by Cara E Holt
She squeals in delight and drags me over to a dress. The dress is very pretty. It is in a soft lilac colour and has off the shoulder gypsy sleeves, the dress is a body-con style in like a ribbed material.
“You have to try this on.”
I bite on my lip and look at her unsure, but she ignores me throws it over my arm. “Come on.” She pushes me towards the fitting rooms.
I try on the jumper and jeans and I have to admit they look really nice. I take a look at the price tag and my eyes nearly bulge out of their sockets. How much?
“Come on out, lets take a look at you.” Emily shouts from the other side of the curtain. I pull back the curtain and she is stood turning to the side to look at herself in a pretty little dress in yellow with flowers on it.
“That looks really nice.” I tell her. She turns and takes me and walks around me.
“Grayson, come here a sec.”
Grayson’s head appears round the changing room wall.
“How gorgeous does Everly look in this outfit?” She gestures with her hands to where I am stood.
Grayson drinks me in from feet to head and he smiles. “She looks really good. You should get those, but only if you wear them when you are out with me.” H
I pull at one of the sleeves and look down. “I don’t know, I mean they are ridiculously priced. I can’t justify spending this much money on two items.”
Emily laughs. “Don’t worry I can stick them on my card. Daddy doesn’t even bother looking what I have bought.”
I shake my head. “Thanks, but I couldn’t let you do that.”
She looks at Grayson and shakes her head before pushing me back in the fitting room. “Now the dress. Grayson you stay there.”
I was fast learning that Grayson’s sister would not take no for an answer.
I take myself in through the mirror. Emily has a good eye. The dress looked stunning on. It hugged me in all the right places and showed off a lot of leg. The colour really did compliment my complexion.
“Are you decent?” Emily asks, and I shout a yes and pull open the curtain and step out.
“Wow.”
I see Grayson stand straight from where he was leaning and take me in.
Emily giggles. “If I was a boy, I would so want your number right now.” She turns and looks at Grayson. “What do you think brother?”
Grayson’s eyes are still on me and I look up and mine meet his. “I think you look really beautiful and you have to buy that dress.”
I bite on my lip and self-consciously pull the hemline down. I look up to see Grayson coming towards me. Emily giggles again and disappears behind her curtain. Grayson puts a hand on my hip and looks down at me hungrily. “To think I thought clothes shopping would be dull.” He pushes me back into the fitting room and taking a quick peak outside closes the curtain on us.
“Grayson you can’t be in here.”
He grins, his blue eyes snaking over my body. He pushes me back against the wall of the fitting room closet and his lips find mine. I freeze at first but then my arms move to around his neck and I return his kisses, he squeezes my ass and groans into my mouth.
“I have the biggest hard on ever.” He whispers in my ear, making me giggle out loud. I bite my lip as our eyes meet.
“So, you like the dress?”
He grins. “I like how this body looks in this dress, very much.” He squeezes my ass. “Get dressed then I can take you home and get you naked.”
I slap his chest playfully. “What about your sister?”
He presses his hips into mine and I feel him, ALL of him. “Get dressed Manchester.” He drops one last quick kiss on my lips and then leaves me stood there all breathless and hot and bothered. My vagina was doing a happy dance at the thought of what Grayson promised.
I leave the changing room and go to place the clothes on the rack full of other stuff for being put back out into the store. Grayson comes up behind me from nowhere and plucks the clothes out of my hand.
I turn to face him. “What are you doing?”
“I’m buying you these clothes.” He walks off towards the till and I chase behind him.
“Gray, no. Please don’t”.
“Not listening Manchester.”
I put a hand on his arm and it makes him stop and face me. “I can’t let you spend this much on me. I can afford these clothes myself, but I just can’t spend that amount on clothes. It’s not right.”
He smiles as if understanding. “I wasn’t trying to suggest you couldn’t afford these yourself. I want to buy them for you.”
“Why?” My eyes search his.
