That might be true, but he’d be looking for her now. If for no other reason than to get a look at her in a pencil skirt. Wait. Should he be ogling someone who worked with him? She wasn’t his boss or anything. Surely it should be okay. In fact, this might be the in he needed.
“Can I get your phone number?” he pushed.
“Why?”
“Because I had a good time. We might like to do it again sometime.” Lots of times.
“I don’t think so.” She shook her head.
“Why not?”
“You don’t seem to understand the concept of a one-night stand.” This was true. The last time he attempted to have a casual fling, he ended up in a relationship. They’d been together for seven months when she told him it wasn’t working. Despite his desire to figure out why, she simply moved on. He was hoping to move on as well, thus the reason he’d taken Doug up on his offer to go out on a Wednesday for ladies’ night.
“I understand the concept, but if I meet someone I like sleeping with, why can’t I have another one-night stand with the same person?”
“Because that would be a two-night stand.” She laughed.
“Not if they’re not consecutive,” he reasoned.
This did make a little sense, but Liss shook her head. He followed her into the building and waited with her for the elevator.
“I think it’s best if you stay on your floor and I stay on mine. We can nod if we see each other, and leave it at that.”
He didn’t want to leave it at that, but he agreed for now.
“If that’s how you want to play it.”
“Yes. I think it’s for the best.” They stepped in the crowded elevator and a few seconds later, they arrived on twenty-third floor. She stepped off, leaving him smashed between a woman with too much perfume and a guy with a coffee stain on his tie.
“Have a nice day, Grayson.” She said his name in the same tone she’d used the night before. The tone that made his cock twitch. The door shut and she was gone.
“Damn it,” he muttered, causing the people on the elevator to look at him.
It was fine. He knew where she worked, where she went for coffee, what club she frequented, and where she lived.
Fate was on his side. Not that he believed in such a thing.
* * * *
Alyssa couldn’t help but smile as she walked to her cubicle.
“What’s all this?” Frederick asked while making a wide circle in the air in front of Alyssa’s body. “You look much too happy for a Thursday morning.”
“Last night was ladies’ night.” Her smile grew wider.
“And did the lady get everything she desired on her night?”
“Oh yes.” And more. Three orgasms were more than she expected from a one-night stand.
“I swear if I could give you my penis, we’d both be happier,” he said, making her laugh. “You’re such a guy when it comes to sex.”
Freddie had no idea how right he was. She didn’t want any of the emotions that women normally linked to sex. It was her experience that even if a man talked about marriage, family, and love, what it really came down to was sex. It had been a painful lesson indeed.
Now, her encounters were constant reminders that the only connection she was capable of having with a man was physical.
“I made it in before you?” Mia walked up, her brows crunched together.
“She got laid,” Freddie said, while pointing to Alyssa with his thumb.
“I could still be getting laid if she hadn’t forced me to come in this morning,” Mia said with a fake snarl before flipping her straight black hair out of her eyes and walking off.
“Glad you could be here. Have a great day!” Alyssa called after her with a laugh. She could still hear Mia grumbling the whole way to her cubicle. She was in too good of a mood to care.
“This guy must have rocked your world.” Freddie rolled his eyes and headed to his desk across the aisle from Alyssa.
Alyssa had to admit, the sex had been amazing. Gray had taken his time to make sure it was good for her. But how long could that last? She couldn’t give in to his two-night stand theory. It was best to let things go when they were good. Like knowing when to end a beloved sitcom before you make a mess of it.
She nodded in agreement with her decision and got to work.
Unfortunately, her job was not as gratifying as her evening with Grayson Hollinger III.
With her business degree from Syracuse and her ambitious drive, she should have been working her own accounts by now, but she wasn’t. For the most part, she was doing data entry.
But she would keep trying. Every time one of the family members got bored and left the company, it meant another chance for her to move up. Surely she would have her turn at some point. Until then, she would wait patiently.
Her bright outlook lasted only twenty minutes longer. Her phone lit up with a text from Sasha.
I don’t think this roommate thing is working out anymore.
“Son of a bitch.”
Chapter 2
As the meeting moved into its second hour, Grayson wondered how much force it would take to thrust his pen into his skull to end the misery. It wasn’t as if he expected a room full of accountants to be exciting in any way, but there was only so much to talk about.
Yes, two plus two still equals four. Yes, having a positive number on the bottom line is still a good thing. The world is still rotating. Back to work.
He snickered at his imaginary meeting, and Doug raised a curious brow. Gray would explain later. If they ever got out of the meeting.
It wouldn’t have been so bad, but he knew this meeting was the extent of his entertainment for the evening.
After spending the night before with Alyssa Sinclair, he knew his Thursday was going to be lacking.
While sitting at the conference table, zoning out, daydreaming about Liss in that skirt, and planning whether to order a pizza or Chinese for dinner, he realized his whole life was becoming pathetic. He could quite possibly be the only person from a suburb in Connecticut to be bored stiff with life in New York City.
