“If I do, we’re good? You forgive me?” He quickly wipes away a tear in his eye and I don’t know how I feel but I nod, anyhow.
“Thanks, Bella. We can do this.”
Unable to trust myself to speak, I text Grayson.
Me: Can you come in?
Gray: You okay?
Me: Yeah. I did it and he said he was sorry.
Grayson hops out of the car with his jaw set and eyes cold and narrowed. He walks up the stones while I stand with the screen door open and give him a weak smile.
“Mike, this is Grayson, my fiancé.” They shake hands civilly then I turn to Gray. “Mike wants to tell you something.”
My cousin clears his throat, his eyes darting around then resting on me. “Ah, I’m not sure what she told you.”
“Enough.” Fists clenched, jaw ticking. Gray crosses his arms,
Maybe this wasn’t such a good idea but we need to move forward, all of us. “Grayson, he was twelve when it happened. Not sixteen.”
“Not sure that makes a difference.” He sits and Mike quickly sets a mug of coffee in front of him.
“I know, sir. It’s no excuse but we both were just kids. I was older and I shouldn’t’ve done what I done. She’s accepted my apology.”
A familiar steel gaze locks on my cousin with eyes narrowed. Somewhere in the kitchen, a clock ticks.
“I’d understand if you took a swing at me.”
Gray continues to eye Mike with hooded lids and shakes his head slowly. “I won’t do that. What are you two going to do, now?”
“I told her I would ’fess up.”
I call this Gray’s CEO-mode. It’s cold and calculating and forces people to think. “What do you hope to gain from it?”
When I thought my cousin might have abused other young girls, I was sure that letting my family know was the right thing to do. Suddenly, I’m not so sure. It would kill my Mom, ruin her relationship with Mike’s dad, and maybe even make her see me in a different light.
“Maybe, we should think about it some more.”
Grayson nods, sips his coffee, and we explain our past from different perspectives. It’s so uncomfortable that I cry a whole lot. For years, I wanted to be the victim, but in a way, Mike was too. We were two pre-teens left alone at night by unthinking relatives.
“My mom will take the blame for this.”
Mike scratches his head, “So will mine.”
I turn to Gray, “But not telling people feels like I’m still keeping secrets.”
“Maybe there will be a right time.” He gives his phone to Mike and says, “You make an appointment with your psychiatrist and we’ll be there. I want to be damn sure you’re not some psycho child molester.”
“Yes, sir.”
We chat about what Mike’s been up to and family stuff for a while. Then, I clear my throat and stand. I need some time to process all this.
The men shake hands and I give Mike a loose hug. Maybe this will all turn out okay.
“I’m real glad you stopped by, Bella.”
“Me too.”
Goodbyes said, I leave my emotional baggage in his pristine trailer and walk away a different person.
Chapter 17
Grayson
Slate is already in the cockpit, waiting for us to say our goodbyes. Thankfully, bad weather has held off except for some high winds from the north. Our trip back to Teterboro should go smoothly.
Tears in her eyes, Izzy gives her mom a big hug. “Don’t cry. I promise to visit more often. You could come visit me, too, you know.”
Finally, we wave goodbye to the small crowd through the window, climb up the stairs into my jet, and sit side-by-side in my lounge chairs.
As the plane takes off, she chuckles, and I lean over to kiss her upturned lips. “What’s so funny?”
“Oh, I don’t know. I guess I’m fast-forwarding to our wedding day, picturing my uncles dancing in some fancy ballroom in Manhattan. Can you imagine them with your business buddies?”
“I bet they’ll get along famously.” I grin. “As long as shotguns are left in Minnesota.”
We start laughing, our ears pop, and I try to get some work done. For almost an hour, I get caught up on emails but when Isabella approaches with two beers in hand, I snap my computer shut.
“That was one helluva visit.” I clink my bottle to hers while she sits in my lap.
“Cheers… Do you think Xavier will be back?”
“No. It would be stupid and he’s a lot of things but not that. Even if he does, he won’t get far.” I eye her over my bottle and take a swallow.
