Avery #2
“Bear with me,” he said and lifted a finger.
“I’m here to steal you. And yes, I am wearing a tux, only because Prince Henry wouldn’t return my calls when I begged to borrow a royal mantle.
And I have one for you. I think I got the sizes right.
” He’d had plenty of chances to measure me in all the time we’d spent naked.
I hated how much I loved that it crossed my mind.
“And I have something more casual packed for later. For both of us. But first, we are going to The Orion’s rooftop restaurant for the finest dinner of your life.
And I will explain everything, I promise.
I will explain every lie and deception and feeling that made me do it. ”
My lips quivered before I had expected them to.
I was losing control over this conversation.
I was being swept up by his charm and gestures, the very thing I had told him not to do.
My eyes brimmed with tears, and I closed them, lowering my head and shaking it. “You got it all wrong,” I said quietly.
I could feel the panic taking hold of him. He made a hasty few steps toward me but stopped before we touched. I appreciated it. “Avery, please,” he whispered quickly. “Come with me. Let me steal you away for a night. It will be magic, I promise.” He gestured at the carriage.
I shook my head. “Stop,” I pleaded, my voice thin. “That’s not at all what I want.”
“Please,” he said. I couldn’t believe how quickly the cockiness at his cleverness had turned into despair.
If I had doubted that he honestly wanted this, I couldn’t doubt it any longer.
“Please, I will beg. I don’t mind begging.
Sawyer already took my pride and he can keep it.
I don’t mind being on my knees for you, Avery.
I won’t lose you over some principle. I’m not silly.
” As he spoke, he slowly pulled back from me, and I was surprised to see that I had followed him a few paces.
“I’ve got a nice tux for you and the best table in Detroit.
We have a virtually royal apartment for the night at The Orion. And I have so much to tell you.”
“Grayson, stop,” I said, harsher than I’d meant to.
But it did the job. He stopped speaking.
It hurt to look at him. He had put so much work into his hair and attire and my words made his beautiful, warm eyes glimmer with tears.
He struggled to keep a hopeful smile on.
“Not like this,” I told him. “You can’t just throw these huge things at me.
I don’t care about the carriage or The Orion.
I was happy sitting in a bar surrounded by roughed-up bikers and failed rockers.
I was happy walking in the park with you.
This…this…” I sucked in a shallow breath of air.
I was about to fall apart. Too soon. Way too soon.
“This fluff is cute, but I don’t care if you’re rich or poor.
I don’t care if you make me a macaroni bracelet or get me the finest emerald money could buy. ”
He looked horrified by my words. Had we come from such different planets that I had just insulted everything he held dear? But then he spoke and I knew he was only horrified by what he had done. “I ruined it,” he said. “I only meant to make you happy, but I ruined it.”
I wanted to go to him. I wanted to comfort him and hold him and tell him he hadn’t ruined anything, but I wasn’t sure if I could trust him. If he didn’t understand the difference between impressing me and caring about me, then would he ever know the difference between a dare and a relationship?
He pulled back a couple more steps and was off the lawn and by the carriage.
I followed fearfully, not wanting to part like this.
I had to guard myself. I had to protect my heart at all costs.
But he was so sweet even if he was misguided.
“You’re right,” he said and lifted his head.
He looked at the sky for answers and shook his head.
“You’re absolutely right.” The intensity of his emotions swirled around me.
Until my dying day, nobody would ever convince me that Grayson didn’t somehow make it snow.
At that very moment, thick white snowflakes fluttered down around us.
And he looked at me again. “I got it wrong. I’m sorry.
All this? It’s not important.” He took his top hat off and tossed it on the ground.
“It’s just fluff.” He untied his fancy bow tie.
The foot-long piece of silk fluttered to the ground on his other side.
“I just want to talk to you. And that’s what I should have done.
I should have just talked to you. Instead, I made all these elaborate plans to blind you with shiny things. ”
I opened my mouth to tell him to stop, but he was quicker.
He shrugged off the jacket and threw the fine fabric into a small heap near the top hat.
“The truth is simple, Avery. I loved every second I spent with you. I was going to tell you that after putting you in a very good mood because I’m a coward.
I’m afraid you won’t want to hear it now.
Look, I’m shaking.” He was. But he laughed nervously.
“And I wanted to tell you that I had watched you for so long, from a distance. I always thought you were the most beautiful person I’ve ever seen.
And yes—there was a dare. Spencer and Cole pitched names and I dismissed them.
Then they said your name and my heart jumped.
‘Yes,’ I thought. ‘I finally have a reason to go after this beautiful guy that I have always admired from a distance.’ But that’s not an excuse.
I could have told you that first night on the boat.
I could have told you that it won me bragging rights and that I wanted to see you again.
But I was scared.” He was slowly unbuttoning his shirt, then his cuffs.
He wore a white, short-sleeved undershirt, but chills went through me as I watched him undress and confusion tied my tongue to the bottom of my mouth.
“And when you told me you trusted me, I should have admitted it. That was the last chance I had. Everything that came after is unforgivable. I know that.” He stripped his fine black pants down his legs and kicked his fancy shoes off, remaining in his socks and boxers.
He turned around, opened the door of the carriage, and grabbed a duffel bag, then shut the door.
“Thank you. We won’t need the carriage tonight.
Thank you for your time.” He tapped the door of the carriage and the driver shrugged, sniffed, and jerked the reins.
The horses seemed eager to go and the carriage rocked charmingly left and right as it went away.
I realized then that my cheeks were wet and hot with tears. “Gray…”