by Erika Kelly
He had a way of touching her—filled with reverence, passion—almost a desperation—like he had to make each time count—and it made her heart flutter out of control.
“Need you naked.” He lifted the shirt, and she sat up long enough to tear it off. Then, he grabbed the waistband of her leggings and yanked them down her legs. “So I can bring all my skills to bear.” He surged against her, his hard cock grazing over her clit as he rocked his hips. Electricity lit her up with each pass. He kissed his way along her jaw to her ear, licking her lobe, all while that big hand cupped and squeezed her breast, the thumb flicking over her nipple.
“Gray.” She stirred restlessly beneath him, her hands pulling, wanting more of him. Her legs wrapped around his hips, and she ground her core against his thick erection.
He found his way back to her mouth, kissing and kissing and kissing, hungry, desperate, driving kisses that sought an answer to the one question that would finally give him peace.
She reached between them, rubbing his rock-hard erection under the nylon shorts. She tried to push him off, but he wouldn’t budge. “Still kissin’ you.”
She squeezed his hot, hard length. “Kiss me with another part of you.”
“You always have the best ideas.”
With her feet, she pushed down his shorts. That had him rolling off her and kicking them aside. Taking advantage of his position, she sat up and got a hold of his cock, taking him into her mouth and swirling her tongue around the head.
“Give you an inch…” He gasped. “And you take my whole cock.”
She burst out laughing. She loved the look in his eyes, so…delighted. It empowered her, knowing she did that to him. She wanted to do more. Wanted to see him lose himself inside her. Falling onto her back, she reached for him. “Let’s see if we can push that scale up to a nine.”
He lunged for her, one hand on her waist, the other on her cheek, angling her for his kiss. She’d barely gotten a taste, when his mouth skimmed down her neck and made a necklace of kisses along her collarbone. He cupped her breast, lowered his mouth to it, and she arched up into him when he sucked on her nipple. Her hands went to the back of his head to hold him right there.
Reaching between her legs, he parted her curls and slid a finger along her length. His thumb made slow circles on her clit, while two fingers caressed inside her. Pressing kisses down her stomach, he nudged her thighs apart with his broad shoulders and then licked inside her folds.
Her body jolted with pleasure. Fisting the sheets, her neck arched, and she closed her eyes to seal herself in the bliss of Gray’s sensual swirls and licks, the possession of his grip on her thighs, and the sensation of his soft, silky hair on her skin.
Her hips swiveled, thrust, pressed closer to his mouth. “You feel so good, Gray. So good.”
His hands slid under her ass, and he lifted her, his tongue finding her clit and flicking it in the relentless pursuit of her pleasure. Fire burned along her limbs, tension twisted and bore down on her, her senses narrowing to the euphoria of the orgasm that crashed over, shattered her, and left her totally, utterly, sated.
The front door slammed closed, and Gray sat up, listening.
“Knox?” Robert. “You here?”
Gray’s eyes squeezed closed before he shouted, “Give us a second.”
“Yeah, sure,” Robert called. “I’ll just grab some coffee.”
Gray started to get off the bed, but she didn’t like his expression. Did he think Robert would ruin this thing developing between them? She pulled him back down on top of her. “I don’t know where we’re going, you and me, but I do know I’ve never felt so whole, so safe, so…what’s the opposite of alone?”
He gripped her shoulder. “Us. We’re the opposite of alone.”
Gray only needed two minutes to wash up and dress, so he went out to greet Robert first, leaving her to pull herself together. Now, as she headed down the hallway, listening to the deep rumble of their voices, she couldn’t help wondering if they’d slip back into their old dynamic. Robert’s possessiveness, Gray’s nonchalance, and her alertness. Is he high? Does he smell like pot? Where was he last night?
She stood back, watching them drink coffee in the kitchen. Well, Robert held a mug in his hand. Gray drank water. Here we are, the three of us back in the place we spent so much time as kids. But it didn’t feel the same. Thank God.
