Chapter Twenty-Five
Laynie
As soon as I pull onto the property, Grayson appears on the front porch.
Shutting off the engine, I get out of the car wearing what I wore to work, a long sleeve top and overalls.
Grayson rushes over and throws his coat over my shoulders, gaining a small smile from me.
He smells fresh and spicy, like his cologne I’ve grown addicted to.
“Aren’t you going to be cold?” I ask as we walk towards the farmhouse. His hand holds the small of my back, and my skin heats beneath the pressure, blooming through the rest of my body.
He scoffs. “Hardly. Besides, you need it more than I do.”
“Thank you for letting me come over. I just needed to get away from… all of that.” I sigh, my forehead pinching with guilt. I should have told them I was leaving, but I’m sure they’ll understand.
“You’re always welcome here. Plus, Mum mentioned something about Sally making up rumours in town, so I’m not surprised you’re starting to feel a little overwhelmed.”
I groan, dragging a hand down the side of my face as Grayson helps me up the steps. The house is warm and spacious, exactly what I need.
As soon as the door closes behind us, Hazel is pulling me into a warm hug. “How are you feeling? I heard you needed a bath.” She gets me.
A soft chuckle escapes me. “Yeah, I do.”
“Well, Grayson has one ready for you upstairs. Holden is using our ensuite to get Aspen ready for bed. You’re welcome to stay there as long as you need. Do you want some dinner?”
I swallow the knot forming in my throat. “Is it stew?”
She frowns. “No, honey. We’re having shepherd’s pie tonight.” Hazel must hear my stomach grumble, because she laughs and kisses my forehead. “It’ll be ready in about thirty minutes. So go sit in the bath and relax.”
“Thank you.”
My phone goes off again, and I turn it on silent, ignoring Sadie’s calls. She’ll get the idea soon that I just need some space. That house is too cluttered, and sharing a room with her, plus having my parents constantly around me, is becoming too much.
“You’re not going to answer that?” Grayson asks as we make our way to the creaking wooden staircase.
“Nah, Sadie can wait. She probably wants to know what’s bothering me, but I don’t want to talk about it right now.”
“All right.” His hand is on me again as we walk up and head straight to the bathroom. There are bubbles, scented candles, and a glass of lemonade on the side. A folded pile of clothes, which no doubt Reid tidied, because his favourite household duty is folding laundry. Psychotic, I know.
I turn to find Grayson already staring at me, clearly waiting to see my reaction. I grin, my eyes blinking back tears. “You did all this for me?”
“Yeah.” He shrugs nonchalantly, even though this makes my heart soar. “I just wanted it to feel comfortable, since you seemed really upset on the phone.”
Sniffing, I snake my arms around him, resting my forehead on his chest. I breathe him in. His hands hold me, my stomach pressing against him, and I feel a hot tear drop down my cheek. He knows me more than anyone else in this world.
“You’re too kind.”
“Anything for you. I don’t like it when you’re upset.”
My head tips back, and his hands rise, wiping my cheeks clean, his fingers rough against my skin.
It’s such a small movement, but I feel the jolt in my heart, the blooming in my chest as I stare into his dreamy eyes.
He holds my steady gaze. I’m not sure that I’m breathing; my lungs have stilled and my chest isn’t moving as I blink.
Crap. I really do love this man, and I have a feeling he might break my heart if I’m not careful.
I feel his fingers drop to cup the nape of my neck, and he murmurs, “You should get in before it goes cold.” His words are so gentle, they feel like they’re touching my flesh.
Nodding, I push myself away regretfully, and shrug off his coat, handing it back to him. Holding onto his shoulder that’s like a boulder beneath his tee, I slip my socks off. It’s easier than sitting down and getting back up.
Dropping them on the floor, I let out a sigh, looking around, “Do you have any shampoo and conditioner? I think I want to wash my hair as well.”
Grayson nods, then mumbles under his breath something about strawberries that makes me frown. “Let me call Macie and see if she has anything.”
“Oh, I don’t want to bother her, but that would be great. She uses the same ones I do.”
That seems to lighten his face a fraction. “I’m on it.” He ducks out of the bathroom.
Tapping my foot on the floor, I wait for a solid minute, expecting him to come back, but he doesn’t.
Maybe he’s gone down to grab them from Macie?
Slipping off my clothes, I slide beneath the bubbled water that sits around my collarbone and groan at the silky feeling of hot water. It feels like I’m on a cloud, that’s how cosy and satisfying this bath feels. Closing my eyes, I lean back against the porcelain, letting my muscles fully relax.
