6. Grayson
6
Grayson
Daisy has asked me to shave my face for three years now. Hell, she even went out of her way to buy me razors I completely forgot about. All the way until I found one resting in my shower. Made me consider taking away the layer that hid who I am beneath.
Even after I shaved away all the hair, I spent too much time staring at my reflection. On the other side of the mirror is someone I thought I said goodbye to when I moved to this mountain in the first place.
One woman crosses my path, and I do something I couldn’t do for myself.
I can’t even get self-conscious. Not when she’s sneaking glances in my direction whenever she thinks I’m not looking.
I’ve got to say, having her attention on me feels really fucking good. However, I don’t just want her to look. I wouldn’t mind feeling her hands cupping my cheeks again.
“I got a hold of my sister earlier,” I explain as she’s flipping a pancake far too large. “Took some hunting down, but I found an old radio she gave me. Didn’t expect her to reach her, but she’s too loving for her own good.”
In the corner of my eyes, I see the way her shoulders tense up. Not the reaction I expected.
A voice in the back of my head pushed me to call Daisy. Even if I wanted Piper to stay here until every rain cloud in the sky disappeared, I needed to give her a way to get home.
Shouldn’t Piper be excited?
No, she’s looking at her pancakes with an expression I can’t read. Definitely not happiness, that’s for sure.
“Will they send someone?” Her lips press in a firm line.
“Don’t know. I told her not to.” Mixing my concoction, I add even more sugar into my pan. “Figured I’d take you down most of the way. You didn’t make it too far up, no offense.”
Her mouth twitches as she nods. “Good.”
Good ? What am I supposed to do with that?
Do I tell her I rejected help because I wanted to extend our time together? Would she still say good ? Or would she want to give me a good shake for being a greedy bastard?
What I’d do to find out.
“Here.” Spooning up some of the runny red sauce, we both watch as chunks of strawberry fall from the top. “Try this. I don’t care for sweet things like most.”
As her tongue swipes at the spoon, her brows lift, and she brightens. I’m so distracted with her mouth that I almost miss what she’s saying. “This might put me through a sugar coma, but it’s delicious!”
I want to kiss this woman.
Yesterday, she’s the one who almost kissed me, but I didn’t go for it. My failure to meet her halfway haunts me; otherwise, I would know what she tastes like.
I can’t let that happen again.
Catching my stare, she tilts her head. As if she knows exactly what she’s doing to me, her tongue strokes the metal one last time before she’s offering it back to me. I toss it right back into the pan, not giving a damn.
Turning the knobs off on the stove, I keep my eyes on hers as I pluck the spatula out of her hand. Her pupils dilate, and it’s like she’s on the same wavelength as me. The tension between us has been nothing but tight, and I’m not sure how much more either of us can take.
Had last night tortured her as much as it had me?
A part of me hopes it has. Despite fisting my cock, knuckle caught between my teeth to stifle any sounds, I couldn’t get her out of my system.
All I want is Piper, and she’s made me crazy. Can’t act right with her around. However, I don’t want to let her go. Even if it means going insane, I want her to stay in my cabin until the end of our days.
Fuck, I want her as my wife. My wife .
Two words I never thought I’d ever think.
“Grayson?” Whispering my name, she steps back as I step forward. Hands free, she slowly lifts them as her back hits the counter. Pressing her fingers against my chest, the heat burns straight through my shirt.
“Your ankle, it’s fine, isn’t it?” My fingers curl at my sides as my strength dwindles. I don’t want to be rough without thinking and hurt her if I’ve misunderstood.
Her eyes widen, and we both know the truth. I don’t have to ask her twice.
For a few years, I’ve had men pretend to be hurt. They’d come to me to avoid being put on the field. Some would beg me to turn the other eye, some returned with their head hung low. I’ve learned how to get a good read on people.
She’s been brighter than the sun ever since I stepped into the room. From spinning on her heel, to swaying her hips with excitement. All the signs were there, and she didn’t even notice.
So, why does Piper think she has to keep the condition of her ankle a secret?
Reaching for her, her lips part into a perfect o as I lift her up, setting her right on the counter.
“Grayson!” Gasping my name, she stares at me with wide eyes. With her lip caught between her teeth, I’m tempted to lean in and catch it between my own.
Breakfast be damned, I need to know what she tastes like.
