18. Grant
Chapter Eighteen
GRANT
Cat was gone again the next night. We'd already christened the bathroom, so to speak. I’d fucked Harley long and slow against the tiled wall. Twice. She'd also given me a morning blow job in there.
Things between us were getting dicey, and I knew it. Yet it was just too good. I couldn't not give in to my need for her. I savored the way she was when we were naked. When she had her clothes on, her armor was on, but once we were bare, she let her guard down. I loved every second of it.
It made me feel like there might be something there for both of us. My cynical mind was all, What the fuck, dude ?
“Dude, you're like seriously zoning out,” Flynn offered a few days later from where he sat on a stool beside me at the counter in the lodge kitchen. “What are you thinking about?”
“Nothing,” I lied.
Telling Flynn what I was thinking about was definitely a bad plan.
Flynn was my brother, and he was also my friend.
And Diego was one of his best friends. All the guys who worked here were his best friends.
If Flynn knew what I was doing with Diego's little sister and Diego found out, there'd be hell to pay.
“Not much, just seriously zoning out,” I added.
Flynn knew me well enough to know better, but he let me bullshit and simply shrugged. Daphne was pulling a tray out of the oven. A moment later, she was sliding some rolls onto a plate. “Help yourself, guys.”
“Oh, what are they?” I asked.
“Guess,” she teased.
“Are they too hot to eat now?”
“Hell, yeah,” Flynn said. “I have learned this lesson. We have to wait a few minutes.”
“Do you know what they are?”
He shook his head.
“Let’s bet on the guess.”
“Sure, five bucks to who’s right,” he agreed.
A few minutes later, Flynn and I both bit into a roll. I spoke first, “Onion, spinach, and I think that's mozzarella.”
Flynn chewed and swallowed. “My guess is onion, spinach, and muenster cheese.”
Daphne's eyes were twinkling as she glanced back and forth between us. “Grant is right.”
“About what?” Diego called as he entered the kitchen from the back door, catching the last comment.
“Grant guessed the filling,” Flynn replied. “I don't have any cash on me right now. I promise I'll give it to you later.”
I snorted. “You'll forget.”
“No way,” Flynn insisted.
“You probably will,” Diego said as he slipped his hips onto the stool beside me.
“Hey, I don't usually forget,” Flynn protested.
“Yeah, you do,” Diego and I said in unison.
Flynn looked affronted. “I'm going to get some cash now.”
Daphne grinned as he stood and strode quickly to the back door.
“Can I have one?” Diego asked.
“You don't need to ask,” Daphne said as she handed him a small plate.
Diego snagged one of the rolls from the serving plate in front of us. “How's it going?” he asked.
“Pretty good,” I replied. “What are you doing out here tonight?”
“It's yoga night, man.”
“Oh, that's right. I forgot.”
“Better not forget. You know Gemma takes that real personally,” he said somberly.
“She does not,” Daphne countered. “Although I expect everyone to show up. I love yoga class with Gemma.”
I shifted my shoulders. “I always get tension right back here.” I reached up and patted below my neck, just between my shoulder blades.
“Well, if you go to yoga enough, you can actually reach down there,” Diego offered dryly.
Daphne went into the pantry to get something, returning and busying herself at the stove. “Where's Cat?” I asked.
“She's going in for a tryout with the theater in town,” Daphne replied.
“Oh, really?”
“Yep. She said she'll probably spend the night with her friend because the tryouts run late.”
“Oh, wow. I think that'll be fun for her. What will you do if she gets a part?” I asked.
“She said that practice is only during the week until they have the show. The show is scheduled for three weekends. We’ll survive without her.”
Of course, my brain immediately realized if that happened, I'd get more freedom with Harley on the nights that Cat wasn't home. I kicked those thoughts to the curb swiftly. I did not need to be fantasizing about Harley with her older brother sitting beside me.
“Thanks for telling me what happened with Harley by the way,” he offered. “She talked to me about it the other night.”
“Yeah?”
