Chapter 20
Chapter twenty
Emma
Bounce, Bunny, bounce.
~ Two Weeks Later ~
It’s Valentine’s Day, and Greyson has been acting very strangely.
I feel like he’s planning something, I just don't know what. At first when he asked me a couple of days ago what I wanted to do for the special occasion, I told him I didn’t need anything.
Then he offered a triple date with the Burkleys and the Hayes, to which I told him I wasn’t in the mood.
It’s not that I don’t want to spend time with my friends, but it kind of bummed me out that he wanted to spend a special day like that with Cecilia, even if it wouldn’t have been just her.
I hate this feeling of jealousy I get whenever he mentions her.
She’s my best friend, I shouldn’t feel this way.
It’s not her fault he had or has feelings for her.
I think he’s picked up on the whole situation, because he quickly dropped the idea, and we haven’t been around our friends since. Whenever they call to make plans, he always gives excuses of wanting to spend some alone time together. It makes me feel even more guilty.
Now that the day has come, he’s been trying to get me out of the house.
It’s why I’m on my way to the spa with Morgan, Aubrey, Ronnie, and Cecilia.
A Valentine’s Day gift from the boys. Veronica has quickly been included in our little group since she and Brey are always together.
But she’s cool and fits in perfectly, so it’s a nice addition.
“Did your men force you out of the house, too?” I ask the girls in the car.
“Nope, Silas just told me to pamper myself before we go out tonight,” Cece informs us.
“Same here. Clay thinks having my body relaxed will help with the baby making,” Morgan adds.
They’ve been trying for a baby ever since Cecilia got pregnant with Dante, but it still hasn’t worked out. I hope it does soon. Morgan will be a great mom.
“What about you girls? Any dates lined up we don’t know about?” I raise a brow and smirk at them.
“Nope, just a girls’ night in. Wine, movies, and good food are all we need. Right, Brey?” Ronnie says.
“Yeah, perfect night.” Aubrey smiles.
We arrive at the spa shortly after and get our pampering session on. After each getting a massage, we’re now all seated in big cozy chairs getting mani-pedis.
“So, how are things going with Greyson?” Morgan asks from her chair beside me.
“Good, I think.” I bite the inside of my cheek and look down at the lady taking care of my feet.
“Why do I sense some hesitation?” Cecilia asks from my other side.
“I don’t know. It’s not him. Grey has been great. Honestly, I never thought he’d be so affectionate and caring. I don’t think anyone thought he was that kind of lover.” I chuckle as the girls agree with me. All except one.
“I always knew he was. Greyson has a gentle soul when you get to know him,” Cece says with a smile.
I instantly get irritated. “Can you not remind us all that you’ve been with him, too? Not today of all days,” I say with a little more anger than necessary.
When I look at the other girls, I find Morgan with her mouth gaping, Ronnie with a surprised expression, and Aubrey giving me a pitying look.
“Em… I didn’t mean to upset you with my comment. I wasn’t even referring to that. I was simply saying that I always thought Greyson was more than what he portrayed. Talk to us, what’s going on?” Cece asks quietly with glossy eyes.
Shit, I didn’t mean to make her cry. I’m being too harsh.
“I’m sorry, I’m just worried.” I look down. “What if he’s just settling with me because I’m the best option he has with Gracie? I can’t tell if what he feels for me is real or not. It’s been messing with my head a lot lately, and I can’t seem to shake it.”
“Has he done something to make you doubt him?” Ronnie asks from down the row while leaning in to see us better.
“No, it’s more something he’s said in the past that keeps resurfacing in my mind.” I shrug like it’s no big deal. I wish it didn’t bother me as much.
“What did he say?” Cecilia places her hand on my wrist.
I gaze down at it, watching her wedding and engagement ring sparkle, then look back up into her eyes. “That he has feelings for you.” I know I shouldn’t be telling them this since I promised Greyson that I wouldn’t. But I need to get it off my chest.
Her eyes grow wide. “Me? Look, I know we have some shared history, but it’s not enough to have deep feelings over. Are you sure you heard him correctly?”
I nod my head. “Maybe not for you, but for him it was. He even came back looking for you after that night…”
“Em, you can’t think that way. Yes, Grey had feelings for her in the past, but it’s just that. In the past. Trust me, you don’t see the way he looks at you. I was there at Christmas. I saw the way he was with you. Believe me, his feelings for you are genuine,” Aubrey says softly beside Morgan.
