I took a bite of my sandwich and made sure to say, “Thank you, Grant. It’s delicious.”
Grant dug into his food as well, and before long, we had cleared our plates. Caleb picked at the potato chips on his plate, eating a few, but trying to hide the fact that he was doing it. Grant and I pretended we didn’t notice.
Finally, Caleb spoke, his voice soft. “Can I have a pickle?”
“You want a pickle with your sandwich?” Grant asked lightly, and he nodded his little head slightly. “Coming right up.” Grant got up from the table, walked to the fridge, and pulled out a whole jar of pickles. He placed it on the table and asked, “How many? You can have all the pickles you want.”
Caleb looked at me, as if asking permission. I nodded, and he mumbled, “Just one, please.”
Grant placed the sliced pickle wedge on Caleb’s plate. I didn’t even have to prompt Caleb to say, “Thank you.”
Grant and I watched as Caleb began to eat his sandwich, munching on the pickle spear after every bite of sandwich. I could hardly contain the smile on my face. I was just so relieved he was eating and returning to his normal self. I knew it would be hard, and I was still learning all his likes and dislikes. It would take time, I reminded myself. One step at a time, and this was a step in the right direction.
Caleb didn’t eat all of his sandwich, but he ate enough of it that I was satisfied he was no longer hungry. Once he was finished, I helped Grant clear the table.
Caleb’s little eyes were growing heavy. It was past his naptime, and he’d had a busy day. Grant must have noticed it too.
“My old room is still available,” he whispered. “We can let him rest in there, if you want.”
I felt safer with Grant, and even though I wasn’t a hundred percent sure that we were in any danger, it was nice that we could stay there. At least until our nerves died down a bit.
Grant carried Caleb as we walked down the hall to his old bedroom. It was right by the living room, so we wouldn’t have to worry about him being too far from us.
When Grant opened the door, it was hard to contain the laughter. The room was set up just as I remembered when we were teens. Star Wars posters lined the walls, with a few posters of famous athletes from our time. His twin bed still had the same navy-blue bedding too.
“I remember how you’d never, ever let us in here,” I teased. “Leah and I would try to break in, just to annoy you.”
Grant laughed as he motioned for me to step inside. “A lot has changed, obviously.”
“Obviously.” I stepped into the room and looked all around. It felt like walking into a museum, a time period so perfectly preserved except for some dust on the sports trophies on the shelves.
Grant placed a sleepy Caleb in his bed, tucking him in. He fought to keep his eyes open, saying, “I’m not sleepy,” even though we knew it was a lie.
“It’s okay, you don’t have to sleep, little man. Just get comfy and relax.” Grant took a seat in the desk chair beside the bed, and I sat down on the bed near Caleb. “We’ll just hang out here for a bit. What do you say?”
“Okay,” Caleb said, his eyes shutting on him against his will.
It took maybe two seconds for him to fall fast asleep. I stayed with him for a few more minutes, just in case. As soon as we were sure he was deep in dreamland, we quietly left the room, leaving the door open just a crack so we could hear if he woke up.
“You know,” Grant said as we walked back into the living room, “I would feel much better if the two of you stayed here tonight. I don’t like the way Lars was looking at you.”
I felt like I should protest, to tell him I couldn’t do it, that I was afraid of what might happen if we spent the night together. As if he’d read my mind, Grant quickly added, “You could stay in Leah’s old room, if you want. You wouldn’t have to, you know…”
He was such a perfect gentleman. He ran a hand over the stubble on his face and didn’t meet my gaze at first, but when he turned his brown eyes to me, my heart fluttered in my chest.
“I probably need to make some phone calls, see if I can get into Andy’s house for Caleb, but I’ll think about it.”
I already knew my answer. I couldn’t turn down an offer like that. I didn’t want to get caught up in a relationship right now, especially since Grant had his own demons to deal with - he didn’t need mine too. But the fact that he was so damn good with Caleb made it impossible for me to not imagine what could be.
“Yeah, that’s fine,” he said. “I also need to call that specialist back. I think Caleb’s shoes might be ready.”
I bit my lip, fighting the urge to show him how much it all meant to me with a kiss. “Thank you,” just didn’t seem good enough, but it’s what I settled for.
We parted ways to make our respective phone calls, but I couldn’t get his offer out of my mind. Stay the night, here, with Grant? Sure, I didn’t have to sleep in his bed, but after the other night, would it be possible to resist?
I guess I’d just have to wait and see.
ooo000ooo
“I can get the keys tomorrow,” I said, staring at my phone instead of looking at the gorgeous hunk of a man sitting next to me. “I’m shocked it was that easy.”
“You’re his guardian. It makes sense you have access to his clothes, toys, and whatever else he may need.”
“William said we could even stay there, if I wanted.” I wasn’t sure how I felt about that. Andy had a ridiculously nice house. It was huge - far too big for just Caleb and me.
Now it was empty.
“It rightfully belongs to Caleb, and when you get custody of him—”
“If I get custody.” I hated to imagine that possibility, but it was in the back of my mind.
