Chapter 4
When Alyssa arrived at the coffee shop the next morning, she spotted Grayson in line ahead of her. With a sigh she left, unwilling to face him. She’d tossed and turned all night—not an easy feat on a loveseat—worrying that she was passing up a great opportunity.
He didn’t know the real reason she refused to take him up on his excellent offer. To him, she probably did seem stubborn. But there was more to it than that. Much more. And yes, she was also stubborn.
“You don’t have coffee,” Freddie pointed to her empty hands as she walked up to her desk. “Mayday! Liss doesn’t have coffee.”
“I’m staying over here where it’s safe,” Mia said from the other side of her cubicle wall.
“Guys, I’m not that bad.”
“Remember the time Kenley said good morning and you freaked?”
“She was too chipper. Anyone would have gone off.”
“Poor Kenley.”
“Don’t feel bad for her. She’s happily married and they have a yacht.” She was also pregnant. Liss was happy for her friend. It was nice to know at least one of them was capable of living a normal life.
“So? How was the apartment?”
“It was nice, but it won’t work out.”
“Why? Did the guy not wear pants?”
“He did.” Though she did find herself imagining him without them. And maybe she’d sized up the height of the countertops to determine if they were adequate for kitchen sex.
She’d also imagined how frustrating it would be to lie in her bed listening to him in the shower. Naked.
She rolled her eyes at herself. Of course, he would be naked in the shower. Get a grip!
“I need to make a call.”
“I’ll bring you some coffee. Just in case.” Freddie wrinkled up his nose and hurried off to save the villagers from the dragon’s wrath.
Alyssa brought up her emails as the call went through. Kenley answered on the third ring.
“New Haven Custom Boats. This is Kenley.”
“It’s Liss.” She dropped her voice lower so no one else could hear her conversation.
“What’s wrong? Why are you calling so early?”
“I’m fine. I’m just wondering if I’m making a huge mistake and I wanted you to tell me I’m not.” Freddie set the cup down and backed away. She gave him a smile and blew him a kiss, which he pretended to catch and tuck in his pocket.
“Am I just supposed to tell you you’re not making a mistake, or were you going to tell me the scenario so I can make the call for myself?”
“I had sex with a guy.”
“Many, as I recall.”
“Not many. Some.”
“Several.”
“Let’s not argue over semantics. The point is you know how I feel about relationships.”
“They’re to be avoided like the plague,” Kenley obediently filled in.
“Right. But Sasha’s kicking me out and this guy has a spare room in a really great apartment and…and I passed on it, but now I’m wondering if I’ve made a mistake. I mean, I’m capable of having normal relationships with other people. Like you and Freddie and Mia. As long as I made sure he knew it wasn’t romantic, I might be okay. So what do you think?”
“I don’t have enough information to offer an opinion.”
“It’s two bedrooms with a huge kitchen, and—”
“Not about the apartment.”
“Oh. The guy is nice, and we get along really well. He actually works here. The sex was fantastic. All three times. He seems—”
“Not about the guy,” Kenley cut her off.
“Then what?” Alyssa didn’t know what she was missing.
“I don’t know why you refuse to have a relationship with a guy. You’ve never said.” Right. She hadn’t. She didn’t talk about that. With anyone. Even her best friend.
“It’s a long story.”
“As you’ve told me many times. But you still haven’t told me the actual story.”
“It doesn’t matter. The thing is I don’t want more from this guy than a roof over my head and sex.” There was a long silence. “Did you just roll your eyes?”
“Yes.”
“Are you going to get to the part where you offer an opinion?”
“You want to have sex with the same guy?”
“It’s possible. Other people do it. It doesn’t have to mean anything.”
“Casual sex with the guy you’re considering moving in with?”
“Yes.”
“The guy you said is nice and you get along with?” Why had Liss called Kenley? She should have known better than to try to have a conversation before she finished her coffee. She took another big swig, hoping to get it into her bloodstream fast enough to help get her out of this.
“I think you should sleep with him again and then see how you feel,” Kenley said, shocking her.
“You do?” Kenley had been a virgin before she hooked up with the man who was now her husband. This was not the advice she expected.
“I think you should do it and see how you both feel before you decide anything about the apartment. What if one of you wants to be more than roommates?”
“I’m not going to want more.” No way. It wasn’t a possibility.
“He might want more with you. While you seem content to go through life without strings, normal people form attachments. I don’t think it’s fair for you to assume he’s going to be content to live with you without wanting something more. And having sex with him might complicate that.”
