Chapter 25
SELENA
Yup, that’s definitely Grayson Rhodes standing at my door, holding a bouquet of yellow tulips. Add that to the list of things I never thought would happen. It’s definitely an image that’ll be ingrained in my brain from this moment until I’m too old to remember anything else.
Letty, smiling from ear to ear, crosses her arms over her chest. With a shit-eating grin, she says, “I’m pretty sure that bouquet of tulips isn’t for me.”
“Right.” Grayson clears his throat. “Here.”
It’s the first time I can remember him looking embarrassed. And it’s adorable. When I reach for the bouquet, Letty is nodding like a proud mom. The flowers must be her idea.
“Thank you. Tulips are my favorite.”
He grunts in reply.
I know I’m blushing, but given that Grayson Rhodes gave me flowers—not just any flowers, but my favorites—I think it’s allowed. When I look up into his eyes, they’re a clear blue like the ocean water found in private, secluded beaches. He shoves his hands in his pocket, looking rather uneasy.
Just as I’m about to invite him and Letty into my apartment, I choke on the croissant I took a bite of before answering the door.
Letty laughs. “Bro, that’s super smooth.”
I can’t argue with her because I’m still coughing.
“You look busy. I’ll come back,” Grayson mutters, his tone bored.
I turn to glare at him, but he’s not by the entrance anymore. He’s in my tiny kitchen, searching through the cabinets. He looks so big next to our small stove, surrounded by trays and trays of the bread I baked.
Earlier today he wouldn’t have been able to walk around.
Usually we’re tidy and neat—or I am—but an explosion of clothing had been detonated in the living room.
Both couches, the coffee table, and TV were all under mountains of cute tops, tiny dresses, and short bottoms. There were even jumpsuits and rompers hanging on the backs of the two bar stools in our very small kitchen island.
Although I was happy with my yellow dress, Jess wasn’t too excited about hers. So, she was trying to put something else together that could go with the Gamma party theme.
Anyway, the clothes have been replaced by bread and now I’m choking. My face is red and my eyes are watery as he hands me a glass of water. I think I stop coughing out of sheer shock.
“Thank you,” I croak, taking the glass while he watches me. That was nice. He doesn’t usually do nice things for me.
Except tonight, he got me yellow tulips. And the other night he gave me a ride home so I didn’t get caught in the rain. Before that he bought me a burger and fries and my favorite iced coffee when I forgot my wallet.
“You’re supposed to drink that,” he reminds me and I swear one corner of his mouth twitches.
“Help her with the flowers,” Letty stage whispers at the same time I ask him, “Why aren’t you dressed for the ‘Springtime’ theme?”
He’s clad in a grey TLU hoodie, blue jeans, and white sneakers.
I mean, he looks good, but still. I’m not sure what I was expecting, maybe a pink polo shirt with some white shorts or a pastel green T-shirt or something, but he’s not dressed for springtime at all.
I’m starting to feel a little self-conscious in the short, yellow dress I’m wearing.
“The theme is optional,” he replies, reaching to take the bouquet back.
“What do mean it’s optional?” I snap, frowning while clinging to my tulips. “You never said it’s optional.”
“You never asked.” He takes my flowers, while refilling my glass.
It’s easier to be annoyed with him than to admire how good he looks. Those broad shoulders and strong thighs are clearly visible. I bet the rest of him is just as impressive.
Selena, no. He’s not impressive.
Even as I tell myself that, for some reason, his hair looks darker and his eyes look bluer. I know that makes absolutely no sense, which is why instead of admiring how not-bad he looks currently, I’m frowning. I think I might even be scowling.
He hands me the glass.
“Thanks,” I mutter.
“Sel, why you getting all worked up?!” Letty laughs. “You look hot in that dress! That’s all that matters. Right, Gray-Gray?”
The way he’s looking at me. I don’t think he’s as impressed with me as I am with him. His scowl is definitely deeper than mine. But that’s not unusual.
“Thanks for the flowers,” I say, yanking them out of his grasp. “I’ll find a vase for these.” I need to get away from him before Letty can say something else embarrassing.
“You got a midterm coming up?” Letty asks, eyeing the tray of croissants closest to her.
“No,” I reply absentmindedly.
“Then, why—ohhhh.”
Grayson looks between us. As I place my tulips in water, I see Letty processing. When she opens her mouth, I know what she’s going to say.
“You can be my agent!” I burst out. “If I decide to play.” I know I won’t, but this’ll buy me some time.
“For real?”
I nod.
Blue eyes bounce between Letty and me.
“What don’t you want her to say?” Grayson asks, one dark eyebrow raised.
“Nothing.” I smile big. “Why would there be something I don’t want her to say?” I ask sweetly.
He narrows his eyes as Letty is bouncing around my apartment screaming, “I just bagged my first client!”
“Finally!” Jess cries, smiling at Letty. She doesn’t bother acknowledging Grayson’s presence though. “Took you long enough. I was about to give your dress away!” she teases, grabbing Letty’s hand to drag her away to change. “Who’s your client?” she asks as they disappear into Jess’s room.
Then, it’s just Grayson Rhodes and me. Alone in the living room. Just the two of us.
“You found parking?” I ask. Honestly, I never imagined he would come up. It’s weird having him inside my apartment. He looks so out of place in this tiny kitchen, which he can probably cover from one end to the other in two long strides.
While his gaze is on mine, the apartment starts to feel smaller. And warmer.
He never answers my question. Instead he looks past me toward my bookshelf. That’s when one side of his mouth curves up. Then a dimple appears.
Oh no.
He takes a step closer to my books. I grab his arm to stop him from moving toward them.
