Manhattan Sugar (From Manhattan Book 1)

by V. Theia

  “Are you planning to stay out there all-night canoodling, Gray? Your father is waiting to eat, and you know how irrationally cantankerous he gets without his buttered bread.” A sweet feminine voice called out suddenly from behind the thick black door.

  Rather than let me go, Gray laughed and turned me around, so he could talk to the door. “Quit spying on us, mother, you can go to jail for that and dad won’t bail you out. We’ll be right in.”

  “I’m in my own home minding my own damn business, son. It’s you breaking laws making out on the step. Hurry up! I’m dying to meet India. I love her dress.”

  My laugh came unbidden as relief slammed into me hearing the melodious laughter from Gray’s mom, assuming she had her face pressed up to the peep hole. I pulled from his arms reluctantly and smiled, making sure one last time my hair swinging around my chin didn’t have a strand out of place.

  “You are beautiful,” Gray murmured. His eyes trained on me with heat and fondness. “Ready to go in?” He offered a hand which I laced, and he gave me a gentle squeeze.

  With Gray holding my hand I could climb mountains, fight lions or face a room full of his family.

  His parents were in a word; welcoming.

  His dad I noticed was about twenty years older than his wife who appeared to be only just in her sixties. Mom Ellison was a slim, brunette babe. And she folded me into a hug whether I wanted one or not.

  “Finally, this boy of mine brings you home. I thought I was going to have to bribe his doorman into letting me into his apartment stealthily.”

  “Believe me she would have.” Offered Dad Ellison pouring drinks in the large upstairs living room with the soft couches and ambient light making the room glow.

  “You’ll learn quickly how mom likes to exaggerate. We ignore it.” Winked Gray, his hand hadn’t left my spine and his touch plucked at that part of me that was wholly his. The part of me that preened being called his girlfriend when he introduced me to his thirty-something year old sister Susie.

  A boy and a girl ambled into the room right after a crystal glass of champagne was pushed into my hand, arguing between them.

  “You are a liar. I know it was you.”

  “Prove it, lameass.”

  “I don’t need proof. Who else would use my account to send fake messages to totally screw with me?”

  “Eh … I don’t know, maybe another desperado trying to hook up with girls.”

  “I know it was you, Izzy!” The teen boy accused with a glare and a sweep of his hand through his hair longer at the front. It only incited the girl with the black ponytail and winged eyeliner into smirking arrogantly, taunting her brother.

  I liked this kid, I thought, watching with amusement as they spotted Gray and the girl rushed over to hug him. The boy was slower as if he were too cool to hug, but he did turn his eyes on me and smirk.

  “India, these clowns are Isabella and Landon.” To them he said. “Try and act like normal kids for an hour, okay?” He said with affection as he reached out and ruffled Landon’s already messy hair.

  “I know, you’re probably looking at us Asian kids and wondering where we got Gray from, aren’t you?” Isabella asked, a smile curved her glossed lips. She was a typical teen in ripped skinny jeans and a shirt I would have loved when I was a teen. Too tight, too showy and completely gorgeous in style.

  The pair looked to be seventeen or so. I knew they were adopted, too. Gray told me the story of how their mom fell in love with the baby twins and talked their dad into adopting.

  I grinned and eyed Gray. “I’m betting he just wandered in from the street one day and your parents decided to keep him.”

  Both kids cracked up.

  “You’re not meant to encourage them, baby.” Gray said with gentle eyes on me.

  God, I wanted to kiss him right now.

  He made my heart gallop.

  “Sorry, rock star. I tell it like it is.”

  “Rock star!” Isabella exclaimed, throwing herself into an overstuffed chair, one leg over the arm. The relaxed atmosphere of everyone quickly put me at ease. “Don’t tell me he makes you call him that? Ego much, big bro. He plays a little bit of guitar and he thinks he’s Zeppelin.”

  “Man, I’m embarrassed for you in front of your girl.” Landon fired after his twin and I couldn’t help but giggle the way the pair roasted their brother.

