GRAYSON

 

Stupid damn, monkey suit. Grayson shifts uncomfortably outside the apartment, waiting for Adriana. He wants to believe that his fidgeting is just due to the tux, but he’s not that naïve. He feels like a kid waiting for his prom date. Or at least what he imagined that would be like. He’d never been to prom; he had been too busy making his way on the underground fight scene.

 

He looks around at the near-empty parking lot, feeling a prickling at the base of his neck, like he’s being watched. There’s no one around, but the feeling remains out of the corner of his eye, like there’s danger lurking just out of view. You’re being paranoid, Grayson. You’re a bag of nerves, pull it together.

 

Tonight was the night that he was going to tell Adriana all about his past. Tonight was the night that he was going to share his secrets with her. It was the only way to be free of it all. Grayson has it all figured out; he’s going to wait until the end of the night when they can be alone in the limo and he can tell her about that night in the ring all those years ago.

 

His hand shakes at the prospect of it, what if she doesn’t want anything to do with him after he’s told her? What if she hates him? She spends her life patching people up, and he was going to tell her that he had broken someone beyond repair. His freaking out is interrupted by Adriana’s apartment door suddenly being swung open, but it’s not Adriana that stands in front of him.

 

“Umm, hi Willow.” Grayson shifts uncomfortably under her scrutinizing stare. “Is Adriana here?” He cringes at himself at the question. Of course she’s there, he’s standing outside her house.

 

“She’s just finishing up, she’ll be right out.” Willow crosses her arms over her chest and tosses her red hair back, like she’s trying to get a better read on him.

 

“Go on.” Grayson holds his hands out either side of him. “Say whatever it is that’s on your mind. I’ve known you for long enough to know that you’re not exactly shy about letting your feelings out when it comes to Adriana.”

 

Willow gives him an amused look, but he’s not wrong. She checks over her shoulder that Adriana is otherwise occupied before she steps out into the hallway, looking like she means business.

 

“If it were up to me, she would have walked out the door after the fight that night when your dressing room looked like something out of ‘Attack of the Bimbos.’” Willow pokes Grayson in the chest with her index finger. Although she’s not as tall as him, her righteous anger seems to give her a few extra feet. “Strike one was slipping out in the middle of the night on her, strike two was your little display of testosterone in your dressing room. One more strike and you’re out, Fletcher. You got that?” She plants her hands on her hips and looks at him with anger burning in her eyes.

 

Grayson can’t help but smile. Knowing that Adriana has a friend like Willow to look out for her—even if it is against him—makes him feel like she’s in good hands. “You’re a good friend, Willow.” The widening of her eyes tells him that wasn’t exactly the response that she had been expecting from him. “By the way, Tommy says hi.” He grins at her, as she flushes before she regains her poise.

 

“Yeah, I’ll bet he does.” She mutters the words under her breath, but her irony slips a little, showing a softer side under the tough exterior.

 

“Hasn’t the poor guy suffered enough, Will?” Adriana’s voice makes them both turn around in unison, and Grayson’s breath catches in his throat. “What?” She looks at them both uncertainly.

 

“You look…” Grayson stops when he realizes that he doesn’t in fact have the right word to describe how she looks, every description seems to pale in comparison to her. The green dress looks like it was made with Adriana in mind. It makes her eyes even more arresting, and it hugs her tightly, showing off her amazing body.

 

“Are you going to finish that sentence, slick or just stand there with your mouth hanging open?” Willow nudges him with her bony elbow.

 

He obliges by closing his mouth, not having realized he’d been doing a pretty good impression of a goldfish. “You look amazing, Adrie. I don’t know how anyone is going to look at anything other than you all night.” Grayson feels that familiar thrill as she beams at him, pleased that his words have made her so happy.

 

“Better.” Willow’s commentary from behind him sounds grudgingly impressed, but her tone changes instantly as she goes to hug Adriana. “You’re a knock-out, Adrie. Now, you guys should get going before that limo turns into a pumpkin.” She smiles broadly, as she waves them both off, making a gesture to Grayson indicating that he’s on his third strike.

