by Diana Gardin
I watch Gemma climb in the car, but squeal when Gabi pokes me in the rib.
“Hey. What was that for?”
“Something’s different about you.” She opens her car door and climbs into the backseat. I sit in the driver’s seat and glance at her in the rearview mirror.
“What are you talking about?”
Gabi buckles her seat belt and then folds her arms across her chest. “I mean you’re different. Happier. Is it the new job with Dad? Or is it a guy?” Her voice rises on the last word, a teasing lilt full of humor.
I narrow my eyes at her. “How did you…?”
“Oh, please. You’re usually wound tighter than a two-dollar watch. But now you’re all loosey-goosey and relaxed. What’s up with you?” Gemma weighs in, agreeing with Gabi. Her arms flail around as she demonstrates exactly how I’ve been feeling lately. She resembles a limp spaghetti noodle.
Smiling, I glance at her where she sits in the passenger seat. “Well…there might be a guy.”
Both girls squeal and clap their hands. “Tell us the sitch.”
I bite my bottom lip to keep from laughing as I ease my car out of the dessert bar parking lot and head toward my mom’s home. “The sitch is that I became reacquainted with a guy I met awhile back. And he’s…complicated. But he’s a really good guy. And I like him.”
“How much do you like him?” asks Gabi in a hushed tone.
I think about Grisham. About his handsome face, his scarred and beautiful body, his loving and capable hands. Every single part of him flashes through my head, and every single picture is good.
“I like him a lot.”
The girls are still giggling and teasing me when we pull back into Mom’s driveway.
My dad has taken care of my mom and sisters’ needs, even after the divorce. Secretly, I think he knows that the marriage didn’t work out because of his messed-up priorities, and he’s trying to compensate for it now. I’ve heard my mom tell him numerous times that she doesn’t need anything extravagant. But he makes sure she has everything she could ever want.
I wish he’d just admit what I know to be true: he still loves her and misses the family he left behind.
The house is located in a gated beach community where all of the houses are large and modern. It’s not a mansion, but it’s a really nice home, and my mom and sisters are more than comfortable here.
“Hello?” I call as we walk in the front door. “Mom?”
She comes around the corner still wearing her blue hospital scrubs. “Hey, girls! Where have you guys been?”
Gemma breezes past my mom on her way to the stairs. She doesn’t usually stay and talk to us long, because all of her technological devices are waiting for her in her room. “Dessert. I’m going upstairs.”
“Of course you are.” My mother sighs as she scoots over to accommodate Gemma’s passing.
Gabi walks right up to her and puts her arms around her waist in a hug. “Hey, Mom. How was work today?”
My mother’s weary eyes soften as she gazes down at Gabi. “It was fine, sweetheart. You doing okay?”
Gabi nods. “Answered the same question from Greta. I only need one mom, guys. You have to stop tag-teaming me.”
Mom glances at me and smiles. “We’ll try.”
I nod. “Sure.”
Gabi gives us a dubious glance. “I’m going to go make sure Gemma doesn’t send out sexts pretending she’s me.”
My mouth drops open and my mom sighs. “You two need to get ready for bed in a few minutes.”
Gabi turns back over her shoulder as she places a foot on the stairs. “By the way, Greta has a boyfriend.” Then she runs, giggling, up the stairs before I can snatch her up.
My mother’s brows lift nearly to her hairline. Her long, dark hair is swept back into a braid, but a few pieces hang around her face. My mother is absolutely beautiful, and I hope to look as good as she does when I reach my late forties.
“Boyfriend?”
We walk down the hallway together toward the family room in the back of the house. My mother settles onto the sectional couch while I perch on the end beside her. She crosses her arms and points to me.
“Tell me about him.”
I sigh. Every time I talk about Grisham, I have to try hard to get a grip on the cheesy grin that plasters across my face. But with my mom, I’m not sure I’ll be able to hide it. “Well, I’m not sure how serious it is yet. That’s why I haven’t said anything.”
