Chapter 5 Grayson
grayson
Unpopular opinion in the male demographic: I love waking up with a woman in my arms.
Especially right now and this woman.
I don’t know what it is. The feeling of her soft skin on my chest? The warmness from her body? The way her leg is casually slung over my body, like she’s trying to wrap herself around me like a spider monkey? It doesn’t get any better than this.
Well, it could. But I don’t know if I have it in me. I’ve never in my life turned down morning sex—it’s in the top three of all sexes—but after our marathon last night, I don’t know if either of us have it in us.
But if she wanted to, I guess I’d find the strength…
I feel her start to move on me as I turn to look at the clock. It’s seven in the morning, and I’m thanking the corporate business world gods that my bosses told me I could come in late today since I was technically working last night.
Best night of work ever!
“What time is it?” she mumbles into my chest.
“Just after seven.”
She’s quiet again, slowly stretching her arms and legs, all while staying close to me. “Do you have to go to work?”
“Not for a bit,” I say as I place a kiss on her forehead.
“Well that’s good,” she says as she rolls on top of me. “Because I’m not ready to say goodbye.”
Kat’s lips press down into mine in what I can only describe as the laziest, yet deepest, kiss we’ve shared in the crazy twelve hours that we’ve known each other.
There’s nothing desperate in this. No, this is just two people, whose mouths are now intimately familiar with each other, sharing a moment. Sharing a connection.
One that I’m not ready to let go of just yet.
Neither of us said anything last night about where this might go, or if it’s going to be lived in my memory as the hottest night of my life with a woman who I’m pretty sure has ruined me for others.
I mean, she was at a speed-dating event, so I’m assuming she’s looking for more than a casual relationship.
And yes, I was there to impress Hazel, but I wasn’t against possibly meeting someone.
Sure, this morning doubt could’ve been saved by a simple conversation last night.
But I had much more important things on my mind than having the “so what is this” chat.
Much, much more important things. Things that I’d like to repeat. Multiple times.
My dick starts to grow hard as our kiss continues, our weight shifting us to our sides. Kat repositions herself around my thigh, but at the same time, pulls away from my lips.
“Can I be a mood killer?”
I quirk my eyebrow as her eyes shift down, then back up to mine. “Depends…”
Her smile is bashful, and one I haven’t seen before. “While the idea of another round sounds great in theory, I don’t know if I can.”
I smile before I lean back in, kissing her one more time. “Not a mood killer. If anything, that makes my mood very good.”
“I’m sure it does,” she says as she pulls herself even closer to me. “Last night was…”
I tap my forehead to hers, because I don’t have words for it either. “Yes, it was.”
We lie there in silence for more than a few minutes, our fingers trailing aimlessly on each other’s skin. I know the clock is ticking, and eventually I need to leave this bed, but I’m not ready. At least, not before I know I can see her again.
“Can I call you? Take you out on a proper first date that isn’t hot dogs?”
She doesn’t say anything for a second, and dread begins to creep in. Every bad thought goes through my head before I see the smile I’m learning to look for.
“I’d like that.”
Relief washes through me as I lean down and kiss her forehead. “Then it’s a date.”
I seal it with a kiss on her lips before she quickly pulls away and makes a face. “Shit—don’t be mad at me.”
“Kat. Unless you’re going to tell me you’re married, or worse, a dating a professional hockey player who could kick my ass, I don’t see how I could be mad at you.”
That makes her laugh. “It’s nothing like that. It’s just that I have to go out of town for work this weekend. Plus, I know the holidays are coming up, which always makes things weird. I just…if I can’t meet with you right away, I hope you don’t think it’s because I’m not interested. Because I am.”
I roll her over, giving me another look into her brown eyes. The ones I got lost in too many times last night. The ones I know I’m going to get lost in many times over in the future.
Because yes, I see a future with this woman.
I wasn’t lying last night when I told her that if I didn’t see a relationship going somewhere, I was quick to cut it.