“I don’t think Gracie has anything to do with your relationship. Yes, she’s a big reason as to why you two got together. But sometimes things need to happen for others to develop,” Morgan adds with a tender smile.
“And if you don’t believe me, just look at the pictures on his phone. That will give you the answer you need,” Brey tells me with a secretive smile, as if she knows something I don’t.
I nod, trying to believe everything they’ve just said.
Two hours later, Morgan drops off Aubrey and Ronnie first, then me.
“Have fun tonight, ladies. Babe, enjoy your night without a toddler. Morg, I’ll cross my fingers for all that baby making to work,” I say before shutting the back door and heading up to the house.
It’s just before dinner time, and after all that special treatment, I’m starving.
I open the door, ready to walk in, but the stillness of the house makes me stop. “Greyson?” I take off my coat and shoes slowly, then walk farther into the house until my heart stops in my chest when I hit the living room.
A huge fort, at least five feet high, has been built with white sheets, and fairy lights inside make the whole thing glow in the darkened room. Beside it, Greyson stands in a tight dress shirt and dress pants. God, he’s so sexy. In his hands, he holds a huge bouquet of sunflowers.
“Oh, Wolf…” I place my hands over my erratically beating heart.
“Happy Valentine’s Day, Bunny.”
I squeal with delight and run to him, jumping into his arms. He doesn’t have time to react properly, only opening his arms wide, but the force of my body bumping into his sends us toppling over. Greyson lands straight on his back with a loud “oof!” as the air leaves his lungs.
“Ugh! Em. I’d really like to not spend our only night alone in the hospital.”
I giggle against his chest. “I’m sorry. You just looked so yummy standing there with my favorite flowers. I had to jump you. Maybe I am a little crazy.”
He pushes my hair behind my ears and cups my face, bringing my lips down to his. “Mmm, my favorite kind of crazy.”
I laugh against them. “You’re just saying that because you want sex later.”
My eyes are closed, but I feel his lips spread into a wide grin. “I always want sex with you. But no, Bunny. You’re my favorite kind of everything.”
I bite my lip as a smile spreads, then kiss him. “My big bad Wolf is quite the sweet talker.” I kiss him again, then pull back abruptly. “Wait, you said night alone? Where’s Gracie?”
I sit up, straddling his thighs as he pushes himself into a sitting position as well. “She’s with Dante at Mira and John’s. They assured me it was okay for them to have both and to enjoy our night off.”
“So it’s just us? The whole night?”
He kisses me again. This guy never gets enough of kissing me, and neither do I. “The whole night. You know what that means?”
“I have a feeling you’re about to tell me.” I giggle.
“We can be as loud as we want tonight,” he says with a wink.
Oh, I like that thought. “Come on, Bunny. Get up, we aren’t spending the night on the floor here.
” He lifts me by the hips into a semi-standing position and gets up after me.
Taking my hand, he leads me to the entrance of the fort, and I can’t help the gasp falling from my lips.
“Oh, Greyson! You did all of this for me?”
The inside looks like something straight out of a romance movie with the twinkling lights hanging all over and the big puffy blanket and pillows on the floor covering the whole surface.
There’s a stainless-steel bucket in the corner with a bottle of wine, rose petals all over the ground, and a laptop set up on the side with a movie ready to play.
I perch down on one of the pillows and Greyson joins me, lying on his side. “There was no way we weren’t going to celebrate, and I thought you deserved more than a simple restaurant outing. So I brought the restaurant to you.”
“Who knew Greyson Ford was such a romantic?” I whisper against his lips as I bring them to mine.
“You’re the only one who gets to find out.”
“Cecilia knew.” You idiot! Why the hell would you say that?! I thought it, yes, but it wasn’t supposed to come out. Ugh! How to ruin a night with one comment.
He pulls away and sits up to look at me with a frown. “Em, where is this coming from?”
I look down at my hands in my lap as I play with my nails, simply giving him a shrug. Why do I feel so insecure around him? I hate this.
He places his finger under my chin and forces me to look at him. “Talk to me, what’s going on? You’ve been different all week, ever since I mentioned going to dinner with them.”
“Are you sure about this? About us, I mean. Is this really what you want? Or is it just convenient for you since I’m taking care of Gracie…”
“Why the hell would you even ask that?” He looks both furious and hurt all at once.
“Because you told me you loved her, Grey. How am I just supposed to forget that? How do I know you don’t still feel that way? How do I know you don’t wish I was her every time we’re together? What if you’re just with me because I’m the next best option since she’s not available?”