlfriend.”
“She’s not my girlfriend.”
Maya snorts. Sidney rolls her eyes. And Mom just grins.
“Okay, go see your friend then,” Mom suggests.
“Trust me, friends don’t look at each other the way they did this morning,” Maya says.
“And how was that?” I ask her.
“Like she’s an ice cream cone.”
“Double chocolate?” I ask her.
“Oh, yeah. With chocolate sprinkles,” she confirms.
“Sounds about right.” I kiss Mom’s cheek. “You’re sure?”
“Go,” she says before popping a red grape into her mouth. “Have fun. And bring her to see me very soon.”
“Okay. I’m only a phone call away if you need anything.”
“He hovers,” Sidney observes, leaning closer to Maya. “Like a mother hen.”
“He always has,” Maya reminds our sister.
“I’m right here,” I remind them. “Don’t start talking about me until after I leave.”
They just smile innocently as I wrinkle my nose at them and walk out of Mom’s room. I’m only about twenty feet away from the door when I see Dad walking toward me.
“How is she?” he asks, pausing in front of me. He’s wearing his white coat, and a stethoscope hangs around his neck.
“She’s great,” I reply, glancing back at her door. “She’s in good spirits and doesn’t seem to be in much pain.”
“Good. That’s good. I’m glad they’re staying on top of the pain.”
“Dad, she told me. About the diagnosis.”
He sighs, and his eyes look sad as he slowly shakes his head.
“We were going to tell all three of you together.”
“The girls went down for coffee, and Mom and I were talking. When did you find out?”
Dad firms his chin and looks me squarely in the eyes. “Three weeks ago.”
“Jesus, Dad.”
“We both agreed to do our research, consult with the experts, and have all the information before we talked to you kids. I’m going to go see her before my next procedure. We can talk about this more later. I’ll fill you in on everything I know.”
“Okay. Mom kicked me out to go spend time with Stella.”
He stops and frowns at me. “Who’s Stella?”
I grin. “The most amazing woman I’ve ever met.”
He raises an eyebrow. “Sounds like we have plenty to talk about later.”
“Later,” I agree and walk away.
I LEAVE my car with the valet at the resort, walk into the lobby, and pull out my phone to call Stella.
“Well, hello there,” she purrs in my ear.
“Where are you?”
“The resort.”
“Good, because I am, too. What room?”
“You’re in luck. I just finished my massage and am walking up to my room. Forty-three twelve.”
“I’m on my way.”
I click off and head for the bank of elevators. When the car comes, I press the fourth floor and lean against the back wall. I don’t know what it is about elevators, but I’ve wanted to fuck Stella in one since the minute I saw her.
The doors open, and I walk down the hall toward Stella’s room, seeing the woman herself, dressed in a resort robe, about to unlock her door.
“Excellent timing, indeed.”
She raises her head at my voice and smiles, obviously happy to see me.
“You look…delicious,” she decides.
“And you look…rested.”
She laughs and brushes her fingertips over her face. “Do I have massage bed face? I always get creases from that cradle they use. But, honestly, it felt so good, I don’t even care.”
After unlocking the door, I follow her inside, feeling mildly surprised.
It’s a simple space with only a king-sized bed and a step-down to a lounging area that looks out to the lake.
“Why do you look perplexed?” she asks as she steps out of her slippers.
“It’s a regular room. Not a suite.”
“I don’t need a suite. Do you think I need one?”
“No, not at all. It just surprised me that you didn’t go for the fancier room.”
“Why?”
I fold my arms over my chest and smile at her. “Because you’re the woman who arranged for a private jet with a simple phone call yesterday.”
“That doesn’t mean I’m frivolous,” she replies. “Yes, my family is wealthy, but I don’t spend money simply for the sake of spending it.”
“That’s not what I was trying to imply.” I continue smiling at her. “It was just a surprise, that’s all.”
“Maybe I like keeping you on your toes,” Stella suggests and unties the robe, letting it fall open, teasing me with just a peek at her soft skin. The terrycloth covers her breasts, but I can see her pierced navel, and when I step forward, she shrugs off the robe and lets it fall to puddle around her feet.
Her eyes don’t leave mine. Her confidence is so fucking sexy. She takes my breath away.
“What are you thinking?”
“What?” My eyes move to hers. She’s already breathing hard. Her lips are parted, and her eyes are glassy.
“When you look at me like that,” she clarifies and swallows hard. “What are you thinking?”
I don’t touch her. Not yet. I lean in and whisper in her ear, “You, Stella. I’m thinking about you. And all the ways I want to make you scream my name.”
Her gasp is audible, and I can’t keep my hands to myself anymore. I need to touch her more than I need anything else. Her skin is still slick from massage oil.
“You have better hands than the guy who gave me the massage.”
I raise an eyebrow. “The guy?”
She smirks. “Yes. The guy. Don’t worry, this is an upstanding resort. He was perfectly professional.”
The thought of any man with his hands on her, professional or otherwise, makes my blood boil.
“Are you seriously jealous of a massage therapist?”
“Lie down.” It isn’t a request, it’s an order, and she does as I ask, climbing onto the bed and then covering her body with the blankets.
“It’s chilly in here,” she explains.
“You won’t be cold for long.”
I tug my sweater over my head and then remove my pants and underwear in one quick motion before joining her in the bed and pulling her close to me. She drapes one leg over my hip and cups my cheek as I kiss her, long and slow.
“You know,” I say before nipping her jawline. “This room was a good idea, after all.”
Stella pushes me onto my back and then straddles me, grinding herself over my cock, moving back and forth and spreading her wetness all over it.
“No need to be quiet here,” she agrees. Her hips pull back, and she takes me inside her and sits in one smooth motion. Stilling, fully seated, she simply squeezes her muscles around me.
“Fuck, I’ll go cross-eyed.”
“I hope not,” she says with a laugh and leans over to kiss me. “It wouldn’t be a good look on you.”
She sits up once more, closes those gorgeous blue eyes, and starts to move, her palms firmly planted on my chest
My hands grip her hips, my fingertips digging into her flesh as she rides me. Her firm breasts with their tight nipples move just inches from my face, and only a fool would resist taking them into their mouth.
I’m no fucking fool.
“Oh, God, Gray,” she sighs, opens her eyes, and bears down, coming spectacularly. When her quivers subside, I roll her onto her back, pin her hands above her head, and pound into her, unable to go slow or soft. Incapable of making it sweet or gentle.
Her eyes light with excitement as I pound even harder, and when I feel the orgasm move up the base of my spine and through me, she smiles in triumph as I call her name.
Jesus, she’s amazing.
“A massage and incredible sex, all in the same afternoon?” she asks lazily. “Yes, please. Talk about self-care.”
I can’t help but laugh and then kiss her cheek tenderly. “You should be pampered every damn day, Stella.”
“I won’t disagree,” she replies and nips my lower lip. “I almost feel guilty that I haven’t done any work today. Almost.”
“Don’t. I suspect that you put in enough hours to more than make up for a weekday off.”
I roll out of bed, walk to the bathroom to clean myself up, and then wet a washcloth with hot water so I can do the same for my girl.
She lies back and watches me with happy eyes as I press the warm cloth to her, gently caring for her.
“I want you to stay at my parents’ house tonight.” Pleased that she’s comfortable and clean, I toss the cloth and towel I used to dry her onto the floor.
“Are you sure that’s a good idea?”
“My mom insisted on it,” I reply and lie down, pulling her against me. “And she wants to meet you before we leave town. You saw the house, Stella. We have plenty of space.”
“I don’t want to intrude,” she says and brushes her cheek against my chest.
“You’re not. Besides, I want you there.”
“Well, okay, then. I’ll stay.” “Good.”
With my morning coffee in hand, I open the sliding door that leads out to the glorious, monstrous deck at Gray’s parents’ house, thinking that I’ll steal a few minutes alone to sit and enjoy the sunshine. Maybe meditate. I’m wrapped in a blanket because, although the sun is out, this is October in the Pacific Northwest, and it’s cold this morning.
But too pretty to resist.
I close the door behind me gingerly and turn to find a seat, almost tripping over where Maya and Sidney are sitting, enjoying their coffees.
“I’m sorry,” I say as I turn back for the door. “I didn’t realize you two were out here. I didn’t mean to interrupt.”
“Sit,” Maya says, gesturing to the seat next to her. “You’re not interrupting anything. We’re just taking advantage of the sunshine.”
“That was my thought, too.” I sit with a grateful smile, tighten the blanket around my shoulders, and take a long, deep breath. “I don’t know how you ever leave this spot.”
For the next ten minutes, no one says anything. We sip coffee and relax, watching the calm lake and the reflection of the evergreen trees and the other homes that hug the shore on the other side.
“Where did you grow up?” Sidney asks me softly.
“Seattle,” I reply. “In a condo, in the middle of the city. My parents own and run an investment firm downtown, and it’s always been easiest for them to have a condo near their office. But they also have a house on the Oregon coast, and we visited there as much as possible over the years. I’ve always preferred something like this to the craziness of the city.”
“Gray lives downtown,” Maya says.
“Actually, his building is right next door to my parents,” I reply with a smile. “In the same complex.”
“Small world,” Sidney adds. “It’s crazy that you’ve never run into him before.”
“Have you ever visited him there?” I ask and sip my coffee. I know that I’m getting a bit of the third degree. And that’s okay. I don’t actually mind.
“A couple of times,” she confirms.
“Then you know how big the buildings are. There are a lot of people there. I’m not sure when he moved in, but I haven’t lived at home since I was eighteen.”
“That makes sense,” Sidney replies with a soft smile. “Sorry, I haven’t had enough coffee yet, and I also haven’t had a chance to properly grill you. Even though I already like you, we’re pretty protective when it comes to Gray.”
“I get it,” I say with a nod. “I have about a dozen cousins who are super protective. And don’t even get me started on all the aunts and uncles. Family protects each other. It’s as it should be.”
“I love that you’re close to your whole family,” Maya says and snuggles down in her blanket when the sun hides behind a cloud. “We don’t really have a lot of cousins.”
“Not all of mine are related by blood,” I admit. “The Montgomerys believe in bringing everyone into the fold, whether they’re born into it, married into it, or are brought in via friendship. I mean, Leo Nash isn’t my biological uncle, but I will always call him Uncle Leo.”
“Wait.” Sidney holds up a hand. “Leo Nash is your freaking uncle?”
“He is.” I wink at her. “We have a colorful family.”
“I don’t get starstruck very often anymore,” Sidney admits. “I mean, no matter how many times I meet Dolly Parton, I feel like I’m going to cry and throw up all at once. Still, for the most part, I can hold it together. But Leo Nash? I’ve had a damn crush on that man since I was ten.”
“You and most of the women in the world,” I say. “It’s a good thing his wife, Sam, has a thick skin and lets so much roll off her back.”
Before I can say more about my family, the sliding door opens, and Gray pokes his head out, frowning at the three of us.
“It’s forty degrees out here,” he says.
“But the sun is out,” I reply. “And it feels nice.”
“Are you up to going to the hospital with me to meet my mom?” he asks and leans his broad, muscular shoulder on the doorjamb.
“Sure.” I’ve been here for two days. Gray and I are headed back to Seattle first thing tomorrow morning, and I know that his mom wants to meet me before we go.
I want to meet her, too. We would have gone yesterday, but she wasn’t doing well with the pain in her hip, and we all felt it was best to wait.
“Is she feeling better this morning?” I ask him.
“Dad called and said that she seems to be, so we should go up and see her.”
I stand with my coffee and walk toward him, but he doesn’t move to let me inside. He just smiles and then dips his head to kiss me softly.
“Don’t do that in front of Mom,” Maya suggests, making me laugh.
“Actually, do,” Sidney disagrees. “It’ll make her ridiculously happy. She keeps talking about seeing us all get married and have kids, and I’m like, no. Absolutely, not.”
“We’ve known each other for about a week,” I remind them all.
“Yeah, well, that’s a week longer than the two of us have been seeing anyone,” Maya says reasonably. “Tell her we’ll be up later today.”
“Will do,” Gray replies and steps back so I can walk into the house. I rinse my mug, set it in the dishwasher, and then hurry upstairs to the room I’ve been staying in to get dressed and put on some makeup. I have it down to fifteen minutes from start to finish, and then I comb my fingers through my hair and give myself a once-over in the mirror.
I’m wearing a blue, flowy blouse and jeans with white sneakers. Very casual, but still put-together.
My Louis Vuitton bag completes the outfit, and when I walk back downstairs, Gray’s waiting for me. He looks amazing in a black sweater and jeans, and I want to pull him upstairs and have my way with him.
Later, Stella.
The ride to the hospital only takes about ten minutes, and Gray knows exactly where to go for parking. On the way inside, he takes my hand and gives it a little squeeze.
“No need to be nervous,” he says.
“I’m actually not,” I reply and smile at him when he glances my way. “I probably should be, but your dad and sisters have been so nice to me, I know that I have nothing to worry about.”
“You’re right. And I’m glad you feel so comfortable with them all.”
We climb into the elevator with two other people—one is crying, the other is patting her back. They get off on the third floor, leaving us alone in the car.
“Someday,” Gray says conversationally, rocking back on his heels, “I’m going to pin you against an elevator wall and fuck you blind.”
If I had a drink of anything in my mouth, I’d have spit it out.
Instead, I press my lips together and then slowly turn my head to look up at him.
His jaw is tight, and his eyes are narrowed. When I thread my fingers through his, they tighten around mine.
I can almost smell the sexual tension.
“Do you have a specific elevator in mind?” I ask after clearing my throat.
Gray licks his lips and then shifts his gaze to mine. “Yes, actually. I do.”
“Are you going to tell me?”
The elevator comes to a stop, and the doors open.
“No,” he says as we walk out onto the floor.
This man is just so…intriguing. Sexy as hell but also interesting. The sex is not just the best of my life; it’s also more. More intense, more intimate.
I told his sisters that I’ve known him for a week, which is absolutely true, but it feels like we’ve known each other for years. I’m completely confident and at ease with him. I trust him implicitly.
And that rarely happens with anyone outside of my family.
When we reach what must be his mom’s room, I see that the door’s closed.
“Maybe she’s asleep,” I suggest.
“She was awake thirty minutes ago,” Gray replies, shaking his head. He looks around for a nurse and flags one down. “Hi, I’m Jeanie’s son. Is she with the doctor?”
“No, I just saw your father go in, actually.”
“Oh, perfect.” Gray knocks on the door, pushes inside, and then comes to an abrupt halt, making me run into his back.
I peek around his shoulder and grin.
Gray’s dad has Jeanie’s face cupped in his hand, and he’s kissing her as passionately as if they’d just been married yesterday.
Gray clears his throat, but they don’t jump apart. Instead, David brushes his nose over his wife’s and then turns to us.
“Good timing,” he says.
“Well, some things haven’t changed,” Gray replies and shoves his hands into his pockets. “I brought Stella to meet Mom, and this is what she has to witness?”
“I think it’s sweet,” I reply and move around Gray, holding out my hand to Jeanie. “Hi, I’m Stella.”
“Oh, it’s lovely to finally meet you,” Jeanie says with a wide smile. “I’m sorry I wasn’t up to visitors yesterday.”
“Please, don’t be sorry,” I say. “And if you’d like to make out with your handsome husband for a while longer, we can come back.”
“I’m due in surgery,” David replies and smiles gently at his wife. “I’ll be back in a few hours.”
“Have a good surgery,” Jeanie replies, and when David leaves, she presses her hand to her heart sweetly.
Just how I saw Gray do after our first date.
“Now, come talk to me,” Jeanie says and pats my hand. “I’ve heard so much about you. Not just from Gray, but from my whole family. And I admit, I was getting jealous that I hadn’t had the chance to talk to you yet.”
“Well, here I am.”
“Gray, darling, I could use a sandwich and some fruit.”
“It’s ten in the morning,” Gray reminds her.
“Okay, then I’d like a breakfast sandwich. From the cafeteria.”
“That’s code for she’d like time alone with you,” he informs me and leans over to kiss my cheek. He whispers in my ear, “I won’t be long.”
“I could go for some fruit, too. I skipped breakfast,” I tell him with a smile as he walks out the door and closes it behind me. “You raised a handsome, kind, intelligent son.”
“I know,” Jeanie says with a happy sigh. “He and my girls are wonderful people. And, sure, their dad and I had a hand in that, but it’s just who they are.”
“I like your family very much.”
“I do, too. Now, tell me all about you. I want to know everything, and start at the beginning. Don’t leave anything out.”
“We could be here a while.”
“I’m not going anywhere,” she reminds me, and I settle in, ready to tell this pretty, sweet woman all about myself.
“WE’RE GRILLING, ” Keaton, Olivia’s younger brother, informs me. It’s Saturday, the day of the cousins’ party, and Keaton just arrived with Liam. Now, they’re standing around the grill with Drew.
“We usually just get pizza,” I remind them, and three pairs of stubborn male eyes meet mine.
“We want ribs and steaks,” Liam says firmly. “You know, men food.”
“Pizza isn’t men’s food?” I ask, raising my eyebrows. “I didn’t realize there were gender-specific nourishment choices.”
“You know what I mean,” Liam replies. “We want to grill meat.”
“Okay, but please don’t burn the house down. Did you guys buy groceries?”
“Yes,” Keaton says. “And some of the others are bringing sides.”
“As long as I get food, that works for me,” I reply and walk back into the house where Olivia and Vaughn have just walked in, carrying a big bowl of what looks like potato salad.
“Hey,” Liv says with a big smile. “I guess we’re switching up the menu this time.”
“I guess we are,” I agree. As soon as Liv sets the bowl on the counter, I hug her close. “I haven’t talked to you in a hundred years, and I have so much to tell you.”
“Are you okay?” Liv asks as she pulls back and frowns at me. “Are you hurt?”
“No.” I shake my head and then smile over at Vaughn. “Hi.”
“And that’s my cue to go find the guys.”
“Out back,” I tell him. “By the fire.”
“Men make fire,” Vaughn says in his best impersonation of a caveman, making me chuckle.
But before I can tell Liv about Gray and going to Idaho and being with his family, more cousins hurry through the front door, carrying salads and potatoes and bread. More food than we’ll ever eat.
Actually, that’s not true. The boys will eat it.
“We are catching up tonight,” I say to Liv, jabbing my finger into her chest bone. “Even if that means after the party and everyone goes home. It’s happening.”
“I’m good with that,” she says as Danny and Brandon come through the door, followed by Gray.
“We’re heeeeeeere,” Danny sings as he dances inside and presents a charcuterie spread on a gorgeous piece of wood.
“Yay,” Liv says and hugs Danny. “I haven’t seen you guys in forever. When’s the wedding?”
“In two weeks,” Brandon replies.
Gray comes to my side, slides his arm around my waist, and leans in to whisper in my ear. “I missed you last night.”
I smile up at him. “Yeah? Good.”
His eyes narrow, and Liv clears her throat.
“I don’t think we’ve met,” she says and holds her hand out to Gray. “I’m Olivia, Stella’s best friend.”
“Grayson Sterling,” Gray replies. Liv’s eyes go round, and she turns to me.
“The old attorney?” she demands.
“Old?” Gray asks, his eyebrow raised.
Brandon and Danny bust up laughing.
“Turns out he’s not that old,” I say to Liv. “You can’t judge a person by their name.”
“You thought I’d be old?” Gray asks.
“Well, yeah. Sort of. But I was wrong.”
Gray smirks and takes my hand, bringing it to his lips to nibble on my knuckles.
“So romantic,” Danny says with a sigh. “Our divorce attorney is the man you can’t keep your hands off. I mean, between work parties and a trip to meet his family, you’d think you’ve been dating for years.”
Liv stares at me for a long moment, hurt brimming in her big, green eyes, and then turns and marches away, slamming the sliding glass door behind her.
“What did I say?” Danny asks.
“I haven’t had a chance to fill her in,” I reply and sigh. “I’ll be back. Make yourselves at home. The guys are about to grill up some ribs and steaks. There are drinks in the fridge and outside in a monster-sized cooler.”
“We’ve got this,” Brandon assures me, and I hurry after Olivia. When I find her, she’s standing next to Vaughn, but her eyes shoot daggers when I step outside.
“Let’s talk now,” I say and pull her away from the guys to the far side of the yard, where we can be alone. “Why are you mad?”
“Oh, I don’t know, Stella. Maybe because you’re having an entire relationship with a stranger, and you haven’t told me anything at all. I had to keep my relationship with Vaughn a secret, and you knew everything. You’re my fucking best friend, and you have so much happening that I don’t know anything about. But Danny sure knows, doesn’t he?”