“Yeah. Sounds like it's gonna be okay. She went to the doctor. She said Quinn will prescribe her some medication and that it's pretty minor,” Diego explained.
“Well, good.” I was relieved myself.
What are you doing, dude?
As it was, I didn't want to worry about her. It was enough to be hiding this secret.
“What's going on with Harley?” Daphne asked.
“Minor heart condition. I guess she occasionally has an irregular heartbeat,” Diego replied.
“Is that a big deal?” Daphne pressed.
“She says it's not. I guess one of our aunts has the same issue. I only know because Grant let me know she fainted. She’s still a little pissed about it,” Diego offered.
“People are kind of private about health stuff, and Harley doesn't like people worrying about her,” Daphne said.
“Yeah, for God's sake, don't tell her I mentioned it,” Diego said with a shake of his head.
Just then, Harley walked into the kitchen, glancing around. “Are you guys talking about me?”
“Oh, fuck,” Diego muttered.
Daphne cast her a warm smile. “Don't worry. He was just thanking Grant for letting him know you fainted.”
Harley narrowed her eyes. “It's fine. It's not a secret. Not anymore. Thanks to Grant and now you,” she said pointedly.
“Hey, what did I do?” Diego countered.
“Well, I know Grant wouldn't bring it up again,” she retorted.
I was actually relieved she said that. “I didn't, I swear.” I held both of my palms up.
Harley’s cheeks were flushed when she sat down at the counter at an angle across from me. I ignored the jolt of awareness. So much for the stupid idea that this would burn out between us. Not even close. The chemistry between us was on a repeating circuit, burning hotter by the day.
“Most everyone has something going on with their health,” Daphne offered.
“What’s your deal then?” Harley countered. She sighed when Daphne shrugged. “Thanks for trying to make me feel better.”
Diego glanced at his sister, his brow furrowing. “I'm sorry, I shouldn't have brought it up.”
“It's okay. It's all out in the open now. You know, Gemma knows, Daphne knows, Grant knows. It's not a big deal. Can we change the subject, please?”
“Sure, have a roll,” Diego said, sliding the plate by with the savory rolls closer to her.
She grabbed one just as Daphne set a small plate in front of her. “Oh my God, these are so good,” she said after a bite.
“They're so good. We all talk with our mouths full,” Diego teased.
Flynn reappeared with a five-dollar bill in hand. As he slapped it down in front of me on the counter, he asked, “Do I owe you anything else?”
I shook my head. He looked at Diego, who did the same. “You finally paid me after losing at poker a couple of weeks ago.”
“Oh, are we having girls’ card night soon?” Harley asked, gesturing in Daphne’s direction.
“Just the girls?” Diego asked as he looked at Harley.
“Yes, you guys did guys’ night for a while, so it's girls’ night because there are more women in the staff house now.”
The door to the hallway opened again, this time with Gemma appearing. “Girls’ card night,” Daphne called over.
“Where?” Gemma asked as she walked over, stopping between Harley and Diego and leaning over to press a kiss on his cheek.
He slid his arm around her waist and pulled her close. “Can I come?”
“No,” Gemma replied with a smile.
“It's at the staff house whenever we do it,” Harley offered. “Cat’s been practicing with Grant.”
“I'm good at poker,” Daphne said.
“You are?” Diego asked.
She nodded. “Oh, yes.”
“Let's just play for fun,” Gemma interjected.
“Why don’t you invite the guys?” Diego persisted.
“No,” Harley said, narrowing her eyes.
He rested his forehead on Gemma’s shoulder as she chuckled.
He lifted his head and gave her a lingering kiss.
I looked away. The intimacy and closeness between them were so obvious.
My heart clenched as I reflexively glanced toward Harley.
She was looking down at her plate. Her eyes lifted, colliding with mine, and I experienced a jolt.
It felt as if the air between us sparked.
She looked down quickly, and I grabbed another roll, taking a big bite.
Fuck me. It was getting harder and harder to be around her in front of our friends.