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He gave my hand a squeeze, before we continued our brisk walk down West 45 th Street so we wouldn’t miss the start of the show.
Grayson’s hand lay entwined with mine throughout the entire production, but his mind was clearly elsewhere. Even after the show, when we strolled back up 5th Avenue to admire the Christmas lights, he remained deep in thought. It wasn’t until we were standing in front of the spectacular Rockefeller Christmas tree, he returned to the present.
“I still can’t believe I live here,” I said, gazing up at the twinkling lights.
Grayson slipped his arms around my waist, resting his chin on my shoulder as he followed my gaze. “New York City definitely has a lot going for it.”
My heart raced as I built up the courage to ask the next question. “Do you think you could live here…permanently, I mean?”
Grayson spun me around and slid his arms into my jacket, cradling my arse with his hands. The warmth sent tingles straight to my core. “I know I could.”
I tried to hide my smile, but it was no use.
Grayson pressed his lips to my forehead. “Should we go and eat those donuts now?”
“Oh, I assumed we were staying at your place.”
“We are,” he stated with a glint in his eye. “I bought extra.”
I poked him in the chest. “You’re going to make me fat.”
“Unlikely, but we can always work it off afterwards,” he said, giving my bum a little squeeze.
I shrugged. “Or during.”
Grayson’s pupils dilated as he gazed down at me. “I like the way you think.”
***
17
On Christmas Eve, Grayson carried my suitcase down the stairs while I struggled with Luci. His long legs found it difficult to navigate the steps and it was always a challenge getting him down safely, even though we did it on a daily basis.
“Are you sure it’s okay if we bring him?” I winced, thinking of all the damage he was likely to cause.
Grayson smiled. “It’s fine. Once he runs around the property a few times, he’ll be too tired to destroy anything.”
I stepped outside to find a large SUV parked out front and raised my brow. “This is your car?”
He smirked. “One of them.”
“Oh, the places we could go, Luci.” I scuffed his head and peered up at Grayson. “Just warning you, Luci’s never been in a car before.”
He opened the back door and Luci bounded inside, settling beside our suitcases. “Ever?”
“Nope.”
Grayson shrugged. “What’s the worst that could happen?”
A half hour into the trip, we were forced to drive with all the windows down, letting the freezing wind aerate the car. Luci was anxious, and apparently when dogs get nervous, they release gas. A lot of gas. And the smell was horrendous. By the time we reached the Hamptons, our faces were almost frozen solid. I feared the smell had infiltrated my pores and would never wash out.
“Oh my god, I stink like dog farts,” I cried, jumping out of the truck as soon as we parked.
Grayson wrapped his arm around me and stuck his nose into the crook of my neck. “You smell just fine.” I giggled as he kissed me. “But I might keep the windows down for a while.”
I pulled my eyes away from Grayson and lifted them up to his grandfather’s mansion. My mouth fell open. “Wow.”
“It’s beautiful, isn’t it?” Grayson followed my gaze as he pulled me into his side.
