7. CHAPTER 7
Grayden scans the keycard to the Presidential Suite. His dark eyes shine with mischief and he flashes me a secretive smile before he opens the door. With his hand on the small of my back, he gently guides me in.
My breath hitches in my throat. I lift my hands to cover my gaping mouth. This is all too much, too thoughtful, too incredible, and simply too real to be true.
“What do you think?” Grayden asks, a hint of worry in his voice.
“What do I think?” I echo, unable to find words of my own. I step further into the suite, then gesture with my hand in a general direction. “Where did you find so many flowers?”
Grayden laughs, the sound causing funny things to happen to my stomach. “I wanted to make you feel right at home. Look at this,” he says, takes my hand, and leads me straight to the bedroom where there are more flowers. “These are the ones that you have on your sheets.”
“I’m not sure whether to find it creepy or funny,” I joke, but when his brows furrow in concern, I put my hands on his cheeks to reassure him. “I’m kidding. It’s the most thoughtful thing anyone has ever done for me.”
An easy grin forms on Grayden’s face. “You better get used to it because I’ll spoil you for as long as you’ll be my fake girlfriend.”
I give him a smile so wide that my jaw hurts. My eyes lock on his, and suddenly, I’m aware that I’m still cupping his cheeks. It might be just in my head, but I could swear that the distance between us is getting smaller. Grayden further lowers his head, the intensity of our gaze growing. I lick my lips, my heart drumming in anticipation. His eyes dart to my tongue and he—
The landline in the room rings, breaking us out of the strongest spell I’ve ever experienced. As if caught doing something illegal, we jump apart, putting as much distance between us as the grand suite allows us to.
I awkwardly clear my throat and point a thumb at the bathroom without looking at him. “I should get ready.”
“Yeah,” Grayden agrees with a thick voice.
I return to the living room where the staff has left our luggage. Needing to put a door between us, I grab my suitcase and take it to the bathroom while he answers the phone.
The bathroom is bigger than my bedroom. Hell, the suite is bigger than my entire apartment. The bathroom has beautiful light brown tiles mixing with the white colors of the tub, the cupboard under the sink, and the ceiling.
A quick glance at the mirror confirms that I need a shower. It’s not like I expected to be all ready for the gala after working half of the shift and flying from New York to San Francisco even though it was a private jet.
I turn the suitcase on its side to open it. The dress is right on top, and I carefully take it out, relieved that it’s not wrinkled.
Under different circumstances, I wouldn’t take a quick shower, but would instead allow myself to soak in the bath, enjoying the spray jets and whirlpool features that this luxurious setting offers.
Despite the shortness of the shower, it gives me enough time to process Grayden’s grand gesture. It’s like he brought a piece of my home here by putting bouquets of flowers all around the suite. Even the bathroom has two vases with flowers that look just like the ones I have on my tiles. The flowers aren’t the only detail from him.
When we jumped apart, I caught a glimpse of the bottle of champagne on the ice. There’s also only one bed, which is currently covered with an infinite amount of red rose petals in the shape of the heart. As if that’s not enough, I saw a small box on the nightstand and I’m pretty sure it’s condoms.
I won’t even try to deny to myself that I’m attracted to him. It would be pointless, especially because I’m constantly drifting closer to him, looking for opportunities to touch him. Despite cupping his cheeks more than once, I still didn’t get enough of his soft stubble. I’m itching to get my fingers back in there, or even take it a step further and bury them in his gelled back curls to mess up his carefully groomed style. The sides of his head are buzzed in, leaving a faded look. But what I want to touch the most is his strong and toned body.
“Helia,” Grayden calls from the other side of the door.
My cheeks burn hot as if he’s caught me in the action. I curse myself for being breathless. “Yeah?”
“Melissa called saying that they’d meet us downstairs.”
“Okay,” I reply after catching my breath. “I’ll be out in fifteen minutes.”
“Must be some kind of record,” he muses, then walks away, his steps fading with the distance.
I turn off the shower, quickly dry myself with what must be the softest towel ever made, and then prepare myself to slip into the strapless knee-length white dress that I teased Grayden about earlier on the plane. Due to its design, I don’t need a bra but I can put on underwear. After rummaging through my suitcases, I realize that I don’t have anything sexy. I don’t plan to sleep with Grayden, but if something does happen, I’d prefer to avoid the embarrassment. Fuck it, nothing under the dress tonight.
