“Emma, honey,” he stated. While he wanted to start and finish this here, she needed to know something.
“Yes, Grey?” she asked, leaving a trail of openmouthed kisses across his flesh. The scent and taste of his skin was maddening.
“I forgot to mention,” he said, trying to think straight.
“Hmmm?”
As her mouth moved across his flesh, Greyson struggled. “Steele was really sick. He’s upstairs.”
She stopped.
Greyson stared into her eyes, unsure what she was thinking. “I’m sorry, but he was puking and I didn't want to leave him alone.”
She moved back into her seat. “I’ve never loved you more than right now. You’re a very sweet man, Greyson Croft. Tonight, I’m going to have my wicked way with you after the party.”
He started laughing. “Yeah, I’m a saint. I get accused of that all the time.”
Emma snorted, knowing that was furthest from the truth. “We better go upstairs and check on the kids,” she stated, fixing her hair in the mirror.
Greyson was astounded how easily she could shut it off. His body was on fire, and all he was thinking was about burying himself deep inside his kitten just to hear her purr.
“Ready?”
He laughed again, this time sardonically. “Yeah, I’m as ready as I’ll ever be after being orally assaulted in the parking garage by my woman.”
In the elevator, Emma couldn’t help herself and grabbed his ass. She loved tormenting her very controlled husband. Normally, that move would have been something he’d do to her. Every now and again, she liked to switch it up.
If the security guards had noticed the manhandling, they didn't let on.
As the Crofts headed up in the elevator, Emma was getting excited. “Will you dance with me all night long, Greyson?”
He stared down at his wife. “I would love nothing more than to hold you in my arms and dance with you, honey.”
Linking their fingers, they waited for the elevator to stop at the thirteenth floor. At their door, Greyson held it open for his wife, letting her enter first. Once inside, they found Dante lying on the couch, watching a game.
“Hey! I was wondering when you two would be home,” he said, standing up.
Emma gave him a hug. “How are you feeling?” she asked.
“Grateful. I want to thank you both for opening your home up to me and my issues. I don’t know what I would do without you.”
Croft affectionately patted his brother on the shoulder. “It’s no problem. You’re our family. How’s Steele doing?”
Dante laughed, shaking his head. “Yeah, whiskey wasn’t, and isn’t, his friend. He may never drink again after this. It was like that scene from the exorcist.”
Emma was amused.
“There was a delivery for you both,” Dante stated, pointing toward the two boxes on the counter. “It came earlier today.”
Just like a girl, Emma squealed and grabbed the one addressed to her. While she was a cop during the day, at night she loved nothing more than setting her feminine side free.
Dresses.
Makeup.
Hair.
She loved it all, especially since she would be with her sexy husband.
“I’m going to get dressed. It always takes me longer to get ready!”
Greyson watched her bounce away. The sway of her copper red ponytail made him smile. It took her longer because she liked to make him swallow his tongue.
“So, what’s tonight’s party?”
Croft headed toward the kitchen, ignoring the box. Truth be told, it scared the shit out of him. All he needed was to dress like a clown. It would top his week right off.
“Randall Mason has some show on the strip about fairies, and this is his yearly kick off bash.”
“Yeah, it’s called ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’. I saw it with Steele,” Dante said, taking a seat at the counter.
Croft stared at him.
“Ha ha. I know what you’re already going to say. Here are two gay men who went to a show about fairies. I can see the wheels turning in your head. For your information, I happen to like Shakespeare.”
Croft laughed. “I love you, son, but I can’t imagine that Randall Mason had a whole lot of Shakespeare in that production. I don’t think good old Billy S. had feathers and glitter in mind.”
Dante snorted. “Yeah, he probably already rolled over in his tomb.”
Pulling the box toward him, Croft bit the bullet. “Okay, let’s see what Randall Mason has picked out to humiliate me even further,” he said, dreading the contents.