“There she is.” Robert and all his charm.
She joined them in the kitchen. “Hey. Sorry to keep you waiting.”
“No worries.” Robert watched her over the mug. “Nothing wrong with sleeping in.”
Gray snickered. “Look out.”
Yeah, you’re right, look out. “I’ve been up since five, working on the muslin for Callie’s dress. I only stopped because I can’t find my sketchbook, and it’s driving me crazy.” The patio. “Hang on a sec.” She cut around the kitchen counter and headed for the French doors, but she could already see she hadn’t left it out there.
“I’m sure one of the guys packed it with the other stuff,” Gray said.
“Probably.” But she wouldn’t be comfortable until she found it. She hated misplacing things. Drove her nuts.
“You want us to search the bunkhouse?” Robert came right up behind her. She knew it was him because of his unusual scent—almost like sweet pipe tobacco. She had no idea why his clothes had always smelled like that. “Three sets of eyes are better than one.”
“No, that’s okay. I’ve looked everywhere. It’ll turn up.”
“Water’s boiling.”
She smiled appreciatively at Gray for thinking to make her some tea, but his expression got her moving toward the kitchen. He didn’t like seeing Robert so close to her, and suddenly it was there, that uncomfortable dynamic. The competition between the men.
If Robert kept this up, she’d have to spell it out for him. Wrapping her arm around Gray’s waist, she got up on her toes and kissed his scruffy cheek. “Thank you.”
Gray tipped a chin to the long dining room table. “Why’s there a third muslin?”
“Oh, that.” She poured water into a mug, just as Gray handed her a spoon. “I’m making a second one for Callie.” She poured the honey and stirred.
“Something wrong with the first?”
“Not technically, no. I just think…I want to give her an option. The one she chose is beautiful, but…”
“Not her?” Gray asked.
“Maybe? I just think she might like this other one better.” Catching the teabag with her spoon, she lifted it out of the mug. Gray took it from her and dropped it into the garbage, setting the spoon in the sink.
A low chuckle reminded her that Robert was in the room. She glanced up to see his amused expression. “So.” He wagged a finger between them. “How long has this been going on?”
“It’s brand new.” She leaned into Gray’s arm, but he didn’t lift it to hug her to him. Which she thought was the sign of a good man, not rubbing it in Robert’s face.
“Really? You look like an old married couple.” His gaze narrowed on her. “Kind of like we used to be.”
“Well, he’s sober, so there’s that.” The moment the words came out, she clapped a hand over her mouth. “I’m sorry. I don’t where that came from. That was stupid and immature.”
“No.” Robert turned serious. “It came from the fact that I never got to apologize for what I put you through.”
“I’m over it, I swear. I’m so over it.”
“No, you’re not,” Robert said. “How could you be? We never talked about it. The last time I saw either of you was the prom. I was in rehab for thirty days. Every second of that time I was thinking about you. I wanted to apologize, let you know I’d never fuck up again, but I didn’t hear from you. Not once. And when I got out? You were gone.”
Never had Robert exposed himself so baldly. It felt like he’d flung the words, wrenched from his gut, at her feet. Did he want an apology? She couldn’t give it to him. He’d made her lif
e a living hell.
“I never got to apologize, but even worse, you never got to ream me out for fucking everything up. But we’re here now, face to face. So, let’s do this. Let’s get it out. All the shit you’ve carried inside for years, you can give me. I can handle it, anything you want to give me, I can handle.”
“I appreciate the offer, and it might have made a difference seven, six, maybe even five years ago. But I honestly don’t have anything left in me to rehash.”
“Bullshit.”
“No, Robert. It’s true. The thing is, I don’t need an apology from you because you didn’t do anything to me that I didn’t let you do. We were locked in an unhealthy relationship. It wasn’t love. It wasn’t even friendship. We are both to blame.”
