“You’re tired. My kids are finally wearing you down.”
“Trust me, it’s not your kids.”
“Different bed than you’re used to? That gets me every time.”
“No. I’ve traveled so much over the years that I’ve gotten used to sleeping on whatever’s available. It’s just—” I stop abruptly and shake my head. “Never mind. It’s nothing.”
“You can’t do that. It’s definitely something. Tell me.”
“I’m not telling you. You’ll laugh.”
“I promise I won’t laugh.”
“Oh, you’ll laugh. And then you’ll tell my brother, and things will get weird, and I’ll have to go back to California early, which I don’t want to do. So, no, sorry. I can’t tell you.”
Grayson laughs and turns his body fully toward me. “You have to tell me now that you’ve built it up and made it a thing.”
“It’s not a thing.”
“It’s definitely a thing, especially if it’s keeping you up at night.”
I chew on my bottom lip and sigh. “Fine. But you have to promise you won’t laugh at me.”
“I won’t laugh.” He holds out his pinky, and I hook mine around it. “I can’t sleep because Nick and Jessa won’t stop having sex.”
He blinks. “Is that right?”
“Yes. They’re like jackrabbits, going at it every chance they get.”
Grayson pinches his lips together. I can see the laughter building inside of him, but he pushes it down. Smart man. “Jackrabbits, huh?”
“Yes! I swear to you, they don’t get tired. I don’t understand how either one of them functions throughout the day because they’re going at it all night long.”
“Wow…um…I did not need to know that.” He rubs a hand down his face and turns his head.
“Are you laughing?
“No. Absolutely not,” he says halfheartedly, because he’s totally laughing.
“You’re laughing. See, this is why I didn’t want to tell you. Do you know how awful it is to be kept awake until the wee hours of the morning because of the noises your brother makes while having sex?”
“No. Thank God.”
“Well, let me tell you, it’s horrible. I’ll never look at Nicky the same way.”
“You’re right.” He nods and pushes his smile away. “That must be awful. Maybe you should talk to them about it.”
“Or not,” I scoff. “Talk about awkward. I’m thinking about trying to find a place to rent for the rest of the summer. Or maybe I can find a room at a nice bed and breakfast.”
“You’re not staying at a bed and breakfast by yourself. It isn’t safe.”
“You sound like Bo.”
“Who’s Bo?”
“My bodyguard.”
“He must be a smart man.”
“He is. You’d like him.”
“Stay here,” he says casually. “There’s a loft above the garage. It’s furnished and has a small kitchen. Duke stayed there when his condo caught fire. It’s nothing fancy, and it’s little, but at least you wouldn’t have to listen to your brother’s mating rituals.”
“Oh, I couldn’t.” Could I?
“Why not? It’ll be nice and quiet. You can have dinner with us at night, if you want, you can come and go as you please, and I promise you won’t get roped into watching my kids any more than you already have.”
It’s on the tip of my tongue to politely decline, but I can’t push the words out because I like the idea of staying here and having a nice, quiet place to myself.
“Say yes,” he encourages.
What the hell? “Yes!”
His smile is bright enough to light up the night.
14
Grayson
“Can we talk?” Nick asks two days later.
I wipe my hands off, toss the rag down, and nod toward my office. “What’s up?”
“Where are the kids?” he asks, looking around at all of the toys and crap in my office.
“Duke is watching them again.”
Nick gives me a look. I sigh, pull my hat off, and run my hands through my hair. “I know it isn’t ideal, but he’s good with them, and he’s the only help I’ve got right now.”
“I’m sure Jessa wouldn’t mind watching them on her days off.”
I notice immediately that he doesn’t mention Nora, although I’m ninety-nine-percent certain that’s what he’s here to talk about. She called this morning and asked if she could move in tomorrow. My guess is Nick and Jessa had another round of marathon sex, and Nora said enough.
“Nah, man, I can’t ask her to do that. She already works full time. Anyway, I put in an application at a few of the daycare centers in town. I’m just waiting to hear back on availability.”
The kids are going to hate going to a daycare, but I don’t have another choice. I’m running out of options.
“But I’m guessing you didn’t come here to talk about my childcare situation.”
“You’re right.” Nick’s face hardens. He crosses his arms over his chest and leans against my desk. “Do you want to tell me why my sister is at my house packing her bags?”
“Probably because she’s going to move out here for the summer?”
Nick drops his arms and pushes to his full height. “Yeah, I know. What the fuck, man? Are you sleeping with my sister?”
“What? No. And even if I was, would that be such a horrible thing? I’m not a dick.”
“Damn it, that’s not what I meant. It’s just…she’s my sister, and you’re my friend, and if you two hook up and then split on bad terms, I’ll get stuck in the middle. I’ll have to take her side, because she’s blood. And then I’ll have to break all of your bones, or maybe kill you or something equally as awful, because it’s written in the big brother handbook.”
I can’t help it; I laugh at the look on his face. “Dude, did you grow a pussy overnight or what? Chill. I’m not sleeping with your sister, but it’s funny you mention that, because your sexual habits are the reason she’s moving here.”
Nick blinks. “What?”
