Chapter 9
Chapter Nine
Graham
“Scrambled or fried?”
I roll over and stretch my arms overhead, wincing as my bones creak. “You don’t have to make breakfast.”
Mara’s voice is muffled as she pulls her shirt over her head. “It doesn’t look like you’re moving any time soon.”
I sit up and grab her around the waist, pulling her back onto the bed. “You don’t have to move either.”
“I’m starved, and Cupid needs his walk.” She leans back against my chest. “Somebody kept me up all night last night.”
I press a kiss to the spot where her shoulder and neck meet, already knowing it’s a favorite. “Somebody kept me up, too.”
She laughs and pushes against me, struggling to stand. “I thought older men were supposed to be tired all the time.”
I shrug. “I feel better than I have in years.”
Yesterday, the comment would have stung. I’d have felt insecure around Mara’s youth and vibrance. But, today? All I feel is incredibly lucky.
I roll off the bed, grabbing Mara for one more, lazy kiss. “I’ll walk Cupid.”
She wraps her arms around my neck and leans against my chest. Her full breasts flatten between us, and it’s all I can do to keep my hands from roaming up from her waist to cup them. I restrain myself, knowing if I hold the firm weight of them in my hands, I won’t be able to stop touching her until we are in bed again.
I kiss her one last time, then slide out of her embrace. Threading my legs through a pair of sweatpants, I turn to find her watching.
The brightness in her gaze tells me she likes what she sees. Then, a dent forms between her brows.
“You’re not going out like that, are you?”
I grab a shirt from the bottom drawer. “I’ve got a shirt.”
Her brows go up. “But you’re wearing gray sweatpants.”
“What’s wrong with them?” I slide the shirt over my head. “It’s seven in the morning on a weekend. No one is dressed up.”
She points to my pants, giving her head a little shake. “Don’t you know what you look like in those?”
Cupid, tail wagging, waits impatiently at the door to the bedroom. I stoop down and rub his head as I stuff my feet into sneakers.
“Cupid doesn’t care what I look like.”
Mara’s gaze is on my crotch, a gleam lighting up her eyes. “You’re giving the neighbors a show.”
I glance down at my baggy gray sweatpants. “I’m fully covered.”
“Don’t you know about sweatpants season?”
Confusion knits my brow. “I wear these year-round.”
Mara laughs and pushes me toward the door. “Don’t be too long and let me know how many women come to their windows to watch you walk by.”
My phone buzzes from where I’d left it on the dresser, and I grab it on my way out. Vanessa’s name lights up the screen. It’s unusual, but not unheard of for her to call this early on the weekends.
I hit the red end button and pocket the phone, planning to call her back once I’m outside, but the phone buzzes again immediately.
It must be urgent if she’s calling back so quickly. I hope it’s nothing to do with switching up my schedule. I’m all set to start traveling tomorrow.
Clicking Cupid’s leash in place, I slip out the front door and pluck my phone from the pocket of my sweatpants. Before I can even say hello, Vanessa Blake’s voice shrills down the line.
“There’s no need to panic.” Her voice is breathless. “I’ve got this all under control.”
Vanessa is a little dramatic, but I’m used to her. She handles everything with a sense of need and urgency, right down to my coffee order.
Since I’m the kind of writer who works straight up to a deadline, I need a publicist like Vanessa in my corner to keep everything else in order.
“What’s going on? It’s not the schedule, is it? Because I’ve put a hold on writing my new book for this tour, and changing things will…”
“Have you been online this morning?”
A smile curves my lips. I have been on Mara this morning. And she has been on me. “Nope.”
There’s a long pause. Cupid pees on a few bushes in a row before Vanessa responds.
“Maybe you shouldn’t.”
My stomach drops. “Is it a one-star?” Even though I try not to worry about my reviews, every bad one I see punches me straight in the gut. “Just put it in the file.”
“No,” Vanessa is quick to reassure me. “It’s not a bad review.”
I let out a breath and lead Cupid back to the house. Eggs don’t take too long, and I don’t want to keep Mara waiting.
“It’s a woman.”
“What kind of woman?” I hold back a sigh of frustration. Vanessa should have been a writer. She knows how to build tension and suspense.
“Are you dating someone new?” she asks.
My gaze snaps to my house a few yards away, and it occurs to me I haven’t officially taken Mara on a date.
That ends now.
As soon as I get back to the house, I’m asking her to dinner.
“Why do you ask?”
“It’s in your best interest to dump this woman.”
“What’s my dating life got to do with anything?”
“It’s all over the internet. You and this woman at the park.” She lowers her voice. “Kissing.”
My blood runs cold. “There are pictures of us kissing? Who would do that?”
“I’m not sure of the source, but your fans aren’t happy.”
“My fans?” They’ve never cared about my personal life before. As long as I keep writing books, they don’t get in my business.
“They’re saying she’s a gold digger.” Vanessa takes a breath. “And worse.”
“What’s worse than that?” I open the browser on my phone and type in my name. Sure enough, I see what’s worse. “You need to crush this. Now.”
Vanessa sighs. “It would be easier to get rid of her.”
I think about last night and wince. “Not happening.”
“Graham, you could have any woman you want. Why make it hard on yourself?”
There’s only one woman I want. “Kill this story.”
“I’ll try. But…”
I yank open the door to my house. “No buts. This is what I pay you for.”
Her voice goes icy with indignation. “Of course.”
I can only hope that Mara doesn’t decide to look me up on social media before Vanessa can get this fixed. Some of the things my fans were saying about her were beyond cruel. It wouldn’t be fair for Mara to get hurt.
Cupid runs into the kitchen and greets Mara as if he hasn’t seen her in years. His tail thumps the floor, and his entire body shakes with enthusiasm.
I know how he feels, and I’m not going to let anything my fans say hurt my relationship with Mara.
“This smells delicious.” I take the plate she offers me. “Thank you so much.”
“You’re welcome.” She beams. “I enjoy cooking—especially in a kitchen like this.” She does a quick twirl around my state-of-the-art kitchen. “It’s a dream come true.”
“I don’t use it much. I usually order in or survive on canned food if I’m on a writing binge.”
“That’s a shame.”
I pour us both cups of coffee. “I can make great coffee.”
She takes a seat at the bar and sips appreciatively. “I agree.”
“It occurred to me that we haven’t actually been on a date yet.”
“That’s because we aren’t dating.”
I fork up a bite of eggs and chew thoughtfully. “I’d like to change that. Starting tonight.”
“Are you asking me on a date? A real date?”
“What’s your favorite restaurant?”
“I don’t have one.”
That’s not the answer I was hoping for, but it opens the opportunity to take her to the best place in town. “Are you free tonight?”
“We close at six on Sundays.”
“I’ll pick you up at seven thirty.”
She quirks a brow at me. “I didn’t say yes yet.”
My heart sinks. “You don’t want to go out with me?”
“I didn’t say that either.”
I put my fork down and give her my undivided attention. “I know this started as an exchange of favors, and we pretended it was fake. But last night changed everything.”
She considers me for a long moment. “Did it?”
“It did for me.”
“It was just great sex, Graham.”
I laugh. “Just great sex could lead to more.”
She shrugs. “You are pretty cute, but… I don’t know about a relationship. I’m a free spirit.”
“Let me take you to dinner, Mara.” I can’t believe I’m begging, but I will get on my knees for her. “We can see where it goes from there.”
Finally, she agrees to let me take her to dinner. I feel like I’ve won the lottery. I’m going to show her how great we can be together.
I just hope she doesn’t do a deep dive online before we get the chance to start.