Tessa
Can an orgasm last a week? I’m just asking. Because it had been a week since I’d “looked at the paint” in Gray’s bedroom and I still felt like I was free-falling. I had a sneaking suspicion that it had less to do with breaking my three-year abstinence, and more to do with Gray Thorne. Possibly everything to do with Gray Thorne. The man knew what he was doing in the bedroom. It was the best non-sex sex of my life.
Except…I had a few concerns. Rather than drive myself crazy, I figured I’d run them by Laura and see if she could be the voice of reason. She was much more in-tune with the dating world than I was, considering she’d been in the dating trenches the last three years.
It was Laura’s day off so we were running errands together after dropping Sully off for his weekly playdate at my dad’s. We’d already been to my physical therapy session, hit up the grocery store, and then stopped by Flo’s Nails so Laura could get her nails done. (She had a big date this weekend with her new mechanic. Talk about free oil changes for life.)
Our last stop was at D & D’s for lunch. We sat at an out-of-the-way booth drinking sweet tea while waiting for our order. Their honey-drizzled fried chicken was worth the longer wait with the lunch-time crowd.
“So now, fill me in on where things are with Gray.” Laura had both hands around the glass of sweet tea on the table in front of her, like it was a life-saving beverage. Which as any Southerner knows—it is. “The last time we talked, you’d pissed Gray off and when I picked you up today, there was an SBC remodeling sign in your yard. I know I’ve been busy with work, but come on, I need some details here.”
“Okay, yes, I did make Gray angry, but that’s only because I apparently have a talent for it. Although, this time I did it sort-of-not-but-sort-of on purpose. I needed to push the pause button and regroup. At the time, my plan wasn’t working. And then in the middle of me taking a break to think, he drew up the plans for my kitchen and they were perfect. I mean…perfect. Here, look.” I grabbed my phone from my purse on the bench seat next to me and pulled up the plans he’d sent, handing my phone across to her.
“Huge window over the sink, bigger island, double ovens, oooh look at all that counter space.” She nodded, using her fingers to manipulate the photo and see it all. “Nice setup with the separate refrigerator and freezer. And they’re starting today?”
“The demo. Plus, see right there…”—I pointed to one end of the island—“He included a built-in bed for Sully.”
“I approve,” she said, passing my phone back to me. “So that’s it?”
“No. I met with Gray at the SBC offices so he could help me figure out what I want to do with the rest of the house…” I fiddled with the silverware on the table. “And then…I ended up at Gray’s apartment and…I ended up in his bedroom. And then I ended up…naked. And then I ended up…you know…”
Laura’s mouth had fallen open. She leaned forward and hissed, “You had sex with Gray Thorne? And didn’t tell me?”
“Yes. No. Yes and no.” Laura and I did tell each other everything. Mostly. We were best friends since forever. But we’d never gone into details. Plus, I was sort of savoring my time with Gray. Thinking it over and trying to figure it out. If I didn’t have a serious question that I needed her opinion on, I’d probably keep my time with Gray to myself longer. It felt different than anything I’d had with Paul. Special.
“Yes and no? Explain. No wait.” The waitress was just approaching our table with our food. “Can we have that wrapped up to go instead? I’m sorry, but something’s come up and we need to leave.”
“Sure, hon. You’ll want that other chicken to-go with it, yeah?”
“Yes, please.” I nodded at her. I’d ordered chicken to drop off for Dad when we stopped to pick up Sully. The chicken was that good, seriously.
Ten minutes later we had the meals, were strapped into Laura’s Toyota, and on the way to my dad’s.
“Okay. Spill it,” Laura said, her voice firm and prodding like a cop in interrogation. “Explain yes and no, please.”
I did. I told her more than I usually would, but only on account of my concerns. I needed to lay out what happened so I could ask her.
“Wow,” Laura said when I got to the end of the evening. “So, he didn’t…? He never…?”