“You don’t get to be jealous over Danny,” I say, shaking my head. “I work with him, and I never see you, Liv. Never. You don’t call me back or
return my texts. Yes, he knows about Gray because of who Gray is. He works with Brandon. He’s our attorney.”
“And you’ve been attending work parties with him and going to meet his goddamn family, and I know nothing.”
“I called you!” I yell and throw my hands in the air. “I called you to ask you what I should do and tell you everything, but just like always, now that you’re with Vaughn, you had to get off the phone—probably to bone him. I needed you, and true to form lately, you had to go. So, no, you don’t know what’s been going on with me. Because if I want to have a conversation with you, I have to fucking chase you down. Yeah, I was there for you when you were dating Vaughn, but I can’t say that you’ve been there for me in quite a long time. For the first time in our lives, I can’t depend on you, Liv.”
“Bullshit.” She shakes her head. “And you don’t return my texts either, Stella.”
“No, it’s the absolute truth.”
“All you have to say is ‘I need you, Liv,’ and I’m right there.”
“That’s bullshit. Why else would I call you after midnight? I wouldn’t.”
Liv chews her lip and narrows her eyes at me. I’ve seen her this mad but never directed at me, and it makes me physically sick.
“Friendship is a two-way street, Liv. I can’t always be the one to hunt you down so I can see you or confide in you. Yeah, you’re busy with your job and going to Vancouver to spend time with Vaughn, but you do still have people here who need you. I never thought you’d be the kind of girl to forget everyone else.”
I shake my head and walk away because if I keep talking, I’ll say even more that I don’t mean and will regret later.
I’m on the verge of tears. I hate fighting with Olivia. They never last long, but I’ve never been this hurt by her.
“I need a minute,” I say to Keaton and the other guys as I march through the house to the guest bathroom, locking myself inside.
I’m just so pissed.
There’s a knock on the door, and I shake my head as I lean on the vanity.
“I’ll be a minute.”
“Open up,” Gray says, his voice firm but kind.
I take a deep breath and then cross to the door to unlock it. When Gray comes inside, I let him fold me into his arms and hold me tightly.
“I don’t like to fight with Liv.”
“From the way she brushed away tears as she left, I’d say she doesn’t like it either.”
“She left?”
“Well, they were about to, yeah.”
I push away from him and hurry out of the bathroom, just catching Liv before she can open the front door.
“Don’t go.”
“It’s probably for the best,” she says, not looking me in the eyes. “We can talk later.”
“I don’t want you to go,” I repeat and step between Liv and the door. “Let’s just call a truce. We’ll work it out tomorrow.”
She takes a long, deep breath. Vaughn doesn’t say anything at all, just watches the two of us with wary eyes.
“I am hungry for some ribs,” Liv says slowly. “But Keaton might murder me by poison.”
I grin, relieved that the worst of it has passed. “Then we’ll all die together. Come on.”
You are absolutely not skinny-dipping tonight,” Olivia says to a guy smiling smugly back at her. I can’t keep all the names straight. How do they remember without name tags? I know Stella said that her family was big, but I had no idea. “Liam Montgomery, I forbid it.”
“You forbid it?” he says and reaches over his shoulder to strip out of his wild, lime-green shirt. “You know that’s the fastest way to make me do anything.”
“Why can’t he keep his clothes on?” Lucy asks the room. I remember her name because she made a point to come and ask me about my law firm, my family, and anything else I wanted to tell her. She’s cute and personable, and I was surprised to hear that she’s Sidney’s age at almost twenty-three. Lucy seems much older than that. “No one wants to see your bare ass, Liam.”
Liam rolls his eyes and returns to the grill, picking up the tongs to turn the ribs.
Stella, Liv, and some of the other girls are chatting by a table that’s filled with snacks and drinks. Others are inside, talking and laughing.
And I’m standing by the grill with Liam, Keaton, and Drew.
“So, you’re a lawyer?” Keaton says and sips his beer. “What kind?”
“I do mostly corporate law,” I reply.
“You’re a jerk,” Stella yells at Danny, who’s laughing his ass off at something he said.
“Is that any way to speak to your husband?” he demands and props his hands on his waist.
Everyone on the patio goes quiet.
“Uh, what?” Keaton asks. “Your what?”
“Fake husband,” Stella clarifies. “Gray’s handling the divorce as we speak.”
All eyes turn to me, and Keaton raises an eyebrow. “So, not just corporate law, then.”
“I’m doing a favor on this one,” I reply.
“How…what…why?” Liam stumbles.
Stella and Danny explain what happened in Vegas, and Liam just shakes his head.
“That’s some shit I would pull,” he mutters, but he’s staring at his cousin with pride. “Good job, Stel.”
“So, you like to do favors,” Keaton says as he seasons the meat on the grill, but he doesn’t meet my eyes. “What else do you do in your free time? Besides my cousin.”
“Looks like the meat isn’t the only thing getting grilled at this party,” I point out, making Drew and Liam chuckle.
Keaton just stares at me. He’s an intense guy. I like him.
“I work a lot,” I reply, thinking it over. “I have neighbors that I’m fairly close to, and I help the teen boy with his homework. I go to the gym. I like long walks on the beach and action-adventure movies starring Bruce Willis.”
Now Keaton’s mouth twitches with humor.
“This is the question that will seal this deal,” he says and shares a look with Drew and Liam.
“Let’s hear it.”
“Is Die Hard a Christmas movie?”
The three of them wait with bated breath while I hold Keaton’s gaze with mine for a loaded three seconds before answering, “Of course, and anyone who says otherwise is a moron.”
“He can stay,” Drew announces and holds up his red Solo cup in cheers. “He passed the test.”
“Okay, enough,” Stella says as she walks away from her group and over to ours. “Stop ganging up on him, you big jerks.”
“That’s literally our job,” Liam points out. “Do you think we could do anything else, given who our dads are?”
“Cavemen,” Stella mutters and takes my hand to pull me away. We go inside, and she takes a long breath.
“Things okay with Olivia now?”
“We’re okay,” she says slowly. “We’ll talk through the other crap later. I’m sorry that my family is ganging up on you.”
“That’s what families do,” I remind her and then tilt my head when a knowing smile spreads across her face. “What is it?”
“That’s exactly what I said to your sisters the other day. So, do you want a tour?”
“Of course. Lead the way.”
She leads me through the house, showing me the laundry room and the office on the first floor.
Then we head for the stairs.
She’s ahead of me, three steps up, and I’m at eye level with her perfectly round ass as it sways back and forth in front of me. I want to lean in and bite it.
Instead, I give it a friendly little pat as we reach the top of the steps.
“Haley and Erin have those bedrooms.”
“Where is Drew’s pad?” I ask her.
“He has the guest house out back. He mostly just comes inside to eat all the food.”
“And this one is your bedroom?” I ask, pointing to the closed door. “Yep.”
I watch as she opens the door and steps inside. The room is neat, with a king bed, a simple dresser, and a chair by the window.
“This used to be Liv’s room,” she says. “But I took it when she moved out. The oldest gets the owner’s suite.”
“Sounds fair,” I reply and close the door behind us. She turns and stares at me with lust-filled eyes. “Do you know how torturous it is to be near you, in a room full of people, and want to touch you so badly that you ache with it?”
She licks her lips and leisurely looks me up and down. “Yeah, in fact, I do.”
Without another word, I pull her to me, frame her face, and kiss the fuck out of her, the way I’ve wanted to do all night.
She moans, and her hands make a dive for my jeans.
When my cock is free, Stella wiggles out of her jeans, and before she can shed her panties with them, I twirl her around, boost her up against the wall, and grind myself against her as I yank her shirt down, exposing her breast.
“Fast,” she says against my lips before baring her teeth and biting me. “Hard and fast. Right now.”
“Fuck, yes. Right now.” I tug her panties aside and push into her already slick heat. I don’t pause like I normally would. Instead, I thrust, over and over, harder each time, pushing us hard and quick toward the finish line.
And when she buries her fingers in my hair and pulls, I know she’s about to go over.
“Now,” I repeat and bite the ball of her shoulder. “Go over, baby.”
“Christ,” she whispers as her pussy convulses around me. I push once more and moan into her neck as I fall over the edge.
Panting, braced against the door, I lift my head and stare into her blue eyes.
“That’s the appetizer,” I inform her.
“Yum,” is all she says in return.
“Don’t clean yourself up.”
Her eyes fly to mine in surprise. “What?”
“I want you to walk around for the rest of the night with me inside of you. With the gorgeous mess we made right there.”
I reach down and drag my fingers along her messy slit and watch as her eyes dilate.
“Okay, then.”
I wink at her, tuck myself away, then walk into the bathroom to wash my hands.
“So, you like my room, then,” she says from the other room.
“Honey, I barely saw your room. I only have eyes for you.”
I take her hand and kiss her knuckles as I open the door.
“Let’s party.”
“I think we just did,” she says with a laugh. “I’m really squishy.”
“Good.”
She grins as she leads me downstairs.
“There you are,” Olivia says as she runs over to grab Stella’s hand. “We’re going to sing karaoke.”
“Who’s we?” Stella asks.
“You and me,” Olivia replies.
“I am not drunk enough for that.” Stella shakes her head, but Olivia just drags Stella into the living room, where they have the whole system already set up. “Wait, we’re singing Islands in the Stream?”
“I get to be Kenny Rogers,” Liv says with a nod as the music starts.
I hang back and cross my arms over my chest, watching as the two women sing with all the passion and enthusiasm in their hearts.
“Stella mentioned that your sister is Sidney Sterling,” Lucy says as she joins me.
“She is,” I confirm.
“Maybe you should sing one or two.”
I grin at her and shake my head. “Sid’s the singer in the family, not me.”
“I’m a fan,” Lucy replies. “And if you have a country megastar as your sister, you know what it’s like to have a celebrity in the family.”
“I do. Though we don’t deal with a lot of paparazzi and shit because when Sid comes home to Idaho, she’s able to lie low.”
“Our family is all about the celebrity life, whether we like it or not,” she replies, the look in her eyes serious now. “Sometimes, it gets intense. It’s one of the reasons we have this house—and now the one next door—in the family. Because our parents want to keep us safe.”
I lick my lips and nod. “I understand what you’re trying to say, Lucy.”
“Do you? Because no one understands until they live it. We don’t have the luxury of being careless.”
“I’m not a careless man.”
Lucy smiles and pats my arm. “I’m glad to hear it.”
I look over to where Stella and Olivia have their arms around each other, belting out the classic song that my sister coincidentally covered last year with Sam Hunt.
It sat on the charts for ten weeks.
That song turns into another, and then Liam steals the mic so he can sing an off-key rendition of a Nirvana song.
Stella hurries over to me, a huge smile brightening her face.
“Who doesn’t love Dolly?” she asks.
“What’s not to love?” I confirm. “You’ve got a set of pipes.”
“No, I have liquid courage and a karaoke machine,” she replies and takes a sip of water. I noticed she’d switched from alcohol about an hour ago. “I need more food.”
“Let’s go get some,” I suggest.
“Are you having fun?” she asks.
“More than I expected to,” I confirm. “I especially enjoyed the tour of the house.”
She smirks and loads a pile of ribs onto her plate. “Just wait until we get to the entrée.”
I HAVEN’T SEEN her in three days.
And I’ve discovered that I get twitchy if I haven’t seen Stella in too long. I’ve never felt the need to be with someone every day, but I miss her as soon as I’m away from her.
It’s…startling.
And because I haven’t seen her, I need to work out some energy.
It may be five in the damn morning, but I drag my ass out of bed and head down to the gym. Going to Idaho last week threw me off my stride, but I’m so damn glad I went.
I use my card to unlock the door of the basement gym in my building, not at all surprised to see that it’s empty. I start on the treadmill and am about ten minutes into running a 5k when the door opens, and a man I haven’t seen before walks in.
He’s older, with long, dark hair that he’s pulled into a tail at the nape of his neck. He’s wearing a white tank, revealing a full sleeve of tribal ink.
He scans the room, and his eyes narrow when he sees me.
I nod once.
He does the same.
And with that, I focus on my running form. I’d like to run a half marathon early next year if I can fit in the training time.
Happy with my 5k splits, I hop off the treadmill and clean it before I move over to the rack for some squats and pull-ups.
There are two racks in this gym, and the stranger is on the other one, completing a set of pull-ups himself. The rack I’m using is the only one set up for squats, though.
He walks over to work on his arms as I set the weights for my squats and get to work.
After the third set, I check the time. I’ve been here for thirty minutes, and I have another thirty before I have to hit the shower and get ready to go to court.
I take my earbuds out of my ears and let them hang around my neck as I take a drink from my water bottle.
The other man isn’t listening to music.
“Are you new to the building?” I ask him.
“No,” he replies. “I live in the building next door. They’re renovating our gym, so I thought I’d come over here.”
“Ah, nice. I’m Gray.”
“Nate,” he says with a nod. “I thought it would be busier in here this time of the morning.”
“I usually have the place to myself.”
“Maybe I’ll come over here more often, where it’s quieter,” he says and reaches into his bag. He pulls out a jump rope, and to my surprise, starts to jump. At the raise of my eyebrow, he grins. “Habit from my MMA days.”
“You used to fight?”
“Long time ago,” he confirms, not even breathing hard. “This is good cardio, and I fucking hate to run.”
We’re quiet for a long time, working out solo.
Before I walk out with my bag to head home, Nate says simply, “I’m Stella’s father.”
I stop and slowly turn to him. He’s not looking my way.
“So, not a coincidence that you’re here, then.”
“No, it is.” He jumps up and completes ten easy pull-ups, then drops to his feet. “I didn’t know you’d be in here. But I know who you are. Our family is big, and no one keeps their mouth shut.”
“I don’t think that Stella or I were trying to keep a secret,” I reply evenly.
Nate nods once. “It seems the cousins like you.”
“I like them, too. And your daughter is an amazing human.”
“She’s more than that,” he says, now looking me in the eyes. “She’s fucking everything.”
I set my bag on the floor and walk over to the other man, holding out my hand for his.
“I’m Grayson Sterling, Mr. McKenna. And despite only knowing her for a short time, I’m falling in love with your daughter.”
Something moves through his eyes as he shakes my hand. His grip is firm but not in an egotistical way.
It just is.
“Julianne and I would like to have you and Stella over for dinner, sooner rather than later.”
“I’d like that, too. Thank you.”
Nate releases my hand and steps back, but he doesn’t look away from me.
“I don’t like the age gap.”
“It’s less than ten years.”
“Still don’t like it,” he repeats. “But if you’re what she wants, I’ll stand behind her. She is the best thing that will ever come into your life.”
“Yeah.” I push my hand through my hair and take a deep breath. “I know. Is it crazy that it’s happening so fast?”
“Some of the best things do,” he says. “I’ve seen too many relationships that happen that way and thrive for many years to think it’s crazy. Just be careful.”
I nod, backing away. “Yeah. I will. I would stay and talk, but I’m due in court soon, and I can’t show up looking like this.”
Nate’s eyes fill with humor. “Then you’d better get going. We’ll be in touch about dinner.”
“Looking forward to it.”
I hurry to the elevator, and when I’m on my way up to my floor, I sigh.
I don’t know what I expected in Stella’s dad, but it wasn’t the fierce, steady, badass man I just met in the gym.
Which is silly because I’d use all those words to describe Stella, too.
The morning flies by. After two back-to-back court appearances, I have a three-hour break, so I text Stella.
Me: You busy?
My phone rings less than ten seconds later, and I see Stella’s name on the screen.
“Hey,” I say in greeting.
“Well, hi there. I’m not busy this very second, what’s up?”
“I have a few hours before I have to be back in the office and thought I’d see if you’d like to meet me for lunch.”
“I absolutely would, but I already have a lunch date.”
“What’s his name?”
I hear her chuckle. “His name is Olivia.”
“Oh, good. You’re finally going to talk.”
“Yeah, we need to. I want to clear the air for good. I don’t like fighting with her, you know?”
“I definitely get it. Have a good lunch. Oh, and you’ll probably be hearing from your dad soon.”
“Huh? Why?”
“I ran into him this morning. Nice guy.”
“Gray, my father is a lot of things, but a simple nice guy isn’t usually one of them.”
“I like him. I’ll tell you about it later. Have a good lunch.”
“Damn it, why did I have to pick a fight with Liv? I’d rather hear all about this.”
“Dinner tonight. My place.”
“I’ll be there.”
I’m sorry,” we blurt simultaneously and then smile at each other across the table.
This is my best friend. The sister of my heart. And this time with her is exactly what I needed.
“No, I’m sorry,” Liv says, shaking her head as she reaches for my hand, her green eyes filled with concern. “I know I’ve been kind of absent lately. I don’t mean to be. Honest. I’d like to be around more, but life is just crazy. But that’s no excuse! I don’t mean for it to sound like it’s just an excuse.”
“I know what you mean,” I reply with a sigh. “I know it’s a busy time. I feel like I can’t catch my breath these days. Between the huge project I’ve been working on, keeping up with the smaller accounts I also have, and this new thing with Gray, it’s a lot. But it’s absolutely not acceptable for us to not speak, Livie.”
“Agreed,” she says, nodding her head. “I vow to be better about returning calls and texts. And I’m going to make it to our Wednesday dinners, no matter what. But, most of all, if you need me, Stel, all you have to do is say so. I’ll drop whatever I’m doing to give you my undivided attention.”
“I guess you’re not a mind reader, huh?” I ask her with a selfdeprecating grin and then laugh when she just shrugs her shoulders. “To be
fair, things are happening really fast with Gray. You and I were playing phone tag a bit, and I got caught up in this new, sexy whirlwind with him. Danny only knew first because he knows Gray, and because Gray’s the one handling our quickie divorce. You and I both know that Danny’s important to me, but you’re my bestie. You’re practically my sister.”
“I know that,” she says, waving me off. “And I didn’t mean to sound like such a bitch about Danny. I like him a lot. But I haven’t seen you much, and there suddenly seemed to be all this information I had no clue about that Danny knew. I totally got jealous for a minute.”
“I would have, too,” I admit. “If I had been in your shoes.”
“So, let’s not ever fight like this again,” Liv says. “Because I’ve been sick to my stomach for days, and I just can’t do it.”
“Agreed. Never again. You’ll always know what’s going on with me, even if I have to just leave you a voice message or something.”
“Same.” Liv lets out a relieved sigh. “Thank God that’s over.”
“Right? That was the worst.”
“Okay, now tell me about Gray.”
The waitress interrupts us when she comes to take our orders, but when she’s gone, I grin at Liv.
“First thing’s first. Tell me he’s hot.”
“I mean, I am in love with Vaughn, totally and completely, but now that that disclaimer is out there, yeah. Gray’s a fine specimen of man, Stel. But what about the age thing?”
“Everyone seems to be hung up on that part, but it’s never been an issue for us. He’s a great guy. Funny, sweet, charming. Loves his family.”
“Big bonus,” Liv says.
“The sex is just…I don’t even have the words.”
“Isn’t that the best?” She wrinkles her nose in that way she does when she’s happy. “When the sex is so good that it just surprises you?”
“I didn’t know about it until about two weeks ago, but, yeah. It’s something.”
“I’m excited for you,” she says and does a little shimmy on her side of the booth. “It’s fun to be all aflutter over a hot man. Now, how is the big project at work going? Is that one for Ms. Paddington?”
“Yes, but I have only spoken with her once.”
Liv blinks at me. “But you’re heading a major renovation on her house.”
“One of her houses,” I remind her. Florence owns the Seattle professional football team and was a referral through my uncle Will, who played for the organization for close to twenty years. “I mostly talk with her assistant. But the good news is, it’s done.”
“It’s done?”
“Yes.” I pull my phone out of my bag with excitement. “In fact, after this, I’m headed to the house for the unveiling. Florence just got into town today.”
“Oh my God, show me,” Liv says and moves from her side of the booth to mine so we can look at the photos together.
“She wanted a French country home theme, so it looks a little rustic, but it’s all state of the art and, in my opinion, absolutely beautiful. Look at this butler’s pantry.”
“I need this,” Liv decides. “You will come to our house and make this happen for me right away.”
“I’d love to get my hands on that house,” I reply with a grin. “I just love all the exposed brick and the brightness with all those windows and light colors. The furniture is all new throughout the entire house. It was a true and complete renovation, from top to bottom.”
“Stella, this is your very best work. It must have cost a fortune.”
“A fortune and a half,” I confirm. “I can’t wait to show her. But first, I need to eat this burger and hang with you for a while longer. How are things
with you guys? Are you sick of that commute yet?”