He needed to do something. Something… real. His thoughts shifted to the woman he’d been with the night before.
He hadn’t expected to strike gold when Doug talked him in to going to ladies’ night. After all, Wednesday was probably the least sexy day of the week. Or maybe it was Tuesday.
After his initial crash and burn when he asked to buy her a drink, they eventually found common ground—getting both of them to point B, as she called it.
He laughed, causing Randy to look over at him before going back to the topic on hand. Grayson allowed himself to drift deeper into his memories.
Maybe it was the way they’d connected, or the fact that he was in the world’s most boring meeting, but he couldn’t stop thinking about her.
Every touch, every moan.
He wanted to be with her again. Except Alyssa had been adamant about it being one night only. He’d have to find a way to change her mind.
“You left with that hot blonde pretty quick last night,” Doug said as he sat across from Grayson’s desk after the meeting finally let out.
“Wasn’t that the point?” After Jade’s announcement that things weren’t working, he planned to give the relationship the normal six-month mourning period. But Doug convinced him to go out and “get back in the saddle” despite Doug’s track record with romance.
“I didn’t have any luck.” Doug shrugged it off.
“What’s the matter? Weren’t they desperate enough for you?” Gray said with a chuckle.
Doug was a thirty-five year-old divorced father of a little girl he rarely got to see. Every time Grayson had to listen to Doug’s stories about the cost of daycare and fighting his ex to get visitation, it made him want to pull out his wallet a
nd double check his condom supply.
“At least the drinks were cheap.”
“I only needed to buy one anyway.”
“Seriously? You didn’t even have to buy her a drink?”
“That’s right.” Gray couldn’t hold back the smug smile.
“You suck.” Doug flipped him off as he left Gray’s office.
Doug would really be pissed off to find out it was the best sex he ever had.
Grayson went about his day, catching himself smiling every once in a while. Alyssa’s face in the line at the coffee shop was priceless.
At lunch, he glanced around the street at the crowds of people.
“Who are you looking for?” Doug asked.
“The woman I was with last night works here.”
“Uh-oh. You want me to hide you?”
“No. Actually, I’d like to run into her again.”
“Seriously? You just got out of a relationship. Give it a rest.”
Technically it had been three months. “This coming from Mr. Family Man himself.”
“We’re not talking about me. I’m trying to spare you,” Doug said. Grayson knew Doug would do anything to go back to his family, even though his wife had treated Doug horribly and used their daughter to manipulate him.
“I wouldn’t mind seeing her again.”
“It was a Wednesday,” Doug protested. Gray laughed again and surveyed the crowd on the sidewalk looking for Alyssa’s long, golden hair.
“I know. I’m as surprised that your idea worked as you are.” With a sigh of disappointment he went back to work.
“You want to hit the gym after work?” Doug asked later that afternoon.
“Sure. We’ll have to swing by my place so I can get some clothes.”
While going to the gym with Doug wasn’t what he’d been daydreaming about most of the day, at least he wouldn’t be sitting home alone.
They took the elevator in his building up to the second floor—the metropolitan equivalent of trying to find the closest parking spot at the gym.
“You still haven’t found a roommate?” Doug asked as they stepped inside his barren living room. The TV and the sofa had been Gray’s, but the decorations had been Trent’s.
“No. You want to move in?”
“Nah. I couldn’t afford it.”
“I’d be willing to lower the price for you.”
“Thanks, but I’m saving up to get a place with two bedrooms. The caseworker says I can’t keep Lucy overnight until she has her own room at my place. The apartment also has to meet all the other criteria of their inspection. Clean and safe. Do you know how much a clean, safe two-bedroom costs in the city?”
He did. He was living in one at the moment. And the empty bedroom was just sitting there.
“Until then, I’m going to stay in Queens so I’m close and can see her more. Besides, I don’t want to move in here, and then have Trent break up with his girlfriend and want to move back.”
“Fiancée,” Gray corrected. “And no. He won’t be moving back. They’ve sent out the save-the-date magnets.”
Trent had paid his rent through the next four months, giving Gray enough time to find a new roommate, or for Trent’s fiancée to change her mind and kick him to the curb.
Gray had to admit that he was kind of hoping for the second thing. Not that he had a problem with Tiffany or wanted his friend to be heartbroken. It would just be easier than finding a new roommate.
“Do you want me to put some feelers out to find someone?” Doug offered.
“You sure you don’t want it?”
“I can’t pay what Trent was paying, and I won’t take charity.”
“It’s not charity. It’s friendship.”
“Friendship is me helping you find someone who can pay you what it’s worth.”
“Fine. But the offer’s still open.”
“I appreciate it.”
“Are we doing this?” Gray asked holding the door while Doug inspected the kitchen.
“Yeah.” Neither of them sounded very convincing.
* * * *
Gray didn’t see Alyssa at the coffee shop on Friday morning, and wondered if she was avoiding him. He caught himself looking around, expecting to see her hiding behind a street sign or something.
