Chapter 17
Chapter Seventeen
STELLA
“ Y ou’re gorgeous.” I take Danny’s hand and smile at him in the mirror. He looks so dapper in his black suit and red tie with his carefully styled brown hair.
“I know,” he says with a sly smile. “I’m going to knock Brandon on his fine ass.”
“Hell, yes, you will,” I agree. “Are you nervous?”
“Not even a little. I’ve known Brandon was the one for me since I was an awkward freshman in college, Stel. He is the brightest part of my day and the only inspiration I need in my life.”
“You should say that in your vows,” I say and lean my head on his shoulder, still looking at him in the mirror. “It’s pretty swoony.”
“I have such a way with words,” he says. “You and Gray are still in gridlock, I see. You could have cut the tension with a knife at last night’s rehearsal dinner.”
“I’m sorry. I really am. I didn’t mean to make it awkward. And I can promise you that today will absolutely not be the same. I’ll set my feelings for Gray aside and play nice. I promise.”
“Oh, please. You don’t need to apologize,” he says. “You know I’m always here for the drama—the more dramatic, the better. I take it you didn’t accept his apology?”
“What apology?” I shake my head and walk away to fasten my earrings. “I haven’t received one. He tried to call once, and I didn’t accept it.”
“He came to see Camille,” Danny says, and I narrow my eyes on him. “Don’t shoot the messenger. I’m too happy and delicate today to have to field any blows from you. It was the day after you were fired. I don’t know what was said, but after he left, I heard a distinct shattering noise. I think maybe Camille threw a glass object against the wall.”
“He said he spoke with her, but he didn’t add that he actually went there. What a jerk.”
This only reminds me that I’m mad at Gray. But more than that, I’m disappointed in him.
Before we can discuss it further, someone knocks on the door.
“You stay there in case it’s the groom,” I say, pointing to Danny. “He can’t see you until the ceremony.”
“I love how old-fashioned you are, darling.”
I open the door only an inch so I can peer out with one eye and can’t keep the frown at bay when I see Gray.
“What?”
He lifts an eyebrow. “Hello to you, too. Brandon sent me. I have a gift for Danny.”
“A gift ?” Danny asks, rushing forward. “Come in. Give me.”
Gray laughs and passes Danny a silver box with a red velvet bow tied beautifully around it.
Danny slides the bow off and opens the box, then just stares.
“What is it?” I ask him.
I’ve never seen Danny cry. He can be incredibly dramatic and emotional, but I’ve never seen his eyes fill with tears.
Until today.
“I once told Brandon, a long time ago, that I’d like to own a really nice watch someday. Not one you can buy just anywhere, but a really good, expensive one. But we were both in college, and then he was in law school, and that kind of expense was never the priority.”
He reaches into the box and pulls out a beautiful watch.
“I’d say that’s a very fine timepiece,” Gray says with appreciation.
“It’s exactly what I would have chosen myself,” Danny says with a happy laugh. “And there’s no way he could have known that because I’ve never mentioned it again.”
“Of course, he knows,” I reply and pat his shoulder. “He knows you better than anyone.”
“Yeah.” Danny sniffs once more and holds the watch out to me so I can fasten it to his wrist. “And I get to marry him today.”
“In,” I say, checking the time on his watch, “holy shit, ten minutes.”
“I’d better go,” Gray says and hurries out to join Brandon.
“Ready?” I ask Danny as we walk to the door.
“Honey, I’ve been ready for years. And now that we’re finally divorced, and that little snafu is all tied up, I’m a free man. Let’s do this thing.”
“I’d like to speak with you,” Gray says. We’re standing by the cake table as I watch everyone mingle, dance, and just generally enjoy one another.
I’ve always liked to people watch.
“Not today,” I say, but paste a smile on my face for all the people who are looking our way. “I’m rather busy.”
“Yes, I can see that you’re quite busy holding this table up.”
“You’re a riot.”
“I try.” I feel him look down at me, and I have to make myself continue staring straight ahead. The DJ just switched the song to Wobble , and everyone on the floor starts to move in unison.
I can’t help but shake my hips to the song. Wobble is a classic.
When the song ends, I start to walk away but then hear Danny’s voice over the sound system.