“It’s not ideal,” she says. “Vancouver really isn’t that far away, but it’s far enough that when you have to drive it all the time, it’s a pain in the ass.”
“I bet.”
“But it would be worse not to see Vaughn for weeks at a time, so it is what it is, you know?”
“And how is work?”
“Really good. I love it so much. More than I ever thought I would, and that was a lot. I’m working on two different projects right now. A zombie movie, which is way too fun, and another rom-com. I love those.”
“Look at us. A couple of kick-ass bosses just living our best lives.”
“We’re pretty awesome,” she agrees and clinks her glass of Coke to mine. “Grade-A badasses.”
I DRIVE my car through the open gates of Florence’s house and take a long, deep breath. I’m always a little nervous—in a good way—when it’s time to show off the finished product after completing a job.
But this one was big. And because of who Florence is and how influential she is, this could mean huge things for my career. I poured my heart and soul into this design, and I just really want her to love it.
“You did all of the things she asked for,” I remind myself as I gather my handbag and climb out of the car. “This is going to be fun.”
I walk up to the front door, use the code to unlock it, and walk inside. I made arrangements with Karen, Florence’s assistant, that I would be here first to turn on the lights and get it looking just so. Then, they’ll meet me here for the fun part.
I hurry through the house to flip on lights, fuss with fresh flowers, and am changing the pillows on a settee in the parlor when I hear the doorbell.
“Showtime,” I whisper as I hurry to the door, smiling as I open it wide to see Florence, her white hair a stark contrast to her all-black attire, and her young assistant, Karen. “Welcome home, Ms. Paddington.”
“Thank you,” she says and walks inside. “I’m looking forward to this.”
“I am, too. Where would you like to start?”
“Why, the kitchen, of course.”
I nod happily and lead the two women into the kitchen as I start telling Florence about everything we’ve done.
“I especially love the exposed brick around the oven, and these countertops are just magnificent. This is one slab, which doesn’t always happen. Sometimes, they have to put two or even three slabs together, but we were able to find one complete piece for this. But this is the best part.”
I walk to the tall doors that look like a cabinet and open them to a whole second room, lined with shelves, more countertops, another fridge, and a sink.
“This butler’s pantry is going to be the envy of all your friends.”
“Hmm,” is all Florence says.
I can’t get a read on her to tell if she likes or hates it. She’s completely impassive.
But I keep going with my happy spiel about all the state-of-the-art equipment that we installed in the room.
“How lovely,” Karen breathes. “It’s even better than the drawings you sent me.”
“Thank you.”
I lead them through the new dining room, Florence’s office, and up to the owner’s suite that also went through a complete rehab.
“You could likely swim in this tub,” I say with a wink. “And that concludes the tour.”
“I see,” Florence says, looking around. Without another word, she walks out of the bathroom and out of the bedroom altogether, then heads down the
stairs to the kitchen.
Karen and I share a look, and I hurry after her.
“Of course, if there’s anything you’d like to see tweaked here or there, I can certainly handle that for you.”
Florence holds up her hand, indicating that I should stop talking. So, I do. I hang back and watch as she takes a second pass through the house, silently looking around, her face completely sober.
When she returns to the kitchen, she narrows her eyes on me.
“I absolutely hate it.”
My stomach sinks. “What? But it looks exactly like the sketches I sent over to Lily, your previous assistant. She replied and said you approved them.”
Karen shuffles from foot to foot, and I have a very bad feeling about this.
“Lily didn’t show me anything,” Florence replies. “She approved it herself, based on her tastes.”
I look between the two women in shock.
“You have to be kidding me.”
“Do I look like I’m kidding?” Florence demands. “I can’t believe that you would think this would be my taste. Don’t you pay attention? Look at me. Do I look Parisian?”
“I can’t believe this.” I pinch the bridge of my nose. “I don’t know what to do.”
“I’ll tell you what you’re going to do,” Florence says. “You’re going to fix it. All of it. I want it all ripped out, and you’ll start over. At your expense.”
“This was a quarter of a million-dollar renovation,” I remind her.
“And I didn’t approve a dime of it,” is her reply.
“Do you hate the entire design? The floorplan?”
She pauses and sighs deeply. “I don’t hate the butler’s pantry.”
Hope springs as I think quickly. “Okay. Can we compromise and keep the structure intact? I will take out all the décor and start fresh there. New furnishings, linens, wall hangings. Everything will be completely different. I can even make that exposed brick look…not French.”
Florence narrows her eyes on me. “If I still hate it, there will be hell to pay. Honestly, I expected more out of Will Montgomery’s niece. He’s such a hardworking man, a professional. And this is what I get from you?”
Without another word, she leaves the house, with Karen following after her. Karen looks back to give me a sympathetic smile.
My mind is whirling. Even replacement of the furnishings and décor will cost roughly six figures.
I hurry through to turn off all the lights and then lock up behind myself as I rush to my car and quickly leave, wanting to get as far away from here as possible.
When I’m stopped at a red light, I quickly text Gray.
Me: Can’t make dinner tonight. Sorry. I’ll call you tomorrow.
I don’t want to be with anyone right now. Damn it, I worked my ass off on that job, and she fucking hates it? Why in the hell didn’t she ask Lily to see the artwork? Why didn’t she call me herself?
“And why the fuck did I believe Lily, rather than checking in with the client to make sure everything was on track?”
I hear my phone ping with a text, but I ignore it. I just want to get home, bury my head in the covers, and make this whole event disappear.
Even if it’s only for today.
Because starting tomorrow, this will be a massive shit show.
This project consumed me for months. Like Liv said, it’s my very best work, and I was excited to showcase it in my portfolio.
And now, all of that work is in the dumpster. And if I don’t make it right, it could mean the end of my career.
I screech to a halt in my driveway, then hurry inside and up the stairs to my bedroom. I can’t get my suit off fast enough. When I’m naked, I climb into a steaming hot shower and let myself cry with anger and disappointment.
Once I’ve washed my hair, I dry off and throw on a simple tank and some yoga shorts, pin my wet hair on the top of my head, and climb into bed.
I didn’t realize that it was possible to grieve over something like this, but that’s exactly what it feels like I’m doing. Between crying jags, I fall asleep, only to wake up and remember the humiliation of this afternoon and cry again.
I don’t remember the last time I cried so damn much.
I turn onto my back and feel that I’m no longer alone in the room. It’s probably one of the cousins looking in on me.
“Go away.”
“Not a chance.”
I push the covers off my face and stare up at Gray.
“What are you doing here?”
“You stopped answering my texts. Baby, what’s wrong?”
I shake my head and pull the covers back up.
“Just go away, Gray.”
“No, I absolutely will not go away. Talk to me. Are you hurt?”
Only in my heart. Only in my self-worth and confidence. I’m only questioning all my life choices—and I don’t even care if that sounds dramatic.
“No, it was just a shitty day, and I want to be alone.”
Gray rests his hand on my shoulder, and I want to shake him off. Push him away.
“What can I do?”
“You can go,” I reply sternly and pull the covers down to glare at him. “That’s literally all I want. I don’t want to hurt you, but I don’t want you here right now, Grayson.”
“Okay.” He holds up his hands in surrender before leaning over to press his lips to my forehead. “Okay. I’ll go. But please call me if you change your mind.”
I just nod and turn away from him. When the door closes behind him, the tears come again. I don’t want to admit to Gray that I’m a complete failure at the biggest opportunity of my life. How freaking embarrassing. How humiliating.
I just can’t do it today.
I unearth myself long enough to grab the box of tissues from my nightstand and wipe my face. But then my door opens once more.
“Please don’t make me hurt your feelings,” I say, but when I look over, it’s Livie in the doorway. “You’re not Gray.”
“Nope.”
She strips down to her bra and panties and slips into the bed with me, under the covers, the way we’ve always done when life is shitty and we need to escape.
“How did you know?” I whisper.
“Gray called me. He said you needed someone, but he wasn’t that someone today.”
That brings more tears.
“God, I really love that guy,” I say and swipe at the tears on my face.
“I think I fell a little in love with him, too.” Liv pulls me close and sighs. “She didn’t like it?”
“Not even a little. There were threats and a whole bunch of other bad things, and I don’t know for sure how I’m going to make it right. So, for now, I’m hiding.”
“Well, first of all, she’s dumb.” Liv brushes some wet hair that got loose off my face. “I saw the pictures. That was a stunning design, and if she doesn’t like it, it’s because there’s something wrong with her, not you.”
“Doesn’t matter. The client is always right.”
“Oh, bullshit. Sometimes, people are assholes.”
“You get very sweary when you’re mad. Just like your dad.”
“Hell, yes, I do. Also, when Gray called and told me to get over here, he asked what he could do, and I told him to send pizza and ice cream.”
My eyes widen with hope.
“So, that should be here soon. But he’s not coming back tonight. I told him I’d handle it. You do need to call him tomorrow, though.”
“I will. I’m just so embarrassed. I don’t want to admit to him that I fucked it all up, you know? We’re still in the impress-each-other phase.”
“Honey, based on the concern and care I witnessed today, I’d say you’re far past that stage. He doesn’t give a shit about anything except making sure you’re safe and okay. Which is really, really sexy, by the way.”
“Yeah.” I sigh and close my eyes. “He’s one of the good guys. But I’m glad you’re here. How long can you hang? Long enough to eat pizza and ice cream?”
“I’m here for the night,” she declares, startling me.
“But what about Vaughn?”
“He’s in Vancouver,” she reminds me. “Besides, even if he were home, he’d be fine. He cares about you.”
“He’s one of the good guys, too.” I sniff when my eyes fill with tears again. “Thank you.”
“This is who we are, Stel. You don’t ever have to thank me for it.”
Last night was one that I don’t plan to relive anytime soon.
I know that she needed time alone, and I respect it. But Christ, the agony on her face broke my goddamn heart.
And I stayed away all night as she wanted.
I won’t anymore.
With a big, pink box of donuts in my hands, I walk to the front door of Stella’s house and ring the bell.
“Hey,” Drew says when he opens the door. He bites into an apple but eyes the box in my hands. “You must be here for Stella.”
“I am. Want a donut?” I open the lid, and Drew grins.
“Who in their right mind would pass up a donut?” He reaches in and comes out with three. “Stella’s still in bed. Thanks for these, much better than an apple.”
He walks away, and I close the door behind me, walking through the living room, only to come face-to-face with Haley.
“Are those donuts?” she asks with hope in her gorgeous blue eyes.
“Take one,” I offer, and she grabs a chocolate glazed. When she bites in, she sighs.
“I’m going to have to run an extra mile today, and I don’t even care. Thanks.”
“You’re welcome.”
I climb the stairs, two at a time, and almost run right into Erin.
It seems the whole house is awake, aside from the one woman I want to see.
“Take a donut,” I invite Erin, who grins widely.
“Well, this is a fun surprise. You even have a maple.” She bites into the fresh donut and waves it at me as she turns to head down the stairs. “Have a good day.”
“You, too.”
I knock lightly on Stella’s door and then quietly open it, surprised to find not just Stella still asleep, but also Olivia, soundlessly putting on her shoes.
“Hey,” she says with a whisper. “I have to get to work. Thought I’d let her sleep.”
She pats me on the shoulder, snatches a donut out of the box, and then hurries out of the room.
There are two empty pizza boxes discarded on the floor. On the bed, right in the middle, is an ice cream carton, open and on its side, with a little puddle of melted ice cream to top it off.
Did a frat party happen in here?
I set the box on the side table and sit on the side of the bed near Stella’s hip.
“Damn it, Liv, I’m sleeping.”
I grin and brush a blond lock of hair off her smooth cheek. “It looks like you had quite a party.”
She cracks open an eye and looks up at me, her mouth tipping up in a sleepy smile.
“G’morning,” she murmurs.
“Good morning, sweetheart. How are you feeling?”
“Groggy,” she says and turns onto her back with a sigh. “Did Liv leave?”
“She was just heading out when I got here. I brought donuts, by the way. I think there are about six left after the rest of the household descended, so you’ll want to grab your share.”
“That’s sweet.” She reaches for my hand and presses it to her cheek. “You brought me food. And you had food delivered yesterday, too.”
“From the looks of it, you and Olivia enjoyed it.”
Stella laughs and licks her lips. “We ate our weight in all the junk food. It always helps.” Her face sobers. “I owe you an apology.”
“No, you don’t.”
“I do.” She sits up and pushes her hair away from her face, grabbing my hand again to clutch it in hers. “I’m not sorry that I couldn’t be with you last night. But I do apologize for the dramatic display you had to witness when you showed up here. I had a really shitty afternoon at work. There is a client, a superrich, super influential client that I’ve been working for since last winter. Almost a year of work. And yesterday was my big reveal for her.”
Stella closes her eyes, and I tighten my grip on her hand in reassurance.
“It didn’t go well,” she says and then laughs. “That’s the understatement of the year. Actually, I monumentally failed. She hates it. So much so that I have to start over.”
“From scratch?”
“Well, no. Thankfully, she agreed to keep the structure as-is because I don’t know how long it would take me to find a construction crew for this. But I’ll be returning almost all the furnishings and starting over on the décor. It was just a huge blow to my confidence. I think it’s some of my best work, and I don’t think the client could have hated it more. And she didn’t deliver the news…gently. Not that I need to be coddled or have smoke blown up my ass if I don’t do a job right. I’m old enough and smart
enough to know that not every design will hit the mark. But, damn, it really sucked.”
“I’m sorry.”
“Me, too. So, now, I have all kinds of research to do, calls to make, and things to handle. My sulking time is officially over. It’s back to real life.”
“I have a request,” I say, leaning into her and pressing my lips to hers.
“What’s that?” she asks.
“Next time, just say, “Shit day. Need Liv.” And I’ll know that you’re okay but just need some girl time.”
“I was embarrassed,” she says simply. “It’s not that I prefer Liv. It’s that I know she’s going to love me no matter what. And you and I are still new. I didn’t want to admit to you that I fucked up on something so important.”
“Did you think I’d judge you? Or that I’d decide I didn’t want you just because you had an off day at work?”
“No, that sounds ridiculous,” she mutters. “We’re new, like I said. And at that moment, Olivia knew what I needed to feel better.”
“Now, I know, as well. Pizza and ice cream.”
She laughs and then nods. “You’re not wrong. Thanks for being so nice to me.”
“Oh, I wanted to spank your ass when you told me to leave yesterday.”
She quirks an eyebrow, and her eyes fill with interest. “Is that so?”
“Mm.”
She licks her lips. “I don’t think I would hate that.”
Is there any wonder why I’m so crazy about her?
“Shall we try for dinner again tonight?” I ask her.
“Absolutely. I’ll be there.”
“Good. I hate to go, but I have to get to the office.”
“It’s okay. I need to get a move on myself.” She checks the time and then dives for the donut box. “Oh, my God, these are my favorite.”
“How convenient.” After she takes a bite, I kiss her sugar-coated lips and then stand to leave before I change my mind and tumble her into that ice-cream-covered bed for the day. “I should be home by about six.”
“Perfect,” she says with her mouth full. “Have a nice day, dear.”
I shake my head. Now that things are set to rights again, I leave to get my day started.
“OKAY, BE HONEST, ” Stella says as she carries our plates to the sink. “Did you really cook that yourself?”
“With my own hands,” I lie easily, amused when she narrows her eyes at me, clearly suspicious. “Why? You think I can’t?”
“I didn’t say that.” She rinses the dishes and then sets them in the dishwasher. “I’m just looking around the kitchen, and it doesn’t look nearly as messy as it should for chicken cordon bleu with scalloped potatoes and roasted carrots. I mean, where’s the pan you roasted the carrots in?”
“Maybe I’m excellent at cleaning as I go—which is the only right way to cook. My mother taught me that.”
Stella purses her lips and stares at me through narrowed eyes. “I don’t buy it.”
I can’t help it; I laugh as I cross to her and kiss the crown of her head, breathing her in.
“You caught me. I ordered it on my way home and plated it up before you got here.”
“Well, it was damn good. What should we do now? Want to watch a movie?”
“Actually, I have to take you somewhere.”
“Oh. Okay, where?”
“It’s kind of lame,” I warn her, feeling more than a little silly.
“Now I’m dying to know.”
“Well, Willie’s grandma, Betty, plans a once-a-month ice cream social for everyone in the building. It’s tonight. And if I don’t at least show my face there for five minutes, I’ll never hear the end of it.”
“Ice cream is never lame,” she says, pointing her perfectly manicured finger at my chest.
“Betty even provides whipped cream and cherries.”
“Even less lame, then. Let’s go.”
We start the dishwasher and then leave the condo, heading to the lobby on the first floor. When we’re in the elevator, I glance down at her.
“I feel you looking at me.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“You have an elevator fetish.”
“I didn’t,” I reply as we reach the first floor. “Until I met you.”
We step out, and I’m not surprised to find that most of the other tenants have already been here and left.
“There you are,” Betty says, shaking the business end of an ice cream scoop my way. “I thought you’d forgotten.”
“I value my life too much for that,” I reply. “And I’d like you to meet Stella.”
“Finally,” Betty says with a smile as she walks over to join us. “Willie talked about you all last week. You’re as pretty as he said you were.”
“Thanks,” Stella says with a smile. “It’s nice to meet you. Gray said you do this every month?”
“It’s the best way for me to keep an eye on my neighbors,” Betty says, covering the side of her mouth like it’s some big secret. “Why, just last month, I learned that the Davidsons from the third floor are getting a divorce. I would never have gotten that information otherwise.”
“Grams is the Mrs. Kravitz of the neighborhood,” Willie says as he joins us. “You know, like from Bewitched.”
“I can’t believe you’ve seen that show,” I say to him.
“I watch Nick at Nite. I’ve also seen all of the Friends episodes. You know, the really old stuff.”
“I’m going to wound you,” I reply calmly, making the young man laugh. “What did you get on your English essay?”
“I got a B,” he says with a shrug. “You weren’t here to check my grammar.”
“That’s a load of bull, and you know it,” I reply. “I edited that piece over email while I was at my mother’s hospital bedside.”
Willie snorts, Betty winks at Stella, and Stella hides her laugh behind a fake cough.
“How is your sweet mom?” Betty asks as she starts packing up the ice cream.
“Wait, can I still get a scoop?” Stella asks.
“Oh, of course. Here.” Betty dishes up two scoops of ice cream for Stella and me, and between bites, I help Willie get things cleaned up and folded to put away in a nearby closet until next month.
“So, I did the right thing as soon as Willie told me about you. I googled you,” Betty informs Stella without any sense of apology in her tone. “Because Grayson is very important to us. I want to know who he’s dating.”
“Understandable,” Stella says with a nod as she licks her spoon. “What did you find out? Did you find that sex vid I did in college?”
We all stop and whip our heads around to stare at Stella in shock.
Stella tips her head back and laughs her ass off.
“Oh, the looks on your faces. It’s just priceless.” She snorts and then scoops up another bite of ice cream. “I’m kidding.”
“No, nothing as scandalous as that,” Betty says with a chuckle. “I did discover that you’re an interior designer.”
“That part is true,” Stella confirms.
“Well, that’s just wonderful. I like to think of myself as an artistic person, as well. You will have to come over to our place soon to see what I’ve done with it.”
“That sounds fun,” Stella replies, her voice sincere. “I always love to see how people style their living spaces. Like how Gray…hasn’t.”
“I’m hardly home,” I remind her.
“That’s no excuse,” she replies mildly. “Your home is your sanctuary. And even if it’s simple and clean, it should be inviting and comfortable.”
“Maybe you could give me some pointers.”
Stella’s smile spreads. “Anytime.”
“I have homework,” Willie announces. “So, I have to get upstairs. See you later.”
“And I have a program to watch,” Betty adds. “Come on, you two. You can escort us up.”
Stella and I grin at each other but do as we’re told, joining Betty and Willie in the elevator up to our floor. We say our goodbyes at their door, but I stop Stella before we move on to my condo.
“Are you up for a walk?”
“Like, outside?” she asks.
“Yes. Outside.”
“Sure. I just need a jacket.” She keys in the code to my door, which has me raising a brow. “I’ve only watched you open this door a million times by now.”
“Or, you know, four.”
She grins and walks into my place, tosses the remnants of her ice cream, and grabs her coat.
“It’s raining. Should I take an umbrella?” I ask.
Stella scoffs and shakes her head. “This is Seattle. Only the move-ins from down south use umbrellas.”
“I just wanted to offer in case you were worried about messing up your hair or something.”
“Nah.” She hooks her arm through mine as we return to the elevator. “It’ll dry. I haven’t taken a walk around the city in far too long.”
