by K. I. Lynn
“This is your car?” he asked.
“Well, if you’re saying it like that because you’re comparing my nine-year-old Corolla to your shiny new Audi, then yes, this is my car and it does well by me.”
His eyes were wide as he looked it over. “Okay.”
“It’s what I could afford. There has to have been a time in your life you couldn’t afford much.”
“There was. It’s just been a while and I forgot what that was like.”
He leaned down and into the car, and I couldn’t stop the flutter in my chest. The gorgeous man in front of me was leaning in for a kiss. I was lost to sensation—softness when our lips touched, mint when his lips parted, and the silky roughness of his tongue against mine. Fire zipped through me, and I felt my nipples tighten in response. He started to pull away, but I reached out, cupping his face to stop him. I didn’t want it to end, didn’t want to face the realities of the day.
Nothing calmed me like Gavin. What I wouldn’t give for a day wrapped up in him.
A growl vibrated from his mouth into mine before I felt the sharp sting of teeth on my bottom lip. My eyes popped open to find him staring at me as he pulled back, taking my bottom lip with him.
“You’re causing trouble, Miss Addison.”
“I would never.”
He smirked down at me. “Yes, you would. Now, get to bed.”
“So demanding.”
“With the state you’ve left me in? Very. And I’ll be sure to show you just how demanding I can be tonight.”
A moan slipped from my lips, and I noticed a jump of the cloth at his crotch. It was then I saw just how hard he was.
“But I don’t work tonight.”
He stopped and spun back to me, his eyes wide. “What?”
“I worked the overnight. I’m not back until tomorrow night.”
“You have Saturday off?”
I nodded.
“Then get some sleep. I’ll pick you up for dinner at six.”
“Wait, dinner? Where did that come from?” I asked, though I didn’t really care, because my heart was soaring at the idea of a date.
“From your demanding boyfriend. I want you beneath me, then in my arms tonight. If it has to be in your apartment, so be it.”
Boyfriend?
My mouth popped open as I looked up at him.
He let out a groan and reached down to adjust himself. “Don’t look at me like that.”
“Like what?” I asked.
“Like you want me inside you right now.”
I felt the heat rise in my cheeks. “I didn’t know I had that look.”
“Well, you do. So save it for tonight, because I will be inside you later.”
Boyfriend. The word repeated in my mind as I pulled away and headed toward home. Maybe I wasn’t the only one who felt like this was so much more than sex.
Maybe there was some sort of future for us.
After a solid seven hours of sleep, the light peeking through my window woke me up. A groan left me as I turned to look at the clock. My eyes popped wide, and I shot up. It was almost four.
“Fuck, fuck!” I jumped out of bed and ran to the bathroom. Clothes off, water warmed, and I was in the shower.
I slept longer than intended and was only left with just over two hours to get ready for the first date I’d had in years. Not only that, it was with Gavin, which sent me off into a whole other panic.
What did I have to wear?
The answer came pretty fast as I shampooed my hair—nothing. Everything I owned was either for work or school. While my work clothes were nice, they were not date material. There was no time to go buy anything, so I was going to have to come up with something.
Maybe one of my skirts with a cute top?
The water was off, a towel on my hair and one wrapped around my body, and ten minutes were gone when it hit me to check if he’d texted me. Maybe the time changed and I could run out real quick.
“Shit,” I hissed as I looked down at my phone. There were five missed texts from Gavin.
GG: Sweet dreams
That one came in just after I fell asleep.
An hour later I got: Dinner is set for 7pm
Followed by: It’s upscale, do you have something?
GG: Never mind
GG: Check your front door
Check my front door?
I ran out of my room and down the short hall to the door. Sure enough, on the other side was another one of the black boxes with gray trim. I managed to keep my towel up as I maneuvered to pick the box up.
I chewed on my bottom lip, a smile on my face as I stared down at it.
Then I ripped into it like it was Christmas morning. There was another note on top.
Emma,
I hope you slept well. This is just in case.
Yours,
Gavin
The smile refused to leave my face. However, I was also left wondering how a busy man like him had time to shop. Maybe his assistant found it. Kind of weird, especially if that had been the case with the lingerie, but I was just going to assume it was all him.
“Oh, wow.” Inside was a black dress. Simple, but the epitome of the little black dress. It was sleeveless with a sweetheart neckline and looked to be around knee length.
I spent over an hour and a half doing my hair and makeup, leaving little time to get dressed. It had been so long since I’d been on a date, I forgot all that went into getting ready for one. And I’d never been to what was bound to be an expensive restaurant.
The dress fit perfectly. Again, I was amazed by the man.
It was a simple black dress, but made with fine fabrics that hugged my body just right. I also made sure I was wearing one of the silk stocking sets he gave me.
Just as I finished putting on my earrings, there was a knock at my door. One last look in the mirror, and I headed to the door. I took a steadying breath, then opened it.
Gavin stood with a single rose. His mouth dropped open as he looked at me, and I loved the spike of confidence it gave me.
