15. CHAPTER 15
CHAPTER 15
SCARLETT
“Are you sure they don’t mind me coming?”
Grant shifts the car into park and turns to look at me. His forehead creases as he asks, “Who would mind? Cash and Ari?”
I glance at the expansive house—it’s more like a mansion, really—in front of us before looking back at him. “Yes. With everything going on, and Winnie, and—”
“Baby.” His tone gentles. “Of course Cash and Ari don’t mind you coming. They want you here. Ari specifically asked if I was bringing you.”
“But...” My stomach gives a little lurch. “We still don’t know if I was targeted. If someone might be after me. And with everyone here… especially Winnie. I don’t want people worrying that there could be a problem.”
“We talked about this,” Grant replies patiently. “Cash and Ari’s property is extremely secure. There’s nothing to worry about here.” He pauses. “If you’re not feeling comfortable though, we can go home. They’ll understand.”
I am a little nervous about being here. It’s ridiculous because Grant has already explained how safe it is at Cash and Ari’s place, and it’s not like I don’t go to Blade and Arrow for work, but this feels different. At Grant’s house, I feel totally safe. And at B and A, I know everyone. I’ve been visiting for years.
Grant’s friends all seem great, but I don’t know them as well. I want to, but this whole situation has turned everything sideways.
Only weeks ago, I went to my patients’ houses without blinking. I never worried about them being safe. I never panicked in the driveway before I went inside; anxiety making my pulse race and my chest get tight.
Crap. I’m supposed to be working on becoming the strong Scarlett. Not the scared one.
I need to suck it up. Be the supportive girlfriend for a change. Not ruin this chance for Grant to spend time with his friends.
Setting my shoulders, I paste on what I hope looks like a convincing smile. “I’m fine. Of course I want to be here. I just don’t want anyone worrying that I’m going to bring trouble, is all.”
“No one thinks that.” Grant takes my hand and strokes his thumb across the back of it. “It is absolutely safe here. Cash made sure of it. You know what happened to Ari. Do you think he would take any chances with her safety? With Winnie’s?”
“No.” I’ve heard the basics of what Ari went through. First she was drugged and abducted by a blind date, then abducted again and nearly killed by Cash’s psychotic brother. Which makes what happened to me sound pretty tame, in comparison. “You’re right. I’m just letting my nerves get the best of me. ”
“It’s okay.” He leans over and presses a quick kiss to my lips. “It’s going to be alright. And once we get in there, start talking to everyone, you’ll realize there’s nothing to worry about. We’ll have fun.”
Yes. That’s what we’re supposed to be doing. Having fun. Doing an actual couple-y thing together. Spending time with my boyfriend’s friends. And I’m not letting my dumb anxiety mess it up.
“You’re right,” I repeat, shaking my head as he grins at me. “But don’t get used to me saying that all the time.”
“Of course not.” He flashes me an innocent look. “I would never. According to the guys, I’m supposed to agree with you. All the time.”
The pressure on my chest eases. “Yes. The woman is always right.” I reach down to my feet and grab the gift bag that’s been sitting there. “Let’s go inside. Give Cash his present. And maybe get something to eat. I’m starving.”
“Okay.” Grant puts his hand on the door handle, but pauses before opening it. “We’ll have fun, baby. But whenever you want to go home, we’ll go. It doesn’t matter how long we’ve been here. Alright?”
What did I do to deserve such an amazing boyfriend?
With a genuine smile this time, I nod at him. “Okay.”
And within ten minutes, I realize Grant was right.
I am having fun .
As soon as we got inside, Cash kindly explained all the security he’s installed, much of it the same as what Grant has at his house. So that helped.
Then Ari came rushing over and gave me a big hug, beaming at me as she said, “I’m so glad you could come. I’ve been wanting to get to know you better. Thea and Rose, too. We’ll have to have some wine and chat.”
Everyone else was incredibly nice, too. Ian and Rose, Ben and Thea, Eloise and Dave and Mitch from Station 4, Willow and Ryan from the ambulance corps—all people I’ve met before but never really got to know beyond casual conversation. No one seemed concerned about safety; they just said how happy they were that I came.
Some of the B and A people are here—Finn and Hanna, Elle and Zane, and Charlie and Rylan. Clara has a cold, so Maya stayed home with her, and while I’m sorry Maya couldn’t come, it’s probably a good thing because it’ll give me more incentive to talk with Ari, Thea, and Rose.
After all, if things work out with Grant the way I hope they do, I’ll be spending a lot more time with his friends. So this is a great opportunity to get to know them.
And it’s nice walking around with Grant, holding his hand or feeling the brush of his palm against my lower back. It’s nice talking with the guys from the station and hearing all their funny stories, like the time Ian set his kitchen on fire and had to call the guys at the station to come put it out .
Rose laughed as Cash told that one, but she smiled affectionately at Ian as she said, “I’m not a good cook, either. We order lots of takeout.”