The doors open, and seeing that we’re alone, I wait for them to close again and then pin her to the corner of the car, then cup her face in my hands and kiss the ever-loving fuck out of her.
She hitches her leg up around my hip and gives back as good as she gets. If she were wearing a skirt, I’d be inside her by now.
But there’s not enough time to get her naked before we make it to the street level.
Stella moans against my mouth and leans in to press her breasts against my chest as if she’s trying to ease an ache.
“Soon,” I whisper against her lips as I feel the elevator begin to slow. “Very soon.”
Just before the doors open, I step back from her and take her hand. Stella wipes her finger down the side of her mouth, and we walk through the lobby and out the front doors into the cool Seattle evening.
“I can smell the rain,” she says after taking a long, deep breath. “There’s nothing like it anywhere else.”
“You must be used to the rain after living here your whole life.”
“I suppose,” she agrees. “It’s never really bothered me, honestly. I mean, sure, by the time spring comes around, I’m ready for some sunshine, but I don’t mind the dark days. Does northern Idaho get much sun?”
“No,” I reply. “Well, that’s not true. We get our share in the summer and early fall, but we also get a lot of rain and even some snow in the winter.”
“Snow doesn’t happen often here. And when it does, it sends the city into a state of emergency. But I love traveling to other places with snow in the winter. Do you ski?”
I smile, remembering the conversation I had last week with my mom.
“No. I tried when I was a kid and absolutely hated it.”
“I kind of hate it, too,” she says with excitement. “My cousins? They love it. All of them. We have family friends who live in Montana. We used to go there to ski a lot when I was a kid. Hated it. But I loved watching it snow. Or even going outside to feel it and drink it in—figuratively, of course. And I love hot chocolate and all the wintery things. Just don’t ask me to put on a pair of sticks and throw myself down a hill.”
“You’re my kind of girl,” I reply and loop my arm around her neck, tugging her in for a kiss. “I couldn’t agree more.”
“So, we make a pact, right here and now,” she says solemnly. “For as long as we’re together, there will be no skiing.”
“That’s a promise I can keep.” I kiss her again and then guide her to the intersection, where we stop and wait for the light to change.
“Where are we going, anyway?” she asks.
“Anywhere we want,” I reply. “I don’t have an agenda.”
“Have you been to Kobe Terrace, a little hidden park here in downtown Seattle?”
“I can’t say that I have.”
“It’s only a few blocks this way. It’s not quite dark yet, so there shouldn’t be any trouble.”
“What kind of trouble?”
“Oh, you know…serial killers. Pirates. Aliens.”
She grins when I laugh and leads me a few blocks east, almost to the interstate. Sure enough, we run into a beautiful little park filled with sculptures and benches tucked within a random neighborhood.
“Told you,” she says with a grin.
“And not even one alien in sight.”
“That we know of,” she corrects me and sits on a bench.
“I have a question.”
She pats the seat next to her, and I take it, then reach for her hand. I can’t seem to stop touching her every chance I get.
“Did you ever really make a sex video?”
Stella snorts and shakes her head. “No. Absolutely, not. But my aunt Natalie takes beautiful boudoir photos, and we’ve played around with that. My mom was a Playboy Playmate back in the day.”
“No way.”
“Way. When my dad found out after meeting her years later, he wasn’t pleased. But it’s not like she could go back and change it. He’s chilled out now. Anyway, to answer your question, no porn exists that features yours truly.”
“But you have sexy pictures.”
She bats her eyelashes. “And if you’re very good, I’ll show them to you.”
“I plan to be on my best behavior.”
“Even when we have dinner with my parents tomorrow night?”
“Especially then.”
Someone is touching me. Not just touching me, but touching me.
It’s pitch-black as I shoot out of a deep, dreamless sleep, snuggled down in Gray’s big bed. I feel his hand moving from my breast, down my stomach, and to my core, sending me straight into desire.
I turn onto my back and spread my legs in invitation. Without a word, his finger gently tickles over my lips, through my slit, and slides right inside of me.
I gasp, still hovering in that half-in and half-out-of sleep space that feels so damn good while Gray’s finger does things to me that might be illegal in this state.
“I wake up wanting you,” he whispers, his lips right up against my ear. He adds another finger, and they slide over me and then back inside.
My hips move, up and down, begging for more.
He doesn’t climb on top of me or nudge me onto my stomach.
No, he lifts my leg and scoots closer, easily slipping right inside. And with long, slow strokes, he makes love to me in the dark with just our breaths and sighs filling the space around us.
My muscles quiver and tighten around him, and as my back arches up off the mattress, Gray nibbles on the ball of my shoulder and pushes his
fingertips against my clit. I see stars explode around us.
“Fuck,” I whisper, convulsing as the orgasm moves through me.
“Shit,” he says, and after two more thrusts, empties himself into me.
“What time is it?” I ask as I try to catch my breath, and he returns from the bathroom with a wet rag.
“I have no idea,” he says as he cleans me up. “Not time to get up. Go back to sleep, baby.”
“I’m just saying, for the record,” I say as I curl up next to him. “That is not a bad way to wake up.”
I feel him smile against my forehead before he kisses me there and wraps his arms around me, settling us both in to go back to sleep.
“I couldn’t resist you,” he says quietly. “I can never resist you.”
“DON’T BE NERVOUS, ” I say to Gray as we walk around the block to the entrance of my parents’ building. “They’re really nice people. You’ll like them.”
“I’m sure it’ll be just fine,” he says, but his jaw tenses as he reaches for the door and opens it for me.
The thing is, I know they’ll both like Gray. Even my dad, if he just chills out and gives Gray a chance.
When we get in the elevator, I take his hand and squeeze it.
“So, you grew up in this condo?” he asks me.
“I did. Mom got rid of my bedroom years ago and made it into a yoga studio.”
He grins as the doors open. I lead him down the hall to my parents’ door, ring the bell, and then let myself in.
“We’re here,” I call out when I don’t see anyone in the kitchen or living room. “I smell the grill.”
“Looks like they’re out on the deck.” Gray gestures with his chin, and I follow his gaze. Sure enough, Mom and Dad are on the deck with my dad standing by the open and smoking grill.
“That would explain the smell.” I snatch a cracker and a slice of cheese off a charcuterie platter sitting on the kitchen counter as we walk through to the sliding glass door that leads outside. “Smells good, you guys. We’re here.”
“Oh, hey,” Mom says with a wide smile and jumps up to give me a hug. “I haven’t seen you in too long. I don’t like that you have a life of your own that doesn’t involve hanging out with me.”
I laugh and hug her back tightly. “I know. We really need to get all the old ladies together for a girls’ night sometime soon. But first, I’d like you to meet Gray.”
“It’s about time,” Mom says as Gray takes her hand. “I feel like I’m the last one to meet you. Nate said he ran into you at the gym the other day.”
“He did,” Gray confirms and nods at my dad, who’s been watching us with a stony expression and his arms folded over his chest. “It’s good to see you again, Mr. McKenna.”
“How do you take your steak, Gray?” Dad asks.
“Medium rare.”
Dad just nods and turns back to the grill, and Mom and I share a look. She shrugs. I roll my eyes.
We’ve always been able to have these silent conversations.
“Oh, I’m going to go grab that charcuterie board and bring it out here if you’d like to sit outside for a while. It’s not too cold today.”
“I’ll help you,” I offer and only feel slightly guilty for abandoning Gray and leaving him with my dad for a few minutes. He should be okay. Dad probably won’t kill him.
Once the door is closed, Mom turns to me with wide blue eyes. “Hubba hubba.”
“Right? He’s a total hottie. And he’s so nice. He’s really, really good to me, Mom.”
“He’d better be, or your dad will murder-death-kill him,” Mom replies and nods toward a bowl of dip that didn’t fit on the board. “Will you please grab that for me?”
“Sure.”
“You’d better invite him to Iceland for Christmas.”
I frown over at her. “Are we still doing that?”
“Of course, we are. The whole family is going, and you should invite Gray to join us.”
“I’ll mention it to him. Let’s go out there and rescue him from Dad.” But before we can turn and go back outside, the guys come in. “So, no sitting outside?”
“The sky just opened up,” Dad says, shaking his head. “It’s cooling things off fast. I’ll just grab the steaks in a few.”
“Well, then, let’s get cozy,” Mom says and gestures to the snacks on the kitchen island. “Have some appetizers, please. There’s enough food here to feed an army.”
“Or, you know, Uncle Will.”
Even dad’s lips twitch at that little joke, and my shoulders relax a little.
“So, I hear you’re an attorney,” Mom says to Gray as she pops a green olive into her mouth. “What kind of attorney?”
“I mostly work with corporate law,” Gray replies.
“How did you meet Stella?” Dad asks, and I feel my heart rate kick up.
“So, that’s a funny story,” I jump in with a bright smile. “Do you remember when I went to Vegas with Danny for his bachelorette party?”
“Did you get arrested in Nevada?” Dad asks, narrowing his eyes. “You and Danny can’t be trusted together.”
Gray snorts beside me, and I press my lips together. “No. It wasn’t anything like that. Um, Danny and I got a little tipsy one night and thought
it would be hilarious to go to one of those little chapel places and get married by Elvis.”
“Oh, Stella, you didn’t.” Mom groans, closing her eyes.
“As it turns out, it was a real wedding place, and when Danny went to get his marriage license with Brandon, he couldn’t do that because he was already married. To me. Because…drunk Las Vegas.”
I watch my dad’s face and expect him to get pissed, but he just watches me for a moment and then bursts into laughter.
I share a look of surprise with my mom.
“So, Brandon and Gray are partners at the law firm, and Gray agreed to help us annul the marriage so the happy couple can get their license.”
“And then Stella walked into my office,” Gray says as he smiles down at me. “I knew that my life would never be the same, no matter what happened next.”
“Okay, that’s sweet,” Mom says.
“It’s true.” Gray looks over at my father. “And how did you and Mrs. McKenna meet?”
“Please, call me Jules,” Mom says.
“We worked together,” Dad says. “And it wasn’t exactly allowed in our office.”
“Nonfraternization policy,” Mom adds.
“And I said, ‘fuck that’ and pursued her anyway,” Dad continues. “Because she was immediately the light of my life, and I knew that I couldn’t be without her.”
“They say mushy stuff like that all the time,” I inform Gray.
“I don’t think it’s mushy,” Gray says, slowly shaking his head. “I think it’s just facts.”
“I like him,” Mom announces as Dad stands and hurries out to take the steaks off the grill. “He can stay.”
Dad slips back through the door, a platter full of steaming steaks in his hand.
“Dinner’s ready,” Dad says, and we move to the table to dish up and eat.
“Where are you from?” Dad asks Gray, and for the next thirty minutes, we eat and talk about his family, northern Idaho, and our family.
We laugh about the shenanigans the cousins have pulled.
“Speaking of cousins,” I say as I bite a stalk of asparagus. “Who told you?”
“Told me what?” Dad asks.
“That I was dating Gray. Obviously, you heard through the grapevine. And since Gray’s only met the cousins, it had to be one of them. So, who was it? I need to know who to torture.”
“I feel like I should protect my sources,” Dad says thoughtfully. “Besides, I want to talk about something a bit more serious. Like this age gap.”
“Are you kidding me?” I ask as I lift my glass of wine and take a sip.
“Not at all,” Dad replies. “My daughter is twenty-five, and you’re clearly much older than that.”
“Thirty-four,” Gray confirms.
“He’s not old,” I add. “He’s not old enough to be my father.”
Dad’s eyes narrow, and Mom hides a laugh behind her napkin.
“Stella is an adult,” Gray says. “She’s a successful businesswoman and an intelligent, vibrant, funny person. I’d think she could date whomever she chooses.”
“I didn’t say otherwise,” Dad replies easily. “I simply pointed out there is an age difference.”
“I don’t think it’s a big deal,” Mom says, shaking her head. “It’s not like he’s in his nineties and in a wheelchair, for God’s sake. He’s a handsome, smart man who knows value when he sees it. Besides, you’re seven years older than me.”
Dad narrows his eyes on my mom. “We’re not talking about us.”
“But your relationship has survived more than a quarter of a century, and you’re still ridiculously in love,” I point out. “You buy Mom croissants at her favorite market just because she likes them. And you’re really gross with the PDA.”
“Sometimes, age doesn’t really factor in,” Mom agrees and gives my dad a look that says: Drop it.
“What’s for dessert?” I ask.
“Chocolate cheesecake, of course.”
“SO, IT WASN’T A COMPLETE DISASTER, ” Danny says the following morning as he slouches in the chair by my desk.
“No. And my dad could have been way worse. You should have seen how he treated my senior prom date. I thought for sure the poor kid was going to pee himself. Why does he have to be so…alpha?”
“Because he just is,” Danny says reasonably. “Some men are like that. B is, too. And Gray, of course.”
I look at my friend as if he’s lost his marbles. “Gray is not alpha.”
“Oh, honey, you need to open those pretty blue eyes of yours. Gray is absolutely an alpha male. He’s bossy and in control and very protective. How have you not noticed that by now?”
My jaw drops open, and then I close it again and stare through my office window, thinking it over.
Gray can be intense. I guess it never occurred to me to label him as an alpha man.
“Huh,” is all I say when my computer pings with an incoming email. “Shit, this is from Florence.”
“Oh, the ice queen. Is it just me, or does she seem like that character from The Devil Wears Prada?”
“Miranda Priestly?” I ask with a laugh. “Oh my gosh, that’s exactly who she’s like. ‘I’m so disappointed.’ She even purses her lips in the same way. That’s hilarious. Now, I have to open this email.”
“You’ve got this, babe,” Danny says as he rounds the desk to read over my shoulder.
“I sent her some new drawings for the master bedroom. I thought I’d start with an easy room, just to get a feel for what she wants. I studied for hours, looking through photos of her on red carpets and stuff to get a feel for her style.”
“She’s very black and white,” Danny murmurs as we scan the email. “And she seems to like your design.”
All that’s written is a very simple: That’s better.
“She’s a woman of few words,” I mutter in annoyance. “It’s better, but not great. So, what doesn’t she like? What does she want me to change or add?”
“Honey, she’s a gazillionaire. She doesn’t have time for that. That’s what she has you for.”
“Yeah, well, we did it that way once, and she hated every single thing.”
He shrugs, and I sigh in frustration.
“I’m not too proud to admit that this has me scared. If she hates it again, the firm will fire me. Camille already pulled me into her office and gave me a tongue-lashing for fucking up so royally.”
“She’s a bitch,” Danny whispers. “She’s all about the bottom line and doesn’t give a shit about the people who work here.”
“Still, it’s a well-respected company, and I like working here. I don’t have to deal with Camille often. But she made it clear that I’ve already screwed up and I’d better fix it—or I’m out.”
“Would that be a bad thing?” he asks, surprising me.
“Would losing my job be a bad thing? Oh, I don’t know, let me think. Yes. Yes, it would. I need to work, Danny. And I like it.”
“That’s not what I meant. I don’t expect you to be a kept woman. That’s not your style. But if you left this firm, you could always start one of your own.”
“I don’t have enough years under my belt. And if I leave with a shitty recommendation from both Camille and Miranda Priestly, aka Florence, I’m finished.”
“Okay, I’m the only one who gets to be a drama queen around here,” Danny says and rolls his eyes. “You’re not finished, darling. You have a lot of amazing things in your portfolio and plenty of clients who would give you a glowing recommendation. So one design didn’t hit the mark. It’s not the end of the world.”
I stare at him again. “Did I mention this was a million-dollar project?”
His confidence doesn’t waver. “All I’m saying is, you’ve got this. No matter how it shakes out, you’ve got it covered because you’re a fucking badass who knows her job. I saw that design. It was brilliant. Keep those photos for your resume because it definitely isn’t your fault that Florence doesn’t have any taste.”
“I really love you. You know that, right?”
He grins. “You love me so much that you married me.”
What do you mean you can’t find her?” I demand into the phone and pace my condo.
“Her car is here,” Dad says, frustration thick in his voice. “I’ve been through the house twice, and I can’t find her. I just got home from work, and she had some ladies over for tea this afternoon.”
“She has a broken hip,” I remind him. “She can’t have gotten far.”
“Do you think I don’t know that?” Dad counters, his voice rising, but then he pauses. “Jeannie? Oh, honey, where were you?”
“Oh, I was just out looking at my garden, but the flowers have died.”
“I found her,” he says, relief in his words. “She’s okay. She looks tired. I’ll call you later.”
Dad hangs up, and I stare out my window in frustration.
Mom’s getting to the point that leaving her alone isn’t smart. She has a nurse who looks in on her throughout the day, and Maya tries to be there as much as possible, but Spokane is still at least a thirty-minute drive away— in good traffic.
They arranged the tea party this afternoon so she wouldn’t be alone for long between the nurse’s visit and Dad getting home.
Without giving it too much thought, I dial Maya’s number.
“Wassup?” she asks when she answers.
“When was the last time you were with Mom?”
“Why? Has something happened?”
“Just answer the question.”
“I was there on Sunday,” she says. “What happened?”
“Dad got home from work today and couldn’t find her.”
“What?”
“He called me in a panic. She ended up walking in from outside, where she said she was spending time in the garden.”
“How? She’s injured, for God’s sake?”
“That was my thought. She’s not getting better. Mentally, I mean.”
“I know. She’s not worse, either—which is good. But she can’t just wander outside with a broken hip. And she can’t get approved for a twentyfour-seven nurse. So, I’ve decided I’m going to quit my job and go live at home for a while.”
“Maya—”
“No, it makes sense. Sid’s got her career happening in Nashville, and you have a law firm to run. It makes the most sense for me to do this. I’m not a nurse, but I’m at least a familiar face that can be there with her to make sure she takes it easy and isn’t in danger. If she were to fall again, it could be catastrophic.”
“I know.” My voice is soft. “I wish Dad would retire and stay home with her.”
“He would go mad in a week,” she reminds me. “He’s not ready to retire, Gray. I want to go spend some time with Mom. In thirty years, I’ll be happy I did.”
My sister has the biggest heart and always thinks of everyone before herself.
She’s the caretaker.
“I’m always a phone call away.”
“I know. Don’t beat yourself up, Gray. It’s going to be okay. Maybe once she’s recovered from the hip, things can go back to normal for a while.”
“I hope so. When is all of this happening?”
“I’m packing up this weekend. I already gave notice at the job. Movers are coming on Monday, and then I’ll be at the ol’ homestead.”
“I mean, it’s not a bad place to hang out. Stella enjoyed it. Maybe we’ll come visit again soon.”
“We’d all like that. How are things with Stella, anyway?”
“Good. Things are good.”
“I know you won’t give me any details, so I’ll let you go. I’ll call Dad really quick. Thanks for the heads-up.”
“No, thank you, Maya.”
“Hey, this is what kids do, right? We take care of our parents.”
“I just don’t want you to think that Sid and I are putting all of this on your shoulders.”
“It’s fine. Really. And if it ever isn’t fine, I’ll let you know.”
“Do that. And keep me posted.”
I hang up and sigh, staring out at the city. I love living in Seattle and the life I’ve built here, but damn, it’s hard being so far away from my family when the shit starts to hit the fan.
I know that Maya will keep me posted and will give it to me straight.
For now, I need to be content with that.
It’s been two weeks since I met Stella’s parents. I haven’t spent a lot of time with her over the past couple of weeks because she’s been swamped with work since she’s now doing double-duty, and I’ve had my own plate full of cases and things to see to since I was gone for that week in Idaho.
But I’m taking Stella out on a date tonight. I don’t think we’ve been out since our first date, and given how long ago that was, I need to up my game.
Stella deserves to be wined and dined and pampered. She works her ass off.
And I’m completely in love with her.
“I’m here,” Stella says as she bustles into the condo in a mad dash. “I know I’m late, but I had to finish up some things at the office.”
She runs right past me into the bedroom in a gorgeous, blond flash.
“You’re not that late,” I say as I casually follow her. Stella spends more nights here than she does at her place, and I wouldn’t have it any other way. Just last week, she brought a suitcase of clothes to my condo because she was wasting so much time driving home each morning to get ready for work, only to turn around and come back into the city.
“My uncle Will called. Now that they’ve closed on the house next to mine, they want me to help with some of the renovation ideas. So, I met them there earlier today. Since I was already next door, I went ahead and grabbed a few more things that I need over here. And then I had a meeting in my office.”
She disappears with a bag into the closet and starts putting some things away in the drawers and on the hangers that I emptied for her.
“But don’t worry,” she continues, “I just have to change and freshen up my makeup and then I’m ready to go.”