“Here goes nothing,” I mutter under my breath as I put the dress on over my naked body. I put on some light makeup while admiring the bright lighting in the bathroom, which makes it easier.
When I leave the bathroom, I look for Grayden, but can’t immediately locate him. I check in the bedroom. Not there. He’s also not in the living room. The private dining room’s empty too.
“Grayden?” I call, my stomach dropping at the thought of being left alone.
“In here,” he calls back from the door across the dining room, leading to the room I didn’t notice.
Following his voice, I enter the small kitchenette. I’m saying small because it is compared to the rest of the suite, but in reality, it’s bigger than the kitchen in my apartment.
“Wow,” I breathe.
“I know, right?” Grayden says, then turns around to me.
“Oh, I’m not talking about the kitchen.”
The words slip out before I can stop them. Grayden grins and fixes his little bow tie.
“Do you like that?” he asks, giving me a playful look.
My eyes blatantly take him in head to toe. It’s as if I’m not in control of my own actions. My mouth falls open, and I’m half-surprised I’m not drooling when I nod.
He keeps up the teasing, running a hand down his arm as if trying to clean up invisible specks of dirt. “It’s the suit, isn’t it?”
“For sure,” I confirm, then lift my index finger up and make a circular motion. “Give me a twirl, sweetie.”
Grayden laughs, puts his arms out, and spins. My mouth waters when his back comes into view, his muscles filling up the suit to perfection. There’s no doubt in my mind that it is custom-made and probably even costs more than my apartment.
“Yeah, I can work with that,” I tell him with a smirk.
Grayden rolls his eyes and runs a hand through his hair, careful not to mess up his gelled-back style. He walks up to me, coming so close that I’m forced to lift my chin up high to look him in the eye.
“I hope you’re hungry,” he says with a tone that gives the last word double meaning.
“Ravenous,” I reply, hoping that he doesn’t see just how rattled I am. Maybe he believes that my speeding heartbeat is a normal occurrence for me. My heart always seems to pick up the pace when he’s around so it wouldn’t be a stretch for him to think that.
“You look beautiful,” he says quietly, his warm breath tickling my face. My breath catches in my throat, making it impossible to reply, but he doesn’t wait for an answer. “Let’s go raise some money.”
“Lead the way, boyfriend,” I tell him teasingly and slip my hand into his without tearing my eyes off him.
A corner of Grayden’s mouth quirks up. His pupils slightly dilate when our hands make contact. He tightens his grip on mine and intertwines our fingers. By now, this gesture feels so natural. So right.
Hand in hand, we leave the Presidential Suite and make our way to the elevator. The gala is in the biggest of fourteen event rooms that the hotel offers. It’s a risk to have a charity dinner at such a prestigious location, but that’s the only way to lure in the big fish.
Grayden and I follow people in formal wear into a modern yet classic ballroom, illuminated by gorgeous Bavarian crystal chandeliers. It’s perfect for tonight, especially considering the sheer amount of people that the hospitals have invited. The fundraising isn’t only for White Sparks Medical Center, but it’s in our best interest that we do well. The more money we raise, the bigger chunk we get to take home.
Grayden lets out a low whistle. I hold my breath, just as impressed by the whole setup as he is. My eyes travel across the many grey tables, taking in the slightly dim lights while my ears catch the gentle beats of the background music.
“It’s incredible,” I say, finally recovering my ability to speak.
“It truly is,” he says, but when I glance at him, he isn’t looking at the room. His full attention is on me, his pupils still dilated. I don’t need to be a medically trained professional to be able to guess what’s on his mind.
“Look who I found,” Jessica says, coming from behind us with Melissa and...
“Hi, Liam,” I greet him, annoyed with myself for not remembering that he was going to be here.
“Helia, Grayden.” He gives us both a nod, his tone cold.
“Nice to see you again,” Grayden tells him and holds out his hand to him.
Liam glances down at it, hesitating for the longest of seconds before shaking it. He grits his teeth hard as he forces a polite smile on his face.
Though I don’t know Grayden that well yet, but I could’ve sworn that he’s smirking with his eyes. Whatever game he played, he seems damn proud of himself for winning.
“Our table’s over there,” Jessica interrupts, breaking the tension and saving me from the two alpha males. Well, one alpha and the other beta at best. She leans closer to whisper to me, “I’m so sorry. I didn’t think this through.”
