Gaming Grace

by Piper J. Drake

  “This is the second time I’m thanking you for pinning me to a wall today and I have no idea what to make of it.” She huffed out a laugh. “I’m sure Kendall is going to have opinions about this but I can’t see how you could’ve avoided it without leaving me to my awkward self both times. So thank you for saving me from feeling even more awkward than I do right now.”

  He leaned in close and her eyes dilated slightly, so he stopped but he didn’t back away again. “I’d be very happy to pin you against a wall any time. You only have to ask. No good excuses required.”

  Her lips parted, but instead of saying anything, she bit her lower lip.

  He hoped that was a good sign because it was killing him not to kiss her right there.

  “Fifteen!” Several people behind him shouted. They’d been shouting every floor, but Bryan had been blocking them out. Now, though, it was the better part of valor to get both himself and Grace off this crowded elevator before he really did take advantage of the situation.

  And he wasn’t going to think about why he wasn’t, because it wasn’t like him at all. Only ladies were usually a lot more clear they’d welcome him taking advantage of the situation, them, and their friends too. It was always mutual.

  Grace’s company, on the other hand, was chance. He didn’t want to ruin it because he wanted…well, he wasn’t sure what, but it was early in the week and he had time to figure it out. Besides, there was the app testing to consider.

  Sure.

  “That’s us,” he shouted and started to make a path to the elevator door. Someone held the door for them and he kept a hold on Grace’s wrist to tug her through with him. Another minute of laughter filled writhing and the two of them popped free of the elevator.

  “Wow.” Grace’s hair had come out of her bun and a chopstick hung skewed, about to fall.

  He plucked the chopstick from her hair, enjoying the way it tumbled around her shoulders in dark waves. “Did you have two of these?”

  Her brows drew together as she took the accessory from him. “Yes.”

  She craned her neck and directed an accusatory glare back at the elevator doors. “It’s not worth it to call the elevator and wait to see if it’s on the floor in there.”

  “Probably not, but we can if you want to.” Spending more time with her sounded good to him.

  She sighed. “I’m sure you have better things to do.”

  He shrugged. “No plans. No place I need to be. It’s kind of the point of this cruise.”

  She narrowed her eyes at him again and he wondered how many times he could tweak her temper in one day. It was fun. “I thought you were here to test an app. You don’t take your work seriously.”

  He laughed, then. Oh, she was definitely buttoned up tight. He offered her his arm again. “I do, actually. But what project is worth all your energy if you don’t enjoy the process of working on it?”

  The disgruntled look on her face was priceless, but she placed her hand in the crook of his arm again. He led her down the hallway, past a few cabins, to another sliding door. He had his key out and the door slid open.

  “Suite access only?” she murmured, but didn’t stop as he led her through.

  It was fractionally quieter in the suite lobby, but there were people mingling here, enjoying complimentary champagne from a side table and a few canapés.

  “Would you like another drink or a bite to eat before we pass through?”

  She took in the food and drink, as well as the groups of people enjoying each other. “No, thank you.”

  He didn’t press, only led her through with a nod to the concierge.

  Behind them, another group entered and a male voice blurted out, “Oh my God. Swanky! Is that champagne free?”

  Laughter rang out and there might’ve been a stampede behind them, but Grace kept walking, uninterested. Bryan chuckled. “I guess it’s their first time in the suite lounge.”

  “Hmm.” Grace tipped her head to one side and studied the curved staircases leading up to the next floor. “The crystal staircases are a nice touch. I’ve never been either. This is my first cruise at all, actually, but it makes sense for there to be this kind of VIP area on a ship this big.”

  “Did you want to look around anymore?” He wondered what might catch her interest. She seemed unimpressed, but it wasn’t a show, it was like she was more interested in the sparkly stairs than the drinks and food and shows of wealth here.

  She looked at him. “Is there anything else to see besides the actual suites?”

  He lifted his chin in the direction of another sliding door. “There’s the suite lounge, but it’s just got a small buffet and high-end coffee machine. They serve a private continental breakfast in the mornings.”

  “Mmm. Continental breakfasts aren’t my favorite.” She shrugged. “I like protein in the morning. Eggs and bacon, maybe sausage. Or if it’s an international breakfast, I love grilled mackerel and miso soup.”

  He led her toward the exit on the opposite side of the ship. “Japanese-style breakfast, huh? No love for congee? Dim sum?”

  “I love dim sum,” she admitted. “And congee is my go to comfort food when I’m sick, but I generally like to make it at home.”

  “Ah.” So the key to enthusiastic conversation with Grace was talking about food. Fun. He could work with that.

  There was another, smaller elevator lobby beyond the suite lounge and he hit the call button. “I want to warn you that I might pin you to a wall again but these elevators aren’t likely to be as crowded.”

  She laughed. She had a great laugh. It wasn’t quiet and demure. It was just honest, bubbling up out of her. “Thanks for the honesty.”

  He smiled, inordinately pleased and wondering what he could do to make her laugh again. “What else can I tell you? I promise to give you more honesty.”

