Chapter Fifty-SevenGrace
Chapter Fifty-Seven
Grace
“ I ’ve got to finish something for work, but then we can watch a movie with Evan?” Wes asked as we finished up the dishes.
It was our night to clean up after family dinner, which had basically been another prep for tomorrow’s Morris Foundation Gala.
“Yeah, if Jett doesn’t make me have more dancing lessons.” I laughed. Oh, how I loved dancing lessons, especially when Spencer joined in.
I put away the clean pans. Wes took care of the things too high for me to put away without standing on the counter.
“I want to talk to Spencer, anyway,” I added.
Wes effortlessly placed a bowl in the top cabinet. “Are you taking the job?”
“I think I’m ready to accept. I… I should go back to work soon, right?” Most of my life I’d been working, given my dad had a hardware store, and we all helped. Now that I was feeling better, not working seemed weird.
His arms circled my waist. “ If you want to and feel up to it. If you want to stay home for a while, that’s fine. You not working isn’t breaking the budget. There’s a lot to assimilate.”
True. A lot of what I’d been looking up online this week was practical, so I wouldn’t make a fool of myself.
“Seriously. In case you haven’t noticed, we’re not hurting for money,” he added.
“You do have a lovely home, and nice cars. But you also have five people with incomes.” I shrugged.
Wes laughed. “True. Some of them have giant incomes.”
I leaned into him. “Honestly, I’m excited. Spencer’s company is doing some really incredible things.”
“They are. We can drive in and have lunch together. I think you’ll like it there. What project are you going to take?” he asked.
Wes had heard all about my options as I’d tried to figure out where and if I’d fit.
“The simulator project.” I still wasn’t sure if I could do it, but I didn’t feel comfortable joining one of the in-progress projects.
“It’ll be great.” Wes kissed me.
As I went upstairs, music serenaded me. Brennan had his eyes closed as he played something dark and forceful on the piano. I slipped through the living area and went to Spencer’s suite of rooms.
I hadn’t spent much time here, but it was the same setup as Wes’. The door was open, and I ducked my head in. “Spencer?”
“In here,” he called from another room.
I slipped in. Spencer’s living room was elegant and understated, much like him, with overstuffed brown leather couches and chairs, and shelves full of books.
“Do you have a moment?” I stood in the office doorway. Wood-paneled and full of dark wood furniture and more books, it felt almost like we should be smoking cigars and having brandy after dinner.
Spencer sat in a burgundy leather chair behind a large wooden desk, working on his laptop. He wore a T-shirt and chinos, instead of a suit, feet bare, but still looked dashing and debonair.
Spencer smiled, his glasses slipping down his straight nose, his arm going out slightly. “Let me finish this email, and I’m all yours.”
Without thinking, I slid onto his lap like I would Wes. My hand went to my mouth as I realized what I’d done. “I’m sorry, I don’t mean to be weird–”
Why had I done that? It was one thing to lean on him when watching something, it was another to sit on his lap when he was at his desk.
His arm tightened around me just enough to let me know he wanted me to stay without restraining me.
Spencer’s breath brushed my ear as his voice went low and growly, “Darling, if this is where you need to be, then this is where you belong.”
My breath caught at the endearment as he shifted me so I was curled into him, and balanced on the chair, but his hands were free to type. It felt… nice. Comfortable.
“Perfect. May I call you that? Darling?” Spencer murmured. “I don’t know how you feel about endearments. Perhaps we will try a few out?”
“I like it.” Darling. It made me feel treasured, special, in a different way than I did when with Wes. I wasn’t really used to calling people sweet things, other than occasionally using the silly nickname I had for Wes from when we were kids, but I noticed that I really liked being called them.
I rested my head on his chest, the shirt soft under my cheek.
“You call me good doctor. ” I gazed up at him.
“It’s a descriptor, not an endearment. But I don’t have to use it, if you don’t like it,” he added, stroking my hair at the nape of my neck.
“I don’t mind. It sounds distinguished.” I relaxed into him. This felt so nice.
“Good. Everything is always open to negotiation. The last thing I want is for you to be uncomfortable.” His weight shifted as he went back to typing his email.
I looked up at him as he worked, my head still on his chest. He was devastatingly handsome. He was also kind and thoughtful. But in very different ways than Wes or Evan.
“You’re staring,” he murmured, still typing.
