Chapter Twenty-Four
We’ve been doing long distance dating for two months. The stalker hasn’t made much of an attempt in contacting me since I took Grey to the airport. True to his word, he’s been visiting every week with Ellie.
I think she’s starting to resent me.
Do cats resent people?
I have been staying back at my place, after having a security system and cameras installed. Benny insisted before they would all agree to let me leave Jack’s. Kat and Hadley have been staying over on occasion, but I hate pulling them from their lives. Hadley and Connor are nearly inseparable, I don’t know how she’s able to pry herself away from him to be here for me. Don’t get me wrong, I’m grateful, but they’re gross with how in love they are.
Maybe I’m jealous because I don’t have that constantly.
No. I am jealous. I fucking miss him. I had him for just over a month before he was torn away from me by this fucking stalker. I know he wouldn’t have moved here but we didn’t even get to have a conversation about what we wanted. Hairy donkey balls! I couldn’t even respond when he confessed his feelings for me.
I’ve been sitting at the studio for hours staring at my computer, attempting to edit the shoot from yesterday, but I can’t concentrate. I finally give up, opening Instagram instead. The pictures I posted of Grey and Dylan’s session are still going wild. Every day someone else comments on them.
@IngridsPerfectionYou’re so good!
@Paddlebaby damn, @GreysInk. Your work is amazing.
@MRVL4lyfeJust now seeing these! They look awesome! Thanks for capturing the process @RySnaps It was great meeting you! Take care of my boy!
I smile at Dylan’s response. Before I can respond, my phone dings with a text notification.
Grey
You busy, Kitten?
Ryan
Never too busy for you. What’s up?
I barely hit send before the phone rings with a FaceTime request. I chuckle to myself, shaking my head as I answer.
“Hey.” I smile at the phone as I stare at Grey’s delicious features on my screen. He’s outside but the camera is so close to his face I can’t see what he’s doing.
“Hey, Babygirl.” He sighs, “I miss you.”
“I miss you too. Have I mentioned I really fucking hate this?” I pout.
“I know, trust me. I know.” His smile turns sad.
“What’s wrong?” I ask, my heart drops to my stomach as I wait for a response.
“I think Ellie is mad at me,” he groans into the phone.
I stand from my seat at the desk and giggle as I walk toward the back where my refrigerator is.
“And why would she ever be mad at you?” I open the door to the fridge and pull out a bottle of water. Before Grey can respond, I hear the bell for my studio door open.
“Oh, I need to go. Someone just walked in. I’ll call you back in a bit.” I blow a kiss before disconnecting the call and jog to the lobby. When I enter the room, Grey is standing in front of me, a sly grin pulling at his lips, Ellie’s carrier on the ground next to him.
“Oh my god!” I squeal less than a second before I leap onto him, wrapping my legs around him and hanging on to him like the koala I become any time we’re reunited.
His arms snake around my back, holding me against him. Our lips crash together, his tongue parting my lips as he enters my mouth, fucking it with the need we both feel. I moan into him, grinding my core against his hard length. He groans at the friction before pulling away. He presses his lips to my neck just below my ear sending shockwaves through my system.
“Hi, Kitten,” he whispers before lowering me back to the ground.
“What are you doing here? I thought you weren’t coming back for a few more days?” I lace my fingers in his as he picks up Ellie’s carrier and we walk back to the dressing room I have for clients. I sit on the couch as he closes the door and joins me. I open the carrier and Ellie immediately emerges and jumps onto my lap for snuggles. I run my fingers through her long silky fur while staring at Grey.
“I had something come up that I will have to leave early for and I didn’t want to miss out on any time with you.” He smirks. “I’m content just hanging out here while you do shoots. I can sketch in your office and stay out of the way when you have clients here.”
“Luckily for me, I was actually going to just force Hadley and Kat into some impromptu hiking shoots, so I’m all yours.” I grin, tugging on the collar of his shirt to bring him closer to me for another kiss while not disturbing Ellie.
The few days Grey was with me went by too quickly, as they always seem to. I’m just leaving the airport drop-off again. Saying goodbye, even for a little while, is so painful.
I press the call button on my steering wheel and initiate a call to Hadley. The line rings three times before she answers.
“Hey Ry, what’s up?” She sounds so chipper.
“I’m just leaving the airport.” I sigh into the phone, holding in the tears.
“Oh, babe. Do you want to go for coffee? Or maybe something stronger?” Her cheer dissipates when she realizes I’m hurting.
“Can I just come over?” I sigh, “I don’t want to be around people.”
“Sure, I’ll call Kat and have her bring coffee. I already have Bailey’s and whiskey here.” She giggles.
“Thank you. See you soon.” I disconnect the call and drive, turning left out of the airport toward Connor and Hadley’s house.
I’ve been driving for less than five minutes when the tears start falling. I should be used to this by now. We’ve been doing this for months, but I always have the same visceral reaction. Sobs wrack through my body, so I pull off to the side of the road, the best I can, being surrounded by woods on either side. I’m not sure how long I’ve been sitting here when a soft knock on my window startles me. I wipe my eyes and see an oddly familiar face. Where do I know her from? Her lips turn into a warm smile when she recognizes me. I press the button on my door to lower my window.
“Hey! Are you ok?” she asks as if we’ve known each other for years.
“Yea, my boyfriend just left to go home, and my emotions got the best of me for a bit. I’ll be ok.” I give her a small smile that doesn’t reach my eyes.
“Oh, I didn’t realize.” Her lips turn down into a scowl.
I look back out of the windshield, about to tell her I should go, but before I have a chance, I feel a cloth covering my mouth and nose. The strong smell of chemicals fills my nose. I try to pull at her hand, but the more I struggle, the harder I breathe, sending the fumes straight to my brain. My surroundings start to become fuzzy just before everything goes dark.