  That’s how it went through dinner. The family held huge fondness for each other and I loved watching Gray interact with them as they chatted, told embarrassing anecdotes while we passed around huge bowls of Italian food.

  My envy for the Ellison’s was massive especially because each one welcomed me with generosity. Isabella wanted to hang out with me!

  Gray’s hand never wavered from my thigh under the table.

  “Thank you for bringing me,” I whispered leaning into him and he kissed my cheek. “I like your family.”

  “They like you, baby. From the looks of it more than they do me.”

  “I like you best,” I whispered back and felt his hand squeeze my thigh.

  What do they say about not becoming too comfortable?

  I wish only I’d prepared for that.

  Because minutes later as we sat down to have an after-dinner drink in the living room with soft music playing in the background. And Gray’s mom regaling with the story of when Gray went through his naked phase aged four by running through Riverside park, a slim built, blond guy strolled into the room. Dressed in a blue suit, his hair slicked back … I didn’t notice much else other than how my pulse stopped.

  “So sorry I’m late, sweetheart.” He leaned over Susie’s chair, her face smiling uplifted for the kiss he laid on her mouth. “I swear that place can’t run without me.”

  “You’re here now, dear husband. Grab a drink, Dev, we’re having fun embarrassing Gray in front of his India.”

  Those moments in life when your belly splits open and acid poured out.

  That was me.

  Sitting on a soft, white couch with my stomach regurgitating bile and my brain spitting out the oh, for fucks sake.

  Frozen with Gray’s hand on my thigh my blood turned to ice.

  Because when Dev—who I’d only heard about briefly an hour ago—turned a smile my way he too fixed on the spot like he’d been shot with a dart gun.

  Guess why?

  Oh, yeah.

  I knew this guy.

  This guy knew me.

  And it wasn’t because we were old school friends or work colleagues or even vacation pen pals.

  Oh, no. Nothing that simple.

  I mean why would the universe not take a crap on me right now when I was relaxed and having a good time with Gray’s family.

  My life was all about how much it could screw me up the fastest.

  I was happy, and my life said; hold my beer.

  I think Dev said hello and whatever other greeting he tacked on with it.

  I nodded and said something back and all the while my brain fired off oh, craps.

  I’d slept with that guy a year and a half ago.

  I knew what his orgasm face looked like.

  I knew how much of a lousy, lazy lay he was.

  And here we were in my boyfriend’s family home.

  Together.

  Balls.

  “I need to check what the responsibilities of a sugar daddy are again.” My hand on his inner wrist as I whispered in Gray’s ear so as not to attract notice from the conversations going on. The rise in my chest was more for his benefit than my own. I didn’t want to embarrass him in front of his family.

  I’d almost persuaded myself this night was going well. I liked his family, they gave the impression they liked me and through some twisted kind of karma, fate had twined my thread to someone else’s in this household.

  A forgettable someone.

  Seriously, that night in Vegas was a blur for the most part except for recognizing his face.

  Way to go, India.

  I’ve
always known New York was incestuous, you couldn’t turn a corner without tripping over an ex, but this … not funny, universe.

  I’ve slept with Gray’s brother in law. Saying it in my head didn’t change the outcome. Fuck.

  It would have been better if he hadn’t recognized me too.

  Gray’s hand moved to my knee, squeezed as he leaned to my ear and his voice equally low. “What do you need, baby-girl?”

  Up off the couch I held a hand out to Gray, so I could lay the bad news on him out in the hallway.

  Now I just wanted to run. And we all knew I excelled at leaving emotional entanglements in my dust cloud. It’s obvious Gray sensed my swing in mood because two hands cupped my face gently and his appeared in my vision. “Take a breath, India.” I did. “And another,” he said. “Now tell me what got you spooked.”

  “I’m not spooked.” I hissed. Not quite a lie.

  I’m more uncomfortable for his sake than my own. I’ve done the walk of shame more times than I could count, and it never bothered me.

