Chapter 19
Chapter Nineteen
Grayson
I climbed out of the car and walked through the doors of The Grill, where I met Julius for lunch.
“Sorry I’m a few minutes late,” I spoke as I slid into the seat across from him. “I got stuck on a conference call.”
“No worries, bro.”
I picked up the menu and looked it over.
“I think I’m just going to get the lobster salad.”
“That’s it?” Julius asked.
“Yeah. I don’t want to eat too much. Harper is cooking dinner for me tonight.”
“So, I take it things with her are going as planned?”
“Yes.” The corners of my mouth curved upward. “My grandfather wants to meet her after I sang her praises at dinner last night. I have no doubt in my mind that once he meets her, all doubts about signing the company over to me will be gone.”
“I’m still not comfortable with this, Grayson. Do you even remotely like her?”
“She’s a nice girl, and I enjoy spending time with her. But if you’re asking if I’m getting emotionally involved, the answer is no. I’m physically attracted to her, which is a bonus because it makes my plan a lot easier. The four of us should get together one night.”
“And you don’t think she’ll recognize me? Have you forgotten I’m the one who delivered her flowers?”
“You were in street clothes and dark sunglasses. She won’t recognize you.”
“I don’t know. Like I said I don’t want any part of this.”
“Too late, bro. You’re already in. She’s going to think it’s weird if I don’t introduce her to my friends. You need to play your part. At least until I get my company.”
He sat across from me and slowly shook his head.
“Everything is going to work out. Don’t worry about it,” I said.
“I just don’t see how fucking with someone’s life and emotions is going to work out.”
I left the office early to go home, shower and change clothes before heading over to Harper’s apartment. On my way there, I had Damon drop me off at the florist so I could pick up a dozen baby pink roses for her.
“Good evening, Mr. Rhodes.” Sammy smiled as he held the door open for me.
“Good evening, Sammy.”
“Beautiful roses.”
“Thank you. They’re for Harper. She’s having me over for dinner.”
“Ah. I helped her earlier with her groceries. She’s a great woman.”
“She is.” I smiled as the elevator doors opened, and I stepped inside.
Knocking on the door, I stood there holding the bouquet of roses behind my back.
“Hi.” A wide grin graced her face as she opened the door.
“Hi. These are for you.” I handed her the bouquet with a smile.
“Grayson, they’re beautiful. Thank you. Come in.”
The moment I stepped inside, the aroma of a home-cooked meal smacked me in the face.
“Wow, Harper. It smells delicious in here.”
“Dinner will be ready in a few minutes. Make yourself comfortable.”
“What can I do to help?”
“Nothing. Everything is just about done.”
She went into the kitchen to place the flowers in a vase.
“You didn’t have to go to all this trouble.” I followed her.
“It was no trouble at all. I love to cook. You can take the salad over to the table.” She handed me the large wooden bowl with a beautiful-looking antipasto salad.
Walking back to the kitchen, she arranged what looked like stuffed zucchini on a plate.
“What are those?” I asked because they looked and smelled delicious.
“Italian sausage stuffed zucchini.” She smiled.
I took the plate of zucchini and the bread she cut up over to the table while she pulled a glass dish out of the oven.
“I hope you like Caprese Chicken,” she spoke as she set it down in the center of the table.
“It’s one of my favorites.”
I sat at the table and looked at the meal she had cooked for me. Caprese Chicken, Italian sausage stuffed zucchini, antipasto salad, and fresh bread.
“Shit. I forgot the wine,” she said as she began to get up from her seat.
“Sit down. I’ll get it.”
“It’s on the counter, and there’s a glass in the cabinet next to the stove. Would you mind grabbing me a bottle of water from the refrigerator?”
“Coming right up.” I winked.
Not only was she a good designer, she was also an excellent cook. I didn’t think I’d ever had a home-cooked meal this delicious before.
“Where did you learn to cook like this?” I asked.
“My mother taught me. My aunt never cooked, and I had to do all the cooking if I wanted to eat. My mom was a huge cook, and she always had me in the kitchen helping her ever since I was about two years old. I learned a lot from her. Over the years, I found that being in the kitchen was therapeutic for me. It calms my mind if that makes sense. Plus, there’s the creative aspect of it.”
“I can understand that,” I spoke as I took a bite of the Caprese Chicken. “This is amazing.”
I wasn’t just telling her that to make her feel good. I genuinely meant it. Everything about this dinner was exceptional. Especially the Italian sausage stuffed zucchini. I’d never had it before, and it quickly became one of my favorite foods.
When we finished dinner, I cleared the table while she cleaned up the kitchen. When I walked in with the dishes in my hand, she stood over the sink washing the glass dish she cooked the chicken in. Walking up behind her, I placed my hands in the soapy water on top of hers.
“Let me clean this up,” I softly spoke in her ear. “You go sit down and relax.”
She froze and slightly turned her head.
“Thank you. I got this.”
“But I insist.” My breath traveled down her neck.
I heard the sharp intake of her breath as I removed her hands from the water, grabbed a towel, and began to dry them off. She turned around in my arms, and instantly our eyes locked while I finished drying them off.
“You’re my guest,” she softly spoke.
The corners of my mouth curved upward as I stared into her beautiful eyes. Removing the towel from her hands, I set it down and placed my finger under her chin.
“I want to,” I spoke in a mere whisper as I slowly leaned in and brushed my lips against hers.
To be honest, I didn’t know what to expect. Maybe she’d return my kiss or pull away and slap me. She welcomed my lips, and with a slight part, I slipped my tongue inside and met hers for the first time.