“Do I look worried?”
She stops, blows a strand of her hair out of her eyes, and looks at me. “No. Actually, you don’t.”
“Because I’m not. We have time.”
I cross to her and frame that gorgeous face in my hands, then lean down to kiss her.
“We don’t have time for this,” she murmurs against my lips and then pulls away to get ready for our date. “Where are we going, anyway?”
“Wine tasting.” My mouth goes dry when she shimmies out of her form-fitting dress, leaving her in only a tiny pair of panties and a matching
bra. “With food, of course.”
“Oh, fun. That sounds awesome.”
She wiggles into a pair of jeans and a little tank top thing and then pulls on a short, green sweater that hits at her waistline.
She slides her feet into brown, knee-high boots and then runs for the bathroom.
As I listen to her shuffle around in there, I look at the walk-in closet.
I like seeing her things mingled with mine, and, honestly, that surprises me. I’ve never felt enough for a woman to ask her to stay with me, to move in with me.
And now, the thought of Stella leaving makes my chest ache.
“Okay, let’s do this,” she says as she walks past the closet. “Gray?”
“Coming.” With my jacket draped over my arm, I join her. “Let’s go.”
“CUPPA DE VITA WINES?” she asks beside me as I pull into the parking lot.
“Do you know it?”
She turns that wide smile on me and then laughs. “You could say that. My uncle, Dominic, owns it.”
“Your family never stops surprising me.”
“You’re not the only one,” she says. “This will be so fun. I haven’t seen Uncle Dom and Aunt Alecia in a long time.”
I escort her inside where the tasting room is and hear a shriek of excitement from behind the bar.
“Stella!”
She’s swept up in a hug, and then the woman glances my way.
“I’m sorry, how can I help you?”
“I have a reservation for two,” I reply with a smile. “Grayson Sterling.”
“I’m the plus one,” Stella adds.
“Oh, how fun. I get to meet the new boyfriend. I’m Alecia, Stella’s aunt.”
“Does the whole family know?” Stella asks her.
“Of course. Now, come on. I’ll get you started with a glass of wine and our spread of goodies. I have pasta lined up for dinner and a special surprise for dessert.”
“When did you start offering a three-course meal?” Stella asks.
“About a year ago,” Alecia replies and gestures to a table by the window that overlooks the rolling hills of vines. “This is a pinot noir taken from that plot right there.”
She gestures to the vines closest to where we sit as a young woman holding a tray approaches.
“Oh, thank you, Emma. This is just an appetizer to whet your appetite.”
“Hey, Em,” Stella says to the young woman. “How’s school?”
“Meh, it’s okay,” she says with a shrug. “I can’t wait to graduate and go live in the new family compound in the city.”
“Don’t let your mother hear you say that,” Stella advises. “Also, you should come hang out with me soon.”
“Yes, please,” Emma says with gratitude. “I can’t bring you the hard stuff, but I can deliver food to the table, so if you need anything at all, just flag me down. I’ll be here.”
“Thanks, kiddo,” Stella says with a wink and turns to me when Emma walks away. “She’s the youngest of the cousins, and she hates that title. She’s ready to grow up and do all the fun things that she sees the other cousins doing.”
“Of course, she does.”
“Liv and I try to get the younger cousins together now and then so they can have fun, too. We can’t have them coming to the cousins’ parties at the house because of the drinking, though. That’s not even a possibility. But I feel bad that they feel left out.”
“You’re a good person.” I reach out for her hand and take a sip of the wine. “And this wine is the best I’ve ever had.”
“I’m glad to hear it.”
We look up and see a man standing nearby.
“Uncle Dom,” Stella says with a grin.
“Hello, bambina,” he replies with an Italian accent. “How did I get so lucky to see you tonight?”
“Gray brought me,” Stella says, gesturing to me. “I didn’t know he was bringing me here until we pulled in.”
“I love your wines,” I add and offer my hand to shake. “They’re some of my favorites, and I thought it would be fun to bring Stella for a tasting. I had no idea the vineyard was a family one.”
“We have a big family,” Dom replies with a smile. “It takes a while to learn all the ins and outs of us all. My wife made something special for dessert, so you’re in for a treat. Be sure to find me before you go so I can see you.”
“I will.”
“Your family is something,” I say, shaking my head. “So nice.”
“Kindness runs in our DNA,” she confirms.
“I am a little surprised, though. Dominic doesn’t look anything like anyone else in your family.”
“Well, that’s because how he came to be was a bit of a scandal.” She clears her throat and sips her wine. “My grandparents were separated for a while after my uncle Caleb was born. While separated, my grandpa had an affair.”
I feel my eyes go wide.
“I know, right? Dom was the result of that. Grandpa didn’t know about him until Dom was an adult and came to find him after his mother died.”
“How did your grandma take it?”
“From what I heard, she took it all in stride. She welcomed Dominic into our family, and everyone moved on. I think that all my uncles struggled a bit, but no one thinks of Dom and his family as anything but a part of us.”
“That’s…extraordinary.”
“Speaking of family, how’s yours?” she asks and bites into a piece of cheese.
“Difficult.” I tell her about my dad’s call, and then my follow-up call to Maya. “Part of me is relieved that Maya will be there to help, but part of me feels guilty. She shouldn’t have to take on the burden on her own.”
“It doesn’t sound like she considers it a burden,” Stella replies.
“No, but—”
“If she needs you, she’ll call,” she continues. “Gray, you can’t control everything all the time. It’s impossible. Unless…”
She leans back in her chair and watches me closely.
“Unless?”
“Unless you’re thinking that you should move home yourself.”
“I’m not leaving you,” is my immediate response. “No way.”
“Am I the only thing keeping you here?” She raises an eyebrow.
“No, of course not. I have a law firm and a home here. Friends. But I could leave all of that behind if I had to. You, however, I can’t.”
Stella watches me with flirty eyes over the rim of her wineglass, and I feel her booted foot along my leg.
“If anyone else in the world owned this place, I’d take you into the bathroom and fuck you blind.”
The words are said completely calmly, but Stella chokes on a cashew.
“Ew,” she says when she catches her breath. “No public bathroom sex. Ever. I mean, I know that they run a clean place around here, but no.”
“You didn’t mind when I fucked you in the shower this morning.”
“It’s a shower that I know was recently cleaned,” she clarifies. “I know who’s been in there. If I’m getting naked and bumping uglies with you, it’s
in a clean place.”
“I had no idea that you were such a germophobe.”
“I am when it comes to being naked,” she says with her nose in the air. She sniffs and then drinks her wine.
“I hope you like pasta carbonara,” Alecia announces as she sets a large, heaping platter of steaming pasta between us before placing dinner plates before each of us. “Emma’s following me with some garlic bread and salad.”
“Oh, God, I’m so excited for this,” Stella says and claps her hands.
“Are you the chef?” I ask Alecia.
“These days, I am,” she confirms. “I never used to be, but I took some classes from a friend of mine. I was a quick study.”
“She’s an excellent cook,” Stella adds. “This will be the best food you’ve had in your life.”
“That’s pretty high praise,” I say.
“And a lot of pressure,” Alecia agrees with a laugh. “I hope you enjoy it. Save a little room for dessert.”
Emma delivers the bread and salad, then I dish up our plates.
One bite in, and I know that Stella’s right. I moan with happiness.
“See? Told you. I wouldn’t steer you wrong when it comes to food.”
“Do you think they’d let us move in here, just so we can eat this every day?”
“I bet we could work something out.”
“
How many crates were delivered?” I ask into the phone, looking through my checklist to find the correct line.
“Twelve.” The foreman of the job at Florence’s house doesn’t sound pleased. “We had to put them in the garage because the living room is full.”
“Those are the last ones,” I confirm as I check the final box. “Everything has officially been delivered. When will you be finished?”
“I only have a few trim pieces to complete, and then we’re done. I just sent the crew home. I have to pick up the last of the wood in the morning, and I should be done by noon tomorrow. We finished the wallpaper in the bedroom today. It’ll cure in a couple of days.”
“Awesome.” I sigh in relief and feel my shoulders relax. “Thank you so much for all your hard work over the past couple of weeks. I know you had to fit me in, and I appreciate it.”
“No worries, Stella. Have a good night.”
He disconnects, and I double-check the checklist.
Everything I ordered for Florence’s house is finally there, and now I can get it all set up for her. I plan to tackle a room a day and be ready for the unveiling on Friday.
Given that it’s only Monday, I’m right on track.
I check the time and realize that my next appointment is set to arrive in five minutes. After that, I plan to go to Gray’s condo, soak in his huge tub for about an hour, and then sleep.
I’m exhausted.
My assistant, Liz, pokes her head in my door. “Are you ready for Mr. and Mrs. Stillman? They just got here.”
Before I can answer her, my phone rings.
I see Florence’s name on the screen.
“Give me five, okay?”
“You got it.”
Florence has never called me. She handles everything via email, so I’m not sure what to expect here.
“This is Stella.”
“Florence,” she says brusquely. “I need to see the house tomorrow morning at nine. I’m bringing a camera crew with me from Lifestyle magazine, and they want to get the first look at the house and feature me in the January issue.”
My mouth drops. “Florence, I’m not ready. We agreed on Friday.”
“I’m moving it up,” she says carelessly. “So, I suggest you get ready.”
She hangs up, and I stare at the wall in disbelief.
Tomorrow? At nine a.m.?
“Ready?” Liz asks, her smile falling when she sees my face. “Oh, God, what happened?”
“I have to go,” I say, my brain racing now. “Please reschedule them for me. I have to finish the Florence project by nine tomorrow morning.”
“What? Why?”
“Because she just decreed it so. And, apparently, she’s the queen.”
“Shit, Stel, I’m sorry.”
“Me, too. I’ll probably be in late tomorrow morning.”
“Okay. Good luck.”
With my jacket flung over my arm, my purse slung crossbody, and my heavy briefcase in hand, I hurry to the elevator and down to my car.
“There’s too much to do.” I can feel the panic start to rise in my throat. “There’s no way I can do it on time. There’s no way. ”
I sit in my car and take a deep breath, trying to calm my beating heart. Then I reach for my phone and call Liv.
“Hey, I was just thinking about you,” she says.
“I need your help.” I tell her about the phone call. “Liv, I have two hundred boxes and crates of merch I have to assemble and stage in that house. It was going to take me all week, working twelve-hour days.”
“We can do this,” Liv says immediately. “I’ll meet you there, and we will assess. We’ll just pull an all-nighter. Send me the address.”
My breath hitches. I’m overcome. Of course, she’d jump in without question to help me.
“Thank you. I owe you.”
I shoot off the address to Liv’s phone and then start my car and pull out of the underground parking.
On my way to the house, I call Gray and leave him a message, filling him in. I know he’s in court this afternoon, but he’ll get my message when he’s out.
Olivia is just pulling in front of the house when I do, and she hurries out of her car.
“I don’t see how we can do this,” I say as I rush to the front door, unlock it, and enter the code into the security system. “Come on, I’ll give you a tour and show you.”
“Wow, it’s so pretty already,” Liv says with a smile.
“And it’s not even staged yet.”
I give her a tour of the house, pointing out where things will go.
“This wallpaper,” she whispers, running her fingertips over it in awe. “Seriously, where did you find it?”
“In Paris,” I reply with a grin. “It’s cashmere, and it’s divine.”
After showing her the rest of the house, Liv and I stand in the living room with our hands on our hips to survey the scene.
“That is a lot of boxes to unpack.”
“There are more in the garage,” I inform and watch her green eyes widen.
“Okay.” She takes a long, deep breath. “Our moms could come help. We need the extra hands.”
“You’re right, and we’ll call them. Also, I need a carpenter. That trim above the new wallpaper needs to be installed.”
“Uncle Mark,” Liv says immediately. “Good call.”
“Let’s call in the troops and get started. We’re going to knock it out of the park, babe. Don’t worry.”
THREE HOURS LATER, the house is bustling with my family. Mom and Dad are in the kitchen, unpacking stemware.
Luke and Natalie are making the master bed.
And Uncle Mark is on a ladder, his toolbelt hanging low on his hips as he takes measurements.
“I have the right trim at one of my jobsites,” he says as he jots down some notes. “I’ll grab it from there and bring it over. It’ll be up and finished in an hour. Do you have the paint in the garage?”
“What paint?” I ask and earn a little smile from him.
“The paint they used on the trim.”
My mouth opens and closes like a guppy, and he waves me off. “Never mind, I’ll look for it. It’s probably in the garage.”
Mark hustles out the front door and almost collides with Gray.
“Sorry,” Gray mutters and steps inside, his eyes scanning the room for me. “I brought food. And while I can’t decorate for shit, as you know, I can unpack boxes and move furniture. I have muscles.”
“You’re hired.” I tip my face up for a kiss and then hear my father clear his throat in the kitchen. It makes me laugh. “What kind of food did you bring?”
“Cold sandwiches with potato salad and chips. It won’t go cold, and it won’t go bad.”
“You’re a smartypants, you know that?”
“I’ve heard that a time or two. Tell me what to do.”
I look around and feel completely overwhelmed. “There are some really big crates in the garage that hold the couches for the living room. They need to be put together.”
“On it.”
“I’ll help,” Luke says as he walks through. “The bed is made, and Nat’s fussing with stuff in there. Plus, I haven’t met you yet.”
“Gray.” Gray holds out his hand to shake.
“Luke. Let’s go build some shit. I can interrogate you at the same time.”
“Fun,” is all Gray says as they turn to head out the front door.
“I’ll go help them,” Dad says as he follows.
“We need to work, not give my boyfriend the third degree,” I complain to my mom.
“Don’t worry, honey. They can multitask. The stemware is clean and put away. I’m starting on the flatware next.”
“I found the pots and pans that hang over the island.”
“You want to hang them?” Mom asks, wrinkling her nose. “Yes.”
“I’m no expert, but hear me out. Florence nixed the last design because it was too farmhouse. Too homey. If you hang the pots and pans, it gives the room that same feel.”
I narrow my eyes, looking over the space, then nod my head. “You’re right. Let’s stow them in the cupboard next to the oven.”
“Bathroom’s done,” Liv announces. “Well, the towels and rugs are. I think it needs some extra doodads.”
“I have an abundance of doodads,” I inform her and point to the box I just opened. “In there.”
“Awesome. Wait, you were able to order live plants online?”
“You can order literally anything online.”
“Eat a sandwich,” Mom says before I can move to the next project. “Just half. You need it. It’s going to be a long night.”
So, I munch and work. When the guys bring in the big furniture, I point to where I want it positioned.
“This caramel-colored leather is just so good,” Natalie says as she lovingly pets it. “Luke, I think we should put one of these in our living room. I’m tired of the dark furniture we have.”
“I’ll send you the info on where to buy it,” I promise as I open yet another box. The pile of empty containers out in the driveway is a small mountain.
But at least they’re empty.
“Here’s the matching chair,” Gray says as he and my dad carry it through the front door.
“There should be two matching chairs,” I reply.
“There is,” Dad says. “It’s next on the list.”
“Good. I want them to face the couch.”
“She’s a woman who knows what she wants,” Gray says to Dad with a wink.
“Damn right she is,” Dad replies.
THE GUYS all left around three in the morning when all the heavy lifting was finished, the trim was done, and all we had left was the finishing touches.
Mom and Nat went home at six.
And Amelia, our cousin who owns a mega-successful makeup brand, came to help me get camera ready at seven.
“The smoky eye is just perfect,” Liv says with a nod. “And the foundation isn’t too cakey.”
“It’s a new airbrush foundation,” Amelia agrees. “She’ll look flawless for the camera but not overdone for the rest of the day. Also, I just have to say, for someone who was up all night working her ass off, you don’t have even one dark circle or bag under your eyes. It’s not fair.”
By the time she finishes my makeup, and we clean up Amelia’s supplies, I only have thirty minutes before Florence is due to arrive, so I pull on the pink dress that Gray delivered on his way to work.
The three of us make our rounds through the house, fluffing pillows and making sure there’s not even one speck of dust to be found, and when there are just ten minutes left, I’m walking them out the door.
“Thank you,” I say as I cling to Liv. “I literally couldn’t have done this without you.”
“I’m always here for this stuff,” she assures me. “Call me when it’s over. I can’t wait to hear how it goes.”
When Liv walks down to her car to leave, Amelia takes my shoulders in her hands and smiles at me.
“You’ve got this, babe. Seriously, you need to be so proud of yourself. The house is absolutely stunning. I wouldn’t say that if it weren’t true. You have no reason to stress over this. It’s in the bag.”
She kisses my cheek and then walks down to her car, waving before she drives away.
I take a long, deep breath and stare up at the sky. It’s an overcast day in early November. It’s likely to rain today.
I walk over to the garage and smile when I see that all the debris from the crates and construction has been cleaned up and hauled away. There’s nothing in there except for a clean concrete floor.
Nothing about the house is amiss. Nothing at all.
Just as I return to the front door, three vehicles come up the driveway— one limo and two vans.
The driver opens the back of the limo, and Florence steps out, along with a pretty brunette dressed in a killer red dress and camera-ready makeup.
As always, Florence is in black from head to toe, with thick, blackrimmed glasses. She has her lips painted red today.
“Hello, Stella,” she says, much nicer than several weeks ago.
“It’s good to see you,” I reply with a professional smile.
“This is Stella McKenna, the designer behind the renovations of Florence’s home here in her beloved Seattle,” the brunette says to the camera before she turns to me. “I’m Rebecca Silver. We’re broadcasting live on our website, as well as TikTok and Instagram.”
I had no idea this would be live.
“It’s a pleasure to meet you.”
“Before we go inside,” Rebecca says, “can you tell us what your inspiration was for this design?”
“Well, it was Florence, of course. I did a lot of research on her style and thought the home should complement her. She’s the main work of art here. The rest is to support her.”
“Oh, I love that,” Rebecca says with a wide grin. “I can’t wait to see it.”
“Shall we?” I ask and gesture for the two women to follow me, trying to ignore the three guys holding cameras and sound equipment.
This whole thing is so over the top, and I’m more than a little pissed that nobody warned me that we’d be live—or that there would be so many people here.
I’m relieved that I had Amelia do my makeup and that Gray brought me this dress. Otherwise, I would have felt dowdy and out of place.
Is that what Florence wanted all along?
I lead them through, room by room, pointing out the designers of the different pieces and explaining about leathers and grains and how colors accent each other.
When we finish the initial tour in the master bedroom, I stop and turn to Florence with a smile.
“What do you think?”
She purses her lips, and I feel my stomach sink to my toes. Fuck.
“Does it smell like sex in here?” she asks calmly, turning to the others. “Do you smell that?”
“What?” I frown and sniff the air. “Of course, not.”
Florence shakes her head in disappointment and then walks over to the wall where the new wallpaper is still drying.
“This wallpaper,” she begins and runs her hand over it. “What is it?”
“It’s cashmere. From Paris,” I reply.
Rebecca nods, clearly happy with it.
But Florence finds a seam, pushes her sharp, black fingernail under it, and rips a huge swath of it right off the wall, making me gasp in shock.
“I’m vegan,” Florence says, dropping the paper on the floor. “You’ve dressed my house in cashmere and leather.”
Fuck, fuck, fuck.
“Florence, I apologize. I didn’t have that information.”
“You didn’t ask, did you?”
She walks out of the bedroom, down the hall to the living room, and points to the oil painting above the gas fireplace.
“What is that?”
“It’s an original piece from an artist in New Orleans.” My voice is flat now, like a child being berated. Because that’s how I feel.
“It’s depressing,” Florence says. “And these pillows. Did you buy them from the thrift store? They look cheap.”
“No. I got them from Neiman Marcus.”
I look around and see that Rebecca is talking directly to the camera now, signing off. The three men lower their cameras and leave out the front door.
Florence doesn’t even notice. She keeps going at me.
“This rug is disgusting. It already looks dirty. And don’t even get me started on the kitchen.”
She marches into the attached kitchen and grabs a crystal vase from Tiffany off the island.
“This looks like an old-lady vase.”
She smashes it on the marble floor.
Two thousand dollars in pieces.
Rebecca says nothing. Her face is sober, her eyes hard. She sees the abuse that Florence is spewing but says nothing.
And I don’t blame her.
Florence is a powerful, intimidating woman.
“That’s enough,” I say at last, and Florence whirls around to stare at me.
“What did you just say?”
“I said, that’s enough. Obviously, you don’t like the hard work that I put into this house or the money I spent on it—at my own expense. There’s no need to abuse me to make your point.”
She narrows her eyes on me, firms her lips, and leans in close.