She scrutinizes my face, and I know she’s reading every feeling I harbor for Grisham on my face. Her lips twitch.
“You like him,” she surmises. “Where did you meet?”
“We actually met almost two years ago. He’s a longtime friend of Berkeley’s.” I leave out the part about Grisham wanting to be much more than that to Berkeley back then. As sure as I am that he’s over it, I don’t want someone else shoving any questions in my mind about his loyalty.
“And then,” I continue, “I ran into him again a couple of months ago, when he gave me….”
I trail off, feeling guilty. I haven’t told my mom about what happened on the beach because I didn’t want her to worry. She has one child she constantly worries about. Why give her another thing to keep her up at night?
“When he gave you what?” Curiosity leaks from her tone.
“Mouth-to-mouth resuscitation.” My voice is almost nonexistent, but I can tell from the expression on her face that she heard my quiet mumble.
My mother’s eyes widen to a dangerous size. “What?”
Quickly I explain what happened on the beach, and how it felt to awaken with Grisham’s green eyes staring into mine.
“It was…I don’t know, Mom. Something about him that day gave me hope. Like everything was going to be okay. It’s stupid, I know.”
My mother is nodding, fiddling with her empty ring finger the way she does sometimes when she thinks about my father.
“It’s understandable. He saved your life. I’m sure that created a strong bond. For you and for him.”
I smile gratefully, happy that she understands. “It did. At least for me. And now, we see each other at work, too.”
Her eyes cloud with confusion. “At work? At Night Eagle?”
I nod. “Yeah. He’s…a navy SEAL.”
My mother’s jaw slackens. I’m not sure how she’s going to feel about this piece of news. Marrying a guy in the military might have seemed glamorous to her when she first met my dad, but she quickly learned how difficult it is to be a military wife. And she’s never said it, but I’m not sure if she wants the same thing for me.
“He’s retiring at the end of the year,” I quickly continue. “He…he was injured overseas a few months ago. He…he lost his foot, Mom.”
Her eyes soften, immediately growing wet with unshed tears. “Oh, Greta. I’m sorry to hear that.”
I nod. “I know. It just about broke my heart when I found out from Berkeley, and I hadn’t even started dating him yet. But now that I am, I see that it hasn’t slowed him down one bit. Heck, he dove into the ocean to pull me out, didn’t he? But he can’t keep doing his job in the navy. So Dad hired him at Night Eagle. He’s a great addition to the team.”
My mother sighs. “I’m sure he is. How do you feel about that, though, Greta? We’ve never really discussed it, but I think you might have some trust issues with men. Right? Because of how devoted your dad always was with his job? What if Grisham’s just as devoted?”
I sink back against the couch cushions. I don’t want to allow my brain to go there. I close my eyes. What I have with Grisham is something I don’t want to doubt. The way we are when we’re together, the electrifying chemistry and utter safeness I feel when I’m in his arms are things I’ve never felt with anyone else. And if Grisham ever did choose work over me, it would break me. Completely. I can’t go through the same thing with him that I went through repeatedly with my father. The same thing I watched my mom suffer from every time my dad left us alone.
My mother reads my expression once again. “You’ve thought about it. Haven’t you?”
The gentle coaxing in her voice has me nodding my head. “Yeah. Maybe I have.”
She leans forward and pats my knee. “Let me meet this guy. Maybe I can read in his eyes how ‘into you’ he is.”
My lips quirk upward. “You want to meet him? I would love to introduce you and Gabi and Gemma.”
She nods firmly. “Of course I do. Why don’t you bring him by for dinner next Saturday night? I know this weekend is the client thingy for the firm.”
I tilt my head, looking suspicious. “How do you know that?”
She shrugs, pulling an afghan from the back of the couch to cover her legs. “I just know things. Want to watch a movie?”
I nod. Mom and I have been through a lot together. I’m always going to want to kick back on the couch, cuddle up with her, and watch a movie. It’s one of my favorite ways to calm my overactive brain.