  But this? It had the potential to hurt him. Or at least annoy. Not to mention his family wouldn’t ever give me a second chance.

  “I’m okay.” I said leaning into his hand. He’s so damn good at calming me down I could almost hate him for that kind of control over my emotions. But I didn’t and would never hate him. It’s the reason I’m not grabbing up my purse and making like a tree. I wanted to be here for Gray and that hadn’t changed in the last five minutes.

  “Your sister.”

  His brows fold down in confusion.

  “How ... how long has she been married?”

  “Susie? What does—”

  “It’s important, Gray.”

  Eyes narrowed, and I knew why. All day he’d been Grayson.

  Suddenly it felt all business again.

  And I didn’t want that between us, so I went up on my toes and kissed him quickly, dropping back to my feet.

  For once I wasn’t running or avoiding.

  I was making my life a priority and, in that life, a huge part of it was Gray.

  “A year this past fall I think. I forget the date. Why?”

  Air expelled.

  Thank fucking god I didn’t sleep with a married man.

  But still. “And how long was she dating him?”

  Maybe something in my voice triggered Gray because not only did he take a step back, but the perplexity cleared from his eyes and he looked at me speculatively.

  I felt the look low in my knotted abdomen.

  Meeting the parents was a bad idea. Hadn’t I expressed how much of a bad idea it would be?

  “Several years. Again, I’m not clear on dates.”

  Shit.

  Double fucking dipped shit.

  But I did with a taken man. One who claimed to be single. But fucking semantics.

  “You recall you said you’d take care of anything, right?”

  “You need to stop being vague, India, and spit it out.”

  “You’re going to find this funny eventually.” I told him, and I reached out to touch his chest, couldn’t help myself. Gray did the same by hooking my hand up and skimmed my knuckles with his lips. “That guy in there who just arrived. I slept with him a year and half ago in Vegas. It was brief. Drinking was involved. It was forgettable, and he led me to believe he was single.”

  Gray visibly turned ashen and the flickering of light in his eyes suddenly became dead.

  Swallowing around the rock in my throat, seeing disappointment in his eyes nearly crippled me.

  Had a sigh ever been more exasperated?

  “So…Unless you want me to leave…” I wanted this option so badly but from the way his nostrils flared, and his eyes flattened I guessed he didn’t. What a shitty time for past stupid hook ups … brief as they may have been to rear their ugly heads.

  I didn’t care what his sexual number was, and he mine. Knowing about his last relationship was enough information for me.

  But knowing one of mine was his brother in law? That might change how he felt for me. I tried to smile. “I need you to go and talk to your brother in law and make sure he doesn’t say anything about knowing me.”

  “You and Devon?”

  “Yep.”

  Gray sighed.

  He stroked my hair and even tapped a finger on my chin. Looked deeply into my eyes and I had the urge to climb him, to bury my face in his neck and whisper sweet things about no other boys mattered because all I saw was him.

  “Or we could always slip out. Go to a drive-thru, get junk food and have sex on the kitchen floor.”

  His eyes flared.

  “Behave.” His voice gently reproaching even as he smiled and stroked the front of my throat. “You know, I never did like him.” He announced, and I burst out laughing. “Slimy motherfucker. Now I know why I disliked him so much.” His tone was completely possessive, and I nearly lost my head. I liked the tone. I liked him being greedy over me. I liked it even better when his big hand curled around my nape, a little rough and pulled me forward. “I need a kiss if I have to go warn this jackass to keep your name out of his mouth. Make it a good one, India. I want your taste down into my fucking spleen.”

  Oh, Jesus.

  I couldn’t get wet in his parents’ house. But I did.

  And I couldn’t think about him dragging me off for a quickie with my skirt rucked up around my waist while he showed me how a sugar baby should behave.

  Oh, wow. My hormones roasted.

  “Get down here and give me that tongue, Sugar D. Let me taste how badly you need my mouth.”

  He groaned and leaned in so close his fragrance saturated my nose. A mix of warm male, the ocean and my Gray.