She does the same, nods, and stares off into space. “If I were him, I’d buy a jet and get out of Dodge.”
“Those were my thoughts, as well.”
She sighs and leans back into me. “Then, I’d buy a villa somewhere in France or Italy. Did he embezzle enough to do all that?”
I nod and kiss the top of her head. “And more.”
“Wow.”
Her head turns, and I gently place my lips to the tip of her nose. “I can think of better things to do than talk about him.”
“Really?” Her eyelashes flutter and I laugh.
“Come here, you.” When I stand, she throws her arms around my neck, and I cradle her into the bedroom.
There, she slips down my body, her toes touch the floor, and her chin lifts into a heated kiss.
My tongue asks for entrance, she opens, and I play, fanning the embers of our desire until they flame.
“Mmmm. You taste good.” I slip my palms down her back, under the hem of her shirt, and caress her soft skin.
She purrs and smiles, eyes closed in pure pleasure. Craving more, I pull her hoodie over her head and with her arms stretched high, unclasp her bra. My hands slide across her body to her breasts where my fingers squeeze and play. Her eyes open and the centers are dark with pure passion.
Blood rushes to my cock.
Using her elbows to stop my fingers from what they’re doing, she goes wild and undoes my shirt buttons. She kisses down my chest to my navel. When she’s done, I toss my shirt to the floor while she unzips my slacks and frees my cock.
Bent over, she places her mouth on me.
“Oh man. Just a sec.” I back onto the bed and sit while she kneels on the floor between my legs. Her fingers wrap around my thickness and she worships my tip.
Never before has she been so bold and it fucking blows my mind as she licks up and down my length. When she hits the sensitive area just under my head, I arch, and she takes me deep into her sweet mouth.
“Iz… oh… damn.” I press into her hair and lead her.
Totally focused, she plays me like a fine instrument. Occasionally, she stops and places kisses on my navel, and everywhere but my fucking swollen desire.
When her hands wrap around my base, she sucks and my inner beast flares. I grab her hand and her hair and help as I rock.
Her sucks get frantic and her mouth tightens. My body coils and everything grows taunt.
“Oh, fuck!” I come hard into the back of her mouth.
She swallows, lets go of me, and I fall back onto the bed. With this vixen smile she climbs up my body, and kisses me, tasting of cum.
When we come up for air, I press her tight to my chest, enjoying how her full, naked body molds to mine. “You are one wild honey.”
Her giggles are so damn cute that I keep them going by tickling her mercilessly. Sitting on my heels, I straddle her, cup both her breasts, and squeeze.
Her tits harden and her eyes roll when I put one into my mouth and suckle. Nibbling one nipple, I pinch the other and grow hard as she squirms and moans under me.
I love how her back arches and her legs spread wider and wider. Only then do I kiss slowly down her body. Ignoring her mound, I torture her inner knees and upper thighs with my tongue.
She sighs heavily and I lick along the outer edge of her folds. Lifting onto her elbows, she locks her heated gaze to mine. Her slick nub beckon
s me but instead, I tease everywhere around it.
Isabella’s panting wildly as she stares between her knees, face flushed, tongue flicking over her lower lip.
Holding that hot as hell gaze, I slip one finger into her. It’s fucking amazing how her eyes widen and her mouth drops open. When I add a second finger, curl and press, she closes those blue orbs, arches, and moans.
“Gray…” She bends her knees, scoots to me on her ass, and pulls hard on my hair.
Oh yeah, she’s good and ready.
I blow cool air, she moans, sucks in her breath and freezes.
My cock is about to burst at the erotic sight of my woman laid open for me. I lean over, press in my knuckle, and suck her off.
“Holy… Oh God, oh fuck.” When she falls apart in my hand, my cock is as hard as it was before, maybe more so.
Quickly, I climb up her and enter so deep that I feel the back of her womb.
“Oh Gray.” Her body bucks, and the small pulses of her orgasm make this tsunami of need. It crashes over me, wanting what it wants. Quickly, I turn her onto her hands and knees so I can have more access. She presses her ass back and it feels so damn good, I just about lose my mind.