 

“She’s kind of…” Adriana shrugs like she can’t find the right word.

 

“Scary?” Grayson supplies helpfully, shaking his head at Willow’s protectiveness over her friend.

 

Adriana laughs out loud, and Grayson is pretty sure that it’s the best sound he’s ever heard. “You’re telling me that a pro-MMA fighter is scared of a girl who can’t weigh more than one hundred twenty pounds?” She raises an eyebrow archly at him, teasing him.

 

“You scare me more, and I could pick you up and put you in my pocket.” Grayson’s immediate response is more honest than he would have planned, but this is what tonight is going to be about—honesty. It’s high time that he tells Adriana how he feels about her. Ten years was long enough to wait.

 

“Nice ride.” She nods thanks towards the limo driver as he holds the door open for her, breaking the tension between them. Grayson feels a little pang of jealousy; he had wanted to open the door for her. Easy, Grayson, he tells himself. Beating up the driver isn’t going to win you any points.

 

Sitting in the back of the car together, he can feel every nerve buzzing. She’s so close he can reach out and touch her, but she’s made it clear that she doesn’t want that, not yet. With her hair up, her beautiful neck is just staring at him, waiting for him to kiss her in the sensitive spot that he’d discovered the night they slept together. It’s a short drive to the art museum where the party is being held, and Grayson is grateful for it. He doesn’t know how much longer he can be in such close proximity to Adriana without jumping her. He’s barely able to concentrate on the small talk they’re making.

 

“Grayson?” Adriana looks at him expectantly, and he realizes he’s missed something.  “I said you look good in a tux.” She smiles shyly at him. “Very James Bond.”

 

“Thanks,” he smiles awkwardly, adjusting himself yet again in his suit and hoping that she doesn’t notice. “I still feel like an idiot.” More than an idiot, he feels like an imposter. His tux cost more than he and his family would have lived on in a month back in Philly. This kind of formalwear and this kind of event make up the territory of the wealthy, the famous, not people like him.

 

You’re a screw up, a nobody. His father’s words still echo in Grayson’s ears. No matter what he does or where he goes, he can’t shut him out.

 

“Hey,” Adriana reaches over and lays her hand on top of his, squeezing it gently. “Where do you go when you look so sad?” She looks searchingly into his eyes, like she’s trying to figure him out.

 

“Sorry, I was…” He scrabbles around for something to say. “I guess I’m just a little nervous about tonight.” To be fair, it wasn’t a lie; but, the reason he is nervous has nothing to do with the party they are about to hit.

 

“Of course,” Adriana shakes her head as if she’s annoyed at herself for not having thought about that. “This is a big deal for you…a new sponsor, your first big win. This is your night, you should enjoy it.” She smiles up at him as she squeezes his hand, gently. Automatically he runs his thumb over the soft skin on the back of her hand, instantly feeling that strange mix of calm and excitement or, as he calls it, The Adriana Effect.

 

“It’s our night. I wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for you.” He looks into her eyes, hoping that he can communicate at least some of what it is that he’s thinking.

 

She looks askance at him, unsure. Then, she bites her bottom lip in the way that makes him want to kiss her hard and lay her down across the back seat. “What do you mean?” She shakes her head in confusion and withdraws her hand from his as if she’d read his mind and wanted no part of his primal need. But her breathing has picked up, as if she herself is feeling just how small the back of the car is getting.

 

“How was your date?” He doesn’t know why he says it, but he just does, and the bitterness in his voice is unmistakable.

 

Adriana looks away from him, shaking her head. “I should never have said yes.”

 

“Why not?” Grayson tries to stop himself from smiling at her lack of interest in her date.

