by Raquel Belle
“You didn’t enjoy that?”
“Not the point,” she huffs and I bite back a smile.
Fine. I’ll give her what she wants and hopefully, I can get back between her legs. “Alright, tonight was difficult in a way. An event to raise money to build proper housing for orphans did touch a sore spot. But I’m glad to be able to help kids in the same position I was in growing up. I know Sean is too or he wouldn’t have come all the way.”
“Speaking of Sean. Why isn’t he staying with you?”
“Because a hotel is more convenient for the parade of women he’ll be indulging in during his visit. That’s the man you’re so fond of, Grace. Still think he’s so great now?”
Head thrown back, she laughs and the sound warms my heart. “There’s no need to rub Sean’s escapades in my face. I don’t care how many women he wants to entertain. Frankly, I hope he enjoys Manhattan—women and all. So, yes, I still think he’s great.”
I give her a mock scowl, but a smile tugs at my mouth. My envy of Sean’s and Grace’s fun interactions can be unreasonable, but I can’t help it.
“You make me laugh too, you know. We have fun together,” she says softly, and I eye her suspiciously because I swear she just read my mind.
“I suppose we do.”
“Back to what happened tonight—you did good. I’m proud of you.”
Gazing at her upturned face, I smile. “Thank you.” I let out a breath. Grace makes it easy to talk about the harder things. “I have a confession. A part of the reason why I’ve always drowned myself in my work is to forget where I came from.” I’ve never said that out loud before.
Her eyes widen. “Why would you want to do that? Your past struggles make you the man you are today. And I...like him. A lot.”
“Even though he’s a control freak and is sometimes irritating as hell and way too arrogant?” I tease, but I think I feel that wall that I built around my heart crumble just a bit. She’s fine with who I am and that’s all the validation I need.
“Well...I mean...we can all improve on some things. Personal growth and all that. The first step is knowing you have a problem.”
My roar of laughter takes me by surprise. Usually when I think about my childhood—which leads to thoughts of my parents—laughter is never anywhere near. How can it be? I was the one who found my mother’s body…right after she overdosed on drugs to numb the pain of my father disappearing. Somehow the woman in my arms eases the pain of that memory. “I thought that first step was for addicts.”
“It can work across the board.”
Still sniggering, I say, “Thank you for always keeping my ego in check.”
She pats my cheek. “You’re very welcome. It’s what I’m here for.”
“I wouldn’t say that’s all you’re here for.” My eyes drop to her mouth, then dips to her bare breasts. Grace tenses in my arms. It’s so slight, it could have been missed, but I don’t easily miss those things. She pulls away with a little smile. And just like that, the mood between us shifts...again. I’m starting to feel like we’re on an emotional roller coaster.
Shoving a hand through her hair she says, “I can’t believe I’m laying in bed with you having a casual conversation in the nude. I didn’t even realize. I should put something on.”
Before she scoots away, I wrap my fingers around her arm to stop her escape, “It’s called being comfortable with someone. What’s the big deal?”
“No big deal. Just...let me put something on. I need a drink anyway. Can I get you something?”
“No,” I say darkly. Because I’m annoyed as fuck. Just when I think we’ve surpassed the awkwardness, it comes back full force. She breaks my hold and hops out of bed. Grabbing my shirt, she scurries out of the room.
I remain in bed and wait patiently for Grace to return. I know she’s taking her sweet time because she doesn’t want to face me. I’m surprised she didn’t insist on going home. That would have led to us arguing and by tomorrow she’d decide that she doesn’t want to continue our sexual relationship anymore. I don’t want a repeat of the past week so I’ll try my best to keep my temper in check and my questions at bay. Why won’t she just come out and say whatever she needs to say? Then I can put her at ease like I always do and we can move on.