With my angle just right, we bang so hard, the bed thumps. Time stands still and we ride each other, sweat pouring off our bodies. Suddenly, my whole body goes tight, my lower back twinges, and I swell, ready to come hard.
“Izzy, oh shit. God, yes.” One final thrust into her sweetness and I release into this amazing high, pulsing, never wanting to let go. “You are so fucking incredible.”
She sighs deeply and comes. “Love you.”
“Love you, too.”
We sleep for a while and when my eyes open, she’s staring at me. After, she finds a pillow and stuffs it under the back of my head. “Hey sleepy head, let’s try something new.”
My always eager cock jumps at the thought and she giggles when it hits her legs. “Not that, at least not right this second. We’re going to try pillow-talk.”
“You’re serious?” I nibble her ear and blow in it.
“Stop that.” She turns, presses those naked breasts into my chest and kisses me. “I mean it.”
Grinning, I stare up at the ceiling pretending to think hard but my hand slips to her upper thigh.
She slaps it away and laughs. “Alrighty, then. I see I need to start. We could talk about… the future.”
“That’s easy. We’re going to get married and have fifteen babies. Pretty simple.”
She bumps my shoulder as she rolls off from me and onto her side. “This is so not pillow-talk. Let’s talk about all the new developers I hired.”
I waggle my brows up and down, just to get her goat. “What about them?”
With a groan, she rolls her eyes. “I swear, Patten, you’re doing this on purpose.”
“Doing what?”
“Oh, for God’s sake. Let me try another subject and don’t answer with one word. Be serious. Are we going to continue with the Houston Project?”
She gives me a little triumphant smile because I drop the act as I think of all the repercussions of losing their business. “There’s a lot of money on the line and it’s a worthwhile endeavor… still… I don’t like how sneaky they are. They need to be a lot more upfront.”
“I was going to suggest that myself.”
I pull her close, kiss her neck, and whisper into her ear, “See? I can do this. Are we done now, professor?”
Giggling, she wraps her clever fingers around my rising length. “I suppose, for a first try, we did pretty good.”
“Damn right we did.” I unwrap her fingers, then roll onto my elbows, my legs between hers.
“Wait. One more thing.”
I moan.
“Real quick. We visited my family, when will we visit yours?”
“Let’s schedule that for pillow-talk-part-two, right after this.”
Chapter 18
Isabella
“So, this is la-dee-da, Connecticut.”
“Most people refer to it as Greenwich.” Grayson laughs but it doesn’t reach his eyes and I don’t get it. I’ve been trying to cheer him up since we left Manhattan.
Slate notices too and shrugs, standing by the limo door. As I get out, I open my arms to give him a hug and he shoots his boss a quick glance.
“Chicken.” That’s said loud enough for Gray to hear.
So, Slate feigns to shudder and hugs me stiffly. “Damn right. He pays the bills.”
“Not nearly enough, old man. Just glad I didn’t lose you in Brooklyn.” Grayson slaps him on the back.
Slate raises his brows. “Old?”
“Reflexes are the first to go…”
“Fuck you, boss. Ping me when you need me. I’m out of here.”
I grab Slate by the shoulder as he starts to sit back down in the driver’s seat. “Wait. You’re not coming in with us?”
“Hell, no. Good luck.” He exits the long driveway and burns rubber.
Shaking his head, Gray leads me up the long walk to the front of what could only be described as an estate. There’s a pool to the left, tennis and basketball courts to the right. The garage, an old carriage house, is attached at a right angle to the main building.
I didn’t necessarily expect his mother to be waiting at the front door. However, I am surprised that we’re greeted by a middle-aged man, dressed in a pullover sweater, dress shirt and tie.
The guy takes our coats with a warm smile and says with a bit of an English accent, “Grayson? How nice to see you, sir. And you must be Ms. Harte?”
“Please, call me Izzy.” I give him a nervous smile as he leads us through a huge foyer.
“Don’t worry, we don’t bite. Mrs. Patten is waiting in the parlor.”