He sighs and runs a hand through his hair. “Because I want to take you out in this dress. I want to hold your hand when you wear it and let everyone know that you’re mine.”
I gulp and look at him speechless for a few seconds. “Okay.” I reply, and it is barely a whisper. He takes my hand in his and I follow him to the cash desk. I close my eyes when she tells the total, it still doesn’t sit right spending this much.
Emily comes up beside me and bumps my hip, she smiles at me. “You are good for my brother. Please don’t break his heart.”
I laugh and look in front of me at Grayson as he pays for the clothes. “I think it might be mine that ends up broken.”
We grab food in MacDonalds and then head back to their house. Grayson is all relaxed and smiles on the drive back, but as we pull up a frown crosses his face.
“Shit. Dad’s here.” I see his hand tighten on the steering wheel.
“Excellent!” Emily grins clearly happy at this news. Grayson’s reaction is the complete opposite. “ Come on Everly, you have to meet our Dad.” She climbs out of the car and goes to the boot to retrieve her bags.
“Are you okay?” I ask Grayson, concerned by the sudden change in his mood.
He looks over at me and gives me a half-smile. “I will apologise in advance for my Dad.”
I look at him puzzled. “He can’t be that bad.” I say as I climb out of the car.
Emily is through the front door. “Daddy, where are you?”
“Back here princess.” I hear a deep voice announce. Emily grabs my hand and pulls me along until we enter the lounge. A man wearing an expensive looking suit sits on the sofa with a drink in hand, beside him in a black fitted polo neck dress is a very attractive blonde who looks not much older than me. Grayson’s Dad has the same blue eyes as his children. His hair is somewhat lighter.
“Sweet heart.” He says placing his drink down and standing. Emily throws herself into his arms. I feel Grayson come to stand beside me. I can feel the tension in him from here.
“You didn’t mention you’d be home this weekend?”
I feel his Dads eyes on me before they move to his son. “My baby girl is home. I wanted to see her.” Emily beams up at him from where she is tucked under his arm. She without doubt adores her father.
“And who might this be?” He asks Grayson, as his eyes fall back on me.
“Daddy this is Grayson’s girlfriend Everly.” Emily replies before Grayson has chance to open his mouth.
“Girlfriend?” I feel his eyes studying me and it makes me feel somewhat uncomfortable. He comes forward and takes my hand in his, kissing it, his eyes not leaving mine. “Someone so beautiful is too good for my son.”
I blush and look over at Grayson whose jaw is tense. “It is lovely to meet you Mr St. Clair.”
He looks a little startled and then I realise it is probably my accent.
“Everly is Dom’s step-sister.” Grayson tells him as he comes and outs an arm around my waist somewhat protectively.
His Dad nods and he releases my hand. “You go to Harper Grange?
I nod. “I do. I’m in the sixth form with Grayson.”
The blonde stands then and comes and drapes herself over Mr St. Clair. “Hello Grayson.”
Her brown eyes smoulder as she looks at Grayson like he is something to eat. “Tess.” Grayson’s voice is less than friendly
.
“Let’s all go out for dinner. I want to hear all about you Everly.” His Dad announces, his eyes on me again. Something like interest sparks in them.
I feel Grayson’s hand tighten on my waist. “We have plans tonight.”
“Nonsense.” His dad says. “Beside I’m sure Everly would like to get to know us all better?”
His Dad looks at me, awaiting an answer. “Sure.” I reply smiling somewhat awkwardly. You could cut the atmosphere with a knife in here.
“Excellent. I’ll book us a table at the Denby.” He smacks the blonde on the bottom. “You stay here. I have a few calls to make.”
As soon as he leaves the room I feel the tension leave Grayson’s shoulders.
“I’m going to hang my new things up.” Emily announces before she bounds out of the room.
The blonde scrutinises me as she sits back down. She pats the seat beside her. “Come sit with me Grayson.”
