Just then, Grace’s phone alarm blares, the force of the vibration strong enough to shake the floor. Grace shifts on my chest, a sleepy groan falling from her parted lips.
“Whatimeisit?”
I run my palm over her hair soothingly, drinking in these last few precious moments before she wakes fully and puts her walls back up. “Early. You can go back to sleep if you want.”
She nuzzles her face deeper into my chest, breathing in deep. “Alarm.”
“What, angel?”
“Alarm still ringing,” she murmurs, wrapping her arms around my waist and snuggling deeper.
I chuckle, leaning down to kiss her forehead. “It’s over there on the floor, angel. I have to move to turn it off.”
She shakes her head. “Noo.”
I laugh harder, wrapping my arms around her back and squeezing her tight against me. “Okay. Just a little longer.”
A little longer turns into thirty minutes, then an hour. At a quarter till nine, Grace is still fast asleep on my chest—which wouldn’t be a problem, but I’m pretty sure I just heard the first employee come into the office.
It wouldn’t bother me at all if people found out Grace and I just had sex. Hell, I’d fuck her pretty pussy in front of them all without any ounce of shame or regret. But Grace is different. She would be mortified if her coworkers discovered us here, like this.
I glance toward my office door, noting how I forgot to lock it.
Well, shit.
At that moment, Grace begins to stir. Her eyes crack open lazily, and she focuses on my face with a sleepy smile.
“Good morning, Mr. Graves,” she whispers, her voice slightly hoarse. She tilts her head, pressing a chaste kiss to my sternum—an action that has my heart doing somersaults.
“Good morning, angel.” My arms tighten around her waist as I lean down, pressing my lips to hers in a passionate kiss. Or at least, I try to.
“Archer! I have morning breath!” Her cheeks heat the cutest shade of pink. “You can’t kiss me like that.”
“Why not?” I lean forward to try to steal another, but she denies me. “Grace.” My grip tightens in a warning. “Give me a damn kiss.”
“Or what?” Her eyes light in a teasing smile.
“I’ll take it.” With one smooth movement, I flip us, keeping one arm under her back, the other braced on the arm of the couch as I hover above her. I gaze deep into her eyes, loving the fire that comes to life when I touch her. “I won’t have you deny me, Grace.”
She giggles, not realizing how serious I’m being. “Fine. Since you want itsobad… you can kiss me.”
Her eyes flutter closed, and Grace purses her lips slightly, waiting for me to close the distance. I’m stuck there for a moment, unable to move, caught by the sheer beauty that is Grace.
Breath shuddering, I lean down, pressing my lips to hers in a bruising kiss. I lose myself in her taste, her smell, the feel of her glorious body beneath my hands. I want to consume her, to pull her apart piece by piece and sew them into the edges of my soul. But until she accepts me fully—both as Archer Graves and Seven—I cannot have her like I want. This lie, it’s the only way I can be close to her like this. Like real people, with real feelings.
I’ve accepted the fact that I’m a monster, and most days, I’m even comfortable with it. But sometimes, when I look into her eyes, I wish I was different. I wish that I was a good man. That I was someone she would choose. That I was worthy. The fucked-up part is that when I hold her like this, I can almost pretend those things are true.
Grace pulls back from the kiss, giving me a heart-stopping grin. “Okay, that was definitely worth it.”
“It always is.” I’m unable to take my gaze off her lips, still swollen from last night.
With one last peck, Grace places her hands flat on my chest, applying minimal pressure to let me know she wants to get up.Well, too bad.
“I’m not done with you, yet.” I lean down with every intention to bite that delicious bottom lip.
“Hey!” She turns her head, dodging my affection at the last moment. “As much as I would love to lie here with you all day, people will be coming into work soon. We can’t get caught doing the horizontal tango in your office.”
“They might already be here.”