The door swings open.
My eyes flash open to Grayson hovering in the doorway holding two bottles and looking like he’s just walked in on a ghost.
Right now, I’m grateful that he put bubbles in.
“Umm… I-I got…” he stutters, gaze fixed on mine.
Heart pounding, I smile slowly. “Thank you.” I hold my hands out of the water to grab them from him.
Grayson inches closer to the edge of the tub, and when I think he’s going to hand them over, he sits on the edge.
I still as he takes the nozzle and wets my hair before squirting some shampoo in his hands.
The moment his fingers meet my head, I moan, my shoulders dropping and contentment searing through me.
“You don’t need to do this,” I utter, even though my body is screaming for me to keep my mouth closed. I’ve never felt this much bliss in one moment.
“Just shut up and let me help, Biscuit,” he lets out smoothly, like toffee.
I snicker and shut my eyes, relishing in the feel of his hands in my hair. He repeats the action with conditioner, slow and thoughtful as I wash myself beneath the bubbled water. With the candles and scent of vanilla, I feel like I’m in heaven.
“How’s that?” Grayson questions, and I can hear the hoarseness in his tone.
I hum in response, my eyes still shut, soaking up the feeling as he washes out the product. I expect Grayson to leave me in here, but he doesn’t move. Peeling my eyes apart, I peer across at him, staring down at me.
I swallow as his fingers stroke the ends of my drenched hair.
My pulse thunders in my ears, body heating despite the water cooling around me.
My gaze drops to his lips. The bottom is fuller and rounder, and I’ve wondered for years how they’d feel and taste.
Maybe like dust or cinnamon? There’s a small freckle in the left corner, and two smile lines bordering each side that I adore.
He really is handsome and a gentleman, albeit slightly impatient and full of himself, but I know deep down he’s protective and pliable.
It’s exactly what I’d want in a man, which is why I was waiting for him all this time, but I guess that bridge drowned the moment I gave in to Scott’s request.
Did I miss my chance of having this man to myself? Did I ruin everything good between us by giving in to a stranger?
It’s not like I can take it back now. I can only move forward, and I don’t know if Grayson will be in my future. He’ll still be my best friend, but will he want to step into being a dad? Will he want this extra responsibility with me?
Does he even love me the way I love him?
My heart flutters abruptly with collywobbles, the room charged with so much energy that it’s biting at my exposed skin. I want to ask him, to tell him everything I’m feeling, when Hazel’s voice yelling out that dinner is ready stops the words on my tongue.
Grayson steps backwards at the same time I clear my throat and cover my chest that’s covered in thick bubbles.
“That went quickly,” I rasp.
His voice is just as rough, as if his heart is pounding as heavily as mine. “Yeah, it did.” He grabs a towel for me. “Was it everything you were wanting?”
My cheeks heat as I admit softly, “It was better.”
“I’m glad, Biscuit.” Before I can do anything, Grayson leans over and brushes a kiss on my temple. It’s tender and purposeful, igniting my insides as I press my lashes shut. Standing, he pops the towel on the edge of the tub and walks towards the door. “I’ll be downstairs when you’re… dressed.”
“Umm, y-yeah. T-thank you,” I stutter, a little lost for words.
He kissed me! It was a head kiss, but no less, it was a kiss!
I groan, my mind reels once again as I dry myself off and slip on Macie’s underwear and socks.
They’re a bit tight, but they’ll suffice.
They’re also brand new, because I have to yank the tag off the knickers.
I pull on some trackpants, a tee, and jumper—I know these are Grayson’s from the smell alone.
They’re fresh and manly, like linen and woodsmoke.
I close my eyes, sucking in a deep breath before grabbing my laundry and taking it downstairs where everyone is waiting for dinner to be served.
“Let me take those. I can wash them for you,” Hazel says, snatching the dirty pile from my hands and tossing them into the washing machine.
“Oh, thanks, Hazel.”
“Of course, sweetie.” Her hand squeezes my cheek. “It’s nothing really. Are you ready for some food?”
I nod, and she grins. Macie comes to my side, excited about me being here not on a Sunday night. I don’t tell her about Grayson washing my hair and sitting beside me on the tub. Somehow it feels too intimate, and I want to keep it between us, at least for now.
As she talks about some new books she got delivered to the house, my eyes float up to collide with Grayson’s blue ones. There’s a faint smile etched into his mouth, and mine grows, my cheeks flushing with heat as I blink away.
“All right, come and get it.”