space?”
“Yes, and no. It’s...ugh. It just feels like you’re catering to me because I’m sad and I’ve had a rough go of things as of late. So don’t feel pressured to do that. I’m fine. I don’t need anything.”
“Serenity, I’m not hanging out with you because of some charity instinct, or obligation, or anything like that. I’m spending time with you because I want to.” He leaned back with a sigh that sounded fairly frustrated. “You know, there’s been something on my mind lately.”
I looked up, curiosity getting the better of me. “What is it?”
“Well, you see—” He leaned forward again, pressing his palm to my cheek and looking at me with his deep green eyes. His gaze seemed to swallow me whole, drawing me in. I couldn’t look away and I held my breath. “—I don’t think I can ignore it anymore. You’ve grown into a beautiful woman, and I’m more than just attracted to you. I like you. I’ll only be in town for the holidays, which I know isn’t long, but you have to acknowledge that the connection is there. I’m down to mess around, explore it, if you are. What do you say?”
I couldn’t help but feel a little taken aback. Sure, in some ways it was exactly what I had been hoping for, wishing for. But also, the way he put things...I mean, mess around? That wasn’t what I wanted. I wanted to be with him in a real sense, not as some holiday fling or blast from the past.
But still, it was tempting. And I supposed that as long as I didn’t let myself get too attached, it would be perfectly fine. What could be the harm, right?
There was no way I could resist him anyway.
“I’m down,” I said, not quite believing my own ears at the sound of my voice.
He smiled—that cocky smile that had made me fall in love with him all those years ago. In that smile, I could still see his teenage self, ready to come out and play.
“Good.”
And then he kissed me.
It was a slow, passionate kiss, drawing me in with his lips. His hands came up to either side of my face, tilting my head so that I fit better against him. I could feel the desire churning inside my chest, begging me to make things real with him.
He drew back, smiling down at me.
“You’re so goddamn gorgeous.”
“Oh yeah?”
“Yeah. Ever since I laid eyes on you yesterday, walking down the stairs in your little sweater dress, I’ve been wishing that I could kiss you.”
“What’s been stopping you?” I asked, running my fingers through his hair.
He tilted his head back to let out a laugh that seemed to shake the hideaway around us. “I mean, there were people around us for one. Your parents. Your brother. I’m not sure they’d like to be an audience. And I wasn’t sure if you were interested.”
“Are you kidding?” I raised my eyebrows, skeptical of his modesty. “I was a stuttering, blushing, flustered mess around you the entire day. How could you not know?”
Grayson laughed again. “Well, it’s been a few years—there was no way for me to know if that was just how you normally acted.”
I rolled my eyes. “I even told you that you were making me flustered.”
He shrugged. “Well, we’re here now, aren’t we?”
I nodded, and then a shiver ran through me. “Yeah, we might be, but it’s cold in here and that heater of yours isn’t helping much.”
He stood with a laugh, offering me his hand. I took it and he pulled me to my feet and then against him. “Despite how romantic it would be to have a romp in here, I guess it’s not very practical, huh?”
I shook my head. “Definitely not right now. Not unless you want to freeze your dick off.” My face flushed at the words I’d just said, and I looked down, embarrassed. Imagining Grayson’s...his...in me, it was more than I could handle.
“What’s that?” he teased.
“Nothing. Now, let’s get going, I’m freezing.”
“I thought this might happen,” he said, picking up the blanket and the heater. “My car is parked not far from here if you’re down to mess around there. Or I could even drive you back to my house.”
That was right; I’d forgotten. The house that Grayson grew up still sat empty a few streets over. His parents rented it out sometimes, but they had never sold it after they moved. It would be strange to be inside of it again, but