 

“Because it wasn’t fair to lead him on when I know he’s not the person I want to be with.” Adriana’s voice is quiet, but Grayson hears her words loud as a bell. The way she looks at him almost begs him not to ask the only question that he can think about.

 

“Sir, we’re here.” The driver’s deep voice interrupts them, and Grayson doesn’t know whether to be relieved or irritated.

 

“You ready?” He looks at Adriana who takes a deep breath before nodding bravely. “Here we go.”

 

As Grayson steps out of the car, he’s met by what feels like a hundred flash bulbs in his face as the press goes wild. He helps Adriana out of the limo and doesn’t let go of her hand as the photographers get all excited again. She looks like a deer caught in headlights, and all Grayson wants to do is wrap her up in his arms and protect her.

 

“Hey, I’m here.” He squeezes her hand as he says the words, encouraging her to look up at him.

 

As their eyes meet, Grayson gets that familiar jolt that feels like his heart has stopped. He has to fight the urge to turn tail and head straight back into the safety of the limo where it’s just the two of them, no audience. Adriana nods at him gratefully and follows his lead as he stops for photographs and a couple of quick-fire interviews. He leads her up the steps of the museum and into safety inside.

 

“Are you alright?” He turns her gently to face him, still very conscious of her hand in his and not having any intention of letting go.

 

“That was pretty intense!” Adriana shrugs shyly, flustered at all the attention. “I guess it’s just another day at the office for you?”

 

“Not quite.” Grayson shakes his head ruefully. “Everything’s got a little crazy since the fight. The sponsors want all the publicity they can get.” He shrugs, knowing it’s all part and parcel of being a fighter; you have to take the good with the bad.

 

“Ah, Grayson, so great to see you!” A woman who looks like a model sweeps in from the wings and holds him out at arms length. “The tux is perfect. Isn’t it perfect?” She turns to Adriana expectantly.

 

“Umm, yeah, it looks great.” Adriana raises an eyebrow at Grayson, and the expression on her face makes it hard not to laugh.

 

“Josie, this is Adriana.” Grayson introduces the two women who look a little like they’re sizing each other up. “Josie’s my manager. She deals with all my appearances and stuff like that.” He wonders if it’s suddenly gotten cold in here or if it’s just him.

 

“Adriana. So, you actually know the name of this one! She’s pretty, Grayson, not that I would have expected anything less.” Josie nudges Grayson playfully and doesn’t seem to notice that he’s not smiling. “Anyway, speaking of appearances, there are some UFC officials here that are dying to talk to you. You don’t need to spend long with them, just a few minutes and a couple of pictures.” She starts to lead him away, but Grayson plants his feet firmly.

 

“I don’t have to go.” He reaches out for Adriana, half-hoping that she’ll take his hand and ask him to stay.

 

But instead she shakes her head and doesn’t move to touch him. “Don’t worry about me. I know this is a big night for you. Besides, I think I see Tommy.”

 

Grayson has to remind himself that he shouldn’t be jealous of his best friend. “Great. Well, I’ll see you in a little while?” He wishes that he didn’t sound so desperate, but it hasn’t escaped his notice that pretty much every guy in the place is looking at Adriana in a way that makes his blood boil. She nods cheerfully and waves him on before crossing the room to speak to Tommy.

 

“She’s independent. I like that.” Josie nods approvingly before she frog-marches him towards the group of officials. “Not your usual brand. She’s more my type than yours.” She looks knowingly at him.

 

“There’s nothing usual about Adriana, Jo.” Grayson shifts uncomfortably in his suit, suddenly very aware of himself now that Adriana isn’t by his side. “Speaking of which, where is Carmen?” Grayson looks around for Josie’s girlfriend. She’s not easy to miss. At almost six foot, she’s an Argentinian model who refuses to speak a word of English.

 

“We had a fight, long story.” Josie waves away his question, and her mask of ruthlessly efficiency almost slips before she leads him like a lamb to the slaughter.  “Gentlemen, may I present the one and only, Grayson Fletcher!”