“You look . . .” he trailed off as he took a deep breath. “I’m not sure I have the vocabulary to describe your beauty.”
“Can you finish zipping me up?” I asked as I held my hair up and turned around. With one hand on my waist, his other took hold of the zipper and began slowly dragging it down. “You’re going the wrong way.”
“Am I?” His voice was low and deep.
“I was promised a date.”
“That you were,” he said as he drew it all the way up.
I stepped forward to grab my clutch, where I’d thrown the few essentials I thought I might need, and turned back to him. Arm in arm, we walked to the car where he held the door open for me.
“Quite the gentleman tonight,” I noted as I carefully slid in.
“I have to make a good impression,” he said as he climbed in the driver’s side. “After all, this should have been the first thing I did with you.”
“True, but who says things have to happen in a specific order?”
“I like order.”
“I know you do.”
His hand reached out to rest on my thigh as he drove. It was nice to sit in a comfortable silence, not having to speak. We had dinner for that.
“I’m sorry this is so delayed. I wanted to take you out months ago,” Gavin said as we pulled up to a restaurant I would never be able to afford.
“Really? You seemed a little shocked when I asked for a date.”
He shook his head. “That was more at the realization that I was so addicted to you, I forgot all about the wooing. When I admitted I liked you, it wasn’t just to get you in my bed. That was just a perk.”
“I think you’re just a little too slick sometimes, Mr. Grayson.”
His lip twitched up. “Perhaps.”
The Bay was the top of the top when it came to steak houses, and I knew from rumors at the hotel just how hard it was to get in. They were almost always booked a month out, f
rom what I’d heard.
The posh decorations and modern arrangement mirrored the huge price tag that went along with a meal. The chef was said to be phenomenal, and the nights he headed the kitchen were when you wanted to go.
“How did you get a reservation?”
He smirked at me. “Haven’t you learned yet that I know people?”
The entrance was crowded with those hoping to get a table, making it somewhat difficult to make it to the hostess stand.
“Reservation for Grayson,” Gavin said, drawing the girl’s attention away from another hostess.
“Grayson, yes, sir. We have your table ready,” she replied with a smile.
Another girl led us to a table near the back. Being ever the gentleman when he wasn’t at the hotel, Gavin waited until I sat before pushing my chair in. My face flushed a bit at the chivalric gesture, as I wasn’t used to it.
The waiter appeared at our table almost as soon as Gavin was seated. “Hello, my name is Daniel, and I will be your waiter for this evening.” He filled our water glasses, then handed the pitcher off to what I assumed was his assistant or something. “Can I get you a drink from the bar, or are we interested in some wine?”
“A bottle of Domaine de la Vougeraie Clos de Vougeot Grand.”
I didn’t miss the slight surprise that crossed the waiter’s face. “Very good selection, sir. I’ll be back in a few minutes with that.”
Once he was gone, I leaned forward. “What did you order?”
He chuckled. “It’s a red Burgundy. Very good with steak.”
“I just heard a bunch of gibberish.”
My eyes bulged when I looked down at the menu. Appetizers cost more than I usually spent on a full meal.
“Do you like crab cakes?” he asked just as I was moving on to gawk at the entrée prices.
“You have me salivating.”
He grinned at me. “That answers appetizer. Unless you see something else?”
I shook my head. “That’s perfect.”
Daniel returned with the wine, pouring it and then setting the bottle on a coaster.
Gavin ordered the appetizer, then held his glass up and I did the same.
“To you. You have changed my life in ways I didn’t think were possible.”
A smile burst onto my face. “I couldn’t have said it better myself.”
A clink of our glasses, and I had my first taste of a red wine in ages. Instantly, I knew it was nothing like the wine I’d had in the past. A million flavors hit my tongue, from fruits to spices and hints of vanilla.
“Do you like it?” he asked.
I nodded. “It’s very good. Much better than the wine I’ve experienced.”
“Good. How is your job search going?”
“Okay,” I said with a sigh. “I’m not sure if it will happen fast enough.”
“I’m sure it will. Don’t worry.”
My brow furrowed. “Why wouldn’t I worry?”
“Because I can help in many ways.”
I shook my head. “I don’t need your help.”
“Not now, but you may, and I’ll be there.”
“Anyway,” I cut in, trying to steer him away from using his connections for getting me a job or using his money to support me. I could handle myself. “I’ve got an interview scheduled after finals, and those are next week.”
“Meaning?”
The wine seemed to get better with each sip that I took. “Meaning I probably won’t see you for a little while.”
His mouth turned down. “Can I come over?”
I shook my head. “I’m taking four days off from work. In all actuality, I shouldn’t have said yes to tonight because I need to work on my final project.”
“You should have.”
I reached out and slipped my fingers between his. “But I couldn’t. I just couldn’t turn down a date with you, because I’ve been hoping for one for so long.”
He pulled my hand up to his lips and kissed my fingers. “Then I’m happy I have this chance to show you how much you mean to me outside the confines of the hotel.”
“By the way, when do you find time to shop for all of this?” I asked, motioning down to my dress.