  It was indecent to kiss that way in his parent’s hallway. I locked my knees to stop from falling over, or worse, dropping to the tiled floor and ripping open Gray’s zipper.

  He wasn’t mad at all and I didn’t know why I was surprised.

  I guess I expected it.

  After he nuzzled his face scruff on my throat he walked me back into the living room, handed me my champagne, dropped another kiss to my lips and then casually asked Devon for a word. The flare of the guy’s eyes towards me it was obvious, at least to him, what he was being taken out of the room for.

  ~*~*~

  Back home, the moment my heels were off and carefully stored in their box again I flopped onto the couch. It was where Gray found me.

  “C’mon, time for bed, you’ve had a busy day with shoes.” He beckoned standing by my head with his bare feet and open shirt. If I’d been less tired I might have scraped my nails down his happy trail and encouraged him to lie on top of me. As it was I could barely rouse my eyelids open.

  Fancy champagne tiredness.

  Instead I buried my face in the cushion and whined like a baby. “It was an epic day.” I dreamy sighed, happy. “And I liked your family, Gray. Just leave me here.”

  He snickered. “You’ll be more comfortable in our bed and you’ll thank me tomorrow when you’re not in a bitchy mood with backache.”

  “Pft. You’re the one with creaky bones. Besides.” Another whine. “The bedroom is miles away.”

  “C’mere.” He picked me up from under my armpits, I latched on, wrapping my legs and locking them at the ankle, burying my face in his neck, mumbling, “about time.”

  Gray chuckled and palmed my ass walking us both through the apartment to the bedroom.

  “You could have just asked me to carry you, baby-girl, but you don’t do that, do you?”

  I snorted and fingered into the back of his inky strands. Already the gentle swaying of his steps pulled me to that place of sleep. “Don’t get all sugar daddy on me.”

  “Why not? You enjoy it.”

  Dammit. I did. Who even was I anymore?

  Gray didn’t tell me what he said to his brother in law that night.

  Nor did I care to know.

  The Vegas guy was like any other guy, a non-entity.


  The only guy that mattered to me fucked me hard and long that night with my teeth biting into his forearm. And then again sweet and soft in the middle of the night when I was half asleep. Growling mine the whole time he slid into me.

  I was so his I felt heartsick giddy about it.

  With his last pump Gray collapsed heavy between my legs. My brain was somewhere in the stratosphere trying to find my lungs.

  “I love you, my mean-girl. I love you so fucking much.” He rasped into my neck, puffing hot air over my skin even as I shivered.

  I could feel the drum of his heart through my chest.

  His sweat drying on my skin, the flavor of him in my mouth and his pleasure coating the inside of my legs.

  And through that awareness of Gray all over my body I think I died.

  Because the sweetest man alive … loved me.

  “Nothing to say about last night?”

  Gray held my coffee just out reach standing at the side of the bed. Even sleep mussed he looked gorgeous with stubble dusting his square-cut jaw and his hair going in all directions. I let my eyes take a wander down his body in only the tight, white boxer-briefs.

  Good morning to me, I thought, with my drooling eyes eating him up.

  He’s all mine. A tiny voice sang in a falsetto tone.

  Never had I displayed possessiveness over any man, and here I was, with my thoughts laying claim to the man who loved me ready to write his name all over my tenth-grade diary.

  He loved me. Jesus.

  I knew exactly what he is asking. I’d failed to mention the love thing at all last night before we drifted to sleep wrapped in each other …

  I scowled playfully up at him and held out my hand. “Coffee, Sugar D. Let’s not anger a beast this early.”

  Before he allowed me to take the cup he bent over the headboard and laid the gentlest, sweetest kiss to my lips then he handed me the nectar … in my unicorn mug I might add.

  “I love you. In case you forgot I said it.”

  I choked on hot coffee.

  He turned a smirk on me walking into the closet. He came out with three ties in his hands. “Which one do you like?”

  “Is it for business, pleasure or fucking a hot secretary?”