“Don’t worry,” I assure her and glance back over my shoulder where Grayden’s following us. The smile that he gives me makes everything better.
The good news is that our entire table is filled with the most prominent staff from White Sparks Medical Center, and the bad news is that Liam also belongs in that category. Grayden claims a seat on my right, and Jessica on my left. Across from us are Liam and Melissa along with Dr. Smith and his wife. There are more of my coworkers with their partners down the table, but I haven’t worked with any of them enough to know them well. Liam, Dr. Smith, and I are the only ER doctors attending.
Under the table, Grayden suddenly puts his hand on my thigh. I nearly jump out of my chair but catch myself at the last moment. The heat from his skin seeps through the fabric of the dress and into my skin, absentmindedly reminding me that I’m not wearing any underwear.
“Stop fidgeting,” he says softly, leaning closer. “Don’t show them how nervous you are.”
“Yeah,” I breathe, but don’t sound too convincing.
“Hey, look at me,” Grayden orders gently. I obey, slowly turning my head to the side and lifting my eyes to his. A corner of his mouth quirks up. “Forget everything. You’re here to enjoy good food, great company, and to have fun. That’s all.”
Following his lead, I let my mouth slip into a small smile. His confidence is contagious, and his easy-going but teasing demeanor is intoxicating. I’ve been warned by my coworkers that these types of events could be tedious when we get presented and used as a piece of meat, but I don’t think that this event will be anything like that. Not with Grayden by my side.
“I guess we better start with a glass of wine to loosen me up a bit,” I suggest, feeling proud of myself when I coax out a soft chuckle from him.
“As long as you remember who you’re sharing a room with, I’m good with you drinking as many glasses as you want,” he says with a low and thick voice.
I swallow hard. He’s a master at rattling me. His words alone are enough to make my stomach do weird flips.
Without taking his eyes off me, he leans closer as he reaches for my glass. His mouth is so close, and I open mine in anticipation, but he pulls back with my glass of wine in his hands. He offers it to me with a smirk.
“Thank you,” I say a bit breathlessly, and bring the glass straight to my lips, taking a big sip without waiting for him.
Grayden chuckles softly. He reaches for his own glass, slightly lifting it my way in a toasting gesture before drinking from it. He tilts his head back, giving me a view of his throat that bobs as he swallows.
“Hot damn,” I mutter under my breath. It was low enough only for me to hear, but Grayden raises his brow, making me think that I probably said it louder than I first thought.
The rest of the dinner goes by without a hitch, except Liam ignoring me the whole time. While I don’t mind him not speaking to me, I do feel bad if he thought I was leading him on. Dr. Smith’s wife, Lorraine is an absolute sweetheart, though she’s been grilling us since the first course, and continued long after.
“How did you two meet?” Lorraine asks, leaning forward to better hear us over the now louder music, after our dessert plates have been cleared. The north side of the room is being turned into a dance floor.
Grayden and I look at each other. While I’m sure there’s panic in my eyes, his are shining with mischief and a confident smile plays on his lips. The silence stretches too long. They’re onto us.
“Helia’s too embarrassed to admit it, but I’m not,” Grayden says at last, turning his eyes to Lorraine. He leans forward and puts a hand around his mouth as if telling her a secret. At my side, Jessica and Melissa also slide closer, their attention fully on Grayden. “It was on a dating app.”
“No way!” Jessica exclaims, her eyes wide. She throws me an accusing look. “You hate those things.”
“Which is why she probably didn’t tell us,” Melissa tells Jessica with a shrug. “You can be a bit judgy sometimes.”
“I’m not,” Jessica argues, then shakes her head and lets out a resigned sigh. “Okay, yeah. I guess I can be a little judgy.”
“We still love you,” I tell her and reach over to give her hand a comforting squeeze.
“That’s not all,” Grayden continues, enjoying the attention. I look at him with alarm. My brows furrow in concern, but he pretends not to see it as he says, “Would you believe me if I told you that she’s one of those people who start a conversation quoting a Taylor Swift song?”
“Seriously?” Jessica asks in disbelief, her eyes widening to comical proportions. He’s pushed it too far and they’ll call him out on a lie.
“I’m not surprised,” Melissa says, and I jerk my head her way before I can stop myself. “Whenever we were in a car together and Taylor’s song came on, Helia was always singing it.”
