Grayson rests his head against mine as we both catch our breaths. “Welcome home, Manchester,” he says with a grin. His ice-blue eyes are full of sated hunger.
“Home,” I repeat as I place my lips on his and kiss him softly. When did this place become my home? Part of me feels guilty that I have so quickly settled here and made roots.
Grayson lifts me off him and I slide onto my wobbly legs, my thighs shaking in the aftermath of my orgasm. We both pull on our clothes and then Grayson takes my hand and tugs me down on to the bed. I lean over him, resting on my elbows.
“How are you, really?” he asks me, tenderly stroking my hair away from my face.
I bob my head. “I’m okay. Going home was strange, it was familiar and a mix of good and bad.” I sigh, struggling to put into words how this weekend has been for me. “It was home, but it wasn’t. I don’t know, I know that makes no sense at all. I guess without my mum there it no longer feels like home, despite all the happy memories I’ve had in that house.” I rest my chin on his chest and look up at him. “I missed you, I missed my family. I kind of don’t know how I feel about it all right now.”
Grayson nods, quietly listening and just letting me talk. “I know what you mean. When my mum died, I thought being in our home would make me closer to her, but without her there it wasn’t the same. When we moved, I was in some ways relieved because being in that house without her there was just too painful. The memories were everywhere I turned.”
I smile sadly. That’s the thing about us, we’ve both been through the pain of losing our mothers and no one can understand what that feels like, even when they say they can imagine, they can’t. He gets it and that is why it is so easy to talk to him about it.
Grayson stays silent for a few minutes and then he sits up straighter against my headboard and pulls me with him and I end up straddling him.
“I need to tell you something, but before I do, I want you to know that I love you.’
I frown, this sound serious. “Go, on,” I urge him.
He takes a deep breath. “You know that girl they photographed me with Friday night?”
I glare at him and arch a brow. “How could I forget?”
He rubs his hands softly up and down my thighs. “Her name is Imogen Hillcrest, and she is the daughter of Damon Hillcrest, He owns a chain of hotels and holiday resorts. My dad is trying to get a deal with him,” he pauses and leans in and drops two quick kisses on my lips. “It’s hard to explain how my world works, but it’s all about who you know, joining families and businesses together.”
My stomach sinks, fearing where this is going.
“My dad has ideas that if I form a union with Damon’s daughter that he’ll seal the deal. My father’s name opens doors. Doors that Damon can use to further his business but he also wants an iron-tight guarantee that if he does business with my dad, he won’t get double-crossed and what better way to make sure that doesn’t happen than to have your daughter marry your new business partners son.”
It takes a few seconds for my brain to register what he is saying, and I lean back slightly and study his face. Was he serious?
“What are you saying? That your dad expects you to marry this rich bitch?”
Grayson nods. I can see he is watching my every expression, trying to gauge my reaction. “That’s what he wants, but it doesn’t mean he’s going to get it, but I don’t get access to my trust fund for another three months. My father holds the strings. To keep him happy, I’ve been making the right noises.”
I flinch. “What do you mean, the right noises?”
“I mean, I’ve made it seem like I’m willing to go along with his plan.”
Now it made sense. That is why his father has tried to buy me out. To leave the way clear for Grayson to bag the girl and thus ensuring Mr St. Clair gets the business deal.
“Say something,” he urges, searching my eyes.
“Are you attracted to her?”
He reels back. “Hell no. She’s toxic, a spoilt little rich girl with a heart of stone. I swear Everly. I’m just biding my time, making the right noises until I can walk away and stand on my own two feet.”
I nod my head, chewing on my lip.
“How far will you have to go to make him think you’re in line with his plan?”
Grayson takes my face in his hands. “I won’t hurt you. I’ll never betray you or cheat on you, ever.”
“I don’t like this,” I admit to him. “What if this comes between us?”
He pulls me down so that he can embrace me tightly. “I won’t let anything come between us. You and me, we’re strong. I just needed you to know.”
I nod and cling to him tightly, resting my head on his chest. It scares me how much I love him sometimes. He is the one person who could destroy me. His love has the power to utterly break me.
I sit up. Whilst we are being honest, I need to tell him about Tyler. “I need to tell you something too. When I went back home, we went to a party and at this party there was a guy I used to have a major thing for,” I pause and meet his eyes. “He tried to kiss me. I pushed him away and told him I wasn’t interested, but I wanted you to know.”
Grayson’s jaw tics as he wars with his