“I didn’t know you wore glasses.” They added to his whole distinguished gentleman look. Okay, they were slutty little glasses. But still…
“Sometimes.” He continued typing.
My mind wandered as Spencer’s hard cock jutted into me. What would it be like to have sex with Spencer? To be bent over that wooden desk and taken from behind. Or crawl under the desk and suck his cock as he worked.
Hey, thirsty girl, this is not a romance novel–and we’re not there yet.
True. But a girl could fantasize, right?
His lips grazed the top of my head. “Nearly done.”
Was this what Evan meant when he talked about getting different things from his guys?
Wes and Evan wouldn’t blink if I asked for either of those things, but the idea of doing them with Spencer sent a very different thrill through my body.
It seemed more right with him, just as sex in the bathtub felt more right with Evan.
Finally, he closed his laptop, and turned his attention to me.
“All done, Dearest. My attention is all yours. Thank you for being so patient. You were perfect,” he crooned, his hand once again playing with my hair.
Dearest. I liked that one, too. I also enjoyed him calling me perfect. It did something to me after a childhood of never doing anything right.
“I’ve been going through what you sent me, trying to figure everything out.
Not just the different options, but figuring out what this world’s advancements are, where my knowledge might be deficient, or if I know things that aren’t common here.
” I lounged comfortably in his lap, even though I should sit up for such an important business conversation.
“My good doctor, are you telling me that you’re accepting the job?” Spencer beamed.
“I think I am. I’d like to be on the simulator project, if it’s still an option. I don’t know if I can do it, but I want to give it a try.” Leaning into him, I let his leathery scent curl around me.
“I’m beyond pleased that you chose that project.
The delightful thing is that we don’t know if it can be done.
I’ll get everything completed on my end so you can start when you feel ready.
No rush. Now we have to figure out who else we need to round out the team, perhaps do a little scouting,” he told me, one arm around me.
“I heard from Dr. Harlowe, who once again invited me to see her particle cutter. Maybe we can find someone at PIIP?” I looked up into his beautiful eyes and grinned.
Spencer chuckled. “That would be a good place to start. I’m so glad you’re going to join the team. When do you want to start? Again, no rush.”
“I’m not sure. The doctor said I can go back to work when I feel ready. I still need breaks right now, when I’m concentrating hard.” Which was part of why my progress on Evan’s videos had been slow.
He nodded, hand trailing down my neck. “We have no timeline. Perhaps we start with a few days a week in the office and a few days at home. I have other small projects for you as well, as does the head of special projects.”
“Yeah?” I perked. “Like helping with the high school internship program? That sounds fun.”
“Indeed. I’ll let them know that you’re interested,” he assured as he traced my collarbone. “Anything else troubling you?”
“My degree is fake here. I’m worried I’m going to mess up, say the wrong thing or something, and everyone will think I’m a fraud or know that things aren’t quite right. Wes says it’ll be fine, but there’s so many little differences.” I buried my face in his chest, worry consuming me.
His hand stroked my hair in a soothing gesture.
“I believe in you. It will take a little time to get adjusted. You’re right, we should figure out a long-term solution to your university not existing here, but I know that you can do this.
There are so many great things that we will accomplish together. ”
There he went, once again, believing in me so much that it made me want to believe in myself.
“You belong here, with us, but I understand that every day you find so many little things to remind you of this world’s differences. I’m always here if you want to talk,” he added.
I belonged here. With them. Each day, it felt like I fit in a little more.
“Thank you.” Hearing someone other than Wes and Evan say it made me feel better. Like I wasn’t imagining it. It helped me to feel as if staying here was actually the best choice–and not just because I feared the temporal police and enjoyed being dicked down on the regular.
We talked a little longer, mostly about minor differences I’d found in the field, and how special projects operated.
“I’ll take you to whatever conferences you’d like,” he told me. “It will be nice to have someone to go with.”
“There’s so much to learn. Not to mention a whole lot to see,” I replied.
“There’s so much I want to show you.” His voice went low again, and the vibrations from his chest sizzled through me.
The urge to kiss him grew. We hadn’t really discussed our relationship, we just talked, played chess, and cuddled. He’d mentioned wanting to teach me tennis so that we could play doubles.
I tilted my head up, wondering what would happen if I closed the space between our faces. Obviously, he felt something for me. What did his lips taste like?
“Do you want a kiss, Darling?” Spencer leaned in and kissed me.