The longer we spend here, the more I relax. I talk to Eloise about a new app she’s designing—apparently she’s a computer genius and has sold apps to Apple and Google—and I hear all about Mitch’s new puppy, and Willow tries to convince me to join their trivia team. “When everything settles down, of course,” she adds. “We could really use someone with a strong science background.”
I’ve heard about the trivia team; Grant’s a part of it too and he’s told me I’m welcome to come whenever I want. I wasn’t sure before, but now I find myself saying, “I’d like that. Hopefully, soon, I can come.”
As we walk away, Grant leans in and kisses my cheek. “I’d love for you to come to trivia with me.” He pauses, and his cheeks go ruddy. “Ben and Ian bring their partners, and it seems… nice. If you wanted to come with me, too…”
“I do.” His pleased smile makes my chest blossom with happiness. “I’d love to come to trivia with you and your friends.”
It’s times like this when I remember Grant has insecurities, too. Just because he seems like this strong, protective guy who never gets rattled by anything, he has his moments of vulnerability. Times when he needs reassurance, just like I do.
We’ve been at the party for about an hour before Ari, Thea, and Rose descend on us. Thea pins Grant with a stern look, though she’s hiding a smile. “Enough hogging Scarlett,” she scolds lightly. “We’re taking her for some girl time.”
“If that’s okay,” adds Rose softly as she meets my gaze. “If you want to stay with Grant, that’s alright, too.”
Grant squeezes my hand. “I don’t mind, Scarlett. I can talk to the guys. Or”—he pivots, giving me an out—“we can check out the library, like you mentioned earlier. Whatever you want to do is fine.”
When we got here, the last thing I wanted was to be apart from Grant. But now, I feel okay with it. “I’m good,” I reassure him. “Go talk to the guys.”
“Okay.” He cups my cheek and kisses me gently, while Ari, Rose, and Thea make awwing sounds in the background. “I won’t be far. Come find me when you’re done. Or text me.”
Once we’re all seated in the solarium, Ari shoots me a huge grin. “I’ve never seen Grant like this before. It’s so sweet.”
I take a sip of my wine spritzer before asking, “Like how?”
Ari folds her legs underneath her, settling back against the cushions of a very expensive-looking couch. “He seems… softer. Grant is always so confident. Unflappable. But with you…”
Thea tucks a rogue piece of curly hair behind her ear. “It’s the way he looks at you. Like nothing else matters but you.”
Everything inside goes all oozy. “You really think so?”
Ari and Thea exchange a glance, then both of them reply in unison, “Definitely.”
Rose nods. “I agree. He looks at you the way Ian looks at me. And—” Her cheeks turn a faint pink and her voice dips conspiratorially. “Ian told me Grant’s been talking about you. For months. Whenever they’re at the station together, Grant always finds a way to mention you.”
Did I think I felt all oozy? I’m a puddle of sappy goo.
I can’t stop from smiling. “He does?”
“He definitely cares about you,” Ari says. “Cash said Grant’s never brought a date to any event. Not since he moved here.” Her expression sobers. “I have to ask, because Grant is my friend. But… do you at least feel sort of the same way about him?”
Thea whacks Ari on the arm. “This isn’t the inquisition, you know.”
Ari makes a face at her. “I know that. I’m just asking.”
“It’s okay.” I meet Ari’s gaze. “I get it. Grant’s amazing. You don’t want to see him hurt.”
“Not that I think you would,” Ari starts.
“I wouldn’t. Ever.” And suddenly I blurt out something I haven’t even told Maya yet. “I told him I’m falling for him. And he feels the same way.”
“Awww.” It’s a chorus from all three women.
Thea reaches across the coffee table and pats my hand. “I’m so happy for you.”
“Do you think it’s too soon?” Now that I’ve had some wine, and my defenses are slipping, I find myself wanting to talk to them. I talk to Maya about this stuff, but Ari, Thea, and Rose seem really nice, and it couldn’t hurt to get their opinions. Especially knowing that they’ve all fallen in love somewhat recently .
“Too soon for what?” Ari takes a healthy sip of her wine and sighs happily. “We had my mom come to stay for the weekend,” she adds as an aside. “So I can have some drinks and celebrate with my husband.” Then she focuses on me again. “What’s too soon?”
“Falling in love? We haven’t been dating that long; not really.”
Thea’s expression goes thoughtful before she says, “But you guys have been friends for months. So it’s not like meeting a complete stranger.”
“And sometimes you just know,” Rose adds with a smile. “After one date with Ian, I knew he was someone special.”
Ari nods. “Everyone’s different. With me and Cash, we were friends for over a decade before we both realized we wanted more. Sometimes I wish we’d figured it out sooner. But then again. Maybe it was meant to work out this way. I’m beyond happy, and that’s what really matters. Not how long—”
“Or short,” Thea interjects.
“Right. The timeline isn’t important. It’s how you feel.” With a serious gaze, Ari looks at me and asks, “Does it feel right with Grant?”
“Yes.” There’s no hesitation. “Everything with Grant feels right.”
Thea beams at me. “So that answers your question.”
