CHAPTER 34
MAPLE
Voices outside rise, and there seems to be a commotion as I finish logging some observations into the diaries we keep on each flamingo. The door opens, and Hank walks in, looking…tense.
“What’s going on out there?” I ask as I shut the diary.
“Your friend arrived.”
The emphasis on “friend” is laced with discontent.
“Do you mean Graydon?” I ask.
“Yeah. He’s taking pics with some kids outside in front of the mural.” Hank shakes his head. “He’s making a spectacle of it all.”
“Is he?” I ask, not believing that. I stand from my chair, push it in, and then lean against the counter where Hank is. “Or is he using his name to bring awareness?”
“Right now? A spectacle. No one is even looking at the flamingos. They’re all worried about getting a picture with him.”
“In front of the mural, though.”
He shakes his head. “Never mind.”
He starts to walk away, but I stop him by the arm. “He’s not a bad guy, Hank.”
“As you’ve told me before.”
“So then why won’t you give him a chance?”
“Because he’s not good enough for you,” Hank replies without even having to think about it. “You’re better than that, Maple. You’re better than this…this PR stunt that you two are attempting to pull off, and I can see you getting wrapped up in it.”
“What PR stunt?” I ask, my breath coming out heavier, because how does he know?
“Please.” He rolls his eyes. “Graydon isn’t a guy you would go for unless you had some sort of ulterior motive. He’s bringing awareness to your cause, and you’re making him look better by letting him.”
I mean…sure, that’s how it started, but he’s cheapening what we have, at least what I think we have.
There’s more to it than that. I feel a connection with Graydon, something driving me toward him as if I was meant to be brought into his life, not just to promote the Foghorns and flamingos, but because I’m the person who fills that empty space in his heart.
At least that’s what it seems like.
“I can tell by your expression that you don’t agree with me,” Hank says and takes my hand. “Listen, Maple. I just don’t want you to get hurt, okay? I’ve known you for a really long time, and I know the person you are. This spotlight thing, with him, it’s not you—”
“Everything okay in here?” Graydon asks as he walks into the building, spotting me and Hank…holding hands.
I take my hand away and nod, putting on a smile. “Everything is good. Did you, uh, did you take pictures with some fans?”
Graydon looks between Hank and me, and I prepare for him to put Hank into a choke hold, but then his eyes settle on me again, ignoring Hank completely. “I did. A group of kids spotted me and made the most of it.” He nods in my direction. “Ready to go?”
“Yeah, I’m ready.”
He walks past Hank, and I’m surprised he doesn’t bump into him, possibly elbow him in the nose, or all-out bite his ear off. Instead, Graydon remains decently calm, lifting up my hand and kissing my knuckles. “Let’s go.”
Okay, going the mature route; I can get on board with that.
Then he guides me away from Hank and helps me gather my things, and we head out of the building.
His hand clamps around mine, and he keeps me close while we make our way out to his truck, where he opens the door for me like always and helps me in.
But this time, instead of shutting the door and moving to his side, he stays put.
“You good?”
I nod. “Yeah, I’m fine.” Why am I so nervous?
Maybe because I’ve seen him lose his mind over Hank, and him walking in on Hank holding my hand could have very well ended Hank’s young life.
He studies me, those dark eyes eating me up. “Doesn’t seem like you’re fine. Seems like that dick back there said something to you.”
“Graydon, it’s nothing.”
“It’s fucking something if he’s making your brow crease like that.” He presses his thumb between my eyes, trying to get me to relax. “Talk to me.”
Talk to him.
How easily he’s willing to do that now—not that I’d chastise him, not even a little. I’m truly honored and fascinated that he has offered me such trust, that he’s opened himself up to me and is not so guarded anymore. He’s not just protective but also caring.
I turn toward him, and he moves between my legs and rests his hands on my sides as he leans in, ready to listen. I run my finger over his jaw as I tell him the truth.
“He was just saying things about our relationship and how it doesn’t make sense. How you’re not someone I would normally go for.” His brow creases, but he continues to listen. “How he thinks it’s just a PR stunt and I’m not someone looking for the spotlight.”
“You’re not, and that’s not what you’re doing.”
“I know,” I answer.
“Then why are you looking like what he said has some truth to it?”
“I don’t know. I guess I didn’t like what he said. I feel like there’s more to us than what he claims, but then again, we don’t know a lot about each other yet, and I don’t know, I might be getting in my head or I might be jumping the gun, but I feel…connected—”
“We are connected,” he says softly, then cups my cheek.