“It’s time for a slow one,” he says. “B and I are going to dance, and we want Stella and Gray to join us. And all of you, as well! Let’s get lost in a little love song.”
I stare at Danny and give him the are-you-serious stare, but he just winks at me.
“Shall we?” Gray asks, holding out his hand for mine.
“Damn it,” I grumble and, accepting my fate, take his hand and let him lead me onto the dance floor.
Of course, Danny would choose a Fleetwood Mac song. I freaking love Fleetwood Mac.
“I tried to call you,” Gray murmurs to me so only I can hear.
“I know. I didn’t want to talk with you.”
“I had hoped that once you were finished being angry at me, you’d see that what I did was out of loyalty and love and not because I was trying to score a payday or hurt you, Stella.”
“You went about it in all the wrong ways,” I reply, keeping my voice tight. Damn it, I love being in Gray’s arms, and my body hasn’t forgotten. My breasts feel fuller and heavier, and my nipples have tightened.
I never realized that my body could betray me like this.
And I can’t even ponder the fact that he said he did what he did out of love.
“I didn’t mean to,” he says.
“It’s not that you wanted to help.” He pulls me just a little closer, and when my stomach meets his waist, my core tightens. Fuck. I lick my lips, and his eyes narrow as if he can see exactly what his touch does to me. “It’s that when I told you that I wanted no part of it, you insisted that I was wrong and that we’d do what you wanted anyway.”
“Because it’s the right thing to do.”
“I absolutely refuse to argue with you at Danny’s reception,” I inform him with a hiss. “This is his day, damn it.”
“Fine. But we need to talk this out because I miss you, and this whole situation is ridiculous.”
I take a breath, then just shake my head and turn to leave, but Gray grips my hand and stops me.
“Come on.”
“Hey, I?—”
He pulls me close and whispers in my ear. “I will not make a scene, Stella. Come with me.”
I glare at him, but I follow him out of the reception hall, down a hallway, and through a door that leads to an empty conference room.
“You can’t just yank me around,” I say after the door closes behind us and we’re alone.
In response, he pushes me against the wall, and his mouth hovers mere inches from mine.
“Do you know,” he says quietly, “how much I want you? Even when I’m frustrated with you and know that you’d rather hit me than kiss me, I want you. What kind of a fucking masochist does that make me?”
I want to slap him. I want to push him away.
But I can’t.
I push up onto my toes and seal my lips to his. That’s all it takes to have his hands framing my face. He kisses me like a starved man. Our hands are hot and needy, roaming over each other with urgency.
My body yearns for Gray in ways I’ve never known before.
I unfasten his trousers, and he gathers the skirt of my dress up around my hips, then lifts me, pins me to the wall, pulls my panties aside, and slides right inside of me.
“Goddamn, you’re so fucking wet.” He rests his forehead against mine.
“Do you think I can dance with you like that and not be turned on?” I gasp when he begins to move. “All I have to do is see you across the room and I get wet.”
He bites my bare shoulder, then groans, and I know he’s close to losing it.
I tighten around him and shiver. “God, Gray.”
“I fucking hate being without you.”
“I know.” I hold on for dear life. “I know, damn it.”
“Go over with me,” he commands, his eyes fierce and determined. “Do it.”
I can’t hold back. I couldn’t if I wanted to.
And when he finally sets me on my feet and steps back to right himself, I can’t help but stare at him and think again that he looks so much like a fierce Viking.
My Viking.
Except, he’s not mine.
“Would you like to come to my place when this party is over so we can talk things through and get back to where we left off?” he asks, and I frown in response.
“It’s really not that easy, Gray.”
He goes still. “What do you mean?”
“This,”—I gesture to the wall—“was great. But it doesn’t wipe the slate clean. I’m still really pissed at you, and I’m not sure I can trust you.”
“You’ve got to be kidding me.” He rubs his hands over his face.
“You went behind my back, Grayson.”
“I was helping you.”
I shake my head. “The fact that you just don’t get it is exactly why I’m walking out of this room.”
“You know, maybe your dad was right. Maybe the age difference is a problem because you’re acting like a goddamn child.”
My head buzzes with anger, but I manage to keep my face completely neutral.
