Chapter 34
GRAYSON
Not ten minutes after the others leave for the movies, the doorbell rings. I expect it’ll be Troy returning home, likely forgetting his keys again. It’s not.
It’s Alvarez.
She shows up in the smallest pink dress I’ve ever seen. Add the white sneakers, hair half-tied up, and she looks sweet and innocent, like a princess who needs to be corrupted. Thoroughly.
“You’re early,” I accuse.
Receiving her text was unexpected. Her wanting to meet even more so. I cancelled the meeting with father’s attorney without a second thought.
“It couldn’t wait,” she says, her smile small and shy.
My eyes trace the curves of her body of their own accord. It’s a mistake to appreciate how stunning she looks, but it’s impossible not to.
The pink material of her dress is so sheer, it’s nearly transparent. It covers very little of her golden-brown skin, revealing more than it ought to. If temptation was a person, she would be it.
“What’s your question?” I ask brusquely. She shouldn’t be here. Not at my front door. Not looking like that, not while no one else is home. Especially not after everything that happened at Gamma House. She kissed me. Later, I almost kissed her. I fucking wanted to. Bad.
She doesn’t answer immediately. Instead she stands there, playing with a tiny crystal butterfly pendant hanging on a thin gold chain around her neck. When she catches me looking at it, her cheeks flush. Fuck, she’s pretty.
“It was a gift for my quince,” she explains, her voice soft. “I only wear it on special occasions.”
My mouth goes dry. “What’s the special occasion?” I croak. My throat burns like I just took three shots of tequila.
Her blush intensifies. “Can I come in?” she asks.
“No.”
Hell no.
Fuck. No.
“Ask your question,” I demand, keeping her outside. Yeah I’m an asshole, but if she comes inside my house looking like that—looking at me while she looks like that—we’ll end up doing something we’ll both regret.
“Well…”
Whatever it is, it’s got her blushing that lovely shade of mauve pink I’ve only ever seen on her. She shifts her weight from one foot to the other. The short dress ruffles in the breeze, caressing the top of her thighs.
“…there’s something you might be able to help me with.”
Clearing my throat, I swallow before asking for clarification. “Help you how?”
She opens her mouth to speak, but only ends up closing it without saying a word. She sighs and tries a second time. Again, she says nothing.
“You know what, never mind,” she mutters as she backtracks away from the door.
Good, she’s leaving. Let her walk away.
“Alvarez?”
The fuck was that?!
“Yes?” comes her breathy reply. When she looks at me over her shoulder, I nearly reach for her. It takes every ounce of restraint I possess to remain where I stand.
That’s when she makes things worse, taking a tentative step towards me. Her eyes are heavy lidded and hazy, full of things she shouldn’t be showing me.
“Don’t look at me like that,” I warn through gritted teeth. I press my lips together to keep from saying more, and making this ten times worse.
Another step.
“How am I looking at you?” she asks.
Like she’s ready to do anything and everything I ask and want and need. As if I’m the sole purpose for her visit. It’s twisting up my thoughts.
“Ask your question,” I demand. My sanity is hanging on by a thread here.
She shakes her head, looking everywhere but my way.
“Would you…?” she whispers.
I lift her chin with my thumb and index finger until our eyes meet. When did we get so close? What the fuck am I doing outside my house?
The porch light shines brightly across her features, like a stage light making her my entire focus. Dark lashes rim her eyes, where the green has been consumed almost entirely. Freckles dust the bridge of her nose and the top of her cheekbones. I’ve never noticed them before.
“Tell me,” I insist.
She nods once, determination written on her lovely face, and then she tries again, “I think we should…”
We’re standing unbelievably close.
“We should what?” I urge.
Her lips are only a breath away.
“You and me ...” she whispers, leaning her body into mine.
“Yes?”
Anyone can see us.
“We should have sex.”
Had I been drinking anything I would have spit it out. As things stand, I have difficulty swallowing. The truth is, I’m stunned into silence. Of all the things I imagined her coming over for, this was not on the list.
“Before you disagree—” she continues.
My dick is already in half agreement.
“—I think you should hear me out.”
“That wasn’t a question,” I frown, irritated.
I step away from her. Her words have thrown me and the only asinine response I can come up with is ‘That wasn’t a question’?
What the fuck?! I’d shake my head in disgust but I’m too busy noticing her cheeks flush.
I hate that she looks even prettier now.
She shouldn’t be here. We did what we set out to do. Last I heard, Lila’s in Europe. The only problem now is people think we’re a couple. A shit ton of them have asked me how long Alvarez and I have been secretly dating. A few claim they knew we’ve been together all along. Idiots.
She glances behind her as a group of guys walk down the block. They do a shit poor job of hiding the fact they’re checking her out.
“Can I come in?” she repeats, her voice a soft whisper. She’s biting her bottom lip, lust in her eyes. I can’t be reading her right, can I?
“No,” I state flatly, glowering at the motherfuckers still craning their necks to check her out. Isn’t this where they walk into a pole or get run over by a car?
When I turn back to Alvarez to see if she’s looking at them too, I find those gorgeous green eyes on me. My dick twitches in my pants.
I scowl, annoyed, turned on, pissed off. Furious, I cross my arms over my chest, blocking the doorway.
“No,” I repeat, both for her sake and mine. Anything else would be a mistake.
“Now you’re just being rude,” she smirks. Pretty soon I’ll be fully erect simply because of the way she’s looking at me all shy-like from under her lashes.
“Fine,” she pouts, then glances at the three assholes still ogling her. “Maybe I’ll ask one of those boys,” she adds, about to take a step in their direction.
“The fuck you will!” I growl.
Without thinking, I reach for her hand and suddenly she’s inside my house. Her back on the door I slammed shut, my palms are on either side of her head, caging her in.
“You’re not asking anyone shit!” I seethe.
Her eyes are wide, but she’s not scared. “Of course I’m not.”
We’re both breathing hard, like we sprinted across campus to her place and back. And yet, we don’t move.
The tiny half smile on her lips is making me reconsider bringing her inside. “I’m only asking you,” she whispers.
Fuuuuck.
“Is it okay... can I…can I kiss you?” she asks and the air leaves the room. She’s too close. Not close enough. I can barely breathe and yet my lungs are about to burst. I nearly smile at the absurdity.
How is it possible she can look so innocent and be quite bold at the same time? An ingénue and a seductress?
“You shouldn’t,” I reply. Kissing her would be a mistake.
Still, her lips look unfairly full, unbearably soft, and perfectly tempting. I run a hand through my hair. Nervous. Fascinated. Her eyes only leave mine to study my face as I’m memorizing hers.
“This is a bad idea,” I whisper, my voice a low rumble. “You’re a bad idea,” I insist. Her breasts press against my chest proving my point. I clear my throat before I can speak. “We shouldn’t…”
Her eyes are nearly black with desire, her small hands cling to my shirt with the same desperation coursing through my veins, and her enticing scent of vanilla and coconut hold me captive. I can’t escape her and I realize, I don’t want to.
“Fuck it,” I growl, then cup her face and crash my lips to hers.