37. Chapter Thirty-Seven
Chapter Thirty-Seven
W e spent the next few weeks completely enamored with one another. Every moment we could be together, we were. Every second we were apart felt like an eternity.
With the summer heat dwindling and the ocean currents changing, Grey’s political career was undoubtedly ramping up and he’d been making more frequent trips back to the city. With that came the doubt that now lived in the shadows of my brain as the end of summer approached.
It didn’t help that Grey changed slightly with each one of these trips. He seemed to pull away, only a little, but enough, and that scared me more than anything.
When we were together, everything was good between us, really good. So I did my best to focus on that. We’d eventually have to talk about it, but I wanted to enjoy the last official party of the summer.
A knock sounded at my front door and I pushed away from my desk.
“Hi,” I said, finding Sam at my front entrance.
“Damn, it’s good to see you in the flesh. I was starting to think maybe Grey was taking you away from me for good. I feel like I haven’t seen you in a month.”
“That’s because you haven’t.” I giggled. Our shifts hadn’t lined up once in the last couple of weeks and my free time had all been spent with Grey.
“How are things? Never mind. The obnoxious grin on your face answers pretty much all of my questions,” she teased.
“Yes. They’re so good. Except that I’m supposed to be going to the Prescott family’s Labor Day party tonight at Grey’s house and I have nothing to wear.”
“Shut up. You’re going to that?” Sam screeched, an octave higher than normal. “That’s literally the biggest political event of the year,” she said enthusiastically.
“Stop. Please tell me you’re going too?”
“No, I’ve never done well in political situations. But that’s not the point. The point is that you are going as Grey Prescott’s date.”
“You’re so dramatic sometimes.”
“That might be true. But either way, I am so excited for you.”
“I wish I shared that same excitement, but if I don’t find a dress, I won’t be going anywhere.”
She raised her eyebrows while crossing her arms. “Who’s dramatic now?”
“Ugh. It’s just this part of Grey’s world is daunting and, if I’m being honest, a little repulsive. Don’t get me wrong, I can get behind a good party, but based on Grey’s explanation, this isn’t that kind of party. This is more of a political statement.”
“But isn’t that what Grey’s trying to do? Make a political statement?”
“Technically speaking, yes. But is it really what Grey wants to do? Absolutely not, and that’s the part I struggle with.”
“Fair enough.”
The doorbell rang, startling both of us.
“Expecting someone?” Sam asked.
“Not to my knowledge,” I said, walking toward the noise.
Reaching for the handle, I swung open the door. “Daniel?”
“Good afternoon, Ms. Morgan. Mr. Prescott asked if I would deliver this to you before tonight,” Daniel said, handing me a large black box that was decorated with a gold silk bow.
“Thank you.”
“Of course. Have a good rest of your day, Ms. Morgan.”
“You too, Daniel.”
“You’ve got to be kidding me, right?” Sam’s voice got louder as she got closer. “It’s like you have your very own fairy god daddy.” She tilted her head to the side as if she was unsure if that was the appropriate term for Grey.
I almost choked on my spit. “God daddy? Absolutely not.”
“Just open the damn box,” she snapped.
Placing the thing down on my couch, I untied the gold ribbon and tossed it to the side. The top slid off to reveal a single lilac hydrangea. Underneath lay a note decorated with Grey’s handwriting.
Setting the single stem and note on the couch cushion, I eagerly pulled out the black material that was folded to fit the box it came in. The dress dropped as I held it up to my body.
“Oh my god. A custom tie and now this.” Sam gawked. “Go put it on.”
Her reaction had me dying to see what the dress truly looked on. I excitedly shuffled to my bedroom in search of my full-length mirror, undressing and slipping into it in record time.
My mouth dropped open and immediately my hand shot up to cover it.
The black midi dress suctioned to my body in all the right places, accentuating my waist and fitting my hourglass body like a glove. The body of the dress was mesh, with a silky black underlay. The sleeves were my favorite part—also mesh but sans underlay with a dainty polka dot detail. The scoop neck revealed my collarbone and highlighted my chest in a tasteful way. This dress was classy but covertly sexy, and it was perfect for tonight.
Little bursts of excitement pulsed through me as I made my way back to the living room.
“Oh my god.”
“You already said that.” I giggled.
“I know, but it’s even better now that it’s on.” Her eyes bopped up and down the dress. “Damn, that man did good.”
“He did,” I responded as my hands brushed down my sides, a smile sprawled across my entire face. “Okay, now I can be excited about tonight.”
“As you should be.” She let out a happy sigh. “You better start getting ready now,” she said as she scooped up her purse and keys.
“I’ve got plenty of time.” I waved her away.
“You better keep me posted. I love you,” she said as she walked to the front door.
“I will, I will,” I said. “I love you too.”
The black box sat perched on my couch. Swooping it up, something lacy caught my eye. I pulled the material from the box, immediately blushing.
This was most definitely what he meant when he said he’d bought himself something too.
In my hands, I held a slinky black piece of lingerie. A flood of heat raced through me as I imagined Grey seeing me in it.
Laying the lingerie on the bed, I spotted something new. In bright red thread on the flimsy piece of fabric, near the part that would lie right over my hips, were two embroidered letters: GP.
I was his.