Coming Home: An LA Lovers Book

by Jourdyn Kelly

  “All clear. No silent alarms.”

  Greyson grabbed his aerosol can, trusting that what Cade gave him left no trace or fragrance behind. Misting it in the air, he waited for any sign of lasers. When nothing turned up, he walked gingerly into the room. “High-end computers,” he murmured. “Why have such high-end shit, and not secure it better?”

  “That’s what we’re here for,” Cade reminded him. “What else you got?”

  “Files laid out on a conference table. That’s it. A computer console, laptops at each seat, and files.”

  “Doesn’t sound like much of a war room,” Cade commented.

  “This is business, man, not the military. Depending on what’s in the files that could be the I.E.D.”

  Greyson ran his black gloved hand over one of the keyboards, and the screen popped to life. They weren’t even password protected. Idiots. “You may want to tell them to lock down their computers in your pitch,” he said idly as he came across one of the folders on the table. Careful not to move it out of its place, Greyson held the top flap open enough to peer inside, and frowned. Memorizing their location, he picked up the next file, and then the next. “Son of a bitch!”

  “What’s going on?” Cade’s voice was alert.

  “They’re dossiers on our board members.” He flipped through pages of one of his top members. “Photos, transcriptions. Fuck, Cade, if the information in here is anything to go by, I think they’re planning to use this as blackmail.”

  Greyson picked up another file. “Preston.” Inside were photos of his father and other women in compromising positions. Though Preston’s conquests were hardly a secret, seeing photos was not something Greyson had wanted. However, the photos were not what caught his eye. It was the money. Preston’s account was hemorrhaging, yet there were periodical deposits in the millions. “He either has a gambling addiction, or he’s embezzling,” Greyson deduced.

  “Shit. That’s how they were going to get him to roll over.”

  “They can’t now. Nora signed over her shares to me. I have control of the company, not Preston anymore.”

  “That’s what’s been holding them back, brother. You came home.” Greyson heard Cade scrub his face with his hands. “Is there a file on you?” he asked carefully.

  “What could they possibly have on me? I’m clean, man.”

  “No one who’s been at war is clean, brother,” Cade stated, his voice uncharacteristically subdued.

  He knew Cade was right. The things they have had to do on their missions were not something Greyson wanted made public. He knew that the military kept a very tight lid on those missions, and it would take an act of God to gather that Intel. Greyson rummaged through the files before returning them to the way they were. “Nothing here. It’s going to take a lot of research in some really dark places to get information.”

  “Doesn’t mean it can’t be done. You know that better than anyone.”

  “Fuck.”

  “WHY? WHY DO I let you do this to me?” Blaise was out of breath, and her chest felt as though it was about to explode. She would have given Ellie a death stare if she didn’t think the effort would kill her. The bitch was barely breathing hard! They had been running for the past hour, and Blaise was close to her breaking point.

  “Because I give you food,” Ellie responded with a smug smirk. “Don’t worry, we’re almost there.”

  “Don’t worry, we’re almost there,” Blaise repeated mockingly, immediately regretting it. She should be saving her last breath, not wasting it on something that just made Ellie laugh at her.

  This had been their routine for over a year now. Ellie had always been a runner, and had just recently convinced Blaise to join her in the mornings. Despite the many things wrong with that—including waking up in the morning and running—Blaise decided to give in. She wasn’t getting any younger, and she didn’t see her addiction to red velvet cake going anywhere soon. Blaise figured this was a good way to spend time with Ellie, and stay in shape. She should have known it was a terrible idea when their first day running together, Ellie showed up all bouncy and perky. Blaise discovered she hated running that day. But it made Ellie happy, and she did enjoy their time together.

  Finally, they slowed their pace, and came to a stop as they reached the beginning of the trail again. Blaise bent over, resting her hands on her knees, and tried to get her breathing back to normal. Or, at least to where she didn’t feel she was hyperventilating.

  “I hate you,” she muttered to her highly amused friend.

  “You love me.” Ellie patted Blaise on the back, offering her a bottle of water. She chuckled when Blaise snatched it out of her hand, giving her a disgruntled look.