I’m alone long enough for doubt to begin creeping in. Maybe keeping things casual between us isn’t going to work after all. I might have to start easing my way into accepting that. I’m terrified of having anything more than sex, yet, I’m reluctant to give it up with Grace. “What am I doing?” We can only continue like this for so long...well…Grace can only continue for so long. She deserves better and it’s only so long before she moves on completely. A sick feeling is starting to settle in my gut, but before I can completely lose it, she appears in the doorway, holding two glasses.
“You said you didn’t want anything but I brought you something anyway. I knew you’d change your mind.”
I sure did. Now I feel like I need to gulp down an entire bottle of anything strong enough to erase my troubling thoughts. Gratefully accepting the glass she hands me, I sigh. “I have. You’re a fucking clairvoyant, you know that?”
Letting out loud hearty laughter, she joins me back in bed. “Yeah, although my skills are limited only to you.” Lifting her glass, she says, “To my limited mind-reading skills.”
“Cheers,” I growl and then practically swallow the entire glass of whiskey in one go—of course she brought exactly what I would have asked for.
Taking a small sip of whatever is in her glass, she smiles, “Wow, slow down. Should I have brought the entire bottle?”
Shuddering slightly as the harsh liquid burns its way down, I shake my head. “One drink is fine. Thanks.” I need to keep a clear head, so I don’t unintentionally say or ask anything to send us into another spat.
“And you’re sure you’re okay?”
No, I’m not. Tell the truth or lie? She seems more relaxed than when she made her hasty exit earlier. I’m not going to ruin that. Lie it is. “Of course. I’m just thinking about your birthday. It’s coming up in two weeks. So, what am I going to get you?”
She giggles and scoots closer to lean on me. The action is probably subconscious on her part, and I’m happy about that. At the end of the day, despite all of the disagreements and uneasiness, we’re still the old us in a way. “Ah, my birthday. What will you get me?” She taps her chin with her index finger. “As your assistant, I would keep it modest or insist on no gift.”
“But?”
Her effort at diabolical laughter makes me smile hard. “As your friend—your best friend not to mention valued work partner—I’m going to spend a ton of your money.”
My chuckle mingles with her light giggle. “How lucky am I to have someone to spend so much of my money?”
“Very lucky since you never make any time to spend it. What would you do without me, Nick?” She bats her eyelashes and my grin widens so much, my face might split in two.
“I don’t want to find out.”
“I’m not sure what your gift to me will be yet, but it’s going to cost more than what you got me for Christmas, I can tell you that much.”
“Awesome, just make sure it’s something extremely nice. You deserve it.”
We’re both smiling after our light-hearted banter, but I notice that her smile wanes just a little. I definitely took notice of the way she described our relationship and how she left out the rather significant part about us being lovers. At least we’re still best friends. I’ll take it. She hasn’t moved away from me, that’s another good sign.
“You sure you don’t want another drink?” She asks.
“I’m sure.” I place my empty glass down on the side table. “I don’t want you leaving my side for the rest of the night.”
“Even if I have to pee?” Her eyes twinkle with humor.
Of course, she’d have to tease. That’s the Grace I know, but wait...evidently, I don’t know everything. “Bathroom breaks
are the exception. What else don’t I know about you, Grace?”
Her blank stare prompts me into an explanation. “In the tub, you said you’re ticklish. I didn’t know that.”
“Of course you wouldn’t. We’ve never run around tickling each other in our seven years of working together. You know, because we’re adults.” Her laughter is infectious and if I wasn’t genuinely bothered by the fact that there are things I don’t know about her I would laugh too. She sobers long enough to see my somber expression. “Oh, my God, you’re serious. Where is this coming from?”
“I thought I knew everything about you.”
“Come on, Nick. Can anyone really know absolutely everything about another person?”
“They can sure as hell try.”
She’s silent for a moment, then she reaches across me to put down her almost empty glass. “You’re being so weird right now.”
“I could have said the same about you earlier. But I didn’t. Now that it’s come up, you have two choices, tell me something about you that I haven’t learned in the last seven years…or…tell me what’s been on your mind that put you in that strange mood earlier.”