“I’m going to fucking ruin you,” she whispers and then walks away.
Rebecca follows her, and I watch through the open front door as they get into the limo and drive off.
I don’t know why I thought it would go well. Nothing I could have done would have satisfied that woman.
I know that now.
She’s an angry, miserable excuse for a human, and she’s likely to follow through on her promise.
I grab my things and lock the door behind me on my way out to my car.
But before I can even start the engine, my phone rings.
It’s my boss.
“This is Stella,” I answer.
“My office. Thirty minutes.”
And she hangs up.
Yep, I’m fucked.
I JUST WANT to sleep for about a year.
Instead, I’m walking through my building, headed for my office. But before I can get there, Camille pops her head out of her office and gives me the come here signal.
I glance over at Liz, who cringes for me but gives me a thumbs-up gesture as if to say, it’s gonna be okay.
But I can see by the look on Camille’s face that it’s absolutely not going to be okay.
“You’re fired,” she says as soon as my ass hits the chair.
“Wait. You’re firing me?”
Camille sits back and looks at me incredulously. “What else would you have me do, Stella? That little shit show just happened on a live stream for all the world to see.”
“Exactly, so the world can see how fucked-up Florence Paddington is.”
Camille shakes her head. “No, honey. Florence is a billionaire who hired you to do a job, and you missed the mark twice.”
“I paid out of my pocket to correct it,” I remind her. “I asked her directly if she liked the new designs, and she approved them. I’m being thrown under the bus here, Camille.”
“Listen, I’m not happy about this, okay? I like you, and you’ve done some beautiful work in the past.”
“In the past? That design is beautiful. You saw it. I assume you were watching the live stream.”
“I was, and I agree. It’s beautiful. But the client doesn’t like it, and their opinion is the only one that counts. You messed up, and I can’t have that in this firm. Our name can no longer be linked to yours.”
I shake my head but stand to leave her office.
“You have fifteen minutes to clear out,” she calls after me.
I don’t reply.
I walk to my office and gesture for Liz to follow me.
“She fired me,” I tell her quickly.
“What?”
“I don’t have much time.” I start to gather the few personal things I keep in my space. Danny’s out in the field, so I’ll call him later. “This probably means that she won’t keep you on. I mean, she might reassign you. But I’ll be starting my own firm.”
Liz’s eyes go wide.
“I’ll be in touch.”
“Please do,” Liz says with a nod and reaches for my hand. “I’ll go with you when the time is right.”
And with that, she walks back to her desk and sits down so no one suspects a thing.
I’m completely dry-eyed as I walk through the office to the elevator. I can feel eyes on me, and I don’t care. I didn’t do anything wrong, goddamn it. And I won’t give anyone the satisfaction of seeing me upset. Because fuck them all.
Isee the light blink on my phone but ignore it because I have clients sitting at my desk.
“I think this all makes sense,” the woman says. “But I’ll run it past my client and be in touch.”
“Sounds good,” I reply as I stand and walk her and her partner to the door. “I look forward to hearing what your client has to say. Have a good day.”
When I get back to my desk, my mobile is ringing.
“Gray,” I say.
“It’s me,” Stella says in my ear. “It didn’t go well today. I’m headed to your place if that’s okay.”
“Of course, it is,” I say softly. “I’m sorry, sweetheart.”
“I’m okay.” I hear her swallow. “It’s going to be okay. I’ll find another job.”
“Wait. They fired you?”
“Oh, yeah. Big time. I’ll tell you all about it later when you get home.”
“I’m on my way.”
“You don’t have to leave early for this, Gray.”
“Yes. I do. I’m on my way.”
I hang up and grab my things, then lock up my office and walk out to talk to Mrs. Hadfield.
“You’re leaving already? But it’s only noon.”
“I had an emergency come up,” I reply brusquely. “Please reschedule my afternoon. I can work from home if anything urgent comes in via email.”
“I’ll take care of it,” she says, immediately picking up the phone. “I hope your mother’s okay?”
I stop and smile at the older woman. “She’s fine. Thank you.”
I can walk to and from work because my condo is only a few blocks from my office, but today, I regret that I didn’t drive. I hate that it takes me twenty minutes to get home.
When I finally walk into the condo, I can tell that Stella’s already here.
Her shoes are by the door, and a box of her office things is on the floor by the couch.
I hurry through to the bedroom but don’t find her.
Instead, I can hear the shower running in the bathroom. So, I return to the kitchen, fill the kettle with water, and put it on the stove to boil.
Ten minutes later, when I walk into the bedroom with a steaming cup of tea, Stella is just climbing onto the bed, dressed in my old gray sweatpants and a college sweatshirt.
Comfort clothes.
She has her face scrubbed free of makeup and her hair up in a messy bun on the top of her head.
“Hi,” she says softly as she sits cross-legged on the bed.
“Hey.” I offer her the tea. She takes it, but she doesn’t sip it. She just stares down into it. “Wanna tell me what happened?”
“Oh, there’s a video of it,” she says and sips the tea. “It was livestreamed. It got so nasty, they stopped filming toward the end because it was just humiliating for all parties involved.”
I kick out of my shoes and sit across from her on the bed. “I take it she still didn’t like it.”
“Not only that, but she tore the new wallpaper right off the wall, smashed a Tiffany vase on the floor, and managed to blatantly accuse me of having sex in her bedroom.”
“What? Why in the hell would she think that?”
“She said it smelled like sex. Her words.” She sips again. “So then my boss called and demanded that I come to her office. As soon as I got there, she fired me.”
“Why?”
“Because I fucked up a billionaire client’s project.”
“That was a gorgeous design, Stella.”
“Yeah, well, as Camille put it, it doesn’t matter. The customer matters. And Florence is influential enough to get me fired—after she verbally abused me for the whole world to see. Wanna hear the part that pisses me off the most?”
“What’s that?”
“I drained my personal savings for this project.” Her eyes fill with tears, and I feel my blood boil but stay quiet and let her continue. “For the redesign. I did it all on my own fucking dime. More than a hundred thousand dollars. Gone.”
“For fuck’s sake, Stella.”
“So, there go any plans to buy a house or travel the world or have a nest egg anytime soon. I don’t live off my family, Gray. I mean, sure, I live in a house with very few expenses because my family is generous, but I earned everything I have.”
“I believe that,” I assure her and reach for her hand. “Stella, I think you need to sue all of them.”
She frowns. “No.”
“Hear me out. You need to sue Florence for the money you invested in her house and for defamation of character, given that it was all caught on film. And you need to sue Camille for wrongful termination.”
She shakes her head stubbornly. “I don’t want to think about any of that, Gray. I just want to sleep. I haven’t slept in two days, and my body is just done. I need to shut it down.”
“Okay, you’re right. There’s no need to go through this now. Finish your tea.”
“It’s actually really good,” she says and swallows the last of it. “What’s in it?”
“Magic.” I grin as she lies back and narrows her eyes at me. “It has lavender and ginger and lemon, and I added honey. My mom taught me. It always helps me when life seems to go sideways.”
“That’s a good way to put it,” she says with a sigh. “Sideways. Everything about this is sideways.”
Her eyes drift closed, and her lips part in sleep.
I lean over and kiss her forehead. “Just sleep, babe.”
“WE’RE STARTING OUR OWN FIRM, ” Danny says with a decisive nod. “Immediately.”
“Right,” Stella says and picks at the lasagna on her plate. “Because we have the money for that.”
“We do,” Danny insists. “Or we can come up with it. We both have a plethora of clients who will follow us, and we’re fabulous. It can’t fail.”
Brandon and I share an amused look. I invited the couple over to have dinner with us to talk about the upcoming wedding and cheer Stella up.
After the ordeal, she slept for about twenty-four hours straight. I started to get worried, but then she woke up, got dressed, and started cleaning my
condo from top to bottom.
“I already gave notice,” Danny says. “And I only did that much to be professional because trust me when I say that when I got back to the office and heard what went down, I had to hold myself back from walking into Camille’s office and telling her to go fuck herself.”
“Yeah, that probably would have been a bad idea,” Stella agrees.
“They fired Liz before the end of the day,” Danny adds.
“I know.” Stella frowns, clearly feeling guilty. “She called me.”
“We’ll hire her back on at our firm,” Danny says with confidence. “Honey, we can be up and running in just a couple of weeks.”
“I love your enthusiasm,” Brandon says, cutting in. “But we’re a little busy right now. We’re getting married in ten days.”
“All of the details for the wedding are handled,” Danny says. “And, I admit, we might have to postpone the honeymoon for a month or so while we get our feet under us, but that’s a small sacrifice for the bigger good. Right, B?”
Brandon shifts in his seat, and I can tell that it’s really not perfectly okay with him, but he simply shrugs.
“Sure. I guess.”
“See? It’s decided,” Danny says. “We’ll get a fabulous little office in Bellevue.”
“Bellevue,” Stella says, her voice rising with surprise. “That’s damn expensive, Danny.”
“But we want the best clients, and Bellevue is where it’s at. Trust me.”
“I guess we can shop around,” Stella says, not completely agreeing with him. “And you’re right. We can do this.”
“Duh.” Danny grins. “We’ve totally got this, babe. Okay, now let’s talk about our fabulous wedding. Stella, you’d better eat everything on that plate. You’ve lost weight in two days, and if you lose any more, you won’t fit into the fabulous dress that I picked out for you.”
“It’ll fit,” she promises. “Don’t worry about that. Has everyone RSVP’d by now?”
“Of course, not,” Brandon replies. “But they’ll show up anyway.”
“It’s going to be the best day,” Danny promises.
“I DON’T KNOW why you needed me to come to your office,” Stella says as she steps inside and closes the door behind her. “Although, it’s probably a good thing to get me out in the fresh air. I realized this morning that I haven’t been out of your condo since I arrived there Monday afternoon.”
“And given that it’s Friday morning, that’s quite a long time to hermit inside,” I agree. “Did you walk over?”
“Yeah, it didn’t take long, and the rain felt good. I can feel winter in the air, though. You know, when there’s just that little twinge of cold hanging around?”
“I know what you mean,” I confirm. I’m excited to show her what I’ve done. “Have a seat.”
“Okay.” She sits across from me. “What’s up?”
I take two sets of papers out of my desk and lay them in front of her, side by side.
“What’s this?” she asks with a frown.
“That’s the paperwork to get the lawsuits started. All you have to do is sign.”
“What lawsuits?”
I narrow my eyes. “The ones against Florence Paddington and Emerald City Interiors, of course.”
Stella bites her lip and then sighs. “Gray, I told you I didn’t want to do this.”
“I know, but that was right after everything happened. And you were exhausted. I took it off your plate, Stella, so there’s nothing for you to do except sign the papers.”
“And appear in court against Florence Paddington.”
“We don’t know that it’ll end up in court. It could be that she’ll choose to settle before that.”
Stella slowly shakes her head.
“I can’t risk going to court, Gray. My family is too high profile. I can’t make a scene and have it come back on the people I love. Hell, Uncle Will was the original recommendation. If the press linked that, it could blow up on him.”
“Stella, you’re entitled to compensation for this. What they did was wrong. ”
“I’m moving forward,” she says. “I don’t need the money. I’ll figure it out. I plan to email Camille and ask about severance.”
“I already spoke to Camille,” I reply, feeling frustration bubble through me. “She’s not going to do that.”
Stella’s eyes narrow on me. “You spoke with Camille.”
I nod once. “I did.”
“Behind my back.”
“Jesus, Stella, you’ve been holed up in my house, cleaning in a frenzied storm for days.”
“I’m fine. I’m moving on. Working with Danny to start a new business.”
“And in addition to that, you’ll sue these bastards and recoup the money and then some.”
Anger flashes through those gorgeous eyes. “What is this, Gray? Are you trying to capitalize on what happened to me?”
“What the fuck are you talking about?”
“You’re the attorney. You get a cut if I’m awarded a bunch of money.”
I clench my jaw. “I can’t believe you’d even think that I want to get a payday out of your hurt.”
“I can’t think of any other reason you’d do this. Because I certainly didn’t ask you to.”
“Are you kidding me? I’m helping you.”
“No.” She shakes her head and pushes the papers away from her. “You’re not, Gray. And if you think that this is something I’d want, you don’t know me at all.”
“You’re being ridiculous. Be reasonable, Stella.”
“Reasonable?” She blinks at me and then stands. “You know what? I think I’ll go be unreasonable alone. I’m done.”
“Wait. Don’t walk out on me.”
“I’ll walk wherever the fuck I want to,” she says and turns to me in a fury. “I’m an independent person, Grayson. I don’t need a man to swoop in and save me. You’re not my father or my brother. You don’t get to control everything that happens, least of all to me. This is my life, and my decision to make. And I take offense to you thinking that you can do anything on my behalf without talking it over with me first. Especially given that I would have said ‘absolutely not’ had you brought it up again.”
“Stella. This is insane.”
“Then I’m insane. And that’s fine, Gray. You know, things between us happened really fast. And I guess I can see why you’d think you could step in on my behalf. But you’re wrong. You aren’t welcome to do that.”
“Then I apologize.”
“And you think I’m wrong.”
“I do, yes.”
She nods and turns to walk to the door. “And that’s where we’re at an impasse. As I said, things happened fast. I thought we knew each other well, but I think I was wrong.”
“Are you walking out of this office? Or out of my life?”
She reaches for the doorknob and turns to look at me, anger warring with sadness in her eyes.
“Both.”
THE REST of the day moves in a blur. I have appointments and take calls, but I couldn’t tell you what any of those things entailed.
When I get home, I walk back to the closet and find that all of Stella’s things are gone.
She left.
I don’t get it. I don’t understand what I did that was so wrong.
With a sigh, I sit on the edge of the bed and dial her number, but after just two rings, it goes to voicemail.
“Hey, it’s me. Let’s talk this out. Call me, please.”
Instead of putting the phone down, I redial her number. This time, it goes directly to voicemail.
“Okay, she doesn’t want to talk to me.”
“Gray?” Willie’s voice carries through the apartment. “You here?”
“Yeah, I’ll be right out.”
I change out of my suit and into jeans and a T-shirt, then walk out and find Willie eating a banana, his books already spread out on my table.
“It’s tutor night,” he reminds me with a smile. “Right?”
“Right.” I walk into the kitchen. “Want a Coke?”
“Heck, yeah, bro.”
I grin at his response. Everyone is bro as far as Willie’s concerned.
Stella told him she’d toss his phone in the toilet if he called her bro one more time.
Thinking of Stella makes me frown as I walk over to the kid and set two colas on the table.
“What’s wrong?” Willie asks.
“What? Oh, nothing. Sorry, I was just thinking.”
“Something’s going on with your girl,” Willie says as if he knows everything there is to know about relationships.
“How do you know?”
“Because you look sad, man. What did you do?”
“Why do you think I did something?”
“Because guys are dumb, and they’re usually the ones who fuck it up.”
“I’m pretty sure your grandmother wouldn’t be pleased to hear you talk like that.”
“She’d threaten to wash my mouth out with soap.”
“Has she ever made good on the threat?”
“Nah. She’s a softie. So, what did you do?”
“I’m not going to talk about it. Let’s do math.”
“Yuck,” Willie mutters but opens his book. “It must be really bad if you’d rather do math.”
“What chapter are you on?”
“Okay, okay. I get it. No more girl talk.” He looks down at his book. “Is she coming back?”
“I don’t know.”
“Damn. Okay, I’m on chapter twelve.”
You’re gorgeous.” I take Danny’s hand and smile at him in the mirror. He looks so dapper in his black suit and red tie with his carefully styled brown hair.
“I know,” he says with a sly smile. “I’m going to knock Brandon on his fine ass.”
“Hell, yes, you will,” I agree. “Are you nervous?”
“Not even a little. I’ve known Brandon was the one for me since I was an awkward freshman in college, Stel. He is the brightest part of my day and the only inspiration I need in my life.”
“You should say that in your vows,” I say and lean my head on his shoulder, still looking at him in the mirror. “It’s pretty swoony.”
“I have such a way with words,” he says. “You and Gray are still in gridlock, I see. You could have cut the tension with a knife at last night’s rehearsal dinner.”
“I’m sorry. I really am. I didn’t mean to make it awkward. And I can promise you that today will absolutely not be the same. I’ll set my feelings for Gray aside and play nice. I promise.”
“Oh, please. You don’t need to apologize,” he says. “You know I’m always here for the drama—the more dramatic, the better. I take it you didn’t accept his apology?”
“What apology?” I shake my head and walk away to fasten my earrings. “I haven’t received one. He tried to call once, and I didn’t accept it.”
“He came to see Camille,” Danny says, and I narrow my eyes on him. “Don’t shoot the messenger. I’m too happy and delicate today to have to field any blows from you. It was the day after you were fired. I don’t know what was said, but after he left, I heard a distinct shattering noise. I think maybe Camille threw a glass object against the wall.”
“He said he spoke with her, but he didn’t add that he actually went there. What a jerk.”
This only reminds me that I’m mad at Gray. But more than that, I’m disappointed in him.
Before we can discuss it further, someone knocks on the door.
“You stay there in case it’s the groom,” I say, pointing to Danny. “He can’t see you until the ceremony.”
“I love how old-fashioned you are, darling.”
I open the door only an inch so I can peer out with one eye and can’t keep the frown at bay when I see Gray.
“What?”
He lifts an eyebrow. “Hello to you, too. Brandon sent me. I have a gift for Danny.”
“A gift?” Danny asks, rushing forward. “Come in. Give me.”
Gray laughs and passes Danny a silver box with a red velvet bow tied beautifully around it.
Danny slides the bow off and opens the box, then just stares.
“What is it?” I ask him.
I’ve never seen Danny cry. He can be incredibly dramatic and emotional, but I’ve never seen his eyes fill with tears.
Until today.
“I once told Brandon, a long time ago, that I’d like to own a really nice watch someday. Not one you can buy just anywhere, but a really good,
expensive one. But we were both in college, and then he was in law school, and that kind of expense was never the priority.”
He reaches into the box and pulls out a beautiful watch.
“I’d say that’s a very fine timepiece,” Gray says with appreciation.
“It’s exactly what I would have chosen myself,” Danny says with a happy laugh. “And there’s no way he could have known that because I’ve never mentioned it again.”
“Of course, he knows,” I reply and pat his shoulder. “He knows you better than anyone.”
“Yeah.” Danny sniffs once more and holds the watch out to me so I can fasten it to his wrist. “And I get to marry him today.”
“In,” I say, checking the time on his watch, “holy shit, ten minutes.”
“I’d better go,” Gray says and hurries out to join Brandon.
“Ready?” I ask Danny as we walk to the door.
“Honey, I’ve been ready for years. And now that we’re finally divorced, and that little snafu is all tied up, I’m a free man. Let’s do this thing.”
“I’D LIKE to speak with you,” Gray says. We’re standing by the cake table as I watch everyone mingle, dance, and just generally enjoy one another.
I’ve always liked to people watch.
“Not today,” I say, but paste a smile on my face for all the people who are looking our way. “I’m rather busy.”
“Yes, I can see that you’re quite busy holding this table up.”
“You’re a riot.”
“I try.” I feel him look down at me, and I have to make myself continue staring straight ahead. The DJ just switched the song to Wobble, and everyone on the floor starts to move in unison.
I can’t help but shake my hips to the song. Wobble is a classic.
When the song ends, I start to walk away but then hear Danny’s voice over the sound system.
“It’s time for a slow one,” he says. “B and I are going to dance, and we want Stella and Gray to join us. And all of you, as well! Let’s get lost in a little love song.”
I stare at Danny and give him the are-you-serious stare, but he just winks at me.
“Shall we?” Gray asks, holding out his hand for mine.
“Damn it,” I grumble and, accepting my fate, take his hand and let him lead me onto the dance floor.
Of course, Danny would choose a Fleetwood Mac song. I freaking love Fleetwood Mac.
“I tried to call you,” Gray murmurs to me so only I can hear.
“I know. I didn’t want to talk with you.”
“I had hoped that once you were finished being angry at me, you’d see that what I did was out of loyalty and love and not because I was trying to score a payday or hurt you, Stella.”
“You went about it in all the wrong ways,” I reply, keeping my voice tight. Damn it, I love being in Gray’s arms, and my body hasn’t forgotten. My breasts feel fuller and heavier, and my nipples have tightened.
I never realized that my body could betray me like this.
And I can’t even ponder the fact that he said he did what he did out of love.
“I didn’t mean to,” he says.