  Blaise looked at her watch, impressed that she was still able to function. Six fucking thirty in the morning! “No. I hate you. I could be sleeping right now, you know.”

  “Come on. Don’t you feel that runner’s high?” Ellie beamed her a smile, and began her cool down stretches. “Stretch with me, or you’re going to hurt.”

  “I already hurt,” Blaise muttered. “And, I call bullshit on ‘runner’s high’. Doesn’t exist.”

  “Sure it does.” Ellie pulled her foot up behind her, stretching her quad. “You’re just too grumpy to let it in.”

  The woman had impeccable balance, Blaise thought as she bounced around a little trying to gain her own balance. Guess that’s what happens when you teach yoga. She let out a small groan at the thought.

  Ellie’s eyes filled with concern. “What’s wrong?”

  “You’re not going to make me do yoga now, are you?”

  Ellie snickered. “I thought you liked yoga.”

  “I do. Sometimes. But not after I’ve just run a hundred miles.” She wanted to sit. No. She wanted to lay down, in a bathtub full of fragrant salts, and sleep for another eight hours. To hell with pruny fingers and toes.

  “Blaise, sweetie, we only ran five miles.”

  Blaise dug deep, getting enough energy to give Ellie her best ‘death stare’. “Only? We only ran five miles? Am I holding you back, Miss I-Could-Run-A-Marathon-Every-Weekend?”

  Ellie grinned sheepishly. “Of course not. I think you’re doing great.”

  Blaise rolled her eyes. So she wasn’t able to do a six-minute mile. Who wants to? She cast a glance at Ellie who was currently doing a runner’s lunge. Besides her. “No yoga, right?”

  “Not today,” Ellie laughed. “Go home and take your bath before work. Just don’t fall asleep for too long.”

  Blaise stared at her wide-eyed. “Seriously, do you read minds? Is that your secret?”

  Ellie chuckled and winked. “I would do more stretches if I were you. I have to get going. My class starts in twenty minutes, and I want to grab a shower first.”

  “Wait, you’re teaching today?”

  “Serena can’t make it, so I’m filling in,” Ellie answered with a shrug.

  Blaise shook her head. “I have no idea where you get the energy. You’re going to make some man extremely happy one day.”

  Ellie smiled. “Go home and take a bath, Blaise. You’re starting to offend me.” She bounced out of arm’s reach when Blaise moved to smack her, and ran to her car.

  “Bitch!” Blaise shouted after her, and then laughed when Ellie blew her a kiss before driving off.

  BLAISE LET OUT a sigh of pure ecstasy as she sank into the hot bath. She had filled the tub with eucalyptus Epsom salts and bubble bath, and taking a deep breath, she let the aroma fill her senses. “Much better than running,” she murmured to herself.

  She had a little over two hours before having to go into work, and she was going to allow herself this indulgence until the very last minute. It was all so nice and relaxing until the sound of Alicia Keys filled the room. With a sigh, Blaise carefully picked up her phone, smiling when she saw Greyson’s name on the caller ID.

  “You’re pressing your luck calling this early,” she teased as she answered, switching to speakerphone so she could soak.
Blaise’s smile widened when she heard his low chuckle.

  “I’m on my way to an early meeting, thought I’d take my chances.”

  Greyson’s low voice made Blaise’s body tingle in all the right places.

  “Fortunately for you, I was awake.”

  “Before eight? I have to say, I’m a little shocked.”

  She couldn’t help but laugh at Greyson’s gentle ribbing. He was beginning to know her, and that left her feeling a warmth that had nothing to do with being in the tub.

  “I like to keep you guessing,” she said flirtatiously, grinning when she heard the soft growl. “It’s Ellie’s fault I’m awake. We went running this morning.”

  “Ah, I see. I don’t think I would have pictured you as a runner.”

  Blaise laughed. “I’m not, Ellie is. But she gives me free food—as she likes to remind me—so, I endure it.”