When he opened the box, he found a pair of leather pants and an incredibly soft, white silk shirt. Okay, so far so good. Then, he pulled out a tiny silver crown, woven out of metal. On it were a few jewels. “What’s this supposed to be?”
Dante laughed. “You’ve never read the play, have you?”
“Hell no! I was off in a war killing people. I read the manual to my weapon. Some of us have priorities, son,” Croft teased.
“You’re obviously Oberon. He’s the king of the faeries. He’s married to Titania, who is the queen.”
“I can get into this,” he stated, dropping the crown on his head.
“He’s jealous, possessive, and bossy.”
“Hey! I am Oberon,” Croft said. “Who knew? Life imitates art after all, I guess.”
Dante just rolled his eyes. “Well, he loses his wife in the end to his far more handsome brother, Dante.”
Croft headed past him, slapping him in the back of the head. “I didn't read it, son, but that doesn’t mean I don’t know the story. Nice try. It ends when they live happily ever after in his possessive kingdom with his child-like partner, gay brother, and his vomiting ME,” he teased.
“Hey! That hurt! You’re just lucky Emma puts up with your nonsense!” he declared. “It doesn’t mean I have to!”
The man turned, grinning wickedly. “My castle. My rules, Dante.”
He scowled.
His big brother had a point.
It didn't take long for them to get ready. Greyson was done first and stood in the living room waiting for his queen. He had to admit that what Mason sent over wasn’t exactly a bad costume. At first, he was wary with the pants, but once in them, they were relatively comfortable. Who knew leather could be buttery smooth against the skin?
It was apparent why bikers, and every gay man in that bar, liked it.
Dante hung out with his brother after checking in on Steele. The man was sleeping soundly, almost like the dead. There was this newfound peace now that Dante and Greyson had mended the issues between them.
His family was back.
Plus, Dante couldn’t wait to see what Emma would be wearing. It was obvious that Randall Mason took it easy on his brother. In the show, Oberon was far more festive in his apparel.
One might even call it…gay.
There was no way his brother would go for it. Although, Dante would pay big money to see it happen. There was no doubt that if Emma wanted her husband to do it, he absolutely would.
Both men heard her coming before they saw her, and it was probably a good thing. When Emma exited the hallway, she was radiant. In the white gown, which floated around her body when she moved, she definitely looked like the queen of the fairies. Her red hair and green eyes stood out against her costume, making them pop.
“Can you help me with this crown thing?” she asked, checking her husband out in his leather pants. He looked incredibly sexy, especially in the white shirt. It was open at his throat--a little lower than he’d normally wear. She wanted to run her fingers through the splattering of chest hair.
“Absolutely,” Croft said, crossing to her. Gently, he placed the little metal crown on her head, and then followed up with a kiss.
It was loving, sweet, and gentle.
When he pulled away, his eyes were filled with emotion. “You look beautiful, Emma, but then again, you always do.”
Running
her finger across his scarred cheek, she wanted to fall into the silvery depths of his eyes. “You’re my sexy pirate.”
When she wrapped her arms around his waist, she felt it.
“Greyson Croft, are you wearing a gun?”
Dante started laughing. “I’m sure Shakespeare would have put that in the play, had he thought about it.”
Croft wasn’t ashamed that he was packing a sidearm. “I’ve tucked a small gun into the back of my pants where no one can see it. In my pocket is my badge.”
“Do you really think that’s necessary?” she asked, grinning up at him.
There was no doubt in his mind. In fact, Greyson would wear a gun into the shower if Sky Villa wasn’t a secure building. “I want you to think back to our first gala thrown by Randall Mason.”
How could she forget? Her partner had been shot, nearly dying.
“Yes, Grey.” Why fight it? She gave in.
“Will you two be safe tonight?” Dante asked. Whenever they went out, he was always worried about them. They were his family, and he wished he could go. Had he not dumped his boyfriend, he would be attending.
“What the hell could possibly happen?” Croft asked. “It’s a bunch of faeries hanging out at a corrupt man’s house. This is the thing shows are made of.”