“So you’re saying I should have sex with him again to make sure he’s not going to fall madly in love with me?” She laughed at that.
“No. I’m saying you should have sex with him again to make sure it’s something you can do without. If you do decide to move in with him, you’d have to give up the sex.”
“Why can’t we keep having sex?”
“Because having sex with someone you live with is halfway to being in a relationship.”
“It is?” She let out a sigh. “Your logic seems sound. I think you might be on to something.” And if it didn’t work out, at least she’d have another evening of good sex.
“Glad I could help.”
“I have to say, since you’ve been married, I haven’t been able to offer you much assistance.”
“I’m happy and secure in my relationship. It’s an amazing thing. You should try it.”
“Uh, oh. I’ve got to go. Seventy-nine emails waiting.”
“Good luck. Let me know how it goes.”
“Will do.”
Alyssa spent her lunch break at her desk listing the pros and cons of hooking up with Grayson again.
No matter how she tried to force a different answer, it kept coming up the same.
* * * *
“I can’t believe I’m doing this,” Alyssa muttered to herself after work as she took a seat on the same bench where Grayson sat when he waited for her the week before.
Fortunately, she put on sexy panties and a matching bra this morning. She glanced down at her ho-hum black pants and tailored pink shirt. It wasn’t particularly sexy, but he’d already seen the goods, maybe it would be enough to interest him.
Up until she’d gotten off the elevator, she’d been set on going back to her apartment with Sasha to try begging again. But she couldn’t make herself leave.
She watched everyone rushing out of the building, eager to move on to the weekend.
Every tall, dark-haired man made her heart skip a beat, until the tall, dark-haired man she was looking for finally walked out of the building. Her heart pounded erratically.
She watched as he slowed down and glanced around the sidewalk as if he was meeting someone. Then he frowned and started walking again. She almost couldn’t move, but seeing him made her want him all the more.
“Grayson!” she shouted to get his attention.
He turned toward his name and she almost melted at the big grin that broke across his handsome face.
Could he have been looking for her? That was a ridiculous thought.
* * * *
Alyssa was there, and she was walking closer to him.
He’d looked for her for the last three days since she turned down his offer to move in. He’d hoped if they ran into each other again, she might change her mind. He was getting desperate.
Every morning when he got his coffee, he would linger in front of the shop. Every time the elevator opened on the twenty-third floor, he prayed she would get on. Every night when he walked out of the building, he wished she’d be there waiting for him.
And here she was.
“Hey,” he said, realizing too late he was smiling like a complete idiot. He was just so happy to see her, he couldn’t keep it in. “How’s it going?”
“Actually, I’ve had a pretty sucky day. I was wondering if you might want to hang out.”
“Hang out? As in…?” He wanted to make sure he understood.
“You know what ‘hang out’ means, Grayson. Don’t be coy. Coy only works with women you haven’t already slept with.”
“I wasn’t trying to be coy. I wanted to make sure I wasn’t getting my hopes up only to find out I misunderstood and you just wanted to get a pizza.”
She twisted her full lips over to one side while she thought that over.
“Honestly, if we could work in a pizza, that would be awesome because I’m starving.”
Grayson chuckled and nodded.
“I’m hungry too. It’s early, and I assume we have all night?” he hinted.
“Yeah.”
They walked together side by side. When he was forced to step behind her because of other people on the sidewalk, he used the opportunity to check out her ass.
“So is this just another one-time thing or have you reconsidered my offer to move in?” He was in uncharted waters. He wanted to have sex with Alyssa again. The first time he’d gone along with her invitation to have a one-night stand because he didn’t really think it would be only one night. But now he didn’t know what to expect. She seemed pretty serious about it not turning into more.
“It’s a one-time thing. And if I were to reconsider your offer, it would mean we wouldn’t sleep together anymore.”
“I see. No wiggle room on that rule, huh?” Living together without sex seemed impossible. He really liked sex. And he really, really liked sex with Alyssa.
“None.”
“You know, you wouldn’t have needed to stalk me if you’d just agreed to exchange phone numbers,” he said with a laugh.
“Fine. I’m ready to give it to you now.”
“Seriously?” He glanced at her.
“What? Now you’re spooked because I’m showing an interest in you? What is with guys? You all want what you can’t have, but then when you get it, you don’t want it anymore. Just forget it,” she said, and turned to walk away.
“Hey, wait. I didn’t say I didn’t want it anymore. I definitely want it. Whether I have to chase you down or you throw yourself at me doesn’t matter as long as I get to sleep with you again. I was only asking because I wondered what made you change your mind. That’s all.”