Grant touched my cheek, turning my face toward him. I stared into those deep, brown eyes and for a second forgot about everything. I melted into the couch, yearning to just fall into him and let it all go. Being with him often felt like things would just work out. He made me feel safe.
“You’re going to get custody, Piper.”
His words touched something deep inside of me, causing a warmth in my chest that spread throughout every vein in my body.
He made me believe it.
I couldn’t think of anything to say, so I stared deep into his eyes and let myself live for the moment. Before I knew what was happening, his face was closer to mine and our lips were pressed together. He kissed me, or maybe I kissed him, I didn’t know, but our mouths were exploring each other’s as his hands moved down my body.
My own hands moved up his chest, running underneath his shirt from the tight, smooth muscles of his abs up to his ripped, chiseled chest. I craved to touch every inch of his body.
A sound pulled us apart, however. We stopped and dropped our hands and pulled away from the kiss just in time to hear Caleb’s little feet down the hallway. By the time he made it to the living room, Grant and I were sitting on the couch with our hands in our laps and looking like angels.
Caleb padded over to me, and I helped him climb on my lap. He wiped the sleep from his eyes.
“Have a good nap, sweetie?”
“Yes,” he said, resting his head on my shoulder.
“I got some good news today. We can go to your house soon.”
Caleb looked up at me with wide-eyed innocence. “Can Grant come too?”
Grant and I both chuckled. “I’m not sure, honey. He kinda has a home of his own, you know, but I’m sure he can visit us no matter where we live. Right, Grant?”
“Of course. I’m not going anywhere.”
I glanced at him, and I had to admit, he’d opened up so much over the last week or so. I’d never seen this side of Grant before, and it amazed me. All this time, I thought he wouldn’t be open to having a relationship with me - either because I was Leah’s best friend or because he had monsters in his head or because I had a child to care for now - but maybe I’d imagined those things. Perhaps I’d put up my own walls, afraid I’d never be a
ble to get through his.
Maybe it was time I let my guard down a little.
“And good news, Caleb. Grant asked if we could spend the night here. Would you like that?”
“Yes!” He threw his arms in the air as if to celebrate.
Grant and I laughed again at how excited the boy was to spend the night at Grant’s house, especially with the promise of going back to his own home soon. I still wasn’t sure if we’d stay there and didn’t want Caleb to get too excited about the prospect of moving back in case things didn’t go as planned, but for the meantime, the best way to cause as little disruption to his routine as possible was to visit his home.
Ooo000ooo
“He’s out like a light.” Grant shut the bedroom door behind him, and we entered the hall again.
Caleb’s nap earlier had been incredibly short, and with all the excitement of staying with Grant - and the two of them roughhousing late into the evening, he was exhausted.
As was I.
It had been a long day for all of us.
Grant must have sensed my tiredness, so he motioned me down the hall to Leah’s old room. He flipped on the light, and like his room, Leah’s looked much the same as it had when we were teens, just with a few things missing here and there, things she’d taken to her own place. Just like Grant’s, there was dust on the edges of the bookshelves and the silly little knickknacks that adorned the shelves.
So many memories came rushing back in that moment. Late nights with Leah, talking about boys and doing each other’s hair and makeup. She only had a twin bed, but there was a second bed in the room that used to belong to her sister, Caroline, who passed when we were kids. I usually slept in that bed when I stayed over. I noticed the bedding for that one had been stripped, leaving it bare, sitting in a corner like a long-forgotten artifact while Leah’s bed still had the bright yellow and grey bedding she had when we were teens.
But I had no intention of sleeping there tonight.
I closed the distance between us, pressing my body against his as I stared up at him. I wanted to see if he’d make the next move, and he did exactly what I wanted him to do.
Cupping my face in his hands, he leaned closer to me. Our lips smashed together with such force, it was almost magnetic. He whispered against my lips, “Are you sure you want this?”
“Yes.”
One word that moved me into his arms.
Grant lifted me, sweeping me off my feet. I squealed in surprise, but once he was holding me, I felt safe and secure. His room was next door, across the hall from where Caleb was staying. He kicked open his bedroom door and carried me inside what used to be his parent’s room.
This was one room I’d never seen, for obvious reasons. I’d never had any reason to go in his parent’s room. But even so, it no longer looked like a room that belonged to them - Grant was literally written all over it.
From the darkest of blue bedding to the grey sheets and curtains. The king-sized bed that appeared carved by hand, and likely was carved by Grant’s hands. He laid me down onto the bed, and it was cozy and warm - a down comforter beneath the dark blue duvet. I melted into the bedding.
Grant shut the bedroom door, and as he walked over to me, he began to strip. I sat up in bed, eager to get a better look as he ripped his shirt off over his head. His chest and abs were even more filled out than I remembered. He’d matured over the years and grew into one of the strongest men I’d ever known. He removed his belt as he stepped closer, letting it fall to the floor with a clink.
I felt like my eyes might pop from my head in anticipation as he slid his pants and boxers down his hips. His cock popped free from the boxers, standing at attention, and I eagerly reached for it, moving toward the very edge of the bed to be able to do so.