“I did not!” I argue, then quickly cover my mouth, realizing my mistake.
“You’re right,” Melissa agrees with a soft laugh. “Calling it singing is probably a bit too generous.”
“It’s like two cats fighting,” Jessica joins in, a big smile on her face.
“Anyway,” Grayden interrupts before I can defend my honor. “Does that answer your question?”
“And then some,” Lorraine agrees with an amused chuckle. She lovingly glances at her husband who’s deep into the conversation with Liam. “Matthew and I were high school sweethearts.”
“When you know, you know,” Grayden replies and lifts his glass for a toast. “To true love!”
“To true love,” Jessica, Melissa, Lorraine, and I echo with our own glasses raised to meet his.
Grayden sets his down and slides his chair back. He gets up, offering me a hand. I glance at it, then up at him with a questioning look in my eyes.
“Care for a dance?” he asks with a low voice that does funny things to my stomach. His lips turn up into a flirty smile and he raises his right brow ever so slightly as if in challenge.
“I hope you can keep up,” I reply as I take his hand, accepting the challenge. Jessica lets out a low whistle and Grayden laughs.
Hand in hand, he guides me to the north side of the room where three other couples are dancing. The song ends when we arrive and as if I’m being transported back to the dance lessons that my family forced me to take, the starting notes of Johann Strauss’s The Blue Danube sound.
“Viennese waltz,” Grayden muses, glancing at the orchestra gathered in the corner. I didn’t even notice the DJ leaving, but I guess he was there only for the duration of dinner. “Ready?”
“It’s been a while but yeah,” I confirm, then take a deep, steadying breath.
Grayden faces me, the right side of his body close to mine. I straighten my back and relax my shoulders. While my chin should be parallel to the floor, I allow myself to lift it slightly, so I can look into his eyes. His left hand gently holds my right, extending it upward. Because he’s rather tall, I put my left hand on his arm. My breath hitches when he puts his on my waist. He smirks and lowers it another inch or two.
Grayden begins the count to catch the rhythm. “One, two, three. Two, two, three. Three, two, three. Four, two, three.”
And then we’re flying, the strains of the Viennese Waltz enveloping us, cocooning us in its timeless elegance. My hand nestled delicately in his, his touch sending a thrill through me despite the knowledge that our relationship is nothing more than a charade. But in this moment, as the rest of the room fades away, it doesn’t matter.
His strong lead guides me effortlessly across the floor, each step a testament to the trust that we share in this dance. The world around us dissolves into a blur of colors and lights, leaving only the two of us spinning in perfect harmony. With each turn, I feel myself surrendering to the rhythm, losing myself in the music and the closeness we share.
His dark eyes meet mine, and for a fleeting moment, I forget about the facade we are upholding. In that brief exchange, there’s a silent understanding, a connection that transcends our fabricated reality. As the waltz reaches its crescendo, I find myself wishing that this moment could last forever, suspended in time where it’s just him and me, dancing in our own little world.
All too soon, the song comes to an end, its last notes echoing through the ballroom. We stop and Grayden takes a step back, the lack of his touch a painful absence on my skin. Without taking his eyes off me, he executes a perfect bow. I smile and curtsy in response.
The entire ballroom erupts into deafening applause. Startled, I tear my eyes off his and look around. Without realizing it, we were the only couple left on the dance floor as the rest of the guests formed a circle around us. Smiling faces surround us, people clapping and nodding in approval.
I avert my gaze to the floor, self-conscious at all the attention we’re getting. My cheeks burn and I want nothing more but to dig a hole for me to hide in.
Grayden’s reaction is the exact opposite. He’s a born performer, gloating in the spotlight. He smiles and bows at the crowd before pointing at me and joining their clapping for the longest of moments. He moves to stand next to me, wrapping his arm around my waist. I’m grateful for his stable presence, and for his unwavering support as he guides us off the dance floor.
“I think we should call it a night and return to our room,” he says with a low, thick voice.
My toes curl in my high-heeled shoes at all the possibilities that might bring. Unable to form words, the only way I can think of replying is to pick up a pace to get to the elevators as soon as possible.
Our connection is crazy in public. I can’t even dare to imagine how off the charts it can get once we’re alone.
I might need another glass of wine to loosen up...to loosen him up...