As we came down the stairs, Grayson and Hunter were laughing, the sound dissipating my uneasiness. Grayson was sitting in the armchair, and I stood in front of him, expectantly. No way was I letting him steal my spot. It was too comfortable.
He arched a brow at me, challengingly. But before I could decide on my battle strategy to win back my throne, he pulled me onto his lap and draped the blanket over me. I, of course, had no choice but to snuggle into his chest.
Maybe this was even more comfortable.
We watched Ace Ventura, Hunter’s pick in honour of Gemma, who had her three little mice snuggling with them under the blanket, much to Hunter’s dismay. She had already decided to keep them as pets and train them for their heists. Grayson was, of course, intrigued by the possibilities,but Hunter had visibly blanched at the idea of being trapped in an airduct with them crawling around.
Grayson absentmindedly twirled my hair around his finger. His eyes were on the screen, but I knew his mind was elsewhere. I was starting to see why Hunter thought Grayson thinks too much. He always has a crease between his brows and that faraway look. It would usually be accompanied by him flipping his knife absentmindedly. Sometimes he would go completely still, except for his pointer finger tapping, tapping for minutes on end and then look around blinking, like he had forgotten there was a whole world outside his head.
“A penny for your thoughts?” I whispered to him, making sure the others couldn’t hear me. I wanted to climb into his head and have a look around. I bet it would be fascinating as hell in there.
He shifted his head so he could see my face. “Oh, my thoughts are worth a lot more than a pretty penny.” His eyes glinted with mischief. “And I’ve told you, Princess. You don’t need to knowallmy secrets,” he whispered back with a sly smile.
I had come to enjoy his evasiveness. Had I not always found pleasure in discovering and then unlocking all kinds of mysteries? And Grayson was the biggest mystery I found myself lured into. Like honey to a bee.
I traced the curve of his chin, forgetting that there were other people in the room with us. The simple touch felt so intimate. “Then maybe just one?” I smiled sweetly at him.
The playfulness disappeared off his face and was replaced with something else. “Okay.” He licked his lips and swallowed. “I think you have themost beautiful eyes. They’ve been haunting my dreams every night since I’ve seen them up close.” His tone was hushed, pulling me in, creating a little bubble around us. All I could see, hear and feel, was him.
I blushed, sucking my lips between my teeth. Gods, this man had me gushing like a teenage girl. No man or woman had ever made me feel this flustered.
Grayson was still watching me, so I snuggled even closer, in an attempt to hide from his eyes, but I felt it then, pressed thickly against my backside. My eyes darted up to his.
He swallowed hard and shifted me away. “Sorry,” he said, looking a bit uncomfortable.
I giggled. An expression of my nerves and how satisfied I felt with the look on his face. I had never imagined Grayson could feel embarrassed. He flicked my nose.
I dropped my head to his shoulder. Grayson’s lips brushed my forehead before resting his cheek against it. I pressed my thighs together, trying hard not to think of the way his body’s reaction to me made me feel. Had I not sworn to never want a man’s touch again?
We watched another movie before Hunter started complaining he was hungry. And since Grayson didn’t complete his dinner duty last night, he had to make lunch for everyone. Dinner too. And since I felt a tad responsible because he had stayed with me until I fell asleep, I helped him. I had offered before, but they wouldn’t let me join their chore schedule.
We worked together in silence, stealing glances and hiding smiles.
By dinner time, I was aching to get a moment alone with Grayson. Gemma and Hunter had finally disappeared into their room to shower, which had me thinking.
“You can use my… or your bathroom again, if you’d like.” I felt a bit guilty for not offering sooner. They had all been sharing a bathroom, while I had one to myself. No wonder he called me a princess.
He contemplated it. “I don’t know about that. There’s no lock on the door.”
I looked at him, puzzled. “So?”
“From the moment you got here, you’ve wanted to fuck me. I wouldn’t feel safe.”
I pushed at him. “Says you, who had me tied to a bed.”
He lowered his gaze, then looked back at me. “If I do that again, you’d enjoy it.”
I struggled to breathe. Grayson was no ordinary man, and I bet that sex with him would be anything but ordinary. If white-picket fences bored him, then… I cleared my throat and tried to get rid of the thoughts as well. The prospect of it scared me, but excited me at the same time.
“Like I’ve told you, it’s all in your head. I have no interest in fucking you.” I tried my best to hide my smile, while continuing to chop a carrot.
He was behind me suddenly, pinning me against the counter. Panic gripped me for a second, but I felt the body pressed against mine. It wasn’t Digger. Or another man. It was Grayson. I relaxed against his body, which had become so familiar to me.Grayson.
He slowly trailed his hand up the side of my leg, his mouth near my ear. His touch felt so delectably inappropriate, yet he wasn’t touching me anywhere deemed inappropriate. I instinctively angled my head to the side, and he brushed his lips against my ear, making me shudder with delight. “Hmmm,” the deep sound rumbled in his chest, sending goosebumps along my limbs. “Still don’t want to fuck me?” His hand trailed over my hip, which he gripped tightly, pulling me into him even more.
His grip was painful, but it felt oh so good. Of course he was going to make me eat my words. “No,” I breathed heavily. I fought the urge to arch my back for him, to melt for him. I still hadsomepride left.
He eased off me and pulled me towards the microwave but didn’t let go completely. His hand was flat against my bare stomach, pulling me against him. “Look, Princess,” he said lowly against my ear.