“Lunch breaks for the lingerie, and I had my assistant help with the dress. I figured she couldn’t go wrong with a little black dress.”
“She could have.”
He shook his head. “She sent me photos, and I told her which one.”
“Did she model them for you?” I asked with a quirked brow. Really, I was teasing him.
“Of course not. I should clarify, she sent me the links to photos of the dresses.”
“What were your conditions?” I was curious what guidelines he’d given her.
“Black. Sexy but not slutty. A classically styled black dress,” he said.
“Well, Mr. Grayson, you, as usual, have impeccable taste.”
The waiter arrived with our appetizer, refilled our glasses, and took our order. Before he left, I asked for directions to the restroom.
“I’ll be right back,” I said to Gavin.
A few minutes later I headed back to Gavin, weaving through tables and waiters when I heard my name.
“Emma?” My name came from the waiter beside me.
“Caleb!” I cried, my eyes widening in surprise.
“What are you doing here?” he asked.
“I, umm, I’m here for dinner. What are you doing here?”
Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.
My eyes scanned back toward where we were sitting, then back to Caleb. Bad. The whole situation was very bad.
“Dante is the head waiter. I work here sometimes when he needs help.”
“Really? That’s fantastic,” I replied, plastering a smile on my face and wondering how we were ever going to get out of there unseen. How had I forgotten where Dante worked?
“Holy shit, is that Grayson?”
My eyes went wide, and I looked across the restaurant floor to Gavin, who was staring us down. Caleb looked between the two of us, to the way I was dressed, then back to the obvious open seat across from Gavin.
Panic pulsed through my veins as I tried to think of some sort of cover, but I was coming up blank. Caleb knew my situation and knew there was no way I could afford dinner there on my own. I braced myself for the impact as I watched understanding cross Caleb’s features.
“But he’s always yelling at you.”
“Please, Caleb, you can’t tell anyone about this,” I begged.
He raised his hand and shook it in front of me, his brow furrowed. “Don’t worry about that. I’m still stuck on how you two ended up here.”
“His Audi.”
“No, not here here, but on a date.”
He had me so flustered that I didn’t understand his meaning. “It’s just something that . . . happened.”
“And here I was team James.”
“What?”
“I think I just switched to team Grayson. I mean, James is a good guy, but . . .” I watched as a shudder rolled through him “. . . Grayson is so domineering. By hotness factor alone, Grayson wins.”
“So, you won’t tell anyone?” I asked, not believing my luck. Then again, of all the hotel employees, Caleb was the easiest going.
He shook his head. “My lips are sealed. But when it all comes out, can we have a James and Grayson show-down for your affection?”
My brow furrowed while my heart still hammered in my chest. “What?”
He waved a hand in front of his face. “Never mind. Just go on. Have dinner with your man.”
“Thank you, Caleb.”
“No problem, boss, but I want details on our next overnight.”
I nodded, agreeing to anything that would keep him silent. “Will do.”
Gavin’s eyes stayed on me the whole way back. “Who were you talking to?” he asked when I sat back down.
Even though Caleb promised he wouldn’t say anything, the whole interaction had me shaking. Gavin noticed, his
eyes shifting from narrowed to concerned as he sat forward and placed his hand on my arm.
“Emma, what’s wrong?”
“That’s Caleb, one of my employees.”
Gavin looked back over, then to me. “I meant what I said earlier. If this causes you to lose your job—”
“No,” I cut him off. “He said he’s not going to say anything. It’s just . . . I know I’m doing something wrong, and getting caught is hard for me to process.”
“You aren’t doing a fucking thing wrong,” he growled. “Being with me is not wrong.”
“Then what is it?” I asked.
His thumb caressed my skin as his expression softened. “Right. Fate. Serendipity. Kismet. I can continue on if you need.”
“Need?” I sniffed and looked up. “The only thing I need is you.”
He stared at me for a second before leaning forward and capturing my lips. “You have me. You’ve had me since the beginning. You’re the reason I tripped, after all.”
“W-what?”
“I was staring at you as I walked in and wasn’t watching where I was going,” he revealed.
I stared at him in stunned silence. “But you said the rug and . . . and the rug was . . .”
He pulled my hand up to his lips and placed a light kiss to the inside of my wrist. “I’ve been yours since the moment I walked into that hotel.”
It was then I knew what I’d tried to fight in order to protect myself. I was open to it, to him, to everything.
I was in love with Gavin Grayson.
It had been three days since I had seen or heard from Gavin. Our only interaction was a few short texts, though I was still on a Gavin high after our date even as finals swallowed me up. In fact, I hadn’t even worked for three days. I was locked in my apartment with a constantly running coffee pot, Chinese takeout boxes, and a few pizzas.
For three days I polished off my projects and worked on my accompanying speech. I went over and over the information to make sure I had it all memorized. I really wasn’t all that worried, but the projects were what killed me.
I missed him so much in those days that I physically ached for him. He’d stayed away, but I worked right after my last presentation, so there was no celebration.
“Hey,” James said as I walked into the back office.