Ari holds up her glass. “Okay, so. A toast to falling in love.”
Once we all clink glasses, Thea smiles and turns to me. “So. I heard you love reality romance shows. Is that true? ”
“Yes.”
“Excellent!” Ari beams at me. “Thea and I watch every season of Bachelor in Paradise . And The Bachelor . Even when we lived apart, we’d FaceTime while we watched them.”
“You have to join us,” adds Thea. “We’re trying to convert Rose, too. She’s a tough sell, though.”
A giddy joy fizzes through me. Why was I nervous about coming? The belt around my chest unloosens a final notch and drops away. “I’d really like that.”
Unlike before the party; afterwards, I can’t stop smiling.
As we drive home—much later than I anticipated staying—I’m bubbling over with all the things I talked about at the party. Grant keeps casting quick, pleased looks over at me, and he hasn’t let go of my hand the entire time.
“So we’re going to watch the next season of The Bachelor together, and Rose even agreed to give it a try.”
“That’s great, baby.” Grant gives my hand a little squeeze. “I knew you’d get along great with them.”
“Yeah. They’re really nice. I mean, I knew they were. But actually talking to them, I could see us being friends.” After a brief pause, I add, “Not like Maya. She’s my best friend. But I wouldn’t mind having more.”
The wine I sipped all afternoon has definitely had an effect on me. I’m not drunk by any means, but I’ve hit that talkative mode that comes after a few glasses of wine. “I told them Love is Blind and The Ultimatum are reserved for you, though. And Bachelors in the Bush .”
“Oh.” Grant glances away from the road for a second. His lips twitch as he says dryly, “Thank goodness. I wouldn’t want to miss out on those quality shows.”
I humph at him. “Those are good shows.”
Grant turns into his driveway—our driveway, I’ve started to think of it—and stops at the gate to punch in a complicated code complete with a twelve digit number and a fingerprint and retinal scan to unlock it.
Once the gate closes behind us, he stops the car and twists in his seat to face me. “I’m just kidding. I love watching those shows with you. If you want to watch some of them with your friends, I completely understand. But I like seeing you get all into the shows and the contestants. It’s something you enjoy, so I want to experience it with you.”
Oh.
That gooey feeling is back again.
And along with it, as I gaze at him in the dimness of the car, the moonlight casting shadows on his features and making his eyes glint a sparkling silver, I start having some other kinds of feelings.
Like the ache at my core; an emptiness desperate to be filled.
My nipples go hard, making an appearance through my bra and dress.
Dampness builds and I feel myself opening for him .
I can already imagine Grant inside me, thick and hard, his velvety heat dragging against my inner walls. My womb clenches as I think about him plunging deep, filling me completely.
My breath quickens in anticipation.
My skin is all raw nerves and every touch sears into me—Grant’s thumb caressing the back of my hand, the slight pressure of his fingers on my palm.
His hands are the perfect combination of soft and rough. Each touch is tender, but I love how his fingers are just the slightest bit rough. Like when he suckles my nipples through my bra, or laps at me through the lace at the apex of my thighs, the contradiction of sensations is better than I ever dreamed it could be.
“Scarlett.” There’s a hint of laughter in Grant’s voice.
Yanking myself back to reality, I reply quickly, “What?”
He smirks. “Are you okay?”
“Yes. Of course. Why?”
“Well.” His gaze drifts to my breasts. “All of a sudden, you got really quiet. And then—” He trails a finger across my collarbone and down to my nipple, flicking it lightly. My traitorous nipples go impossibly harder as he adds, “It seemed like you were thinking of something. Would you care to share it with me?”
I’ve discovered something about Grant as our physical relationship has blossomed. He doesn’t have a problem saying that he wants me, but he absolutely loves it when I say it to him.
And while I’ve never been the most forward when it comes to men—despite my claims of independence, that’s one thing I’ve never been fully comfortable with—with Grant, I adore watching his reaction when I tell him how I’m feeling. Or how much I want him.
Lifting my chin, I say, “I was thinking about you.”
“Oh?”
As his fingers pluck and caress my nipple, I arch into his hand with a little gasp. “Yes.”
His voice goes rough. “And what were you thinking?”
I reach over and place my hand on the hard bulge below his waist. He twitches, going harder than he was already, straining at the layers of fabric between. “I was thinking about wanting you inside me. How good it feels.”
“Ah, Scarlett.” He throbs beneath my hand. “I think that could be arranged.”
Anticipation makes it hard to breathe, but this is the best kind of feeling. I lean towards Grant and capture his lips with mine. “Yes, please.”
Abruptly, the car starts moving again. As we continue down the driveway, the light catches his face as he glances over at me. He looks so handsome I can barely stand it. “Anything you want, baby.” A pause, and then, “I cannot wait to make love to you.”
Happiness swells inside me, so big and intense I’m not sure it’ll fit.
A great day. A party. New friends. A place I feel safe.
And Grant.
The man I’m not just falling for. I’ve already fallen.
Who cares about a timeline?
This is right. I just know it.