Inappropriate - Vi Keeland Page 0,63

Grant buried his face in my hair. He took a deep breath in. “Mmm... I missed you.”

“Really? It seemed like you had good company…”

Grant arched a brow. “Do I detect jealousy?”

“Do I have a reason to be jealous?”

He shook his head. “Not at all. But full disclosure, Shannon and I did go out a few times.”

I frowned. “Did she visit your apartment?”

Grant looked down. “I know you didn’t think I was a virgin. Though if I’d known she worked here, I wouldn’t have picked this place.” His eyes rose and locked with mine. “I get it, though. I wouldn’t be happy in the presence of anyone you’ve been with.”

His not belittling how I felt made me feel better. Besides, I was being silly. We both had pasts. I shrugged. “It’s fine. I’m a big girl.”

Shannon walked back over to us. “Your table’s ready.”

After we followed a woman he used to sleep with back to the table, it made me realize we’d never spoken about seeing other people. The thought of him with anyone else made me crazy. Though, I suppose technically, we both had the right to do it.

Grant pulled out my chair, and once we were both seated, Shannon said she’d send the waiter over to take our drink order. I shook out my cloth napkin and laid it over my lap.

“We’ve never spoken about seeing other people.”

Grant had picked up a glass of water and froze with it halfway to his mouth. “I assumed we were exclusive at this point.”

“Oh. Okay.”

“The thought of you with another man makes me feel irrational.”

I smiled. “I feel the same way.”

He leaned across the table. “I’m glad we’ve had this talk. I thought it was torture to be near you and not know what it feels like to be inside you. But apparently there are way worse things than not fucking you, such as imagining that someone else is.”

I laughed. “Well, put that thought out of your head. How was your trip?”

Grant shook out his napkin. “Productive. We’re buying a building on the east coast and going to relocate a few of our smaller businesses’ headquarters around the city into one building. It’s a good time to buy.”

“Oh, that’s exciting.”

“I thought it was. Though I’m realizing how much time I’m going to have to spend out there to get it done. I like New York, but it’s a long trip.”

“I haven’t been there in years. I’d like to go at Christmas. I’m sure it’s touristy, but I think it would be nice to skate at Rockefeller Center and wait in line to see the windows at Bloomingdale’s.”

“You sound like Leo.”

“He wants to go to New York at Christmas?”

Grant nodded. “Maybe we’ll take him.”

I got that warm, fuzzy feeling in my stomach again. He didn’t hesitate when he spoke of things in the future, like it was a given we’d be together.

The waiter came over to take our drink order. I loved that Grant remembered the wine I liked, yet looked to me for approval when ordering it. I also really loved the five o’clock shadow lining his masculine jaw, and the blade of a nose that was his profile when he handed the wine menu back to the waiter.

I’d been hesitant to mention that a bunch of us had booked hotel rooms down the block from Mia’s wedding. It would be odd to not stay in the same room, and yet I hadn’t been sure I was ready for that. Though we’d just confirmed we were in an exclusive relationship and were talking about plans a few months away, so what was I waiting for? God knows desire wasn’t the problem. I only had to look across the table to get my feathers all ruffled.

So when the waiter walked away, I decided to go for it. “Umm…this weekend… Most of the wedding party is going to stay at the Park Place Hotel down the block from the restaurant. This way everyone can indulge and not have to worry about getting home. And Mia is having a brunch the next morning at the hotel restaurant. I have a room booked, if you would want to stay.”

“Is that really a question?”

I laughed. “I guess not. But I wasn’t going to assume.”

“Let me make it easy for you in the future. If the invitation involves you and the potential of you being naked, count me in.”

What had started as an awkward arrival with the green dress now turned into a fun and comfortable dinner. Shannon