Chapter 16
Sixteen
Conway
A s if we’re connected by some invisible force, my gaze finds Grace the minute I walk into the room, and the organ in my chest picks up speed. She looks stunning in the baby pink dress she’s wearing. The straps are thin, showing off her delicate shoulders, and it’s short, but not too short, showing off her smooth, tan legs. Strappy black heels wrap around her feet, making her legs look longer than they really are, and her hair is pulled neatly into a rather high pony that looks impressively bouncy. Never thought I’d refer to a ponytail as bouncy. The smile she’s giving her sister lights up the whole area, and when her angelic laugh reaches my ears, all I want to do is go over there and do whatever I can to make her laugh like that some more.
A pat to my back has my gaze leaving Grace and coming to Davis, who I came here with. “Gonna grab a drink,” he says, gesturing toward the refreshment table. “Want something?”
“Sure, a beer.”
Davis grins and shoots me finger guns. “You got it, boss.”
Tonight is Everett and Gemma’s engagement party and, if I’m being honest, I considered not coming at all. In fact, had Davis not offered to pick me up so we could ride together, I probably wouldn’t have. Not because I’m not happy for Everett and Gemma, but because I knew I’d have to see Grace, and seeing her makes me feel like shit. It’s been days since I went over to her house, and we haven’t spoken. I know I should’ve reached out to her by now, but I couldn’t bring myself to. Every time I thought about sending a text message, it’s like my fingers stopped working. And besides, I know she has her kids this week and is probably busy. I’ve been busy too.
But it’s more than that. There’s a niggling of something that feels a lot like fear in the far back of my mind that I’ve done my best to ignore this week, and I just don’t know what to say to her. That I’m obsessed with her? That I can’t stop remembering the way her hair smelled as she fell asleep in my arms? That I laid awake in my bed that night after leaving hers, unable to sleep because my bed suddenly felt too empty? I can’t say any of that; I’ll sound like I’ve lost my mind.
She’s all I think about, and I don’t get it. I don’t know what to do, and I’m only making it worse by not saying anything at all, but I don’t want to disappoint her. I’ve done my fair share of disappointing women in my life—I’ve got the two divorces to prove it. Grace deserves more than a half-ass attempt and somebody who isn’t even sure what he wants. It’s no secret to anybody that she wants a man to share her life with.
She wants something I’m not sure I can give her.
Then, like a bucket of ice over my head, my son pops into my mind. Yet another person in my life I’m avoiding being honest with. Grace is his ex-girlfriend. It doesn’t matter that he’s moved on and is married now; it doesn’t change the fact that I’m sleeping with—and obsessively thinking about—his ex-girlfriend.
Grace’s head tilts back as she laughs at whatever her sister is saying and, once again, I’m hypnotized by the sight, by the sound. Suddenly, all thoughts of Cole vanish, as I can do nothing but watch her.
For a man who prides himself on being mature and straightforward, I’m sure acting like a fucking coward. I had no problem telling her she’s mine in the heat of the moment, but until I man up and tell her how I feel, I have no right to claim her like that.
As if she can hear me thinking about her, Grace turns her head, eyes finding me from across the room, and it steals my breath away. Holding my gaze for a long moment, she doesn’t smile, even when I do, but she doesn’t scowl either. If anything, the way she’s looking at me is more indifferent than anything else, and it hits me like a blow to the chest.
“Here you go, man,” Davis says as he hands me an ice-cold Bud Light. “Fuck, it’s like the whole town is here tonight.”
I grunt by way of a reply before bringing the bottle up to my lips, taking a swig as my eyes never leave Grace.
“You gonna go talk to her?”
My gaze slices to Davis as I furrow my brows. “Who?” I ask obtusely.
He chuckles, eyes glinting with mirth. “Grace,” he replies. “You know, the one you can’t stop ogling.”
“I’m not ogling her,” I scoff.
“Like hell you’re not.” Nudging me in the arm with his elbow, Davis asks, “You tap that yet?”
“Watch your mouth when you’re talking about her,” I growl before I can stop myself.
Clearly taken aback by my reaction, Davis holds his hands up, a smirk on his face. “Whoa, calm down.” He huffs out a laugh before watching me for a moment, like he’s trying to figure me out. I haven’t told any of the guys about what’s happened between Grace and I, and I hadn’t really planned to either, but I think I just showed all my cards without meaning to. I confirm as much when Davis’s eyes widen, and he steps closer to me. “Holy shit, Conway. You did hook up with her, didn’t you?”
My jaw pops as I clench my teeth, and my gaze flits over to where Grace is still standing with her sisters before looking back at my friend. Lips pressed together, I nod tersely.
