Page 38 of The One You Want

“I’d rather spend a few more minutes with you than with him.” Gray stood in front of her beside her car. “Is something going on between you two?”

She didn’t know what to say.

“He caught you in the corridor at the bar last night. Now he’s cozying up to you in the restaurant.” More than annoyance filled his tone. Marc had touched a nerve in Gray. “It’s like we used to be. He’d see me with someone and immediately start insinuating himself into her space and trying to get her attention away from me.” Gray rubbed his hand over the back of his neck. “I’m not seeing things that aren’t there.” He waited for her to say otherwise, but she couldn’t. “He’s getting married. He shouldn’t be looking at you the way he does or saying the things he has.” Irritation grew to anger.

“Old habits die hard,” she suggested, trying to soothe him.

“I used to just blow it off, but with you... I really don’t like it.”

She saw that clearly and appreciated his honesty and that he wanted to somehow protect her from Marc’s games. “Trust me, I’m more interested in you than in spending time with him.”

Gray moved in and pressed her up against her car, dipping his head low so he could whisper in her ear. “Good. Because I really want you to be mine.”

She slid her hands up his chest and rested them on his hard pecs. He had a lot of strength and power hidden under that dress shirt. And there really was something a little wild inside her, especially when it came to this man, because she boldly said, “What if I already think of you as mine?”

His gaze swept over her with a possessive sweep. “You’d be right.”

“Then you have nothing to worry about and a lot to look forward to when you get back.”

He traced his finger along the side of her face and tucked a lock of her hair behind her ear. “You make it damn hard to leave.”

She gazed up at him, hoping he saw her own disappointment. “But you promised Marc an epic bachelor party and I’ve got a big surprise for Maggie. This is their week.”

“We could make it ours, too.”

She loved that he wanted that. “I love stealing these moments with you.”

Gray leaned in and brushed his lips softly over her cheek, washing away any lingering memory of Marc touching her there. “Take all the moments you want,” he whispered, then pressed his lips to hers in a searing kiss that promised all their moments would be as passionate as this.

She fisted her hands in his shirt, rose to her tiptoes, pulled him closer, and they lost themselves in the moment.

She was still clinging to him when he broke the kiss. She caught something over his shoulder and fell back to her flat feet, angry their private moment wasn’t so private. “We’ve got an audience.”

Gray looked over his shoulder and spotted Marc leaning against a black Tesla, arms crossed over his chest. “I’m sorry. I’ve got to go. We’re meeting up with friends, then doing dinner and the whole stripper thing. It’s going to be a long night.”

She swept her hands over his shoulders and down his chest to his rapidly beating heart, feeling good that he’d gotten as worked up as he made her. “You don’t have to apologize. Have fun. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

He pulled his phone out, tapped a few buttons, and held it out to her. “Put your number in for me.”

She did and handed it back. “Thank you again for brunch.”

“You’re welcome.” He kissed her on the forehead. “See you soon.” He turned and walked away, checking something on his phone as he covered the distance to where Marc waited for him.

She didn’t move until her phone beeped with an incoming text. She pulled it out and immediately smiled at the alert.

UNKNOWN:I miss you already.

She looked up and found Gray staring at her from across the lot, a wide smile on his face. He waved good-bye and got into his car.

She immediately saved his number in her contact list and sent him a text back.

ROSE:Think of me tonight because I’ll be thinking of you.

She got an instant response.

GRAY:I can’t stop thinking about you.

He drove toward her and stopped, rolling down the window. “Kiss me good-bye, sweetheart.”