She scoffs and sends me a glare, but still, she remains close, still leaning against me. “And here I thought you were making progress being cured of your demanding ways.”
“But you said you like me the way I am.”
Her mouth opens and closes and she sighs. I grin triumphantly when she huffs, “Why do I even try arguing with a lawyer? Fine, something about me that you don’t know…that’s a tough one...I guess you wouldn’t know that my career goal was to have my own PR firm.”
Whoa. I was expecting her to admit something minor like her favorite color isn’t really yellow. This is...huge. “I didn’t...how come you’ve never mentioned that?”
A pink tint spreads in both of her cheeks and she dips her head and shrugs. “It isn’t important.”
Grasping her chin, I force her to look at me. “Are you kidding? I think your career goal is something very important. And what do you mean it was your goal?” Now that she’s mentioned it, I can totally see her as a PR manager. She’d be incredible at it, and she’s qualified. I’m sure Grace didn’t pursue a masters degree to be my assistant.
Pulling out of my hold, she says, “Precisely that, Nick. It was, as in I put it behind me...I guess.”
“What? You guess?”
“Look, it doesn’t matter now, okay? I never mentioned it because I started working for you and we were moving so fast, and I got comfortable. Things were great with us working together so I put it aside. It’s probably too late now anyway, so let’s drop it.”
“Grace—”
“Nick. I know you didn’t invite me here tonight to talk. You wanted me here for this.” She straddles me before I can protest. The action causes my shirt, hanging open on her body, to part wide, revealing her breasts.
“I want you here for your company, not just sex. You’re not an escort, don’t make it sound like you are.”
Wrapping her arms around my neck—now I really can’t focus—she purrs, “We can pretend that I am. Role-playing is fun.”
“Stop trying to use sex to distract me.”
“Seems to be working,” she laughs. I realize then that my eyes have been glued to her chest the entire time. Forcing my eyes to her face, I try to appear stern, but it’s hard with her grinning knowingly at me. An emerging smile makes my lips twitch before it fully forms.
“Okay, it’s working. But that doesn’t mean we’re going to stop talking—”
“Yes, it does.”
It isn’t her words that stop me from going ahead with our conversation, but the beseeching look in her eyes. It’s funny how she tells me I’m too demanding, but all it takes is something as simple as one look from her to completely disarm me. If she doesn’t want to discuss her shocking revelation any further, fine.
Her surprised squeal resounds when I swiftly roll us over to pin her beneath me. “I suppose we can try to find something else to do instead of talking.” I hesitate long enough to see excitement darken her eyes before I swoop down to take command of her mouth.
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Grace
“Nicholas Parker’s office, Grace speaking,” I look up with the phone cradled between my ear and shoulder as Nick steps in. He glances my way and gives me a join me in my office when you’re done look. Great at multitasking, I listen to the woman on the phone while I search for the files I know Nick is going to ask for as soon as he settles at his desk. At the same time, I study his expression keenly before he strolls past me. It’s less grim than usual, meaning his meeting with Oliver Campbell went swimmingly.
Oliver has a thing about having his meetings with Nick outside of the office and Nick doesn’t seem to mind. I know those two secretly like each other outside of business. Like I said, a budding bromance. Of course, Nick insists that this is not the case because he doesn’t mix business with pleasure…so their meetings are strictly professional. He doesn’t mix business with pleasure? Yeah, right. When I asked him what he thinks we do, his response was to scowl at me because we mix the two so much it’s insane. Well…so much for my insistence on not doing that—which I maintained from the very beginning I might add.
“He’s not available at the moment.” I know he’ll want a minute to take a breather and this call isn’t particularly important. “Sure, I’ll deliver the message. You’re welcome.”
Hanging up the phone, I send Nick the files I’ve located via the network, then I swivel my chair around to launch out of it and sweep into his office.
