“Right again.” Grey leaned in to kiss me, and the kiss lasted a few seconds longer than the first.
My lips parted, and before I couldreallystart kissing him back, he pulled away, all business again.
“Back toThe Invisible Man,” he said. “What does the protagonist’s grandfather tell his family on his deathbed?”
I didn’t remember what my answer was. Whatever I said must’ve been correct because Grey kissed me again. This time, he didn’t break away. His lips parted mine, and he let out a sigh of relief as he relinquished the control he’d been exerting bykeeping me on track with studying. It wasn’t until his sigh that I realized just how much self-control it must’ve taken him. I knew how hard it had been forme, but he’d made it seem so easy. It turned out hewasjust a good faker.
His tongue traced my bottom lip as I fell back, Grey on top of me. It looked like studying would have to wait a bit.
Chapter 30
Paradise
Midterms were done. It was spring break. So, of course, I was taking advantage of the time off from school and using it to spend some time with myboyfriend. No matter how many times I thought it, the word still sent chills down my spine. I’d never thought of myself as soppy. But I supposed I’d never had anyone I’d wanted to get soppy over. I often warred with rolling my eyes at myself or embracing it.
I sat in a recording studio as Grey worked on one of his most recent songs. He stood at the microphone on the other side of a pane of glass, inside the sound booth itself. His lips hovered millimeters away from a mesh screen in front of the microphone. A playful hint of a smile danced across them when he met my eyes.
“Ready?” Dae asked, holding down a button so his voice could be heard over Grey’s headphones, and he received a thumbs-up in response.
A steady beat played over the studio speakers, a pulsating synth bass joining in. Grey closed his eyes and began to sing. It was a new song I hadn’t heard yet, although something about it felt familiar. Grey continued singing. As usual, I was entranced listening to Grey sing. I swore I could’ve sat there for hours.
“Sun beats down on the waves.
Don’t you hesitate.
We’ve got love to make now.”
Grey’s eyes met mine, and I felt my cheeks grow warm. A chill ran down my spine. The melody was probably Grey’s sexiest I’d ever heard. It was like I was uncovering a fresh facet of him with every new song.
He continued:
“Bikini girls and surfer dudes,
Turn me on, I’m in the mood
To risk it all make your move now
Let me be a part of your paradise.”
He continued to sing, and I wondered where the inspiration for this particular song had come from. I made a note to ask him later. After he’d finished singing it through, he went over it again. And again. Maybe it was because of the lyrics being all about getting turned on, or maybe Grey just looked incredible in that tight black shirt, but my mind drifted to less technical things than recording music.
Since the first night when we’d messed around, all the way before winter break, we’d had sex plenty of times. Plenty. Sometimes, it felt like we should probably be doing more than fucking, but I just couldn’t seem to get enough. I’d never so much as kissed a guy before Grey, and yet, I was doing things with him—and to him—that I’d never even considered. I had thought sex was good before. I’d been so fucking wrong.
Even with company in the recording studio, just staring at Grey recording sensual music was turning me on more than I’dthought possible. Obviously, his music had affected me before, but to different results. Now, it was all I could do to not think aboutfuckingGrey right then and there. The thought alone was enough to make warmth creep up my neck and into my cheeks. The memory of Grey’s strong grip on my waist as he pushed into me flashed across my mind, and my pants grew tight.
I tried my best to settle my thoughts after that, but I couldn’t focus on anything happening in front of me. The boys did a few more takes of the song before all members of Dreamscape were satisfied they had enough “good parts” to build from. After that, Dae had to leave early, which left me and Grey and all my horny thoughts alone in the empty recording studio as we picked up the equipment.
“What did you think of the new song?” Grey asked as he rolled up a cable.
“It was good,” I said, clearly distracted since I was on my fourth try at collapsing a mic stand. “You should play it at your next show.”
“The plan is to debut it in Portland next weekend,” he said, then he seemed to really notice me. “Are you okay?”
“What? Yeah.” My throat was so tight that I was surprised my voice was coherent.
Grey shot me an inquisitive look. “What’s going on?”
“Nothing,” I lied. It was so unconvincing that I decided it was best to convey some of the truth. My gaze lowered to the ground in minor shame. “Your song was just so… sexy. And you lookreallygood today. So, I guess I’m just—” I didn’t have a chance to complete my thought because Grey was suddenly right there.