I whisper to Grayson. “She has a butler? I should’ve dressed up.”
He eyes my over-the-knee boots, leggings, and black tunic, then winks. “You’re perfect. Good enough to eat.”
We’re led into a room right out of a Victorian romance novel. A wooden box of assorted teas sits on a carved-foot coffee table. There’s also a delicate set of china tea cups with a matching blue and white creamer.
A beautiful woman in her sixties, dressed in high boots, jeans, and a cable knit sweater gives Grayson a smile. She kisses his cheek, leaving at least a foot between them. When finished, she gives me a once over. Apparently, I pass inspection for she gives me a half-smile and she takes my hand in a rather limp shake.
“Isabella? How lovely to meet you. So, you’re the woman who stole my son’s heart.”
Her tone is not friendly but not overly hostile, either. I give a worried glance at Grayson who throws me a wink and a smile.
This is my doing. Despite his warnings, I insisted on meeting her.
“Sit, please.” His mother moves between us, hoping to make Grayson take a chair and me with her on the couch.
However, Grayson has a bit of a coughing spell, something I’ve never seen him do. When she moves for a tissue box, he plops on the couch and drags me with him.
I whisper, “Fast move.”
“You know it.”
She turns with a frown, then perches down on the edge of a ladderback chair making me wonder if she practices posture in a mirror, daily.
Holy shit, although it’s only ten in the morning, I wish had something a whole lot stronger than what’s in front of us.
“Coffee, mother?” Gray holds up an expensive-looking glass carafe.
“Dear God, no. I’ve been off from that for years. Haven’t you read how bad it is for you?”
I chuckle a little nervously. “Maybe I’ll have to rethink it.”
Her mouth purses and tiny wrinkles grow deep. “Certainly, you should. Terribly bad for the baby.”
My jaw drops, eyes wide and I look to Grayson for some kind of help. “Hey, whoa. Hold on, now. I’m not… I mean… We’re not pregnant.”
At least she blushes bright red. “Oh. I’m so sorry, dear. I just assumed
, what with the wedding so rushed… Nothing personal dear, but you’re not exactly Grayson’s type.”
I nudge my fiancé hard with an elbow and he finally jumps in to the rescue. “Just stop, Mom.”
He puts his arm around my shoulders. “I knew the minute I saw her, Isabella was the one.”
“You did?” I smile, thinking of the day I stormed into his office, yelling at him about my performance review.
“Sure, I did.” He kisses me on the tip of the nose, squeezes my hand, and everything inside goes warm and fuzzy.
His mother clears her throat in an irritated manner. “I assume you’ll want the wedding up here. I can work with you on the details and–”
“No. We’re getting married in International Falls, Minnesota.” Gray uses that no-arguments allowed tone.
“My God. Is that even a place?” His mom sets her tea cup down too quickly, liquid sloshes onto the saucer, and she stares aghast as if she’d broken it.
I nudge Grayson in the ribs, feeling a little sorry for her. “We’re also planning on another party in Manhattan for friends and family.”
Her mouth goes tighter, if that’s even possible, and her posture more perfected. “May I see you in the kitchen, Grayson James.”
“No, Mom. You may not. I love you, dearest, but this is not up for discussion. Call Cherry. I’m sure she’d love to hear your suggestions.”
The tops of her cheeks are bright as she stands “Very well, then. How about we go riding? You do ride?” She peers imperiously down her nose and I almost don’t answer but this is my future mother-in-law. Best I make nice.
I smile sweetly. “One of my cousins runs a dude ranch out west. I worked summers there, all through college.”
Her brows go up but not as much as before. “I assume you brought clothes?”
Grayson laughs, stands, and pulls me off the couch. “Of course. I’ll get our bag in the car.”
I follow him out and hiss, “Oh. My. God.”
“I warned you.”
“I know but wow. Is she always like this?”
“Normally, she’s worse but once she’s on horseback, she’s a whole different woman.”
The CEO's Lucky Charm_A Billionaire Novella Page 9