“Oh, fuck,” he mutters, an amused look on his face. “Do the other guys know?”
“No, and I’d prefer to keep it that way,” I sneer. “Keep your fucking mouth shut.”
“Why?”
“Because Everett’s fiancée is her sister, dipshit, and I wouldn’t put it past him to let it slip accidentally.”
Davis says something, but it’s nothing but background noise to my ears when I spot Grace excusing herself from her group. She weaves through the crowd, heading toward a hallway to the restroom.
Now’s my chance to talk to her.
Cutting Davis off mid-sentence, I pat him on the arm and say, “I’ll be back,” before following her as quickly as I can without looking obvious. My pulse is roaring in my ears as I hurry down the hall, slapping a hand on the door seconds before Grace closes it. With a gasp, she jumps a little before spinning around, gaze meeting mine.
“What the hell are you doing?” she hisses, looking around like she’s making sure nobody saw us.
“I want to talk to you,” I mutter.
Her brow wrinkles. “Oh, now you want to talk? Well, no thanks.” Stepping farther into the bathroom, she flips on the light switch, and attempts to shut the door, but she can’t because my hand is still holding it open. “Let. Go.”
“No.” I push my way into the small space, shutting and locking the door behind me.
Grace lets out an exasperated huff and throws her hands in the air. “What the fuck do you want, Conway?”
“I’ve missed you,” I admit, my heart jumping into my throat, but if this is going to work, I need to lay it all out for her, be direct. I’ve done enough avoiding.
Folding her arms over her chest, she laughs dryly. “I’m sorry, you’ve missed me?”
“Yeah, I have.”
“You can fuck off with that miss me bullshit. You’ve had plenty of chances to reach out if you ‘missed me’ so much,” she bites out, using air quotations. “But you didn’t. Clearly, you didn’t miss me that much if you couldn’t even find thirty seconds in your busy schedule to send me a text.”
Taking a cautious step toward her, I say, “You’re right. I absolutely should’ve reached out to you. I’m sorry.”
“I’m not some woman you can fuck, then ignore, Conway,” she cuts me off. “That’s not okay with me. I expect a man who’s interested in me to treat me with respect and courtesy. I expect to be asked out properly. I expect communication. Literally the bare minimum. I’m too fucking old for this game of wondering where I stand with somebody. I know what I want for myself, I know what I deserve. I know the way you live your life. I understand that you don’t want something serious, but it’s not for me. And I’m not sorry for that.”
“So, let me take you out,” I blurt out.
By the way her eyebrows pinch and her lips part, I’d say I surprised more than just myself. “Wh-what?” she stutters. “No way.”
When I take another step, her breath hitches. “Why not?” I ask, bringing my hand up and running my thumb along her jaw.
“B-because,” she scoffs, pink splashing her cheeks. “You can’t ask me out, simply because I said I wanted that. It doesn’t work like that.”
Gripping her chin, I force her gaze to meet mine as my other hand comes to her hip, pulling her closer. “I’m not doing it because you said you wanted it.”
Her eyes drop to my lips before coming back up, full of the sass I can’t get enough of. “Like I believe that.”
“Let me take you out,” I repeat softly.
“I said no,” she murmurs, but it lacks any kick.
“No? You really mean that, Sin?”
I bring my face down to hers, close enough I can smell the wine on her breath. Her lips part, like she’s going to say something, but as her gaze bounces between my eyes and mouth again, nothing comes out. Grace’s silence says all I need to know. I move without thought, fusing our lips together, relishing the pillowy feel of hers against mine. For a moment, she freezes. Her hands come up to the front of my shirt, fisting the material, and I wonder if she’ll push me away. If maybe she meant it when she said I wasn’t what she wanted. But then she tugs me closer, body relaxing in my hold as she opens up, letting my tongue sweep into her mouth and roll against hers.
I swallow her contented sigh, bringing my hand around to the back of her neck, kissing her deeper. She tastes fucking divine, and it makes my head spin. I kiss her with fervor, my lips and tongue saying the things I haven’t been able to this week, and she kisses me back just as passionately. When we pull apart, we’re both breathless, and her eyes are glassy as they peer up at me under heavy lids.
Bringing my thumb up to her mouth, I swipe away the smudge of her lipstick before looking her in the eye, and leaving no room for argument when I say, “I’ll pick you up next Saturday at six p.m.”
Grace’s throat works as she swallows, at a loss for words, and I can’t help but smirk as I turn and leave her standing there, dumbfounded in the bathroom.
I’ll fucking show her the man she wants.