And tonight, my brain is in danger of overuse. Between thoughts of Grisham, and thoughts of whoever it was who may have sent me that broken surfboard figurine, I’m completely maxed out on anxieties for one day.
But I have two things to look forward to in the very near future.
Accompanying Grisham as his date to an event thrown by my father’s company, which I now work for.
Introducing Grisham to the most important people in my life: my mother and sisters.
Even rogue thoughts of lurking, menacing individuals can’t keep the warm, comforting feeling covering me like a fuzzy blanket.
21
Grisham
What a motherfuckin’ big shot.” Ben’s drawl holds a touch of pride as he inspects my suit and tie.
I’d decided to go with a dark charcoal-gray suit, crisp white shirt, and dark red tie. I know from the mouth of a little birdie that Greta’s dress is a deep shade of red. I can’t wait to see her in it, but I also want us to coordinate. Surprise her a little.
I have a night full of surprises planned for her.
“Just watch and learn, Cowboy.” My teasing tone lets Ben know I’m not being a cocky bastard.
He sprawls out on my living room floor while I adjust my tie. He and Lawson came by to drink a beer and help calm my nerves before tonight’s client event. I’m nervous as hell.
It’s a big night in more ways than one. I’m being introduced to the pool of current and potential Night Eagle clients as a member of an elite team. One that I’m pretty damn honored to be a part of. With the skills Jacob has, combined with the strategic knowledge and general badassness that Dare and the other guys bring to the table, it’s a privilege to be considered one of them.
And Jacob’s giving me a soft place to land after leaving a job I thought would be my lifelong career.
I still hadn’t spoken to my father. The navy was being surprisingly cooperative with my mother’s lawyers. My father was considered a flight risk and a danger to my mother, thanks to the police report and bruises on her body that she’d taken the time to report. He’s not getting out of prison until he goes on trial and is found not guilty.
And I have a lot riding on the fact that won’t happen.
But I’ll be there when his trial rolls around, making sure my testimony helps keep him under lock and key.
Working for Night Eagle is helping to pick up the pieces. I now know where my life is headed. And there isn’t a single time when I picture the future that Greta isn’t by my side.
Tonight, not only do I want to jump feet first into my brand-new job, but I also want to show her that I’m serious about her and this relationship. I’m exclusively hers, and I want her to be mine. I have something waiting for her when we arrive back at my house tonight that will prove just that.
I smooth out my tie and turn to face Ben and Lawson.
“Hey. You two lock up when you leave. And you better be gone by the time I get back here later tonight with Greta. You have your own houses to wreck.”
Without looking up, Ben waves me off. “Me and Stealth got this. We’ll take care of your pet project, too. You’re all set.”
I nod. “Thanks. I mean it. You two are there for me when I need it, no matter what. And I appreciate it.”
They both glance over at me, and then grit their teeth.
“Enough of that shit. Get going. We’re all good here.” Lawson gives me a shooing motion with his hand, silently telling me to quit acting like a girl. So I just grin at them and make my way out to my Jeep.
When I arrive at Greta’s apartment, Mea swings the door open with a wide smile. She’s a petite little thing, way shorter than Greta. I bend down and hug her after entering their place.
“Hey, Mea. You doing okay?”
She gestures toward the couch. “Greta should be out in a minute. Have a seat, sailor-boy. I have some questions for you.”
Oh, boy. I sit down on the couch, spreading my legs wide and placing my forearms on my thighs. Then I clasp my hands and lean forward, giving her all of my attention.
“I don’t falter under questioning,” I point out. “I’m well trained.”
Her eyes narrow. “We’ll see.”
She begins firing off a round of questions that she clearly expects me to answer without any hesitation. Questions like “what are your intentions toward my friend?” and “what’s your favorite Greta quality?” are easy to rattle off answers to. In the couple of months that Greta and I have been seeing each other, I’ve learned a lot about her. Some of it is too personal to share with our friends, but I think I pass Mea’s test with a perfect score. Or damn close to it.