If I didn’t feel anything this morning, I would’ve treated this like a one-night stand.
Neither are true. I want to see where this goes, which I hope is far.
“If you think because of some scheduling issues that I’m going to lose interest, then I don’t think you realize how determined and stubborn I can be.”
This makes her smile again as she starts playing with the hair at the nape of my neck. “Well, that’s good. But so am I. How do you think this is going to work?”
I lean down, my cock that’s been semi-hard all morning now fully erect as it rubs against her. “I’m not sure. But I’m sure we’ll figure out a way.”
Kat’s hand moves down between us, slowly stroking me. “I think we can. And I think we should start now.”
I roll her on top of me, her giggles filling the room as we become tangled in each other one more time. “I thought you were a mood killer?”
She shakes her head and adds a devilish smile. “My moods change often. You ready for that?”
I pull her closer to me, our lips inches away. “I’m ready for it all.”
On any given Friday, most people in an office are smiling—especially when it’s the Friday before your company is giving you the last two weeks of the year off for the holidays.
The only thing on the office’s agenda is our holiday party, featuring a massive dessert table, catered lunch, and our white elephant gift exchange, or as they apparently call it in the south, Dirty Santa.
If that was the only thing on the agenda today, I’d still be smiling like the kid who got exactly what he wanted for Christmas.
But considering I still have the vivid memory of Kat's naked body lying on top of me, and the shower we took together this morning before leaving the hotel room, this smile is here for the long haul.
“He’s arrived.” I look up from my desk to see my boss, Melinda, walking into my office. “How'd last night go?”
I know she's asking me about the speed dating event, and if it swayed Hazel in our direction. But the aforementioned smile plastered on my face likely gives away that I’m grinning about a lot more than an account.
“It went really well.” And it did. No lies there. “Was a really good event. I think we could do some great things with their company.”
“I’m just happy you got in the door,” she says as she takes a seat across from me. “Hazel has kept everything in house for years. The fact that she's venturing out was an opportunity I’m glad we could take advantage of.”
“Absolutely,” I say as I flick on my computer. “She didn't give me a timetable for when she's making her decision. I’m going to guess, if she’s like most other companies, I’m not going to hear back until after the first of the year.”
“Good to know if anyone asks,” Melinda says. “Now you can take the rest of the year off and come back ready to work hard in January.”
I shake my head. “Nope. What’s next?”
Melinda narrows her eyes at me, giving me a stern mom stare. Which I guess fits. Her son is older than me, and I’ve seen her go off on some interns who didn’t follow directions.
“Grayson, it’s the Friday before a two-week vacation. Look out into the bullpen. Not a single person in this office is working today. I’m barely working. Why not fall into peer pressure and slack off today, instead of asking me who the next whale is that you're trying to bag?”
“What can I say? The work never stops.”
“It does. And you need it to,” she says. “I can’t afford for you to burn out. You’re my best publicist. I need you to take it easy these next two weeks.”
She’s probably right, though I hate admitting it out loud.
I’ve been going nonstop all year. The smart thing for my mental and physical health should be unwinding and resting.
Binging a show. Going home to visit my family for a few days.
Maybe sneaking in a few dates with Kat when she’s back in town.
But the thought of completely pumping the brakes right now isn’t going to happen.
I won’t work all the time. But between the binging and the eating and the dating, I’m going to be doing my research.
Making my game plans. Because next year is going to be the year that I climb the ladder and finally have the title of Senior Account Executive.
When I get the promotion—because it’s not if, but when—I’ll be the youngest senior account executive, at the ripe old age of thirty-four. And while it's not completely unheard of for somebody my age to get promoted to that level, it would be a first for Sterling Strategies.
And that’s what I want to be. The first. The best. Anything less is unacceptable. If I’m going to be the black sheep of my family by not following in the footsteps of the family business, then being the best is my only option.