“Well?” Lifting a brow, one of my hands cup her knee. Giving it one squeeze, I drag my finger down her leg before I cup her ankle. What little swelling I spotted yesterday is now gone. My thumb brushes the vein dancing around her joint and her toes curl.
She shrugs her shoulders, her cheeks so pretty and pink. Fuck .
Reaching to grab her other one, I squeeze them both before watching a shiver roll up her spine. Her entire body curls, and hearing her little sigh turns my semi-erection into a full-on one.
Stepping forward, I guide her ankles to cross at my back. While I might not have been active with women for a good while, if I’ve misunderstood any of this, I’ve given her the perfect opportunity to let me know once I’ve released her.
Her ankles remain hooked. Hell, she’s tugging me closer to the counter, causing my poor cock to dig into the wood.
“I didn’t want you to kick me out,” she admits through a whisper. Her brows come together, and I can see the nerves written all over her face.
“Piper, I couldn’t ask you to leave, even if the mountain had an evacuation warning.” I shake my head at the very thought. Hell, do I tell her how I really feel? What if I go scaring her off?
Women typically run when a man tells them they want to keep them locked away in their home. Fuck, even I can see how bad that is.
I’d take care of her. All this time, I’ve lived up here without much help. I wouldn’t hurt her like her previous relationship. We’d survive up here on our own, and I’d have everything a man in my position could ask for.
I don’t realize she’s moving to cup my face until her fingers are tickling my skin. Just like the rest of her, she’s so warm. I can’t help but to lean against her touch.
“You mean that?” Her lips curve and I’m blinded by that smile. “You’d let me stay?”
“For as long as you want,” I rasp with a nod. “Not just anyone. Just you.”
Reaching for her, my hands cup the outside of her thighs. Giving her legs a squeeze, I brush the hem of my shirt she’s wearing. Pushing it high toward her hips, I squeeze those next.
“Don’t know what it is, but you’ve flipped everything upside down.” Confessing the truth, I groan in the back of my throat. “Tell me your demands, and I’ll make them happen.”
She looks around, definitely thinking about it. Hell, even if she considers having me, I’ll feel like the luckiest man on this mountain.
After a few seconds, she runs her tongue along her lip, teasing me. Thankfully, her words knock me back into place.
“Would you like to leave the mountain from time to time?” she asks, her voice shaky. It’s a big ask, we both know it. She watches me carefully, giving me plenty of time to soak in her question and try to find an answer.
Even if I’m sure Piper is the one I’ve been waiting my whole life for, am I willing to do something that I’ve sworn off?
“If I see you skin a rabbit, I’ll cry,” she continues when my brows come together. “We have to go grocery shopping. You can’t rely on your sister forever.”
“I’m not right,” I tell her softly. “I don’t do well around people. They look at me, and it’s like they know…” I get choked up on my words.
Being a combat medic, despite my best efforts, I’ve lost men I called friends. Not being able to save them all, the pile of names really grows on a man. Eats up at their conscience until they can’t even be around society without feeling like a monster. Can’t even look at their reflection without feeling sick.
Piper doesn’t look at me like I’m a monster. When she looks at me, there’s only warmth radiating off of her. When I look back, all I see is the nature that keeps me calm. If I’m looking into her eyes, I won’t have time to think about anything that happened in the past.
“If you stay by my side… I’ll try,” I promise her softly.
Her fingers leave my cheeks tingling, and, despite being so much smaller, she easily tugs me toward her mouth.
Any panic I feel at the mystery of the future melts away as our mouths meet in a hot slide. Once she lets me in, I’m tasting the strawberry syrup like I’ve licked it straight from the spoon instead.
Hunger prickles at my senses, and just like that, I’m unable to think once more.
I need to get this shirt off of her. I’ve got to get my lips everywhere else to discover if she’s just as sweet elsewhere. I don’t expect the taste of strawberries, but I’m willing to bet whatever flavor her pussy is will become my favorite.
“Grayson…” Panting my name as my mouth finds her jaw, she pulls at my hair. “Wait.”
My least favorite word.
Pulling back, I take in her flushed expression. Finally getting her right where I want her, I watch as her eyes drift to the side.
“What’s wrong?”
She chews on her lip. “I might disappoint you.”
Impossible.
Her eyes slide back toward mine and she squirms. “What I want to do with you… I’ve never done before.”
She’s keeping up with my kisses, so I know that’s not what she’s referring to.
She’s a virgin, isn’t she?