I gripped him in my hands, staring up at him as I stroked his massive cock. While I’d already felt him, seeing him so exposed like this was new to me. I’d never seen him completely naked, and I wanted to cherish the moment. Savor every line, every muscle of his body. Admire just how fucking gorgeous he was.
But I wanted to do more than just look at him.
I wanted to taste him.
I lowered myself, taking the head of his cock between my lips. I rolled my tongue over the tip, sliding down each side. I wouldn’t be able to take him fully into my mouth, but I wanted to try.
I slipped him between my lips and went down as far as I could, until he activated my gag reflex, then moved back up. I moved up and down on his member, sucking and licking and tasting every inch of him. What I couldn’t fit into my mouth, I ran my tongue all over until he was literally dripping with saliva.
His groans were low and deep, and he never once took his eyes off me. I stared up at him as I continued sucking his cock, watching his chiseled features contort into a look of bliss. His hands found the back of my head, but instead of pushing me down further, he gently nudged my face up, away from his member.
Grant dropped to his knees at the edge of the bed as he pushed my dress up and tore my panties off. He dove between my thighs, his tongue working its magic on my clit.
I threw my head back, biting my lip to stop myself from screaming. I held onto the back of his head, and unlike him, I actually pushed him down against me. I couldn’t help it, it felt too good. I needed his tongue to go deeper and deeper.
Grant didn’t seem to mind, eating my pussy like it was the most delicious dessert he’d ever had the luxury of tasting. He lapped up my juices and fucked me with his tongue until the first wave of my orgasm approached.
I whimpered, as my legs began to shake. My fingers grabbed his hair, both pulling and pushing at the same time. It was almost too intense.
Almost.
“Oh God, Grant!” was all I could say before my words turned into cries of pleasure. I tried my best to be as quiet as possible, but I lost control. My hands gripped the bedding as my body lifted upward, everything in me shaking as the pleasure took hold.
Grant didn’t stop until every last shudder had been silenced in my body, until I relaxed onto the bed, falling backward, on my back again. My cheeks were flushed, and while the orgasm was amazing, my appetite hadn’t been sated.
And neither had Grant’s.
He pulled me back upward to a sitting position and yanked off my dress, tossing it to the side. His hands fumbled with my bra for only a second before my breasts fell free. He took them into his hands, gently sucking each nipple before covering them in kisses. Our eyes remained locked on each other.
I knew in that moment that we were always meant to be together. We were meant to arrive at this place There was no one in the world that I wanted to be with more than him.
“Please, Grant…I need you now.”
He didn’t hesitate. He laid me down on the bed, climbing on top of me. He hovered above me, naked and beautiful and glistening with sweat. I wrapped my legs around him, and reached for his cock, guiding it toward my opening. Grant did the rest, thrusting into me and spreading me open. We’d been together once already, but that wasn’t enough to prepare me for the sensation. I cried out as my body pushed upward, eager to take even more of him.
I wanted everything he could give.
Our lips met again, and I tasted myself on his mouth. Our bodies found that perfect rhythm, him rocking back and forth, moving in and out of me as I held on for dear life. My hands explored his perfect body, digging into his flesh each time he buried his thick shaft in my pussy.
Grant lifted himself, grabbing my leg and positioning himself on his knees. I got the full view of his body as he fucked me, and God, it was beautiful. I placed my legs on his shoulders, allowing him to bury himself even deeper.
I wanted all of him, and it was clear he wanted all of me too.
He worked at my pussy like his cock was a jackhammer, and he was hitting all the right spots. Every single thrust brought me closer and closer to the edge again.
“Yes, yes,” I whimpered, feeling like I was losing control again.
“Cum for me, Piper,” he demanded. “Come all over my cock.”
Hearing him talk to me like that was all it took to send me over the edge. To stop myself from screaming, I raised myself up and buried my face in the crook of his neck, biting harder than I intended as I came. My pussy milked his cock, and I noticed his breathing grew ragged, his movements more desperate. Then finally, he thrust into me one last time, going as deep as he could. His cock throbbed, filling with me his cum.
Knowing he was coming heightened my own orgasm. And together, we rode out the pleasure, our bodies bucking wildly together, until every last drop of his seed was inside me.
He stared into my eyes, kissing me deeply as he slipped his deflated cock from the depths of my pussy. The rush of warmth that followed made my insides tingle - a reminder of what we’d just done.
Grant collapsed beside me on the bed, pulling me close. In case I had any doubts that we were meant to be, in that moment, snuggled up against him, I knew I was falling in love with him. I thought I probably had always loved him, but I’d pushed it away. That was the moment I gave myself permission to love him, to let those feelings come to life.
I didn’t say anything yet. Neither of us said anything. There was only the sound of our breathing and his heartbeat thundering in his chest, against my ear, as I rested my head against him. He stroked my hair and held me close. I’d been so afraid he would never allow himself to open up to me, but there we were.
We were where we were supposed to be.
Ooo000ooo
A sound pulled me from my sleep. “What was that?”
My heart was racing as I sat up in bed. Grant was beside me, awake and alert as well. He jumped from the bed and threw on his pants. “Stay here.”
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