“Don’t say that.” He came around the counter, the two of them so close their breaths mingled. “I can handle anything you want to give me, except hearing you say it wasn’t love. I’m a selfish bastard, and I put you through hell, but I l did love you. Never question that. I fucking loved you.”
“How would you know? You were numb the whole time. Isn’t that the point of being a drug addict?” Saying that out loud felt so much better than she could have imagined.
He stood there fierce, intense, and she thought he might blow up at her, but the muscle in his jaw popped, and he watched her behind shuttered eyes. The tension grew unbearable, and just as Gray moved closer to her, Robert said, “My dad exposed me to shit no kid should ever experience. My mom wasn’t around, and when she was, she was on the phone or locked inside her office. If I didn’t want to feel anything, it was the bullshit from my family. The only good thing in my life was you.” His gaze shifted to Gray—and hardened. “Both of you.” But then he reached for her hand and held it so tightly her ring pinched her finger. “I was a shit boyfriend, a shit friend, a shit person, but never doubt how much I loved you.” He looked down at his brown leather boots. “I’m sorry. I’m sorry for not being a better man for you.”
His sincerity had any residual anger and resentment melting. In place of the charming, charismatic guy who’d manipulated everyone around him, she saw a humbled man who seemed to have found his way. “I forgive you.” A sheen of moisture filled his eyes, and so she touched his shoulder. “And I hope you forgive me for not being there when you got out of rehab. I hope you understand that it was the only way I could have left you.”
He grabbed her wrist and kissed her palm. “Fuck, Knox. If I could take it back—”
“You can’t. It’s over, and we’re both in good places. Just…stay good, okay?”
Their gazes locked in understanding, he nodded.
“I’ve got to get going.” Gray kissed her cheek. “I’ll leave you two to it.”
“Well, hang on.” She gestured toward Robert. “He came by for a reason.”
“I did. Got some good news.” Robert went quiet for a moment, like he was pulling himself together. When, he did, he drew in a breath, and his expression cleared. “I’ve got six models lined up.”
“Already?” she asked, at the same time Gray said, “How?”
“Called a few modeling agencies. That’s the easy part.”
“I don’t think you mentioned where the money’s coming from,” Gray said.
“I did. I told you The Granger Collection has a department for fashion shows.”
“Right, but Granger’s isn’t backing me,” Knox said. “They don’t have a bridal line, and we haven’t talked about me designing one for them. So, is it your mom? I’m not sure why she’d back me in fashion week.”
“She’s not,” Robert said. “Granger’s is.”
“I don’t get why they’d back me if I’m not designing a line for them. It doesn’t make sense.”
Robert remained unfazed, which gave her confidence. If he were lying, she’d think he’d be rattled, not looking her in the eye. “My mom doesn’t trust me enough to hire me in a full-time role—for good reason. But I’ve got a chance to prove myself. I don’t have a specific budget, but she wouldn’t want me doing something like this half-assed. Truth? If we pull this off, I wouldn’t be surprised if The Granger Collection offers you a contract to launch its first bridal collection.”
She shot a look to Gray. Oh, my God. His smile did what it always did—made her feel like they were in this together. “That would be amazing.”
“Okay, so six models,” Gray said. “What else?”
She elbowed him. “It’s been thirty-six hours.”
Robert pulled out that luminous grin, the one that made all the girls’ knees weak back in high school. Teachers and guidance counselors, too. He’d avoided a lot of trouble with that smile. “I hired the models in the first hour.”
Gray swept past them and grabbed his running shoes. Perched on a bar stool, he shoved a foot into one.
Robert watched him for a moment. “I know you’ve got to train, so if you can’t stick around, it’s cool.”
“I’ve got a few more minutes.” Gray gave a chin nod. Go on.
“Okay, best news of all?” Robert said. “I’ve got a location, and it’s fucking awesome.”
“Really?” Knox asked. “You move fast.”
“Yeah, my dad’s got a connection at a gallery in SoHo.”
“Your dad?” She didn’t trust her fashion show to Robert, senior.