“It’s not that you wanted to help.” He pulls me just a little closer, and when my stomach meets his waist, my core tightens. Fuck. I lick my lips, and his eyes narrow as if he can see exactly what his touch does to me. “It’s that when I told you that I wanted no part of it, you insisted that I was wrong and that we’d do what you wanted anyway.”
“Because it’s the right thing to do.”
“I absolutely refuse to argue with you at Danny’s reception,” I inform him with a hiss. “This is his day, damn it.”
“Fine. But we need to talk this out because I miss you, and this whole situation is ridiculous.”
I take a breath, then just shake my head and turn to leave, but Gray grips my hand and stops me.
“Come on.”
“Hey, I—”
He pulls me close and whispers in my ear. “I will not make a scene, Stella. Come with me.”
I glare at him, but I follow him out of the reception hall, down a hallway, and through a door that leads to an empty conference room.
“You can’t just yank me around,” I say after the door closes behind us and we’re alone.
In response, he pushes me against the wall, and his mouth hovers mere inches from mine.
“Do you know,” he says quietly, “how much I want you? Even when I’m frustrated with you and know that you’d rather hit me than kiss me, I want you. What kind of a fucking masochist does that make me?”
I want to slap him. I want to push him away.
But I can’t.
I push up onto my toes and seal my lips to his. That’s all it takes to have his hands framing my face. He kisses me like a starved man. Our hands are hot and needy, roaming over each other with urgency.
My body yearns for Gray in ways I’ve never known before.
I unfasten his trousers, and he gathers the skirt of my dress up around my hips, then lifts me, pins me to the wall, pulls my panties aside, and slides right inside of me.
“Goddamn, you’re so fucking wet.” He rests his forehead against mine.
“Do you think I can dance with you like that and not be turned on?” I gasp when he begins to move. “All I have to do is see you across the room and I get wet.”
He bites my bare shoulder, then groans, and I know he’s close to losing it.
I tighten around him and shiver. “God, Gray.”
“I fucking hate being without you.”
“I know.” I hold on for dear life. “I know, damn it.”
“Go over with me,” he commands, his eyes fierce and determined. “Do it.”
I can’t hold back. I couldn’t if I wanted to.
And when he finally sets me on my feet and steps back to right himself, I can’t help but stare at him and think again that he looks so much like a fierce Viking.
My Viking.
Except, he’s not mine.
“Would you like to come to my place when this party is over so we can talk things through and get back to where we left off?” he asks, and I frown in response.
“It’s really not that easy, Gray.”
He goes still. “What do you mean?”
“This,”—I gesture to the wall—“was great. But it doesn’t wipe the slate clean. I’m still really pissed at you, and I’m not sure I can trust you.”
“You’ve got to be kidding me.” He rubs his hands over his face.
“You went behind my back, Grayson.”
“I was helping you.”
I shake my head. “The fact that you just don’t get it is exactly why I’m walking out of this room.”
“You know, maybe your dad was right. Maybe the age difference is a problem because you’re acting like a goddamn child.”
My head buzzes with anger, but I manage to keep my face completely neutral.
“Whatevs,” I say and turn to leave.
“Stella.”
“I’m gonna go play with my dolls now. No boys invited,” I toss over my shoulder and let the door slam shut behind me.
I have to pause with my hand braced on the wall so I don’t fall over.
God, it hurts. The fact that he just doesn’t seem to get it feels like the biggest betrayal of all. I thought I knew him. Why are we so far apart on this issue?
I take a deep breath and then walk back into the reception. The crowd looks like it’s thinned out some, but it’s nearly midnight, so that doesn’t surprise me.
“Where did you disappear to?” Danny asks me and passes me a glass of champagne.
“Gray just fucked me against a wall in a conference room.”
His eyebrows wing up in surprise. “Lucky. So, did you two kiss and make up?”
“No, I think we just made it worse.”
“Honey, if sex made it worse, you did it wrong.”
I smirk and take a sip of the bubbly, enjoying the way it tickles my nose. “What did I miss out here?”
“Absolutely nothing. Some of our guests are starting to leave, and B mentioned that it might be time for us to go, too, so I can have sex on my wedding day, and my maid of honor isn’t the only one getting all the action.”
“Hey, that’s not my fault,” I reply with a grin. “And, yes, you should go spend time with your new husband.”
“My husband.” He wraps his arm around my shoulders, and we stare at Brandon, who’s drinking whiskey and chatting with some work associates.
“No, Brandon’s hot, Danny. With a capital H.”
“That’s the truth,” he agrees. “We’re going to put our application in for adoption right away.”
I stop and stare at Danny for a full minute before I squeal with excitement and throw my arms around his neck, hugging him tightly.
“You mean I get to be Auntie Stella? Oh my God, Danny, I’m going to be the best auntie who ever lived. I promise.”
“Don’t get too ahead of yourself,” he warns me. “Adoption can take a long time, especially for same-sex couples.”
“So dumb,” I mutter.
“I won’t argue with that.” He tucks a piece of my hair behind my ear. “Thank you.”
“What for?”
“For being my family.” He sobers and becomes more serious than I’ve ever seen him. “My family not only wouldn’t come to this wedding, but they haven’t spoken to me in years. But you just sort of took over as my sister, and you’ve never left my side. Not once.”
“Because you’re amazing,” I reply, perilously close to tears. “If your biological family can’t see you for the incredible person you are, if they can’t accept your husband, who treats you like fucking royalty, and be happy for your happiness…you don’t need them, Danny.”
He nods, but I can see that the hurt is eating at him.
“I’m your sister now. I will rock your babies and tell you when you’re being stupid, and I will love you for the rest of my life. Because we’re kindred spirits, and I think you’re the bee’s fucking knees.”
“God, I love you, too,” he says and pulls me in for a big hug. “And you forgot that you’ll be my business partner.”
“That’s an unspoken truth,” I reply with a smile. “We go look at office space on Monday. So go enjoy marital bliss for the next thirty-six-ish hours
so we can get the business started, and then you can go to Aruba. Or Hawaii. Or wherever it is you’re going.”
“Norway,” he replies with a smile.
“Norway?” I echo. “It’s winter there.”
“And the Northern Lights will be so romantic. Brandon found a glass igloo that you can stay in and sleep under the Northern Lights. Tell me that’s not amazing.”
“It’s not tropical,” I reply, thinking it over. “And it sounds damn cold. But, yeah, it sounds amazing, too. Do they wear wooden shoes there?”
“Wooden—oh. No, silly, that’s the Netherlands. But I don’t think they wear wooden shoes there anymore, either. We really need to work on your geography.”
“You’re right. Did I tell you that I’m going to Iceland for Christmas with the family?”
“Oh, my God. You’ll totally get to see the Northern Lights!”
“Yay for me.” I press my lips together and then laugh. “How didn’t I know that you had a thing for the aurora borealis?”
“I don’t,” he says simply. “But B does, and if that’s what he wants, that’s what he’ll get.”
“Okay, you’re sweet.”
He grins and then nods when Brandon signals to him. “I am when it comes to him. Looks like we’re headed out.”
“Have a wonderful night. I’ll see you Monday.”
The door closes behind her, and I blow out a long breath. Jesus, what did I just do? How did I manage to fuck it up again?
She says that I don’t get it. But I think I understand just fine. She’s mad that I did something without asking her first. I apologized. Now we move on, and she can still sue all the assholes who hurt her.
She deserves to recoup her money from that bitch.
In my opinion, it’s Stella who doesn’t understand.
Just as I reach out to pull the door open and run after her, my phone rings. When I check it, I see it’s my dad.
“Hey, Dad, this isn’t a great time. I’m at a wedding.”
“Sorry, I wanted to let you know that your mom fell again this evening.”
“What?” I pinch the bridge of my nose. “Tell me she didn’t break anything.”
“No breaks,” he replies. “But she was disoriented. I think she’s having a bad reaction to her Alzheimer’s medication. She’ll be in the hospital for a couple of days.”
“I’m coming home.”
“You can’t keep going back and forth, Gray. Nothing about this situation is urgent, I just wanted you to be aware of what’s going on.”
“I’m on my way,” I insist. “I’ll be there by morning.”
“Keep me posted on the drive. And for God’s sake, be careful, Gray.”
I hurry out to the reception and see that Brandon is about to leave with Danny. I catch his eye and flag him down.
“Hey, man, I have to go. My mom fell again, so I’m headed back to Idaho.”
“Shit, I’m sorry. Need me to let the office know?”
“Hell, no, you just got married.”
He grins and then shrugs a shoulder. “Yeah, well, I’m going into the office on Monday, so it’s not a big deal. Don’t worry about it, and let me know how she is, yeah?”
“Yeah, I will. Thanks. And congratulations, B. I’m happy for you.”
“Thanks.” He smiles as Danny joins him. “We’re sneaking out of here, too. Drive safely.”
I nod and, without another thought, hurry out to my car and take off my jacket and tie, loosening the buttons around my neck as I get into the driver’s seat.
Before I take off, I dial Willie’s number.
“Wassup, bro?”
“Why does it sound like you’re at a party?”
“Maybe because I’m at a party? Don’t worry, Grams knows. You okay?”
He may be a typical teenager, but he’s a good-hearted one.
“I wanted to let you know that I have to go back to Idaho tonight, and I don’t know when I’ll be back. Probably just a few days.”
“You’re gonna drive all that way alone? Want me to ride with you?”
I grin. “Nah, I’m good this time. But maybe keep an eye on my place in case someone tries to squat there or something?”
I hear him smirk. “Right. There will be a line of squatters just waiting to get in. Sure, I’ll keep an eye out. Any food you want to get eaten so it doesn’t go bad? I’m a good friend like that.”
“You can go raid the fridge, sure. Thanks, man.”
“You bet. See ya on the flip side.”
I toss my phone onto the passenger seat and don’t bother to even go home and pack before I get on I-90, headed east. I have some clothes that fit me at my parents’ house, and I can always buy anything else I need.
Getting there is my only focus.
I have to stop in Ritzville for gas, and just three hours later, I pull into my parents’ driveway.
The house is dark except for the porch light and the light in my bedroom upstairs.
Someone left the house ready for me.
Probably my dad.
I lock the door behind me and shuffle upstairs to my bedroom, where I strip out of my clothes and get in the shower.
It’s almost six in the morning. The others will be waking up soon.
And I’d like to get a couple of hours of sleep.
After the long, hot shower, I dry off and sling the towel low around my hips, then walk into the hallway and to my bedroom. I lift an eyebrow when I see Maya sitting on the bed, waiting for me.
“You’re lucky I’m wearing a towel.”
“You didn’t have to come.”
“Yeah, I did.” I walk into my closet to pull on some old sweats and a Tshirt, then return to the bed and climb under the covers. “Now, leave me alone for two hours so I can feel human again before I go to the hospital.”
“It was my fault,” she says in a whisper and lies under the covers, facing me. Her eyes are so sad.
“I’m sure that’s not true,” I whisper.
“It is. She was in the shower, holding onto the bars that Dad had installed. I turned away for just a few seconds to grab a towel because I
forgot to grab one before I started the water, and she let go of the bar and fell.”
Her lower lip quivers.
“Have you slept at all tonight?” I ask her.
“No. I was waiting for you. Because even though you didn’t have to come, I’m really glad you did.”
“It’s not your fault,” I say again and boop her on the nose. “Now, go to sleep so we’re both human later.”
“I’m not very good at this,” she says.
“I think you’re wrong. Seriously, Maya. Sleep. You’ll feel better for it.”
She closes her eyes, and I immediately drift off.
I WAKE to the smell of coffee.
“Gimme,” I say without opening my eyes.
“You have to come downstairs,” Maya says. “I made eggs, too. Come on.”
I crack an eye as she disappears out the door.
When the hell did she wake up?
I check the time and swear.
I slept until eleven.
I peel back the covers and sit on the side of the bed, rubbing my hands down my face before changing into an old pair of jeans and a clean T-shirt and walking down to the kitchen where both Maya and my dad are waiting.
“Sorry I slept so long,” I say as I fill a mug with coffee. “I didn’t mean to.”
“I’ve only been up for about thirty minutes,” Maya says.
“How’s Mom today?” I take a bite of eggs and frown. “What’s in these?”
“Spinach. It’s good for you,” Maya replies.
“Your mom’s okay,” Dad says. He looks exhausted. “I told her we’d all be up in a little bit to visit. I didn’t tell her that you’re here, Gray. I thought you could surprise her.”
I nod and eat the disgusting eggs. “She didn’t reinjure the hip?”
“She landed on the other side,” Maya says, staring down into her mug.
“It was not your fault,” Dad says to her. “Your sister is stubborn and won’t listen to me when I tell her that your mom falling was not on her.”
“I was with her,” Maya says. “And I should have prevented it.”
“You’re not a nurse,” I remind her. “And I know that you’re doing the best you can.”
“My best allowed her to fall,” she insists. “If she’d hit her head or—”
“She didn’t,” Dad interrupts, his voice hard enough to get Maya’s attention. “She’s only in the hospital because of the disorientation, not because she was injured. The medication for this kind of thing can either help or make things worse, and it’s just a process of elimination to find the one that works for each patient.”
“Well, that’s frustrating as hell,” I say and push my empty plate aside, reaching for my coffee to take a sip. “I’ll be ready to go in about fifteen minutes. I just need a little more caffeine.”
“Me, too,” Maya says. “Want us to take a separate car in case you get called into work?”
“Probably a good idea.” Dad takes the last sip of coffee and sets his mug in the sink. “I’ll see you there.”
He pats me on the shoulder before walking out of the kitchen.
“I don’t want to go,” Maya says softly, and I frown over at her.
“What?”
“To the hospital,” she continues. “I really don’t want to go. I feel so guilty, and I’m not ready to see her and fall apart yet. I need a little time. Just a few hours.”
“Maya. Literally, not one person blames you for this.”
“I blame me,” she replies. “So just give me a couple of hours, okay?”
“Fine.” I hold up my hands in surrender. “What do I know about women these days anyway?”
“Yeah, I heard about what you did.” She shakes her head. “You were kind of a jerk. And I love you, but still.”
“How was helping her being a jerk?”
Maya wrinkles her forehead. “Let me put it this way. If a guy I’d been dating for only a few weeks decided to swoop in and try to take care of me the way you did with Stella, wouldn’t that piss you off? Sidney and I are too independent for that crap, and so is Stella. She didn’t ask for help, Gray. She really only needed you to be there for her. To listen to her. Support her.”
“I thought that’s what I was doing.”
“I know you thought your heart was in the right place. It was in the right place. But you went about it in the wrong way.”
“I want to protect her,” I admit.
“That wasn’t the way to do it.”
“How do you know so much about this?”
“I talk to her all the time,” she says with a laugh. “We’re friends. I think she’s awesome, and I hope that you two can work it out because she’s the best damn thing that ever happened to you. She’s so much better than that girl you dated in college.”
“You were in grade school then. How do you even remember that?”
“She was mean,” she says simply, shrugging one shoulder.
“Mean how?”
“She used to glare at me whenever you turned your head because she didn’t like kids. And she called Sidney fat.”
I choke on my coffee, and Maya rushes around to pound me on the back.
“She did not.”
“Oh, she totally did,” Maya says. “But it didn’t last long, so that was good. We actually like Stella.”
“Yeah, well, it may not matter. If things don’t get a lot better here, I’m thinking about selling my partnership in the law firm and moving back to Idaho.”
Her eyes go wide. “You don’t want to do that.”
“Don’t I?” I stand and pace to the back door, looking out over the lake. “Stella’s made it pretty damn clear that she doesn’t want any part of me anymore. My family needs me here. It’s the right thing to do.”
“Don’t rush into that kind of decision without giving it a lot of thought and talking it over with your colleagues. And, hell, even Stella. Because I’m not convinced that you two are done for good.”
“I don’t share your optimism. Besides, don’t you want to see more of your favorite brother?”
“Are you kidding? Absolutely, not.”
We grin at each other, and then I reach for my keys.
“I’m gonna go see Mom. Talk it over with her and see what she says.”
“Kiss her for me.”
“Come with me and kiss her yourself.”
She bites her lip, seems to think it over, and then shakes her head. “Later.”
“WAIT, YOU DREW UP PAPERS?” Mom asks with a frown. “Without getting Stella’s express consent to do so?”
“I thought that once she had some rest and was thinking clearly, she’d want that to be the next step. Apparently, I was wrong.”
“But then you apologized, admitted to the mistake, and you’re doing better now, right?”
Mom and I are alone in her hospital room. We’ve been chatting about all kinds of things, but when she asked if Stella came with me this time, I knew I couldn’t avoid this conversation.
“Not exactly.”
“Grayson.”
My lips twitch. “You sound like you did when I was fifteen and got caught cow tipping.”
“I raised you better than that,” she says but then smiles. “Why in the world haven’t you apologized?”
“I didn’t think I did anything wrong, and whenever I’ve tried to talk to her since, she avoids me. I think she’s just done, Mom.”
Mom sighs. “Well, I’m sorry about that. I liked her a lot. Are you okay?”
“I will be. I’ve been tossing around the idea of moving home.”
“I know that Maya moved home to keep an eye on me. I’m not stupid,” she says when I start to shake my head. “I get confused, and I have accidents like the one last night. I appreciate that she’s with me. I love spending time with all my children. But you don’t have to come back to Idaho just for me, Gray.”
“I’m not,” I say. “Really. I mean, it’s part of it, but I also miss being closer to the family. Maybe being with Stella showed me how important it is to maintain a relationship with my family.”
“I don’t think that you and Maya want to live under the same roof.”
“Probably not.” I grin at her. “I’d buy something not too far away.”
“As much as I’d love to have you closer, I don’t want you rushing into anything. There’s no need to rush, honey. If this is where you want to be, then we’ll welcome you home with open arms. If Seattle is a better fit for you, that’s okay, too. I know you’ll come visit me more often.”
“I think that was a tiny bit of a guilt trip to make me feel bad about not coming home more often.”
“I have no idea what you mean.” But her smile is smug, and I know she understands very well. “If Stella is the woman you want, fight for her.”
“I can fight all day long, but if she doesn’t fight with me, it won’t ever work, Mom.”
“I suppose you’re right.” She sighs and reaches for my hand. “I love you.”
“I love you, too. And I need you to feel better so you can go home and harass Maya and Dad. Keep us all on our toes. I don’t like seeing you in here.”
“I don’t love it, either, but everything’s going to be fine. You’ll see.”
I don’t know what it is about a mother’s reassurance that always makes it sound true.
Maybe this is why I needed to come right home.
I needed to hear her say that everything would be okay.
Because, as of right this minute, I’m not sure of anything at all.
The house is actually in excellent condition.” I’m walking through the house my uncles Will and Matt recently bought next door to mine. The closing finally happened, and now we’re able to get a better look at it together. I can’t believe it’s been a whole month since Danny got married. Time definitely flies. “I think all it’ll take is some fresh paint and a few small repairs, and it’ll be ready to go.”
“We can do all of that in a weekend,” Will says with a nod. “Do you think we need a bigger window in the living room? Does it seem dark in here?”
“You’re just used to all the windows in our house,” Aunt Meg reminds him.
“We could do a bigger window,” I reply. “But it’ll also add more heat from the sun because this is a west-facing wall.”
“Let’s just leave it as-is,” Matt suggests. “We’ll do a little party this weekend and have the family over to help with the painting, repairs, and cleanup.”
“I know that everyone will be happy to help, especially since the kids have an opportunity to live here.”
“It feels like it’s going to be like a fraternity around here,” Nic, Matt’s wife, says with a sigh. “But it’s also going to be a safe place for all the kids,
and I think it’ll be fun, too.”
“I agree. Also, I have some furniture and accessories that I had to take out of a client’s house because she didn’t like them, and I couldn’t return them. We might as well use it all here.”
“Wow, that sucks,” Will says with a frown. “Hey, how did it go with Florence? I haven’t heard much.”
“Then you obviously don’t pay attention to online gossip rags,” I mutter, shaking my head.
“What happened?” he asks.
“Wait, you recommended her to Florence?” Meg props her hands on her hips and stares at her husband. “Why in the world would you do that?”
“Because the woman needed a decorator, and our Stella is the best.”
“Not according to Florence,” I say with a half laugh. “She hated everything I did. Twice. I spent six figures of my own money trying to fix it, and she still humiliated me in front of a live viewing audience. So, let’s just say that it didn’t go well. Oh, and I’m now starting my own business because I got fired.”
The room is silent for a heavy thirty seconds as all four of them stare at me in shock.
“Fuck. That.” Will rubs his hand over his mouth. “I’ll make some calls.”
“It’s done,” I say flatly.
“Why in the hell didn’t you call me to help?” he demands.