Damn it. I shouldn’t have said anything. “Nothing. Forget it. Is that all you came out here for? To give me grief about a choice Nora made?”
“No, it’s not nothing. What were you going to say?”
“Shit.” I rub a hand over my face. “I’m sorry, I can’t. If you want to know why Nora is moving out here, you should ask her.”
“I did. She keeps blowing me off. Wait…” Nick’s face goes pale. “Does her moving have something to do with me and Jessa…you know…”
“Having sex? You’re an adult. You do realize you can say it out loud, right?”
“Yes,” he says, rolling his eyes. “Is that why she’s moving out?”
“I don’t know. You’ll have to ask her.”
“Fuck.” Nick sits on the edge of my desk. He looks lost and confused, but also a little happy and hopeful. “Jessa is ovulating.”
My jaw nearly hits the floor. “No shit? I didn’t know you were trying to get pregnant. Congratulations, bro.”
Nick manages to smile, even though he looks a little pale. “Thanks. We’ve been trying for a few months, and we’ve been keeping track of her cycles so—”
I hold my hand up. “No need to elaborate. I get it.”
“I should talk to Nora.”
“Probably.”
“I was really happy to have her back for the summer; I hate that I’m part of the reason she’s moving out here and away from us.”
“She’s still here for the summer. You can hang out with her whenever you want. She’ll just be sleeping someplace that isn’t your love factory.”
Nick grabs a pen from my desk and chucks it at my head. I laugh and dodge it. “You’re right. I hate it when you’re right.”
“Just talk to her. Your sister is levelheaded. I’m sure she’ll understand. She’ll probably even be happy at the prospect of becoming an aunt.”
“If we can ever get pregn
ant. It’s not happening as quickly as Jessa would like.”
I rest a hand on his shoulder and give it a squeeze. “Be patient. It’ll happen. Now get the hell out of my office so I can get back to work. I’m already behind on this vehicle.” And I still have to clean the loft before your sister moves in tomorrow.
“Are you two banging or what?” Duke pops a strawberry in his mouth, and when I scowl, he shrugs. “What? There aren’t little ears around, and it’s a legitimate question.”
“No,” I say dryly.
If our situations were reversed, Duke would’ve already slept with her and moved on, but that’s not how I work when it comes to women.
I mean, if I dated women. Which I don’t. Because I don’t have time, and there really hasn’t been a woman I’ve wanted to date.
Until Nora.
“So, let me get this straight. She watched your kids—”
“Twice. She came back the next day and watched them too.”
Duke stares at me for a second with a confused look. “And you’re not having sex with her?”
“No. She hung out with the kids, and then we had dinner and she helped put them to bed—”
“Wait. She helped put them to bed? So, she stayed late into the evening?”
“Yes,” I say with a loud sigh, irritated that he’s here grilling me. “She didn’t have anything else to do, and we were having fun. After the kids went to bed, we had a beer and talked on the porch.”
“And you got her number, right? Please tell me you got her number.”
“Yes, but only because she was watching the kids and I wanted her to have a way to reach me if she needed to.”
“We can work with this,” he says, nodding. “There’s hope for you yet. When will you see her again?”
“Today.”
“But I watch your kids today.” Duke looks at his watch. “It’s almost four o’clock.”
“I know.” I grab his arm and try to drag him out of my house. “She’s moving in, and I really need to get things ready for her.”
“Hold up.” Duke digs his heels into the hardwood floor and whirls out of my grasp. “She’s moving in?”
“Yes,” I snap.
“Here? Nora Hayes, superstar, actress, goddess is moving in here…with you?”
“Technically she’s moving into the loft. Thanks for leaving it furnished, by the way.”
“You’re welcome. So, she watched your kids twice, you two hung out, talked, and had a beer, and now she’s moving into the loft. Did I get it right?”
“Yes. Now leave.”
“And you’re not sleeping with her?”
“Jesus Christ, is that all you think about?”
Duke grins. “Pretty much.”
“You’re disgusting.” I shove him toward the door.
“At least tell me you’re thinking about sleeping with her.”
I’ve thought about what it would be like to have her gorgeous body beneath mine, but I keep that thought to myself. “No, I’m not.”
“Are you gay?”
“What?” My whole body flinches. “No, I’m not gay.”
“It’s okay if you are. I’ll love you regardless.”
“I know you would. And I would own that shit if I were, but I’m not.”
“And you’re not going to sleep with her?”
“Duke, I swear to God, I’m going to throw you out of my house if you don’t leave.”
He holds his hands up and backs toward the door. “Okay. Just one more question.”
“What?”
“Can I sleep with her?”
I growl, and he darts out the door, laughing all the way to his car.
“Daddy?”
“Yes, pumpkin?” I look down at Emma.
“Is Nowa here yet?”
“Not yet, but she will be soon. Let’s go make sure everything is ready for her.”
Emma’s eyes light up. “I picked her some fowers. Can we put dem in her woom?”
“Of course we can.”
Emma thrusts a handful of flowers at me that she picked from the yard. I put them in a small vase and hand them back to her.
“Don’t drop it.”
“I won’t.”
“Come on, Henry.”