He held up a hand. “I’m the one talking to the owner. My dad just gave me the suggestion. No worries. And it’s a great space, amazing location.”
“Can you get us the name?” Finished tying his shoes, Gray stood up. “We’ll take a look at it online.”
“Sure thing.”
But she knew Robert well enough to see he was annoyed. Pretty sure he doesn’t want Gray checking up on him. Well, nothing she could do about that. Gray was in this with her.
“The big question,” Gray said. “Is whether or not we can get the right people to come.”
“I’m on it.” She heard the bite in his tone.
The two faced off for a moment, but she let them work it out. As much as she didn’t want tension at a time like this, they had to accept this shift in their relationship. Knox was with Gray now—in all ways.
Just the thought of his hands…his mouth on her…sent a shiver down her spine.
And then Gray said, “I bring it up because our concern is whether you know the right editors and bloggers and buyers. Grangers doesn’t do bridal, so their connections are going to be different.”
“I told you the other night, Luc created enough buzz for her show that we’re not going to have any problem getting people to come. I’ve already been in contact with a few of them.”
“How do you know Luc’s contacts?” Gray folded his arms over his impressive chest.
“You want to know my big sleuthing secrets? How I hacked into the Bellerose database?” Robert whipped out his phone. “Here, let me show how I put in Who goes to the shows at Bridal Fashion Week.”
“Okay, you know what?” Knox stepped between them. “Gray asked a totally fair question, but whatever’s going on between you two has nothing to do with my business. Work out your issues somewhere else.”
Robert shoved his phone back into his pocket. “Look, if this is going to work, you’re going to have to give me a clean slate here. I’m not high. You want to drug test me?”
“This isn’t about you. It’s about Knox. In order for her to decide if she’s going to move forward with the show, she has to know the details, which means it isn’t enough to say you’re inviting people. She needs to know who you’re thinking of contacting.”
The tension left Robert’s shoulders, and the muscle in his jaw relaxed. “Fair enough. I’ll get you a list.”
“That’d be great,” Gray said. “Do you have anything else?”
“Hell, yeah.” Robert grinned. “I found a florist in New Jersey far enough away that no one’s ever thought to use him for events in the city but close enough that he’ll do it for the shot at getting future contracts.”
“Good thinking,” Gray said—a little tightly, but still.
“It was.” After a moment, the tension broke and they high-fived each other. “Yeah, so that’s it so far. The five models, the venue, the—”
Hang on. “You said six models.”
“I’ve confirmed five of them, but I’m talking to a sixth. I’m pretty sure she’s in. She doesn’t work much anymore, but she’s sending me a portfolio today. I’ll put her in the win category for now.”
Knox couldn’t help the little bubble of marvel that broke over her. “You’re really going to pull this off, aren’t you?”
“Or die trying.”
“What about the presentation?” She thought of the set at the Lincoln Center that Luc had built for her. The idea that Antonia would get it…it was like a splash of alcohol on a fresh blister. But she couldn’t go there, to what she’d lost. She had to stay focused on what she was building.
“I haven’t really thought about that yet,” Robert said. “But we’ve got this great gallery space, which, honestly, is a lot hipper than the Lincoln Center. Your dresses are too fresh and contemporary for an old school venue like that anyway. If you’re cool with it, we’ll just keep it simple.” He looked to her for confirmation.
“Simple’s fine.” Her gowns were the showstopper. “But it has to be the right backdrop for the style of the dresses.”
“Good to know.” He flashed a mischievous grin. “Because the gallery owner offered some gold cages and polyurethane swings leftover from an opening she had over the summer.”
“Uh…” They all looked at each other, and the burst of laughter broke down the barrier between them. Warmth flowed freely, leaving her with affection for her two oldest friends.
“In this space, there won’t be a traditional catwalk,” Robert said. “But we’ll form a path for the models with chairs set up to face each other.”
“Like a path through a garden.” She could picture her dresses billowing in a breeze.