  “How gracious of you.” Greyson’s voice was filled with amusement. “Have I caught you at a bad time?”

  “No, not at all. I was just…” Hmm. This could get interesting very quickly.

  “Just?” Greyson prompted.

  “I’m in the bathtub.” There was a silence, followed by a distinct curse. “Greyson?”

  Greyson cleared his throat. “Yeah. Yeah, I’m here.” He cleared his throat again. “Did you just say you were in the bathtub?”

  “Yes.” The answer came out much breathier than she intended.

  “Jesus, doll. You’re dangerous.”

  “You asked,” she reminded him.

  “I guess I did. Could you hold on for just a moment?”

  Blaise frowned. Apparently her being naked in the bathtub isn’t affecting him too much. “Sure.”

  She had been expected to be put on hold, but Blaise could still hear background noises. She laid her head back on the bath pillow, and relaxed while she waited.

  “Blaise?”

  Oh God. Was his voice even deeper? The deep, scratchy way that he said her name made her stomach clinch.

  “Hmm?” She knew it came out as more of a moan. The way her body responded to just him saying her name was insane. She had never felt that kind of hunger before.

  “Tell me again where you are.”

  God. “Bathtub.”

  “Bubbles?”

  “Yes.”

  “Fragrance?”

  “Eucalyptus.” She heard Greyson breathe in deeply as though he were smelling the scent.

  “Is your hair up?”

  Blaise closed her eyes, letting his gruff voice that was filled with desire, wash over her. “Yes,” she whispered. Her hair was pinned up in a messy bun, with damp, curled tendrils falling haphazardly.

  “Touch your breasts for me.” His voice was gruff and full of need, and Blaise’s hands moved of their own accord. Before she knew it, she felt the heaviness of her breasts filling her hands. She moaned softly as she pinched nipples that were already hard from just hearing Greyson. “Doll,” he growled.

  “Greyson.” Blaise could feel herself get wet in a way that had absolutely nothing to do with being submerged in water. Involuntarily, she trailed one hand down her taut stomach, as the other continued its assault on her generous breast.

  “Are you wet for me, Blaise?”

  Her hand paused on its journey to find out that answer. Should she be doing this? Their relationship was so new, but she had no doubts about wanting him. It was just a bit of fun before they got on with their day, right? Wait…

  “Greyson, you’re driving. We shouldn’t be doing this,” she breathed.

  “I pulled over, doll. I’m sitting in a secluded parking lot right now, thinking of your beautiful naked, wet body. I’m hard for you, Blaise.”

  Blaise whimpered. Her hand had continued south as he was talking, and without another thought she slipped her fingers into the vast wetness. She couldn’t remember ever being this aroused for anyone. “I’m wet for you, Greyson.”

  “Fuck.”

  Blaise could swear she heard the rustling of clothes and the sound of a zipper. She let out a shaky breath, gently caressing the sensitive bundle of nerves beneath her fingertips.

  “I’m not sure how wise this is,” she said softly, finally voicing her uncertainty.

  “You don’t want this?”

  She heard the strain in Greyson’s words, and felt the immediate need to soothe him.

  “I do, Greyson. God, I do. I’m just not sure I want our first sexual experience to be over the phone,” she said even as her fingers began moving faster.

  “You’re right.” He sighed softly. “Can you at least tell me how it feels to touch you? What do you feel like, Blaise?”

  Blaise’s breath hitched. If there had been any doubts at all that she wanted this man before, they had all but disappeared. “Soft,” she whispered. “Silky. Very wet.” She heard a guttural groan on the other end, and smiled.

  “If we don’t want this to go any further, we should stop now, doll.”

  She heard a stirring, and instinctively knew he was rubbing his hand over his beard. He was as frustrated as she was. Perhaps she was a little too hasty in putting a stop to this. She cried out softly, feeling her body tensing in anticipation for the orgasm she knew was quickly approaching.

  “Blaise? Don’t make yourself come,” he warned. How the hell did he know she was still…?

  “I’m so close, Greyson.”

  “Blaise,” he growled.