Mea’s serene face looks pleased. She leans forward from her cross-legged position on the floor and smiles. “You’re golden, sailor-boy. I’m impressed.”
I spread my arms wide. “What can I say? Greta’s got me wound around her little finger.”
Mea gives a firm nod. “It better stay that way.”
Just then, Greta floats into the room on three-inch heels. My eyes land on those sexy, strappy sandals first before they slowly make their way up her body.
Insane. Gorgeousness. Just entered the room.
“Damn, Grits,” I murmur. “You look stunning.”
Stunning doesn’t even begin to cover how she looks.
Why isn’t there a word better for this than stunning?
Her dark crimson dress swishes around her ankles, exposing the fuck-me heels she’s wearing on her pretty feet. The material of the dress is made from something that clings to her willowy curves like a vine on a trellis. There’s a split on one side that exposes skin that I feel the need to have my hands on now. I pause at the slit, imagining where my tongue will meet the warm skin of her leg later tonight…
I shake my head to clear it, feeling like I’m under some kind of witchy spell. I could give a shit. If this is a spell, I just want more of it.
The dress is free of sparkles and glittery stuff, which make me really, really happy. The feisty color is enough of a statement. And so is the deep, plunging neckline that hints at the curves of her breasts without outright showing all her goods. But wow…she still must have had some work to do to keep the ladies hidden.
The dress has long sleeves that fit her like a second skin. When I finally make it up to her face, she’s giving me a soft, sultry smile that snatches the breath right out of my chest.
She’s a priceless work of art.
And she’s with me.
I move toward her like a puppet on a string.
“You like it?” she asks, turning away from me so I can see the back of her.
And when I see it, my cock jumps against the restraint of my pants. The back of the dress is completely open, exposing the delicate blades of her shoulders and gorgeous expanse of ivory skin on her back.
No longer able to wait to touch her, I clasp my hands in front of her and pull her back against me. She smells heavenly, like something sweet that I can’t wait to get my mouth on. I
press my lips to the skin on her neck.
“You look beautiful, Greta. Like you should be walking down a runway somewhere, not showing up at an event with me.”
She turns in my arms, and her gaze is hot and sweet as it holds mine. “I don’t want to be anywhere but at this event with you, Grisham Abbot.”
An enormous smile makes the ripping of my face a real and present danger. “I’m happy to hear you say that. Because when you look like that, I’d go crazy if you were anywhere but by my side.” I kiss her, just below her ear, and I feel her shiver in my arms.
Maybe we can take just a couple of minutes…My fingers make their way to the fabric at her shoulders as I begin to tug it down.
Mea clears her throat.
I freeze, having completely forgotten I’m not alone in the room with Greta.
“You guys better get going,” says Mea pointedly. “Or you’re going to be late.”
Greta’s face is deep crimson, and I kiss her cheek as I entwine our fingers together. I pull her toward the door with me.
Grabbing a clutch purse off the counter, she calls back toward Mea, “I’m probably gonna stay at Grisham’s tonight.” She glances at me to confirm, and I give her a firm nod. She giggles, and then looks back at Mea. “Okay?”
Mea shoos us away flippantly. “Please. I’ve got a hot date tonight.”
That stops Greta, and she turns completely around. “Again?”
Mea avoids Greta’s gaze. “You know my style. I’ve gotta love ’em and leave ’em.”
Greta shakes her head. “One of these days, a guy is gonna make you want him to stay.”
Mea laughs, her wild curls flying around her head. “One of these days, they’ll learn that they can’t tie me down. Ever.”
Greta flies back to hug her friend. “Love you, Mea. Be careful.”
As we walk out the door, we hear her response. “I always am!”
Greta is quiet on the ride to Wilmington, where the event is being held. I glance over at her a few times, only to find her lost in thought. I don’t want to disturb her, so I let her be.