  She paused, giving him a wide-eyed look. After a second, she tipped her head to the side again. “What do you do for a living, Bryan?”

  Good question. He had the urge to dissemble, but that wasn’t in the spirit of the promise he’d given her.

  He took a second to admit he was afraid. She was going to hear who and what he was and all this fun was going to be colored by it.

  Or not.

  She hadn’t even blinked an eyelash at the private suite area. Simply took in her surroundings and moved on. Refreshing, actually, to meet a person, man or woman, who didn’t get a calculating look on their face when they got a glimpse of what he might be worth. Maybe she wouldn’t assess him now either.

  “I’m an entrepreneur.” Truth, and the thing he preferred she remember first, but there was more. “I come from an affluent family with a broad range of business interests, based out of Bangkok but extending to other parts of Asia and the US. I didn’t want to just take a position in one of the established family corporations, though. It was too stifling to bear consideration. I wanted to create something of my own.”

  Enough. She probably wouldn’t be interested in more and he didn’t want to think about those things right now.

  The elevator doors opened and they both stepped in. She leaned against one wall, facing him. “So this app you’re testing is a start up concept?”

  He nodded.

  “How big is your team?”

  Not the question he was expecting. “I’ve got a couple of developers, but we’re a very small team right now.”

  “Is this your first start up?” She didn’t have any censure in her tone, just honest curiosity.

  It was…nice not to hear doubt or disdain. He’d heard enough of that poison from the people in the social circles hovering around his family and other families like his. Most people didn’t understand why he didn’t just enjoy his status and step into a position running one of the companies in the already established family conglomerate. All he had to do was manage what was already built and not lose money as he did it. No one he knew understood his desire to create something separate, something with a completely different thought
process behind it.

  “No, it’s not my first. I’ve tried two others.” He leaned back against the wall opposite her and looked up at his own reflection in the metal surface of the ceiling. He suddenly felt small. “This is my last shot to make a project work.”

  “Why?”

  He laughed, but it sounded hollow, even to him. “That’s too long a story for tonight. For now, let’s just say I’m the third of four siblings and the two born before me are exemplary models of success. My father is done with giving me room to find my way and my mother made a deal with me: make this current venture work or stop trying to play at being a rebel and contribute to the family business.”

  Silence.

  He looked at her, then, not sure what he expected. Grace stood there, no ridicule evident in her expression, only thoughtfulness. “I’m the third, too.

  “Are you?” he asked softly, off balance. He wasn’t sure why he’d shared so much with her and he felt raw.

  She nodded. “There’s three of us, though, so I’m also the baby of the family. I do get what it feels like to be the third after two really impressive siblings. We have that in common.”

  He didn’t know what to say. Something shifted inside him and settled, leaving him feeling steadier, less ready to explode.

  “So you’re serious about testing your app.” She sounded like she’d said it as much to herself as him. “Okay. I can get behind that.”

  “Yeah?” He wasn’t sure why he was surprised, but he liked that Grace continued to do this to him.

  The elevator opened and they stepped out. He walked her down the hallway until they’d reached her cabin.

  After a long pause, he leaned against the door jam. “And here you are. Thank you for allowing me to see you back to your bed.”

  He gave her his best imitation of a leer and hoped she’d take it the way he meant it.

  She laughed again, and the whole hallway filled with the sweet sound. “Thank you, Bryan.”

  But she didn’t open the door.

  She hesitated and he held very still, waiting for her to decide whatever it was and desperately wishing he had an idea of what was going on in her head. But if there was one thing he was learning about Grace, it was that he had a lot to learn about her.

  She took a step forward and he pushed away from the wall, meeting her halfway. Her lips were soft and her kiss was as sweet as her laugh, her hands braced against his biceps. He slid his hands around her waist, gathering her in against him, and she let him. Her body fit against his, warm and supple.

  This was good, so good.

  A soft sigh escaped her as she leaned back from the kiss and her lashes fluttered as she opened her eyes to gaze up at him. Her brain must’ve caught up to the rest of her then, because indecision crept into her eyes and she bit her lip.

  He wasn’t going to push. Not now. Being with Grace would be better when she was sure. Instead, he forced himself to let her go. He gave her an easy smile. “Thank you. I’ll see you in the morning? Ten okay?”

  She smiled, shyly, “Ten.”

  He couldn’t leave without just a little more. He stole a quick kiss and grinned when she smiled wider. “Good night, Grace.”

  “Good night.” She ducked into her room and was gone.

  He waited a solid two minutes, in case she changed her mind and came back to the door. But she didn’t.

  That was okay, the best things took patience and he was absolutely sure Grace would be worth the wait.

  4

  It was nine thirty when Grace realized she hadn’t established where she was going to meet Bryan. Honestly, she had no idea how she could’ve forgotten to establish at least that detail. It was key for setting up any meeting.

  And she could almost imagine her friends’ voices in her head.

  Calm down, Grace, this is vacation.

  You don’t have to set up structured meetings with a time, meeting place, and objectives.