“Nope. I even asked him if, you know, he wanted to. He said and I quote, ‘Anyone who’s gone three years without and wears battle scars like you, coming out on the other side still beautiful and strong—deserves my undivided attention.’ And that’s what he did. At least three or four times.”
“I think that’s the sexiest thing I’ve ever heard. Holy, super control, Batman. Wow.”
“Well, that’s what I thought, but then I’ve been thinking more since that night—”
“That’s part of your problem right there. Over-thinking sex leads to insanity.”
“Tell me about it.” I picked at a thread unravelling at a hole on the thigh of my jeans. “First option: He was totally honest and just wanted to get me off and save his turn for later.”
“Did he say that? That there would be a later?”
“Um, he did, yes.” I squirmed in my seat at the memory. Trust me, we’ll get to me next time. We’ll fuck twice as long.
“Oh, my gosh, you’re blushing!” She grinned at me. “What’s the second option?”
I felt the blood drain from my face with this one. “That he saw my scars and felt sorry for me. And…it was out of pity. Which is why he didn’t…get his.”
“A pity half-fuck?” Her eyes flicked to my face, before returning to the road. “What did his face look like? Did he look like he felt sorry for you? Put off by the scars?”
I remembered a look of surprise. Maybe a bit of shock—but not pity. The look of pure enjoyment and heat when he brought me to orgasm. I may not have come, but I did get off. “I don’t think so. But then again, I was a little distracted. I will say this: The man has amazing attention to detail.”
“I don’t know, Tess. I’m going to have to think on this one.”
Laura and I arrived at my dad’s and stayed to eat the chicken with him. I worried about him. Three years had passed and I knew he still wasn’t used to being alone.
“So how did the dogs do today, Dad?” I bent over to say hello to both the puppies.
“Little on the wild side, so we went for a drive. Decided to stop by your place, Tessa. I knew your work crew was starting demolition today. I thought I’d check them out since they’re working in my baby girl’s house.”
“Thanks, Dad. I haven’t even met Frank and his crew yet, but Gray assured me they were the best. Very professional and all the crews they work with have to pass a background check.”
“Good to hear. Only Frank and his crew couldn’t make it. They all got food poisoning from a potato salad at some picnic they’d been to. Gray and his brothers are doing the demo themselves. They didn’t want your job to get behind.”
“Excuse me, Mr. M? Are you saying that the Thorne brothers are over at Tessa’s house right now?”
“That’s what I’m saying. Got to respect a company that—”
“I’m sorry, Mr. M. We’ve got to go.” Laura stood abruptly, helped gather all the trash from our meal, moving at light speed. Fast enough to make Dad laugh. He knew what was going on. “Tessa, grab Sully. Let’s go.”
“Love you, Dad.” I gave him a tight hug. “Sorry we’re running out on you. Apparently Laura’s never seen a man before.”
“Tessa! Now!”
Let it be known, my best friend Laura loved me so much that, knowing my anxiety in a car, she didn’t even go one single mile above the speed limit—even though she wanted to Indy 500 it the whole way on the drive to my house. I think it helped that my dad only lived ten minutes away.
She did swing into my driveway pretty quickly and set the parking brake so abruptly the car rocked back and forth.
“You grab the dog; I’ll grab the groceries!”
Laura was moving at triple-time speed, which had me laughing. But truth be told, I scooped up Sully pretty darn fast too. I hadn’t seen Gray since he’d dropped me off after the night at his apartment. I might’ve even been more anxious than Laura.
I followed Laura into my house, setting my car keys down on the small entrance table, and my jacket on the coat tree. And then proceeded to plow into the back of Laura, who’d frozen at the entrance to the kitchen.
“Sorry, Laura.”
“Not me,” she said. “They still have their shirts on, but holy hotness there are three Thorne brothers in tool belts in your kitchen. This is the way to do a renovation.”