Grayson takes my hand in his and guides me to sit beside him on the sofa. The blonde puts a hand on his leg. “I haven’t seen you here for a while. Every time we come here, you are out.”
Grayson pats her hand and moves it off his leg. “I have a busy life.”
She pouts her lips. “Too busy to make time for your future step-mother.”
I feel Grayson stiffen beside me and he glares at her. “When I meet my future step-mother, I’ll let you know if I think she is worth spending time with.”
Her eyes flash with anger at his response and I can’t help but grin. I look up to find her scowling eyes on me. “So, Grayson has himself a little girlfriend. You look much too innocent for someone like Grayson.” She twirls a piece of her hair around a finger.
I hold her gaze. “Is that so?” I didn’t like this bitch.
She laughs and runs a finger down Grayson’s arm. “I know what the St. Clair men like.”
I’m not sure what I should read into that comment, but I put my hand on Grayson’s leg. “Can we go watch some tv in your room?”
He smiles at me and squeezes the hand that rests on his leg. “Sure.”
I look over at Blondie and smile. See? He doesn’t move my hand away when I touch him.
Grayson stands and pulls me up with him. “Catch you later Tess.”
As we walk out the room I glance back over my shoulder and she is watching Grayson like a hawk watches its prey.
Grayson doesn’t speak until we get to his room and he shuts the door. He walks straight over to where I stand in the middle of his room and cups my face in his hands.
“I’m so sorry about them.”
I shrug and smile. “It’s no big deal. She’s a bitch who wants in her fella’s son’s pants, making me the enemy.” I see Grayson flinch and he drops his hands and rubs at his neck turning away.
“Oh my god.” I say. “You haven’t?”
Grayson turns to look at me and grimaces. “Once. Ages ago. I came back from a party drunk. She made a play for me and well I was sixteen Ev. A very attractive older woman was offering it me on a plate.”
“Grayson that is so wrong.” I reply my eyes wide.
He sighs and puts his hands on his head. “I know, I know. She’s a vulture, she wants my Dad for his money. He knows it though. She is just something pretty to drape on his arm.” He laughs. “You think he is faithful to her? Think again. They are both as bad as each other.”
He comes back over to me and puts his hands on my hips. “Don’t hate me.”
I sigh and put my hands over his. “I don’t hate you, it’s just not right, but I get it. I mean what sixteen year old boy wouldn’t take an offer up like that? How old is she?”
He pulls me into his arms and rests his chin on the top of my head. “She’s twenty-one. He met her in a dancer’s club.”
“Ah.” I laugh. “I should have guessed.”
“My Dad thinks with his dick, Ev. He always has. He made my mum so unhappy. I hate him for what he did to her. So yeah part of me slept with Tess to get back at him. So I could use it to throw in his face one day.”
I move my head back, so I can look in his eyes. “I’m sorry you have a Dad who’s a dick.”
He laughs. “See this is why I like you so much. You say it how you see it. Is that a Northern thing?”
I smile. “It’s an Everly Taylor thing.”
He dips his head and kisses me on the lips. “I like all things Everly Taylor related.”
He lifts my legs so that they wrap around his waist and he carries me over to his bed.
“Make me forget what a shitty dad I have, Ev.” He asks me as he lays down on top of me. My lips reach up to his and I make sure that for the next half an hour his only thoughts are of me.
Chapter Nineteen.
We lie on the bed under the covers. Grayson softly strokes my arm.
“This dinner is going to be a fucking awful night.”
I kiss his chest. “It will be fine. I’ll be with you.”
He sighs. “I didn’t want you to have to deal with my Dad or her.”
I roll so I am leaning over him. “I guess it would have happened some time or later.” I grin. “I can deal with your shitty Dad and his girlfriend. I’m a tough northern girl remember. They don’t scare me.”
Grayson grins and brushes my hair out of my face. “I don’t deserve you.”
I press my lips to his. “Yes, you do.”
He looks me in the eyes, his face all serious. “You have slipped under my skin Manchester.”