“Whatevs,” I say and turn to leave.
“Stella.”
“I’m gonna go play with my dolls now. No boys invited,” I toss over my shoulder and let the door slam shut behind me.
I have to pause with my hand braced on the wall so I don’t fall over.
God, it hurts. The fact that he just doesn’t seem to get it feels like the biggest betrayal of all. I thought I knew him. Why are we so far apart on this issue?
I take a deep breath and then walk back into the reception. The crowd looks like it’s thinned out some, but it’s nearly midnight, so that doesn’t surprise me.
“Where did you disappear to?” Danny asks me and passes me a glass of champagne.
“Gray just fucked me against a wall in a conference room.”
His eyebrows wing up in surprise. “Lucky. So, did you two kiss and make up?”
“No, I think we just made it worse.”
“Honey, if sex made it worse, you did it wrong.”
I smirk and take a sip of the bubbly, enjoying the way it tickles my nose. “What did I miss out here?”
“Absolutely nothing. Some of our guests are starting to leave, and B mentioned that it might be time for us to go, too, so I can have sex on my wedding day, and my maid of honor isn’t the only one getting all the action.”
“Hey, that’s not my fault,” I reply with a grin. “And, yes, you should go spend time with your new husband.”
“My husband.” He wraps his arm around my shoulders, and we stare at Brandon, who’s drinking whiskey and chatting with some work associates. “Isn’t he handsome?”
“No, Brandon’s hot , Danny. With a capital H.”
“That’s the truth,” he agrees. “We’re going to put our application in for adoption right away.”
I stop and stare at Danny for a full minute before I squeal with excitement and throw my arms around his neck, hugging him tightly.
“You mean I get to be Auntie Stella? Oh my God, Danny, I’m going to be the best auntie who ever lived. I promise.”
“Don’t get too ahead of yourself,” he warns me. “Adoption can take a long time, especially for same-sex couples.”
“So dumb,” I mutter.
“I won’t argue with that.” He tucks a piece of my hair behind my ear. “Thank you.”
“What for?”
“For being my family.” He sobers and becomes more serious than I’ve ever seen him. “My family not only wouldn’t come to this wedding, but they haven’t spoken to me in years. But you just sort of took over as my sister, and you’ve never left my side. Not once.”
“Because you’re amazing ,” I reply, perilously close to tears. “If your biological family can’t see you for the incredible person you are, if they can’t accept your husband, who treats you like fucking royalty, and be happy for your happiness…you don’t need them, Danny.”
He nods, but I can see that the hurt is eating at him.
“I’m your sister now. I will rock your babies and tell you when you’re being stupid, and I will love you for the rest of my life. Because we’re kindred spirits, and I think you’re the bee’s fucking knees.”
“God, I love you, too,” he says and pulls me in for a big hug. “And you forgot that you’ll be my business partner.”
“That’s an unspoken truth,” I reply with a smile. “We go look at office space on Monday. So go enjoy marital bliss for the next thirty-six-ish hours so we can get the business started, and then you can go to Aruba. Or Hawaii. Or wherever it is you’re going.”
“Norway,” he replies with a smile.
“ Norway ?” I echo. “It’s winter there.”
“And the Northern Lights will be so romantic. Brandon found a glass igloo that you can stay in and sleep under the Northern Lights. Tell me that’s not amazing.”
“It’s not tropical,” I reply, thinking it over. “And it sounds damn cold. But, yeah, it sounds amazing, too. Do they wear wooden shoes there?”
“Wooden—oh. No, silly, that’s the Netherlands. But I don’t think they wear wooden shoes there anymore, either. We really need to work on your geography.”
“You’re right. Did I tell you that I’m going to Iceland for Christmas with the family?”
“Oh, my God. You’ll totally get to see the Northern Lights!”
“Yay for me.” I press my lips together and then laugh. “How didn’t I know that you had a thing for the aurora borealis?”
“I don’t,” he says simply. “But B does, and if that’s what he wants, that’s what he’ll get.”
“Okay, you’re sweet.”
He grins and then nods when Brandon signals to him. “I am when it comes to him. Looks like we’re headed out.”
“Have a wonderful night. I’ll see you Monday.”