Touching him turns out to be a mistake. My hand is wrapped around his bicep.
No, not his entire bicep, just a fraction of it because the muscles on his arm are big and hard and I’m blushing when I realize I’m squeezing and feeling him up.
“Sorry,” I laugh awkwardly, releasing him. “Your muscles are...musclely.”
Oh my god.
“Muscle-ly?” he repeats.
I ignore the amusement in his tone as I take a step back, away from him.
“Would you like a croissant? Or a concha?
“Did you make them?”
As I serve one of each on a plate I start to tell him the first is a new recipe I’m trying, while the other I’ve known forever. Turning around, I expect to find him by the kitchen island, but I’m horrified to see him standing next to the bookshelf instead.
He took off his jacket, which he tossed over the back of the couch, leaving him in a snug dark green t-shirt that shows off his broad back, perfectly formed biceps and strong forearms. His body’s kind of...nice from this angle.
He’s holding a copy of My Neighbor is From Hell, Literally in his right hand. It’s a forced proximity, daddy/brat, monster romance. I haven’t read it yet, but the reviews swear it’s the filthiest, yummiest smut ever written.
“Put that down!”
The smile he gives me is enough to stop me in my tracks. Molten lava flows through my veins and I can’t form words anymore. I don’t like the effect he’s having on me.
When he flips the book open to a random page, I sprint into action.
“Give me that!”
He lifts the book over his head, knowing I can’t reach.
“What are you doing?”
“What are you doing?” he counters.
“I’m asking for my book back.”
“I’m wondering what your book is about.”
Don’t blush, don’t blush.
“Are you blushing?” Ugh. Now he’s straight up smirking at me. “Is this one anything like Pucking the Team?”
A cold hand sweeps down my back followed by a hot one. Now I’m definitely blushing.
“Or more like Forced Entanglement perhaps?”
Oh. My. God!
He didn’t. He couldn’t have! He’s obviously messing with me.
I cross my arms over my chest, pretending I’m not affected by the sexy half-smile on his face.
“Seriously, Rhodes?”
“Seriously, sweetheart.”
“You didn’t read them,” I declare with a certainty I do not feel.
He chuckles and I swear all my insides flutter. “What makes you say that?” His voice is low and gravelly.
I clear my throat again.
“Two books in less than a week? I don’t think so.”
It’s possible, of course, but I know he’s just messing with me. Personally, even if I had the time, I’m not a fast reader.
He arches an eyebrow, daring me to contradict him.
“You read romance books?” I ask, tone full of sarcasm and doubt.
“I’ve read my first two.”
“Yeah, right.” I walk away, laughing. He almost had me going. “Do you want a concha or croissant?”
“I’d prefer the next books in the series.”
“You and me both.” I roll my eyes at him. “I don’t own them, sorry.” I don’t sound sorry, I definitely sound annoyed. Both at his comment and the fact I can’t afford to buy the complete series.
I usually get my books at the local thrift store and from the sales rack of donated books at the library. I’m resigned to the reality that I’m a broke college student who needs to eat. Unfortunately that means I don’t read everything I want when I want.
I watch Grayson return the book to its same spot on the shelf. He picks up another book when something slips out. My book mark. I can’t read the words from where I stand, but I know what they are:
Buy me books & tell me I’m pretty
“Now you lost my place, thanks,” I mutter.
His lips part, like he’s about to say something, but I cut him off.
“Whatever, dude, don’t worry about it.” I sound irritated—because I am—but I also can’t help appreciate how carefully he’s handling my books.
Just then Jess walks out with Letty. “We’re ready!” they declare in unison. The timer on my phone for the last batch of conchas goes off. “How do we look?” they ask me, twirling in their pretty dresses.
“Chulas y chingonas!” I tell them.
“You know it!” Jess smiles, posing in place while Letty pretends to snap pictures.
“Yeah we look hot, but I think those look even better!” Letty rushes towards the kitchen. “Can I have some? And by some I mean all!” I direct her to a tray of croissants that’s cooled down and she grabs one. “Are we distributing these now?” Letty asks.
“I already hooked up all our neighbors in the building,” Jess replies.
Our team doesn’t have a bake sale planned, so tomorrow I’ll take some to both my jobs and the rest usually go to my brother and the guys at Gibson Place. That never included Grayson Rhodes before. Whenever I showed up with any baked goods, he left.
Will he leave when I show up with a batch of these? Probably.
I turn to Jess, who’s giving Grayson the stink eye.
“Jess this is—”
“I know who he is.”
I smile at her. “Be nice.”
“Was he nice?”
I sigh.
“Rhodes, meet my best friend Jessica Alexander-Ochoa.”
“Oh my god, Sel, these are sooooooo good!”
We all turn to Letty dancing in the kitchen as she holds a croissant in one hand and a concha in the other.
“We should go,” Grayson declares, his voice booming in the apartment. He’s already standing by the door.
“We’re taking some to go, right?” Letty asks, quickly, filling up the paper bag I hand her. “Why’d you make so many? You guys having a bake sale I don’t know about?”
“No,” Jess replies.
“Later,” I mouth.
“Oh, that’s right!” Letty laughs. “You don’t want Gray-Gray to know. Got it!”
“Let’s just go,” I mutter.
I don’t bother looking his way. I know he’s glaring at me. I can feel it even while I’m giving him my back.
Once I turn off the oven, all four of us head down to Grayson’s car.
When he opens the front passenger door for me I realize that no amount of baking was going to help me not be nervous tonight.
I’ve never been on an actual date before so it’s unfortunate that my first ever date happens to be a fake one with Grayson Rhodes of all people.