“Trust me when I say, if I didn’t feel that pull toward you, I never would have told you about my mom.
I wouldn’t have even pursued you. I don’t take my decisions on the people I place in my life very lightly.
I learned that quickly when even my own father turned his back on me.
” His thumb rubs my cheek. “Don’t let other people make you feel a certain way about what we have going on.
Remember what you told me? That you have your own mind and you don’t let people sway you? Where did that girl go?”
“Momentarily taking a break.”
“She can’t.” He shakes his head. “You have to stay strong for me, Maple, because the dickhead saying that to you, that’s just a drop in the goddamn bucket. I don’t want to scare you, but it can get way worse, and it will get way worse.”
“You’re right.” I place my hands on his shoulders. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have let him get to me.”
“You’re human, beautiful, it’s going to happen, but just keep talking to me about it, and don’t hold it in, okay?”
“Okay.”
“Now…” He moves in closer. “Pretty sure you owe me something.”
I smirk and lean forward, wrapping my arms around his neck. One of my hands shifts into his styled hair as I brush my lips against his. “Is this what you’re talking about?”
“Yeah.”
I allow myself the moment to sink into this man, let our mouths get lost in each other as our lips part and I kiss him.
I kiss him like no one is watching.
I kiss him with such demand that I can feel the lust I have for him blossom and sprint all throughout my veins.
He grunts against me, his grip on me tightening. I could stay like this forever, just blocking out the world around us and letting myself feel him. Join him in a world where there is no reality, no one is watching, and it’s just me and him and this infatuation that keeps growing between us.
“Fuck,” he says as he pulls away, his heady eyes staring me down. “You can’t…Jesus, you can’t kiss me like that in public.”
“Why not?” I ask as my fingers sift through his hair.
“Because I was seconds away from tearing your shirt off. And this body”—his hands smooth over my sides—“it’s only meant for my eyes.”
“Oh, is that so?”
“Yeah, it fucking is.”
“And what about yours?” I ask. “It seems as though your body is up for grabs all over the internet.”
“That means nothing.”
“People still get to see you. Maybe I’ll pose in a bikini for some zookeeper calendar.”
“The fuck you will.”
I chuckle. “You are far too possessive.”
“Only where you’re concerned.”
He kisses me one more time and then turns me in my seat.
“Can we stop by my place before our date?” I ask. “I really want to take a shower before we go out and change into something that’s not my work outfit. I promise I’ll be quick.”
“Sure, but I can’t promise I’ll stay out of the shower.”
I point my finger at him. “No, you are not allowed in.”
“Okay.” He rolls his eyes as if he doesn’t believe me.
He better believe me, because I have no intention of letting him in that bathroom.
“Stop pouting,” I say, poking Graydon’s arm as he drives through the streets of San Francisco.
“I’m not pouting.”
“Yes, you are. You’re pouting because I locked you out of the bathroom.”
“Because you were naked and wet, and you didn’t let me play.”
I chuckle because this big, bad man with the energy of a dragon and the expression of a villain looks like a hurt puppy who just got their toy taken away.
“Because I wanted to go on a date with you, and if I let you play, we wouldn’t be out right now.”
“You underestimate me.”
“No, I estimate you appropriately. I know how long it will take you to make me come. You like to torture me.”
The corner of his lip tilts up.
“See?” I point at his mouth. “You even know it.”
“I would have been quick.”
“Liar.”
He lightly chuckles and then places his hand on my thigh, the feel of his warm palm against my skin sending my pulse racing with promises of what’s to come tonight.
This intense connection I feel with Graydon is completely different from anything I’ve felt before.
With Hardy, there was comfort there, the kind of comfort I’ve come to find as friendship.
It took me a while to figure that out, but now that I look back at it, I see it.
We were together for a long time, but examining that relationship now, it was almost like we were really good friends…
with benefits. The love, the lust, the palpable need I feel with Graydon was not there.
And when I was in Peru, around Hank all the time, yes, I had a crush.
I thought about him often. Even after I came back to the States, a piece of me felt like I left something behind in Peru.
But being around Hank now, it feels like that piece I left behind was friendship again.
Because when Graydon is around, it feels like everything and everyone else fades to black, and he’s what is helping me pump air into my lungs.
I want his attention on me.