Emma slapped him on his leather-clad ass.
“Let’s go. I can’t wait to dance with my husband in those pants. They’re really sexy.”
“Yes, ma’am,” he replied, wiggling his eyebrows.
The trip there was quick.
In the back of the limo, which Randall Mason sent for them, Emma drove him wild. The entire time, she sat in his lap, wigging around as much as possible. By the time they arrived at the welcoming, wide-open gates, he was hard, wild, and ready to make love to his wife.
It was probably a good thing that the white shirt hung a little low in the front. Emma had been quite the distraction, and snug leather pants weren’t hiding the evidence of his arousal.
As the limo pulled up, they recognized quite a few faces. Getting out of the car right in front of them was Emma’s old buddy--Attorney Lana Dumas. She was the woman who practically threw herself at Greyson on their first assignment together.
Emma immediately began questioning Randall Mason’s taste in guests. She still wanted to bash her blonde head off a telephone pole.
“Are you ready?” he asked, as their driver opened the door.
Emma was barely out when the blonde managed to lock onto their arrival, as she, too, exited her limo. It looked like Lana was the welcoming committee, and she wanted to make her presence known.
Awesome.
Emma stared at the buxom blonde as her driver helped extricate her from the vehicle. It couldn’t be easy. Lana Dumas was poured into some slinky getup and wearing stilts on her feet.
It wasn’t very fairy like. Instead, it screamed ‘screw me for twenty bucks’.
“Thank you, Stephan. I’ll see you later,” Lana stated, immediately dismissing him.
The man nodded before heading off to park the limo beside the others.
“Greyson Croft! You haven’t come by the office to do any business lately,” she purred. “In fact, I’ve called trying to get in to see you for a few weeks and couldn’t get an appointment. You must be a very busy man.”
He was well aware. That’s exactly why he made sure his secretary knew not to let her into that building. The last thing Greyson needed was some blonde trying to get into his lap. Croft didn't think Emma would appreciate it, and from the look on her face, he was pretty sure there was going to be bloodshed.
He couldn’t blame her.
Emma remained calm. Her husband was powerful, handsome, and incredibly sexy. The mystique surrounding him lured in many gold-diggers. Lana Dumas was just one of many, but Emma had something she didn’t.
She was Greyson’s only.
What confused her was why Lana didn't get it. Her husband was off limits. While they had to play nice with her because Lana’s business partner was one of the potential crooked men in Vegas, she didn't have to like it.
At all.
“Hello, Ms. Dumas. You can’t get an appointment to see me, for two reasons. One, I’m the director of the FBI and am not at your beck and call, and two, you can’t seem to acknowledge my wife exists.”
She laughed, running her blood red nails down the sleeve of his white silk shirt. “Oh, I see her. I just don’t understand why you’d pick her as your partner. Surely, someone as powerful as you deserves a better choice.”
Greyson despised the woman.
Not only because of the way she tried to hurt his wife, but because she didn't care that people knew she was out to buy her way to the top with sex. If she shoved her ‘assets’ any closer, Lana was going to topple over.
“I do all my business with Kenneth for a reason. You’ll have to take that up with him,” he stated. “Let’s go, Emma, my sweet.”
Lana smiled ferally at the redhead. “Yes, we’ll see you inside.”
As they walked away, Emma was glad they were away from the woman.
“Don’t let her bother you, Em. I only have eyes for my queen. You’re the only woman I want climbing all over me.”
Emma was so irritated that she could barely speak. Instead, she grabbed a flute of champagne and tossed it back.
Croft laughed. “Get drunk, kitten. It’ll be easier to get you naked later.”
His whispered lechery made her forget the other woman. Greyson had that ability. He drained all the angry thoughts from her mind, replacing them with some creative imagery.
She couldn’t wait.
But until then, they needed to make their appearance, and the expected rounds.
Once inside, they were met by more familiar faces. Harrison Tyler, the owner of ‘The Crassmount’ was there with his husband, Jeffrey Martin.