“Because it was my job. And because it was embarrassing. She made a point to say that she expected more from Will Montgomery’s niece.”
“Fuck her,” Matt mutters, shaking his head. “That’s some manipulative bullshit right there.”
“You’ll get that money back,” Will fumes. “Tell me you’ve already filed a lawsuit.”
I frown and press my lips together, and Meg rests her hand on my shoulder.
“Honey, you can’t just let her have your money after all of that. It’s not right.”
“It’s over.”
“Nope.” Will shakes his head adamantly. “Absolutely, fucking not. Stella, you cannot just turn and run and hope it all just goes away. We’re not talking about a few hundred dollars here. She worked you over and did it on purpose, and I’m not sure why because I’ve personally never had a problem with her. Until now.”
“Isn’t your boyfriend an attorney?” Nic asks. “That’s what I heard, anyway.”
“He’s not my boyfriend anymore,” I say with a sigh. “Because he filed lawsuit papers without asking me first, and I really just want this to go away.”
“Your parents raised you better than this,” Will says, surprising me. “What?”
“I know for a damn fact that they didn’t teach you to cut out and run when things get hard. You stand up for yourself, and you do what’s right. You’re so much better than this. Maybe the dude should have communicated more,” Will continues, and I’m stunned speechless, “but he didn’t do the wrong thing. You take that bitch to court and get your money back and then some. She can fucking afford it.”
“I didn’t pursue it for you,” I yell at him.
“Excuse me?”
“If I do that, if I stand up for myself and confront the bully, she’ll take it out on you. All of this could really hurt you in the media, and I will not drag our family through something like that.”
“So, you think I want you to just roll over and take a fucking beating?” Will demands. “I’m not even playing for that bitch anymore, Stel. And if I were, I would happily tell her to go fuck herself for you. Our family has had
some serious shit happen in the media. This won’t last long, and then it’ll be over.”
“Especially given that you’re in the right,” Matt agrees. “And if it was caught on film, all the better, because anyone with half a brain would see that you didn’t do anything wrong.”
“I thought I was doing the right thing,” I say with a sigh, feeling ridiculously close to tears.
“I love that you were trying to protect us,” Meg says and wraps her arm around my shoulders. “What did your parents say?”
I think back to the phone call with them the week that everything happened and cringe.
“Dad wanted to sue her himself. I’m pretty sure they’re frustrated with me, too. I just love you guys so much, and I felt embarrassed because Will recommended me for this important job, and I obviously messed everything up so, so badly. I just want it all to go away.”
“It will,” Nic says. “It will go away after you sue her ass off, along with your former job for wrongful termination. You said you’re opening a new business?”
“Yeah.” I nod a couple of times. “With my associate, Danny. We’re opening on Monday. You should all come to the open house at the new office that afternoon.”
“I wouldn’t miss it for the world,” Meg says with a grin. “I can’t wait to see your new place.”
“We’ve worked hard on it over the past month or so,” I reply.
Has it been a month since everything went down with Florence already?
“What about the dude?” Will asks.
“What about him?”
“Maybe you should see him. Talk it out. I’ve heard he’s a good guy.”
I sigh. “I tried to call him, but he wasn’t available.”
“Make an appointment,” Nic suggests with a wink.
“Maybe. It’s going to be a busy few days, but maybe after the open house on Monday. Are you sure you’re okay with me pursuing a lawsuit? The thought of your name coming up in anything just breaks my heart.”
“Come here, babe,” Will says, opening his arms. I walk right into them and sigh when he hugs me close. “I’ll be upset if you don’t do this. Stand up for yourself. Be the strong woman I know you are. Hell, I’m shocked that you didn’t punch that old bag in the nose.”
“Oh, I showed considerable restraint,” I reply with a laugh. “Okay. I’ll see to it next week.”
I pull away and take a deep breath.
“Thank you both for buying this house for the kids. It’s going to be a really fun and safe compound for everyone, especially after opening the fence between the two yards and sharing the pool. The parties will be epic.”
“Maybe we should reconsider,” Will says.
“Nah, I’ll make sure to have the block patrolled every few hours,” Matt replies. He’s been a cop in Seattle forever. He has all the connections.
“Great,” Will says brightly. “Let’s get this started.”
“I HAD no idea that this many people would come to our open house,” Liz, my assistant extraordinaire, says as she refills glasses of champagne. “And you thought you’d be blackballed.”
“I’m surprised, too,” I admit, looking around our showroom. Our space may be small, but Danny and I decorated it beautifully. “Although I kind of figured that all my family would come, and that’s enough to fill a stadium.”
Liz chuckles as Danny joins us. “I’m still starstruck. Luke Williams, Leo Nash, and Will Montgomery are all within twenty yards of me right now.”
“Along with Amelia Montgomery and freaking Starla,” Danny adds. “Only the biggest pop star ever. So, yeah, I’m perfectly content with this turnout, honey.”
“And let’s not forget Vaughn Barrymore,” Liz says. “Good God, we could be at a posh Hollywood party. I didn’t dress fancy enough.”
I laugh, grateful that so many members of my family came. There are also several people from our former firm, all of whom I like a lot, and a few of our clients have filtered in and out this afternoon, as well.
“Uh-oh,” Danny murmurs as we see Gray suddenly appear through the crowd. “I’d better go mingle.”
“And I’m going to serve drinks,” Liz agrees and hurries off, leaving me alone with Gray.
“Uh, hi,” I say with a formal smile. Jesus, he’s gorgeous. Tall and handsome with his dark blond hair messy, and his tattoos showing thanks to a short-sleeved shirt.
“Hi,” he replies, his gaze eating me up. “I can’t stay, I just wanted to pop in and see all of this. It’s so great, Stella.”
“Yeah.” I nod and take in the room, trying to ignore so many pairs of eyes looking our way. “Thank you. We worked hard on it.”
“I can see that. Look, I have to go, but I wanted to give you this.”
He holds out a pink gift bag with a white bow, then leans in to kiss my cheek.
“I’m so fucking proud of you, Stella. Good luck to you.”
And with that, he turns and walks away through the crowd and out the front door without looking back.
Shit, that felt so…final.
I look in the bag and feel tears prick my eyes. It’s a blue Tiffany box. When I take it out and pull the white ribbon away, I find a sterling silver business card holder, and on the outside Stella McKenna, Owner is engraved on the front.
“If you don’t call him tomorrow, I might do it for you,” Danny says as he looks over my shoulder. “Seriously, Stella.”
“Yeah, I know. I know.”
“Hell, I think you should run after him,” Liv says as she walks over. “Because I don’t think I’ve ever seen two people light a fire with just a look the way you two just did.”
“He’s already gone,” I say, shaking my head. But, damn, I miss him so much. I’m so stupid.
“I’ll go see him. I promise.”
HE COULDN’T GET me on his schedule until Friday. I tried to call his cell, but again, he wasn’t available.
So, I made an appointment at his office.
Using a different name.
I’m not going to risk letting him blow me off. Absolutely, not. I walk into the building and get on the elevator.
It feels like I have a ball of snakes in my stomach. I’ve never been this nervous. Ever.
God, what if he turns me away? He’d be well within his rights to do so. I was so stubborn and so unkind. I wouldn’t blame him if he shoved me out the door and called security to escort me out of the building.
But I hope, with everything in me, that he doesn’t do that.
Mrs. Hadfield looks up from her computer, and when she sees me, her eyes narrow.
“Yes?” Her voice is frosty. I’m surprised there isn’t a thin coat of ice covering everything on her desk.
“I have an appointment with Mr. Sterling,” I inform her.
She checks the computer and then shakes her head. “No, I don’t see your name here.”
“Shelly Jones,” I reply. “I made the appointment under Shelly Jones.”
Her eyebrows climb in surprise, and I shrug a shoulder, not even a little bit ashamed. “I wanted to make sure he would agree to see me.”
“I should send you away,” she says sternly.
“Please, don’t do that.” I clear my throat when I feel it catch. “I really need to see him. I need him.”
She purses her lips as she eyes me for a second, and then with one curt nod, she picks up her phone, punches in some numbers, and waits.
“Mr. Sterling, I have Ms. Jones for you. Very good.” She hangs up and points to the same chair that I sat in the first day I came to see him.
“Thank you,” I say before walking over and taking a seat. Less than two minutes later, the door opens, and his assistant motions for me to follow her.
“Not who I was expecting,” she says as she leads me back. “But I’m happy to see you, Stella.”
“Let’s hope he’s happy, too.”
She opens Gray’s office door and pops her head in. “I have Ms. Jones for you.”
“Send her in.”
His voice is silk.
And when I take a breath and walk through the door, he blinks twice.
“Ms. Jones?”
My heart skips a beat, and I’m pretty sure that I must be hallucinating, but Stella walks into my office, closes the door, and sits in the chair on the other side of my desk.
“Hi,” she says simply.
“Is there a Ms. Jones waiting outside that you cut in front of, or—?”
“No, it’s me,” she says. She licks her lips, and two little lines form between her eyebrows as she frowns. “I didn’t think you’d see me if I used my name.”
She would be wrong.
“What can I do for you, Stella?”
“Well, it seems that I need to file a lawsuit against Florence and Emerald City Interiors. I hope you didn’t delete those files off your computer.”
“Why the change of heart?”
She blows out a breath, and I notice that her hands aren’t quite steady as she pushes her fingers through her long, blond hair.
She’s nervous.
“I didn’t want to cause a scandal for my family,” she finally admits. “I would never drag any of them through the mud, and I was afraid of doing exactly that if I stood up for myself against that bully.”
She licks her lips, and it makes my stomach jerk.
God, I’ve fucking missed her.
“But I spoke with my uncle Will and several other family members, and they insisted that I do the right thing. They don’t care about the potential scandal; they only care about making sure I’m okay. And before you say anything, I know that you told me the same thing and that you were right all along. I know, Gray. I see it, and I’m so ashamed of how I spoke to you. How I treated you. You deserved so much better than that, and I hope you’ll accept my apology.”
“I do.”
Her eyes widen. “Just like that?”
“I appreciate the apology, and I can print out the paperwork and have you sign it today.” I have to work to keep my voice calm and impersonal. I want to yank her into my lap and kiss her so badly I ache with it. “Is there anything else?”
“You’ll go to dinner with me.”
I narrow my eyes on her. We’ve come full circle, sitting here, staring at each other.
“And why would I do that?”
She doesn’t even blink, doesn’t look at all unsure of herself as she calmly replies, “Because I’m in love with you, of course.”
I simply stare at her for a moment.
“Did you hear me?” she asks.
“I’m not sure. Repeat that, please.”
She stands and walks around my desk, then settles herself in my lap and pushes her fingers into my hair.
“I’m completely in love with you,” she says quietly, and I can see the sadness, along with a bit of uncertainty, in her beautiful blue eyes. “And I owe you more than the apology, but I don’t know what else to say besides
I’m sorry. My stubbornness and short-sightedness got in my way and cost us a lot of time. Maybe it cost me you since you have yet to touch me.”
“I’m afraid to,” I say in a whisper. “Because maybe you’re a figment of my imagination.”
“I’m real.” She presses her lips to mine, and that’s all I can handle without pulling her close. She feels like home. “I’m so sorry.”
“We’ll figure it out,” I reply and drag my knuckles down her soft cheek. “We have some talking to do, but we’ll figure it out. I guess it’s a good thing my condo hasn’t sold yet.”
“What?” She plants her hands on my shoulders and pushes back. “What?”
“I was thinking about moving back to Idaho. Mom hasn’t been doing great, and Maya quit her job so she could be with Mom more, but it’s a lot for her.”
“Well, then, I guess we’re moving to Idaho.”
I stare at her for a full ten seconds. “Excuse me?”
“If your family needs you, we’ll go. I can be a silent partner in the new studio, or we can open a second branch out there. Like you said, we’ll figure it out.”
“Stella.” Completely undone, I rest my forehead against hers. “Your life is here. It’s okay. I’ll just make an effort to go out there more often to look in on things.”
“Listen, home is wherever you are, Gray. That’s something I learned over the past month.”
“Thirty-seven days,” I correct her. “And a few hours.”
“Too long,” she murmurs. “So, yeah, we’ll do whatever you want as far as that’s concerned. Maybe we’ll buy a condo out there or something so we can have a home base in both places.”
“You’d be up for that?” he asks.
“Hell, yeah, I would. I’d have the chance to decorate a new place for us. That sounds like heaven.” Her eyes sober as she cups my face in her hands. “Just don’t leave me. I know I’m younger, and—”
“I said that out of anger and hurt,” I say, cutting her off. “I don’t give a rat’s ass about the age difference.”
“I think we both said some things we didn’t mean.”
“I love you.” I brush my nose against hers. “And you’re mine, Stella. You won’t ever walk out on me like that again. If we disagree, we’ll work it out. But, damn it, you won’t walk out again.”
“Yours,” she says as if she’s thinking it over. “I like the sound of that. I’m going to keep you on your toes, Grayson Sterling.”
“Oh, I’m completely sure of that.” I grin before I kiss her once again and feel her melt against me.
“I locked the door,” she whispers against my lips. She stands and shimmies her skirt up around her hips, then quickly unfastens my pants and straddles me, slowly taking me inside her. “Jesus, I missed you, Gray.”
“Mine,” I repeat as I cup her ass in my hands and lift her up and down on my cock.
She tips her forehead to mine again, and with just a few strokes, she brings us both to climax.
“Oh, yeah, I’m yours,” she says, gasping for air. “Oh, by the way, you’re coming with me to Iceland for Christmas.”
“Am I?”
“Yep.”
“This Christmas? Like, in a couple of weeks?”
“That’s the one.”
“I see you take keeping me on my toes seriously.”
“I think it’s going to be a life-long ambition.”
Iprobably shouldn’t be going to Iceland for Christmas,” I call out as I shove my toiletries into my bag.
“Why the hell not?” Gray calls back from the kitchen. He’s cleaning out the fridge one more time before we go.
I love living here with him. I officially moved in last week, and it’s the best. He’s thoughtful and helpful, and I’m so damn in love with him that it might be a little disgusting.
“Because Danny and I just opened a business, and I’m abandoning him,” I say and double-check that I’ve packed all the shoes I might want.
“The business is thriving, and they can manage without you for a little while,” he assures me. I hear the fridge close, but then he answers his phone.
“Hey, Mom. Yeah, we’re just about ready to go. Stella’s still packing.”
I roll my eyes. Yeah, I know we’re late, but I don’t want to forget anything.
“I love you, too. I’ll FaceTime you guys on Christmas. Yep, that’s all taken care of. Okay. Talk to you soon. Bye.”
“How’s she feeling?” I ask as I roll my heavy suitcase out of the bedroom.
“So much better,” he replies with a smile. “I think they finally have the meds figured out, and she’s healing up nicely. She said to give you a kiss.”
He tips my chin up and plants those lips on mine, making my stomach quiver.
“I bet she didn’t mean to kiss me like that.”
He just smirks as I look around the condo.
“I think I have everything,” I say, double-checking that I didn’t forget anything important.
“I’m quite sure there are stores in Iceland,” Gray says as he casually leans on the kitchen counter, waiting patiently. “If you forget something, we can buy it. It’s allowed.”
“Haha,” I reply and set my big suitcase by the front door. “Will we need to be here if anything significant happens with the lawsuit?”
“It won’t,” he says with certainty. “It’s the holidays, sweetheart. Nothing’s going to happen until after the first of the year. So you can just relax and enjoy your vacation. In fact, that’s an order.”
I lift an eyebrow. “You’re not the boss of me.”
Gray just laughs and then stares at my suitcases by the door.
“Jesus, Stella, we’re only going for two weeks. Not two years. ”
“It’s winter in Iceland,” I remind him. “Sweaters and jeans take up a lot of space. Trust me, if we were going somewhere warm, I could get all my bikinis in a carry-on.”
“Oh, I’m looking forward to summer,” he says as a slow smile spreads over his lips.
I bat my eyelashes at him and then sigh. “Okay, I think I’m ready. Luke chartered a massive jet for us all, so I’m wearing this comfy maxi skirt and
slippers on the plane. It’s a long flight from Seattle to Iceland.”
“You look comfortable and gorgeous,” Gray says as he grabs his smaller suitcase—how does he get everything into that little thing?—and pulls mine behind him, as well, as we head to the elevator.
Once we’re inside and it starts to move, Gray reaches over to the control panel and pushes a button, making us stop.
“Did you forget something?” I ask him.
“No.” He pins me to the corner of the car, lifts me, and pulls my skirt up with his fingers. His lips are hot on my neck, and I’m immediately wet and ready for him. “I’ve wanted to do this forever.”
“And we’re doing it now?”
But I don’t object when he frees himself and pushes into me, fucking me in long, rhythmic strokes.
“I can’t fucking resist you,” he growls next to my ear. “I’m going to do this to you, in many ways, in many places, for the rest of my goddamn life.”
My heart skips at the promise. He hasn’t proposed yet, but over the past few weeks, we’ve managed to merge our lives as if it were always supposed to be that way.
“I can’t wait,” I manage to say as I squeeze around him, and the orgasm works through me. “Oh, my God.”
“Fuck, Stella,” he groans and succumbs to his release. When he sets me on my feet and tucks himself away, he pushes a button, and the elevator resumes.
“I hope there aren’t any cameras in here.”
He just grins and winks at me.
“Gray, are there cameras in here?”
“No.” He brushes his thumb over my lower lip. “I wouldn’t do that. But the thought of it was kind of thrilling for a second, wasn’t it?”
“Hmm.” My lips twitch into a smile. “I think we’re going to have a lot of fun together.”
IF YOU’D LIKE to read a BONUS EPILOGUE told from Nate McKenna’s point of view, you can download it for free here:
HTTPS://BOOKHIP.COM/PJWWAPM
ARE you ready for the next Single in Seattle novel? Sophie Montgomery’s story is next in The Score, coming in January of 2023! You can get all of the information here:
HTTP://WWW.KRISTENPROBYAUTHOR.COM/THE SCORE
“Oh, you can bet on it.”
Kristen Proby has published more than sixty titles, many of which have hit the USA Today, New York Times and Wall Street Journal Bestsellers lists.
Kristen and her husband, John, make their home in her hometown of Whitefish, Montana with their two cats and dog.
I hope you enjoyed reading this story as much as I enjoyed writing it! For upcoming book news, be sure to join my newsletter! I promise I will only send you news-filled mail, and none of the spam. You can sign up here: https://mailchi.mp/kristenproby.com/newsletter sign-up
ALSO BY KRISTEN PROBY:Come Away With Me Under The Mistletoe With Me
Fight With Me Play With Me Rock With Me Safe With Me Tied With Me Breathe With Me Forever With Me Stay With Me Indulge With Me
Love With Me Dance With Me
Dream With Me
You Belong With Me Imagine With Me Shine With Me Escape With Me Flirt With Me Change With Me Take a Chance With Me
Check out the full series here: https://www.kristenprobyauthor.com/withme-in-seattle
Love Under the Big Sky Loving Cara Seducing Lauren Falling for Jillian Saving Grace
The Big Sky Charming Hannah Kissing Jenna Waiting for Willa Soaring With Fallon
Big Sky Royal Enchanting Sebastian
Check out the full Big Sky universe here: https://www. kristenprobyauthor.com/under the-big-sky
Check out the full series here: https://www.kristenprobyauthor.com/ bayou-magic
Check out the full series here: https://www.kristenprobyauthor.com/ romancing-manhattan
Easy Love Easy Charm Easy Melody Easy Kisses Easy Magic Easy Fortune Easy Nights
Check out the full series here: https://www.kristenprobyauthor.com/ boudreaux
The Fusion Series
Listen to Me Close to You Blush for Me
The Beauty of Us Savor You
Check out the full series here: https://www.kristenprobyauthor.com/fusion
Easy With You Easy For Keeps No Reservations Tempting Brooke
Wonder With Me Shine With Me
Soaring with Fallon, A Big Sky Novel
Wicked Force: A Wicked Horse Vegas/Big Sky Novella
By Sawyer Bennett
All Stars Fall: A Seaside Pictures/Big Sky Novella
By Rachel Van Dyken
Hold On: A Play On/Big Sky Novella
By Samantha Young
Worth Fighting For: A Warrior Fight Club/Big Sky Novella
By Laura Kaye
Crazy Imperfect Love: A Dirty Dicks/Big Sky Novella By K.L. Grayson
Nothing Without You: A Forever Yours/Big Sky Novella
By Monica Murphy
Check out the entire Crossover Collection here: https://www. kristenprobyauthor.com/kristen-proby-crossover-collection