I stepped next to her in the doorway, Sully in my arms and wow. Wow, wow, wow. Gray, Eli, and one brother I hadn’t met before were tearing apart my kitchen. They were a sight to behold. Tall, muscled, with wide shoulders and slim hips and in my house.
They each wore a T-shirt, dusty blue jeans, construction boots, and, yep, tool belts. And they were hot. Those belts all slung low on their hips, like modern day gunslingers. Only it was hammers and drills and tape measures hanging off their belts. The brothers wore a light coating of drywall dust on their shirts. As if someone had sprinkled confectioners’ sugar on them. Serving them up for dessert. Streaks of it where they’d wiped their hands on their thighs. Eli even had some in his beard.
“Do you think I could snap a photo without them noticing?” Laura whispered. “You know, for my own private viewing.”
It was a tempting idea, only Sully barked when his patience wore out waiting to get attention from other humans. That brought all their heads around to us.
“Hey, Tessa,” Gray said, hefting a large piece of drywall he’d just torn off the wall where the oven had been and tossing it onto a growing pile in the corner.
“Gray. My dad said y’all were here doing the demo instead of Frank and his crew. Food poisoning huh?” My greedy gaze used this bit of conversation as an excuse to run all over Gray.
“Yep. They were in no shape to work today, but it’s only the kitchen, so pretty easy.” He grabbed the hem of his T-shirt, pulling it up to wipe sweat and drywall dust from one eye.
I managed not to stare at his ripped ab muscles. Not too much. By the time my eyes moved back up to Gray’s face, his gaze was hot on mine. Calling up memories from last week. Making me feel hot and tingly all over.
Laura actually reached out, grabbing my shoulder as if to keep steady. They really could make a woman’s knees feel weak.
“Hey there, ball buster,” Eli said, sending me a grin.
“Jesus.” Gray rolled his eyes. “Would you hit him, Wyatt? You’re closer.”
The other brother smacked Eli on the shoulder.
“Hello, Eli.” I smiled at him before moving my smile to the brother next to him. “Wyatt, we haven’t met yet. I’m Tessa and this is my friend, Laura.”
Laura was still standing wide-eyed next to me.
Wyatt gave a curt nod in our direction and got back to pulling off the trim from around my window.
“It looks like you’re almost done with demo.” I forced my eyes from Gray and moved my attention around the room.
The cabinets were already gone. I could see them stacked on a tarp on the back patio, since Gray had said we’d reuse them in the butler’s pantry. The refrigerator was moved onto a piece of cardboard in the formal dining room, along with the kitchen table and chairs. The rest of the appliances were already gone. Goodbye unpredictable oven. There was a pile of smashed backsplash tile in the center of the floor, and it looked like they were already down to ripping out the drywall.
“It’s a small kitchen and there are three of us working. Should finish today. We’ve still got the floor and taking down this wall,” he pointed behind him. “We set you up a mini kitchen in your dining room. Fridge, microwave, coffee pot, and the hot plate your dad dropped off.”
“Great. Thanks.” I nudged Laura, and she took a second to look my way. “We should put the groceries in the fridge and then get out of their way.”
“Put the fridge in the groceries. Sure,” Laura said, obviously under the influence of the power of Thorne pheromones.
The brothers must be used to this type of reaction because they just grinned. Or they were just nice. Or happy because they got paid money to break stuff with hammers and throw it around.
“Thanks again, guys.” I wove my arm through Laura’s and guided us out of the room into the dining room to store the groceries. I’d stocked up on microwave meals.
“Well, I’d say that answers your question,” Laura said, handing me the food from the plastic bag so I could store it in the fridge. “Did you see the way Gray looked at you?”
“What way?” Oh, I saw the way he looked at me. I also felt the way he looked at me. Felt it down to my toes.
“You know what way. In the hot, I’d-like-to-do-that-again way.” She leaned in closer, catching my gaze and whispering, “That was no pity half-fuck. And that look said he’s wanting to make the half a whole, if you know what I mean.”
I knew what she meant. I hoped she was right.