My breath hitched in my chest, and I kissed him back, his leather scent surrounding me.
“More,” I breathed.
His arms tightened around me, and his kiss deepened.
“Hey, Spence?” Evan walked in. “Oh, fuck that’s hot.”
Spencer’s arms tightened slightly, as if letting me know that it was okay to stay.
“Hi, Evan,” Spencer said.
“Don’t mind me.” Evan laughed.
“Good.” Spencer kissed me again, his hand tangling in my hair.
Arousal and love pulsed through my bond with Evan.
Finally, Spencer broke off the kiss and turned to Evan. “Grace has accepted the job.”
“That’s great. I just wanted to ask about tomorrow?” Evan winked at me.
“It’s all settled. We’ll pick them up there and then head to the gala together,” Spencer replied.
I continued to lounge on Spencer’s lap, feeling cozy. “This is about getting ready for tomorrow? Thanks for that.”
Riley and I were going to a spa after she finished school for the day. I’d be happy getting ready here. But it was fun being spoiled.
“I figured that you and Riley might like some time together.” Spencer smiled.
“It’ll be fun.” Okay, I was nervous about the gala tomorrow.
“Wes is ready for movie night when you are,” Evan told me.
Oh. Right. Movie night.
“Go on. You know where to find me.” Spencer gave me another kiss.
“I’m excited to be a member of your team.” I slid off his lap and kissed him on the cheek.
Spencer gave my hand a squeeze, sending little tingles through me. “As am I. I can’t wait to see what we accomplish together.”
“Let’s make popcorn.” Evan put his arm around my waist, and we left Spencer’s rooms. “That was adorable.”
We walked downstairs to the kitchen.
“It just… happened. I…” My chest shook a little, worrying about what he might think.
“Grace.” Evan planted a kiss on my temple. “In this house, there’s no need to feel bashful about needing a cuddle or a kiss or a fuck. You and Spence are cute together. It’s been so long since…”
“There was someone, wasn’t there.” My voice was soft as I got out some popcorn.
He nodded as he took the popper out of the cabinet. “Yeah. When she died… it… it wrecked him. For a moment there, I was afraid I’d lose him, too. While he’s had some relationships since then, it’s never been serious. The fact that he’s even considering courting you makes me so happy.”
“Wow.” I got out a bowl and put it under the popper, trying to wrap my head around it. “How long ago?”
“It was right before my parents died.”
“So young.” My hand went to my heart as he started the popper.
“Yep. He’s my dear friend, my packmate, and I want him to find happiness again. That it’s with you?” He grinned and opened the fridge. “Amazing.”
“There’s a lot to like about Spencer.” I rummaged in the cabinet for candy as the popcorn popped. I wanted a relationship with him. However, I was happy to bide my time, especially after finding out that he’d lost the love of his life.
“There is. Wes is fine with it–as he’s said. They just like to banter, since Spence is basically our older brother. I introduced them very early on.” Evan laughed as he got out butter and some drinks.
“Yeah?”
“I also told Spencer about Wes the day I met him. That evening I called up Spence and was like I met this alpha today, and I think he’s the one. His name might be Wes. I wasn’t even an omega yet, I still thought I was a beta.”
“Which would be why you introduced them to each other early. You wanted Spence’s opinion before you got too serious?” I got the salt down.
“Yes. I needed a second opinion, because I didn’t chase alphas. But Wes, hot damn.” Evan grinned. “Fortunately, Spencer agreed–and they got along. It would be difficult for me to be with someone who didn’t get on with Spence. Or Riley, for that matter. I’m glad they love you.”
“I’m happy that they love me, too. I love them all.” What would it be like to do more than kiss Spencer?
Evan kissed my neck, and his lips brushed across my ear. “What was that? ”
I ducked my head and lowered my voice. “Is it weird that I want to kiss Spence? I mean I have you and Wes.”
He pinned me to him. “No. Stop. I already have Wes, Brennan, and Jett, and I want to kiss you. All the time. Also, you taking the job is a good thing.”
“I’ll still make your lunch. I enjoy making it.”
“Please. Like I said before, the notes are my favorite part.” He grinned.
“I aim to please.” I took the butter and put it in a bowl so that I could melt it in the microwave.
His eyebrows waggled. “Yeah? Promise?”
I laughed. “I wouldn’t have it any other way.”