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"That's kind of what I like about it," Gray shrugs. "I'm a simple man—I like fishing, hiking, things like that. And I like spending time with beautiful women."
I feel my cheeks flush. "Well, I'm not exactly the outdoorsy type."
"That's okay," he says, his voice low and intimate. "I'm sure we can find plenty of things to do indoors."
There's something about the way he looks at me that makes me feel like he's undressing me with his eyes. It's like he can see right through me, and I'm not sure if I'm scared or turned on.
All I know is that I want him—badly. More than I've wanted anyone in years, more than Ieverwanted Harvey. Gray awakens something in me that I haven't ever felt, and I don't know how to tell him that I'm ready to jump his bones if he's up for it.
Before I can say anything else, the waitress arrives with our drinks. She sets them down on the table and gives Gray a flirtatious smile.
"Anything else I can get you, Gray?" she asks.
"No, we're good for now," he says, his eyes never leaving mine.
The waitress gives me a cursory glance before turning away, and I can't help but feel like she's judging me. Maybe I'm just being paranoid, but I can't shake the feeling that I'm out of my element here, that I'm not good enough for Gray.
But then he leans in, his lips brushing against my ear, and whispers, "You're beautiful. Don't let anyone make you feel otherwise."
I shiver in response, feeling the heat rising in my cheeks. Gray has a way of making me feel like the only woman in the world, like nothing else matters but the two of us. I take a deep breath, trying to calm my nerves, and take a sip of my drink.
"So, tell me more about yourself," Gray says, his hand still resting on my thigh. "What do you like to do?"
I hesitate for a moment, trying to think of something interesting to say. "Well, I used to work at Glitter Bomb in Portland," I say finally. "It's a—"
"Cosmetic company," he cuts me off, shocking me.
"Okay...how on earth do you know that?" I ask, laughing. Sure, Glitter Bomb is a big deal in the makeup world, but big, manly Gray is the last person I expected to know about it.
"I did some work on their corporate headquarters in Portland years ago," he said. "Back when it was still a startup. What did you do for them?"
"God, it's so much more boring than you probably think," I sigh. "I was a lawyer. I used to negotiate contracts with their brand reps."
Gray gives me a half-smile and sips his beer. "I knew you were smart," he says with a wink. "Why'd you leave?"
It's a deeper question than I'm ready to answer. I suck in a breath and bite my lip. Gray's eyes go wide as he watches me.
"Hey, uh...sorry," he says. "If you don't want to tell me that's okay. I know what it's like to have to leave somewhere you thought was home."
I meet his blue eyes.
And even though I'm afraid it'll send him running, I want to tell him everything.
"Well, it's kind of a long story," I say.
"We've got all night," he replies. "And I'm all ears."
Chapter six
Gray
Clairespendsthenexthour telling me all about her life in Portland.
For a while, I don't get it—why she left the city, I mean. It sounds like she was happy, successful, rich enough with her corporate law gig to afford a nice apartment downtown. Sure, her ex was definitely an asshole but she was strong and independent. She had it all going for her.
She didn’t need him at all to make it in Portland.
Then she gets to the part about when she and her ex started trying to have a baby...and that's when I start to see what happened.