  Just call him. Or better yet, let him come find you. He definitely knows where you sleep.

  She groaned. That last thought had definitely been in Aubrey’s voice but it’d come from Grace’s mind. She’d lain awake last night, wondering what it would’ve been like if she had invited him into her cabin. Kissing him had already been seriously impulsive and she’d managed to scandalize herself with her own temerity.

  This was one aspect of her life she hadn’t explored much for herself. This cruise was turning out to be one hell of a vacation for every one of her friends based on what she’d heard from Kendall. Kendall was releasing her tight grip on the need to be in control of everything. Aubrey had most definitely found someone who could match her wild appetite for the unconventional. Grace wasn’t sure about Benjamin, and Liv had run into Miles, but there hadn’t been enough time at breakfast to really understand what was going on with everyone.

  She admired Kendall and Aubrey and all her friends for recognizing what they wanted and seizing the moment for themselves. They all deserved moments of delight, not just existing, but living and taking chances and experiencing amazing things even if it was for just now and not more than that. They all deserved so much, and so did she.

  So here she stood, in a new tankini swimsuit and an airy sun dress of the lightest, softest fabric she’d ever owned. She felt beautiful in this dress, feminine and fun. It was the first thing she’d ever bought that was specifically a non-work garment and wasn’t specifically business casual. It wasn’t something she could wear in multiple situations related to her career. It was for her. Just her. And maybe a little bit for Bryan.

  The memory of his mouth against hers came back to her for the millionth time, his arms around hers, the hard planes of his chest under her palms. It’d been so worth it. The chemistry between them and the desire that’d swept through her had been above and beyond any of the tame, slow burn encounters she’d eased into over the years.

  She wanted more and maybe she didn’t need to take a carefully considered approach with a long term relationship in mind for a fulfilling experience. Maybe she could jump for the chance and just find out where it took her. It was a heady thought.

  But last night, she’d used up what courage she had and she’d bolted into her room, shutting the door basically in his face. Again. In the dating game, her skill level was somewhere around “Learn to play, n00b.” Today, she was determined to step out of her comfort zone. No more wistfully wondering how it might be.

  Her smartphone pinged with the reminder she’d set for herself to make sure she wouldn’t be late. Nine forty-five already and she was just standing there thinking about the man she was supposed to be going to meet.

  Okay. Time to rally. Spending time with Bryan was exactly what she needed to shake herself out of this standby mode where she was still poised and ready to get back to work at any second. If nothing else, he excelled at rebooting her brain.

  It’d be best to contact him and determine a meeting place while she still had time to walk there. It was a big ship and it could take a while to get to wherever she’d need to go. Being at sea meant no cell service.

  She stared at the ship phone sitting on the tiny night stand next to her bed. Texting would’ve been less nerve-wracking.

  A knock sounded at her cabin door and she squeaked. Yes, she’d been planning to assert herself just a few seconds ago, but life was supposed to let her go to it, not come knocking literally.

  She stared at the door. It didn’t stare back because it was a door and it didn’t have eyes—thank goodness, because how creepy would that be?—but it also didn’t give her any hints as to who would be at her door just as she was supposed to leave. She wasn’t supposed to meet up with any of her friends until later. She really needed to call Bryan so she didn’t keep him waiting.

  “Grace?”

  It was Bryan. Of course it would be.

  Aubrey’s voice inside her head giggled. Invite him in! Invite him in! Free those thighs!

  “For the love of daiquiris and missing
pants, shut up,” Grace exclaimed, then clapped both hands over her mouth. He was here, knocking on her door and she was yelling at her mind giving her suggestions in a friend’s voice.

  “Sorry?” Bryan sounded confused.

  Who could blame him? If he heard her, he might think she’d been talking to him. Grace rushed to the door and yanked it open.

  Bryan stood there, looking ridiculously hot in a cool blue linen shirt and white shorts. He’d had a concerned look on his face, but his lips curved in a slow smile as he took her in with an appreciative look.

  Grace blushed.

  “Hiding someone in there, Grace?” He leaned forward into her space, looking past her, and she caught the earthy amber scent of him again.

  She squashed the impulse to rub her face into his shirt. “No. Just talking to myself like a crazy person.”

  He lifted an eyebrow. “I heard something about daiquiris, which we can arrange if you’d like one, and missing pants, which I’m really hoping are still missing.”

  “Oh, they are. Aubrey still won’t give them back and the rest of my friends are backing her up.” Grace swiped at a few strands of hair failing into her eyes. She was never this much of a mess. “I went to the ship stores and all Kendall let me get was a few sun dresses.”

  “You make this one look amazing.” He made the compliment a matter of fact. “I look forward to seeing you in the others.”

  Somehow, his tone turned more intimate, sending tingles over her skin.

  “So what are we doing this morning?” She tried to sound light, but she recognized her question for what it was: a change of topic. She was dodging her own brain.

  He brandished his smartphone. “Let’s find out.”

  Leaning even closer, he brought up his app.

  “Nice interface,” she murmured. “Clean graphics, not too busy. Intuitive to navigate.”