By Friday afternoon, he found his wanting to see Alyssa again had turned into something a bit stronger. He headed out of the office a little early and sat on one of the benches outside their building. Waiting. He pulled a magazine out of his bag so he wouldn’t look so obvious, but he couldn’t fool himself. He knew exactly what it looked like. Stalking.
He would have missed her if she hadn’t spotted him and stood in front of him.
“I’m pretty sure you’re stalking me now,” she said with her brows raised.
“Who said I was waiting here for you?”
She gave one nod and walked away. Shit.
“Okay. Hold up. I was waiting for you.” She turned to look at him. “I wouldn’t have to resort to this if you’d just given me your damn phone number.” He smiled to let her know he was joking.
“What do you want?”
“It’s Friday. I’m not really looking forward to going to a club tonight. I thought maybe you’d like to give us another go. I live nearby.”
She rolled her eyes and walked away while mumbling something that sounded like, “One night means one night.”
Gray laughed and chased after her as her heels clicked down the sidewalk.
“How about a drink? I never got to buy you a drink.”
“No thanks. I have stuff I need to do tonight.”
“We were pretty efficient together. You would still have plenty of time.”
“Look. I’m sorry, but you have the wrong girl. I don’t do any form of relationship. Whether it be marriage or going for a drink, I don’t want any of that. I just wanted to have a good time and keep going.”
“Okay. Got it. Sorry I bothered you. I feel the same way, except I didn’t have a good time.” This made her stop walking. She turned on him, scowling. “I had a fantastic time. The best time ever.” He grinned and saw the corner of her mouth twitch slightly.
“I’ll allow that. It was somewhat fantastic. I’m still not interested in a repeat. I have too much other shit going on right now.”
“Sure. Fine. I get it. Take care, Liss.”
“You, too.” And with a small smile, she ducked down into the subway.
Why did he feel so strange watching her walk away?
He shook it off and went home to get ready for the bar. He wasn’t going out with Doug this time. He had plans to meet Trent and Tiffany. Nothing was more pathetic than being the third wheel. Hopefully, it wouldn’t stay that way for long.
He sighed, remembering how easy it had been to talk to Alyssa. How direct she was. Her honesty was even more of a turn-on than her long legs and size Cs.
“So you said you went out Wednesday?” Trent asked with his head cocked to the side. “It’s been a while since you’ve done that.”
“Yeah. It turned out great though. I met this woman who was funny and hot.”
“Wow. A funny, hot woman at a club,” Trent said with a wink at Tiff who had once been just a funny, hot woman at a club, but was now the love of Trent’s life.
“Her name was Alyssa, Liss. She actually works in my building.”
“That must be awkward,” Tiffany said as she pushed her fries toward Trent to share. Gray wished he had someone to share fries with.
“It’s not awkward. Well, except that I’d like to see her again and she keeps blowing me off.” Trent and Tiffany giggled at his comment, causing him to roll his eyes at their immaturity before laughing himself.
Two hours later, Gray bought another pitcher and sat down at the table.
“What’s going on?” Trent asked.
“What do you mean?” He looked at the pitcher as Tiffany filled her glass. “Were you ready to go?”
“No. We just figured you would be.”
As much as he hated feeling like a third wheel on their date, he wasn’t ready to go home. He shrugged and poured himself another beer.
Eventually, he had no choice but to go back to his apartment alone. He wasn’t even drunk enough not to mind it. He sprawled out on the sofa to watch television and fell asleep there, pretending it was an accident rather than the truth: he didn’t want to sleep in his empty bed.
While Jade hadn’t stayed at his place often—maybe that should have been a sign—he hadn’t been alone. Spending the evening with Trent and Tiff forced him to see the truth.
He was a relationship guy. As many times as it hadn’t worked out, he wasn’t willing to give up. His parents made it look so easy.
Maybe Gray was making this more difficult than it was. His mother and father had met when they were both dating other people. Trent met Tiff in a club and wasn’t expecting to fall in love. The right person might start out as a one-night stand. Again, his thoughts turned to Alyssa, but he quickly shook them off. She’d made it very clear she didn’t want the same things he did.
The next night, he was determined to do better. It was Saturday. He put some effort into his clothes, and even put some crap in his hair so it would look like he didn’t care about his hair.
He wasn’t going to go out on the search for a girlfriend, he was simply going to meet someone and let it turn into whatever it was supposed to be. He sat down at the bar beside an attractive redhead. When she looked his way he smiled.
“I’m Kelly.”
“Grayson.”
“What do you do?” she asked next. He and Alyssa hadn’t bothered to ask what the other person did for a living. Though looking back, that discussion might have prepared them for what happened the day after they’d been together.
Alyssa had said it didn’t matter where they worked. The only thing that had mattered was if he could get her from point A to point B. He’d accepted the challenge.
“Accountant.”
“You don’t look like an accountant,” she said with a laugh.
Getting Down to Business Page 2