  Reluctantly, she stopped stroking herself. “You’re no fun,” she groused playfully.

  “Believe me, doll, next time you come you’ll see just how fun I can be.”

  “You’re awfully confident.” Though her tone was even, inside she was on fire.

  “Hopeful, doll,” he corrected. “Extremely hopeful.”

  She smiled to herself. This man, who she had first thought of as arrogant, turned out to be sweeter than she could have imagined.

  “You should get to your meeting.”

  “Have dinner with me?” He sounded so boyishly eager that she couldn’t say no even if she wanted to. Which she didn’t. Although she had fun with Ellie and Jessie last night, she found she really had missed Greyson. As annoying as that was for someone like Blaise, she still couldn’t deny she wanted to see him.

  “Yes.”

  “Thank you, doll. Have a good day. I’ll text you tonight when I’m on my way. Be good.”

  “I’m always good,” she answered saucily, enjoying the way she could make him groan. I look forward to more of that, stud. “Have a good day, Greyson.”

  GREYSON RAN HIS hands through his hair, blowing out a harsh breath. “That woman is going to be the death of me,” he announced in the empty car. Still hard, he adjusted himself hoping to get a little relief. He could take matters in his own hand to help alleviate the situation, but that wouldn’t be fair. He had told Blaise not to make herself come, so he would return the… favor. Fuck, it’s going to be a long day.

  He shifted his thoughts to work to keep his mind off of Blaise, and what he wanted to do to her. After his discovery of the dossiers last night, he had a meeting with Cade. Luckily for Greyson, Cade was a genius when it came to hacking computer systems. If there’s any information out there on Greyson and the things he had done during his time in the military, Cade would find it. He would worry about that if the time comes. For now, he would confront Preston.

  Twenty minutes late, he pulled into the garage of Steele Industries. Preston was going to be pissed, but Greyson didn’t care. He wanted answers, and was damn well going to get them.

  “YOU’RE LATE. AGAIN,” Preston announced as Greyson pushed through the conference room doors. “Take a seat so we can finally get started.”

  “Everyone out.” Greyson, used to being the commanding officer in the military, allowed his tone to reflect his authority. He knew it worked when the men and women of the board flinched.

  “Greyson! You have no right…”

  “Shut up, Preston,” he barked, turning his
attention to the others. “I said out. Now.”

  High-powered men and women began scrambling, gathering their papers and laptops. If he weren’t so angry, Greyson would have found it quite amusing. The door clicked shut behind muttering board members.

  Preston slammed his William Henry pen down on the cherry wood table, nicking the smooth surface. “What is the meaning of this?”

  “What are you into, Preston?” Greyson took a seat at the other end of the conference table. He sat back, resting his ankle on his knee. On the surface he appeared calm. Inside, he was barely holding on to his rage.

  “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

  “Don’t fucking lie to me!” Greyson opened his briefcase, and took out the photocopies he made of Preston’s file. He pushed them across the table, into Preston’s space.

  His father opened the folder, and a sheen of sweat appeared on his brow. “Where did you get this?”

  “That’s not important. What’s important is you telling me what the hell is going on. Does Nora know about this?”

  Preston stood abruptly, and began pacing. “I don’t know what you’re trying to accomplish…”

  “Does Nora know about this?” Greyson asked again, punctuating each word. Preston’s non-answer spoke volumes to Greyson. “That’s what all of this was about wasn’t it? Giving me controlling shares, begging me to help you keep Steele Industries afloat. It was to keep your ass protected.”

  Preston gave a humorless laugh. “Do you think your mother really cares about protecting me? The Steele name is all she cares about.”

  “Can you blame her?” Greyson scoffed. “This wasn’t my problem, Preston, but you brought me in.” He leaned in, disgusted with his father. “Now, tell me what the fuck you’re into. You’re bleeding more money than you can steal from the company.”

  “It doesn’t matter, Greyson,” Preston sighed. He stood, walking to the bar he had insisted on having in the room. “They have me by the balls. The only way we could keep the company out of EK Enterprises’ hands was to bring you in.”