He pushes up from his spot on the floor, drops his blocks, and toddles after us.
“Jack, do you want to come with us to the loft?”
He flies down the hall and looks around. “Is Nora here?”
“Not yet, but she should be here any minute. We’re going to check the loft one last time. Wanna come?”
His face falls, and he shrugs. “Sure.”
The kids race out of the house and up the stairs at the side of the detached garage. They fling open the door and run inside.
“Do not make a mess,” I yell after them.
“We won’t!”
“How does dis wook?” Emma does a Vanna White wave to showcase the flowers sitting on the small counter.
“Wonderful.”
“Do you fink she’ll wike it?”
“I love it!”
We all turn when Nora walks into the room. Emma flies across the floor and launches herself at her.
“Did you pick those for me?” Nora asks, squatting down.
“Dis morning.”
“They’re so pretty. Thank you!” She hugs Emma and looks up at Jack. “Hey you.”
His cheeks turn pink, and he looks at his shoes. Uh-oh… I think it’s safe to say my little dude has a crush.
Me too, bud.
“Why don’t you guys show me around?” Nora stands up, takes Emma’s hand, and reaches for Henry’s with her free one.
Jack jumps into action. “This is the kitchen.”
I laugh as the kids take turns showing her each individual cabinet and everything inside them, but Nora doesn’t balk, she’s just follows behind, listening intently and nodding with a smile of approval.
“I’m going to grab your bags,” I say.
Nora nods, and I walk out the door, bound down the stairs, and run face-first into a brick wall.
“You must be Grayson.” The wall says, crossing his massive arms over his chest.
I’m not tiny by any means, but I’ve got nothing on this guy. “And you are?”
“Your worst nightmare if you fuck with my girl.”
His girl? I thought Nora and her boyfriend broke up. Is this the asshole who cheated on her? I take a menacing step forward. He might be bigger than me, but I can hold my own.
“Are you the fucker who cheated on her?” I say, getting in his face. “If so, you’re the one who should be worried, because I will—”
The man’s scowl breaks into a smile. “She was right. You are one of the good ones. Any man who wants to beat the shit out of her ex as much as I do is on my good side. I’m Bo.”
Bo.
Oh, right. “The bodyguard?”
He nods and holds out his hand. We shake.
“Grayson,” I tell him.
“I know.”
“She told you about me?”
“No.” He frowns and shakes his head. “She actually hasn’t said much, just that you’re one of the good guys and I have nothing to worry about.”
“She’s right. You have nothing to worry about. Nora is great, and I would never do anything to hurt her.”
“I know. I looked you up.”
I quirk a brow. “You did?”
He nods and grabs three suitcases out of the bed of Nick’s old truck. “Grayson Calhoun, twenty-eight, divorced with three kids.”
“That’s common knowledge.”
“I’m not done.” Bo levels me with a hard glare. “Arrested twice. Once at the age of sixteen for jumping the fence and skinny dipping in the local pool after hours and a second time at twenty-six for a domestic call.”
Holy shit, how does he know about that? I thought all record of that had been wiped clean. Suddenly, I feel the need to defend myself.
“I didn’t hit
Lorelei.”
“I know you didn’t.”
“How do you know?”
“Because you just told me.” The big man smiles. “And because I know everything. I know you showed up at her house at nine-thirty that night, pissed off because you found bruises on your son, Jack. I also know that when you arrived, she, too, was covered in bruises from her boyfriend. And when you started to yell, she called the cops and told them you were the one who’d caused the damage to her face.”
I blow out a breath and rub a hand along the back of my neck. That night was so long ago.
“She eventually dropped the charges,” I say, remembering how scared I was.
Lorelei was spiraling down a dark path. Not only was she pregnant with Henry, but I was scared she would end up getting full custody of the kids if I got convicted.
“You’re a better man than I,” Bo adds in a softer tone, cutting into my thoughts. “I would’ve killed her, and the asshole who hit my kid.”
Rage boils in my veins. “I wanted to. I still want to.”
“I know you do, but you can’t. Your kids have to come first. I get it. Now, about Nora.”
The mention of her name calms the fire burning inside of me. “What about her?”
“She’s like family to me. I’ll admit that when she told me she was moving out here, I was skeptical, which is why I wanted to come check the place out for myself.”
“I understand. Look around. Do whatever you need to do.”
“I will, thank you. But honestly, now that I’ve met you, I get it.”
“Get what?”
“Her reasons for moving in with a complete stranger.”
“I’m not a total stranger. I’ve known her brother for years.”
“You’re a stranger to her.”
“So what’s her reasoning?”
“You’re stable and protective—two things she’s never had in her life. She feels safe here.”
I don’t know what the hell to say to that.
“Don’t worry, she’s not in trouble or anything, and you don’t have to worry about the ex coming after her…at least I don’t think you do. And if he does, you can totally take his pansy ass.”
We laugh, and Bo continues.
“Nora has worked every minute of every day of her life since the age of ten. She needs to decompress, regroup, find herself, and make some serious decisions about her career, and she needs to do it in a nice, calm, safe environment.”
Wait For Me Page 10