“I’m not throwing myself at you.” Her brows moved up to her hairline.
“Fine. You were just resting on the bench when I happened to walk out of the building.”
She seemed satisfied with his answer and nodded.
“I had a horrible week. I know you’re extremely good at relieving stress. Why should I take the time to hunt down someone else who might not do as good of a job when I know where to find you?”
“I think that was my point last Friday,” he noted.
“It was a good point. I just needed a little time to think it over.”
“Stubborn.” He gave her a crooked grin that made her smile.
“I like to think of it as strong-willed.”
“It’s all in how you spin it, I guess.” He shrugged.
“So are you in, or do you just need to be right?” she asked.
“Oh, I’m definitely in.”
They walked along the street among the hordes of excited people who were eagerly anticipating the weekend. Gray found he was eagerly anticipating his Friday night at least.
He looked up at the buildings and breathed in the smell of the city. There was nothing else like it.
Grayson reached over and took her hand in his, giving it a little squeeze. He didn’t say anything, just a twitch of his lips to let her know he was happy. He liked that she didn’t babble. It would have ruined the moment. She squeezed his hand back, making the moment even better. He was trying to keep his smile under control, but it was quite difficult.
It felt like he had rubbed a lamp and had two of his wishes granted: Alyssa. Sex with Alyssa.
His third wish would have been that she moved in, but he knew he was pushing it. He’d promised himself he would no longer enter into a relationship prematurely. He was going to let things play out and not try to force it to be more than it was. Alyssa Sinclair would put his new philosophy to the test, but it would be a lot of fun.
He squeezed her hand again, reveling in it being there. It was stupid to be this excited about a woman he hardly knew.
Sure, what he knew about her he liked.
Gray had gone through a long line of messed up relationships he thought he could save, but that was over. Now he was going to have some fun and let what happened happen. This thing—whatever it turned out to be—was a huge step.
As they got on the elevator in his building, his stomach growled. He was starving, but other hungers took precedence over his stomach.
Apparently, Alyssa was of the same mind because she had her shirt partly unbuttoned before he got the door locked. She let it fall on the floor and reached up to kiss him.
“I thought you were hungry,” he teased against her lips as she started on the buttons on his shirt.
“Call it in. We’ll be done with round one before it gets here.”
“Holy hell,” he said, pulling out his phone to do as she asked. “You’re brilliant.”
She was more than brilliant. She was sexy and skilled and…lots of other things he couldn’t think of as she nipped the skin on his chest while unfastening his pants.
He stuttered out the order for the pizza and smiled when the nice gentleman said it would be there in thirty minutes.
Thirty minutes. He didn’t have a second to spare.
He picked her up and threw her over his shoulder making her laugh as he took her to his cave—or room as it were. He tossed her lightly on the bed and jumped on top of her, kissing down her chest. He pulled her bra aside so he could latch onto one of her nipples and then worked over to the other one.
She was busy shrugging off her pants.
His memory had served him well. She was every bit as sexy as he remembered—and even more so now that she was in his bed.
He dug around in the drawer next to his bed for a condom as her hand grasped him, causing him to hiss with pleasure.
“Alyssa.”
“You say my name a lot when we’re together.”
“Is that a problem?” Maybe it was too intimate.
“No. It’s fine. Is that a thing for you?”
“I’m not sure. Maybe.” He’d never given it much thought.
“Do you want me to say your name, or just use the usual God references?”
“My name might be nice. I know I’m not God.” They laughed like old friends having coffee instead of two strangers getting ready to have their second hookup.
“I’m glad you finally let me talk you into a second time,” she said with a playful grin.
He laughed and rolled on the condom, getting round one underway. Sliding into her felt like coming home after a long trip.
Somehow it was better than the times before. He felt even more comfortable with her, and he practically stumbled into point B without much effort at all. He would put more energy into it after he’d had sustenance.
Knowing she was satisfied threw him over the edge and he breathed her name as he climaxed. Her arms were still wrapped around him and he took pleasure in her touch.
They were catching their breaths when the doorbell rang.
“Shit,” he said, not quite able to move yet.
“You stay here. I’ve got it.” He managed to roll to the side and watched Alyssa get out of his bed and shrug on his work shirt to go answer the door.
A few minutes later, she was back with the pizza, paper towels, and two bottles of beer. She took off the shirt and crawled back in bed, handing him a beer.
“Naked dinner,” she proclaimed as she picked up a slice and blew on it to cool the cheese.
“Damn it, you are too good to be true.” If he knew she wouldn’t run screaming from the room, he might have proposed marriage that second.