“Oh! Look who it is!” he declared. “The Crofts are here, and from the look of it, they’ve been crowned king and queen.”
Emma genuinely liked the man.
Not long ago, she’d helped him regain control of his establishment. Randall Mason no longer had power over the theater he rented.
She was glad. It had been her pleasure, since she felt bad that it was destroying Harrison and Jeffery’s relationship.
“Hello, gentlemen,” she offered, accepting a kiss from each one of them.
“You look very yummy,” stated Jeffery to Greyson Croft.
Immediately, Harrison interjected. “Stop being such a hussy!” he demanded, elbowing his partner.
Croft wanted to laugh. The two men were harmless, and that entertained him. Yet, there was a part of him that was very glad his brother wasn’t as flamboyant. He’d have to take him to a shooting range and man him up if he ever began acting like these two.
“We’re going to go get some drinks, would you like to join us?” Harrison offered. Any time with the Crofts was a good thing. They were the power couple everyone wanted to be, and just being seen with them was beneficial.
“We have to find Randall first,” Emma admitted.
“How about after we dance, we’ll have a drink?” Croft offered. Whenever he could surround Emma with men who were not interested in her, it was a good thing.
The sharks would be circling soon. In the present lighting, the dress she was wearing shimmered, giving off an ethereal glow. It was hard to concentrate, and it made him want to run his lips all over her cleavage.
He couldn’t help it.
She was just damn delicious.
The men accepted and rushed off to mingle. Before they could move much further into the house, Peter Marken called for Greyson. “Hey! Croft! I just got a sweet deal on some land, would you like in on it?” he asked.
There was no way in hell he wanted any part of the man’s illegal dealings, but he wasn’t sure Peter wasn’t the corrupter. “Can you send over the details? I might be interested in buying my Emma something bigger than our condo.”
Th
e man grinned. “Yes, I can! I also have to say that Mrs. Croft looks ravishing tonight,” he said, grinning lecherously at her.
Yep, there was chum in the water. The first horny shark had appeared.
Emma didn’t like him when she met him at Greyson’s poker game, and she wasn’t feeling any more magnanimous now. “Thank you, Mr. Marken.”
“I have to go find Dominic,” he began, “but I’ll catch up with you later. Maybe we can do poker again. I think it’s your turn to host at your place.”
Croft plastered on a fake smiled as he rushed away. “There is no way in hell I’m letting that snake into my cave. Lana Dumas has a better shot of getting up there.”
She snorted, sipping more champagne. “Yeah, don’t bet on that, Greyson.”
He winked at her.
As they progressed through the house, Emma was astounded at the transformation. While Randall’s place was normally grand, it just screamed fantastical. He’d gone big on this one. There were live trees, millions of twinkling lights, and all the servers were wearing wings, like fairies. In fact, they looked like they were part of one of his shows.
“This is amazing,” she stated.
Croft had to agree. When Randall went big, he didn't mess around. It was probably why he’d made so much money in his lifetime. When he had a vision, he followed through.
Once inside the ballroom doors, there were couples dancing, having drinks, and celebrating the night.
“Emma, may I have this dance?” he asked, holding out his hand.
Passing off the empty champagne glass, Emma went into his arms. There was nothing like dancing with her husband. It was amazing to be against his body.
Croft led her to the middle of the ballroom floor, and they moved together slowly. The gentle seductive swaying drew attention from the other partygoers. Every now and again, he’d spin her out, causing her dress to flutter around her. When he pulled her back in, their lips would meet.
To everyone there, they were only focused on each other. People gawked, since they were all curious about the couple.
Greyson knew they had eyes watching them, so he added some extra steps to their dancing. Dipping her low, he grinned wickedly as her eyes danced with delight. When he pulled her back up, and into his arms, his lips were very close to her ear.
Heaven is Weeping (A Croft & Croft Romance Adventure Book 5) Page 20