I gulp and feel my heart pound in my chest. “I like being under your skin.”
He sighs. “We need to get ready. I want to stay here and bury myself inside you. Not go to some fake family dinner with my Dad.”
I rest my chin on his chest. “I need to get home and change.”
“Emily will have something you can borrow.” He sits up, taking me with him, so that I am sat on his lap. “I think you need a shower.” He tells me as he nibbles on my ear.
“Oh really.” I grin, moving my head to the side so that he has better access. “So, you are saying I smell?”
He laughs against my neck. “Yeah, I think you need a thorough wash and I can help with that.”
He somehow stands with me in his arms and I wrap my legs around him.
Emily loans me a Black dress with purple flowers on. It falls to just above my knees and has a sweetheart neckline. The dress is expensive, I can tell but I try not to think about that. Luckily, we are both size fives, so she let’s me wear a pair of black heels. I leave Emily to get ready and make my way back to Grayson’s room. I stop in my tracks in the door way when I see him. He was dressed In trousers and a pale grey shirt and he looked totally gorgeous. He is running some product through his hair when he spots me through the mirror and smiles.
“You look pretty.”
“Thanks.” I tell him smiling. I walk over to where he is and sit on the cupboard. I had thought about wearing my new dress, but it was more a club night out kind of dress, than a posh restaurant.
Grayson sighs and turns to me offering his hand. “Come on, let’s get this nightmare evening over. Let’s hope a night with my fucked-up family doesn’t make you run a mile.”
I squeeze his hand. “I can handle fucked-up.”
The restaurant is gorgeous. The first thing I notice when I peruse the menu is the price of the food. My eyes bug out but then a I rein in my shock and put on my poker face.
“So Everly. How are you liking Harper Grange?” His Dad asks me, his eyes full of interest in me.
“It’s a good sixth form. I don’t really like wearing a uniform again but it’s a small sacrifice.”
His Dad laughs. “I’m sure you look great in the uniform.”
I blush and look down at the menu. I’m not sure I like that kind of compliment from him.
“So, did you go to private school up north Everly?” Tess asks me, giving me a false smile from where she sits beside Grayson’s Dad.
“No, I went to a state college.”
She nods. “So, you didn’t have the money for private education?”
“Stop it Tess.” Grayson warns her.
I touch his arm. “It’s fine.” I turn my eyes back to Tess. “No, we didn’t have money. We were comfortable, lived in our own home but could we afford private education for me? No. Did you go to private school?”
I know the answer, which is why I make a point of asking her. She bitch-stares me from over her menu.
“No, I didn’t.”
I nod. “So, where did you two meet?”
Grayson coughs as he swallows some of his drink the wrong way. Tess flicks her hair and gives me another fake smile. “We met at a social event.”
“How nice. Like a charity evening?”
“It was a pole dancing club.” Grayson’s Dad tells me in a matter-of-fact tone. Tess slams down her menu and glares at him.
“You just had to!”
He shrugs. “I’m keeping it real sweet heart. You were trying to make Everly here feel inferior.”
“Instead, you remind me how inferior I am hey?”
He laughs, his blue eyes giving her a warning look. “Darling, would I be sleeping with you if I thought you weren’t good enough for me?”
Well this was not a normal family dinner conversation. Grayson groans and looks at his Dad.
“Can you not at least try for tonight to pretend like we are a normal functioning family?”
His Dad laughs and summons the waiter, so we can order. My appetite is still small, so I order a salad.
“Tell me Everly. What attracted you to this son of mine?”
Now that was strange question to ask.
“I’ll be honest, I didn’t like him at all when we first met. I thought he was arrogant, stuck-up and spoilt.”
His Dad grins at me and then he looks at Grayson. “I like this girl. I can see why she has stuck around.”
“So, what changed your mind?”
I sigh mulling over his question. “He was there for me when I needed someone. He was kind and understanding.” I smile at Grayson and he gives me a smile and a wink back.