“Where do you get your energy from?” he asks, his eyes glued to his computer screen. “You never just walk in here, you always...flounce.”
Grinning, I take my spot on his desk and cross my legs. “And I haven’t even had lunch yet. When I do, I’ll be doing pirouettes in and out of here. My energy might just drive you crazy.”
Finally, he looks at me, rubbing his chin with a smile. “Not in this lifetime. I love it.”
Every time he says the L word, my heart skips a beat because I foolishly keep waiting for the moment when he says he loves me.
“Thanks for saving me some time searching for Campbell’s files.”
Clearing my throat lightly, I force out a smile. “No problem. I see your meeting with him went well.”
With his attention now fully on me, he sits back in his chair. “You see?”
“Sure. Your scowl was less severe than usual when you got back. So, dare I presume you actually had fun?”
“Business meetings aren’t fun, Grace.”
“So you didn’t have fun playing golf with Oliver on Sunday then?”
“I hate golf. But I do what I need to for this firm.”
“Uh huh.” I can’t hold back my smile. “Just admit it, Nick. You like Oliver Campbell and he likes you. When you’re both together there’s an overload of testosterone, arrogance and a need for control, so both of your domineering energies cancel each other out. Therefore, you both have no choice but to respect and like each other, but you’re both such grumpy sourpusses you won’t admit that you want to be buddies outside of work. So, Oliver calls you for these impromptu,” I hold my fingers up to make air quotes, “Meetings. And you’re all too happy to go along with it. I mean come on, Breakfast, lunch, dinner, golf, and now a brunch meeting? What’s next, a meeting at a football game? Just admit that you two want to hang out like bros.”
At this point, Nick is trying valiantly to keep a straight face, but the smile he’s been trying to smother breaks through and he dissolves into a low chuckle. I’ve accomplished my make-Nick- laugh-for-the-day goal, and I’m pleased.
“Firstly, the air bunnies weren’t necessary because these are actually meetings, second, that was the most entertaining psychology lesson ever. Domineering energies canceling each other out,” he repeats, shaking his head. “Where do you come up with this stuff?”
“I have quite
the imagination.”
“That you do. You also called me a grumpy sourpuss. That’s a new one.”
His glare only makes me beam. “And you can’t refute it because you know it’s true.”
“Sometimes.” I regard him with a raised brow and he frowns. “Fine, most of the time.”
Pursing my lips, I look away from him to avoid bursting into laughter. At least he acknowledges his flaws. I’ve always liked that about him. “On a serious note, Alvin Watson’s secretary called...again. But you put him on the non-important list so I told her you were unavailable. He asked that you give him a call. I guess he really wants to talk to you. He’ll be in his office until three this afternoon.”
He grunts in response. “Yeah, if I get around to it.”
“Okay, what’s your problem with Watson? He was recommended by one of our biggest clients. Donald Perry isn’t someone you should be turning your back on. You like Donald…and if you take on Alvin’s company that’ll bring the firm a lot of money.”
“All money isn’t good money.”
“I know, but you won’t even take his calls or meet with him. Why won’t you feel him out?”
“Because I’ve already had the opportunity to feel him out and I didn’t like what I felt. He’s a chauvinist and a pervert. That’s a combination in a person I don’t care to feel much more of.”
“Oh.” I rack my brain for when they could have met. “I assume you met him at one of Perry’s events?”
“Remember his wife’s garden party that you and I both had to suffer through?”
“Oh, God. How can I forget!” Donald always insists that Nick attend any event he hosts, whether it’s work or not…meaning that I attend them as well. I’d been bored senseless. It was a new level of agony I didn’t know existed. Give me dancing and drinking with my girls over a garden party any day. Rubbing shoulders with the wealthy can get dull. I mean, who the hell has garden parties except for the Queen of England? “But that was last year. Watson’s been trying to get you on his team since then. What happened between you two?”