Page 46 of The Wayward Sons & The Vampires of Fortune (The Wayward Sons #4)
Y ou smell that?” Gray exclaimed. He stood on the plane steps and breathed in deeply. “That’s the smell of vacation. And freedom. Maybe some ocean in there. Is that barbecue I smell?”
“I’m fairly certain that’s the smell of you needing a shower,” Sam commented from behind us. I chuckled. “Move your ass, sunshine. I have things to do besides wait for you to do an aroma analysis.”
“I’m goin’, I’m goin’!” he grumped—though it was playful. His happiness and ease rolled off of him in a comforting way. “Baby, what’re we doin’ first?”
“Showering,” I said.
“Yeah, but then?”
“Napping.”
“ Baby! ” He let out an exasperated sound, turning as he landed on the asphalt to glare at me. Despite his grump, the way his aviators perched low on his nose as he scrutinized me was adorable. I liked him like this—in his element and having a good time.
“Tell me we don’t need both?” I challenged. “And a good meal while we’re at it.”
“Yeah, but after all that, what’re we doin’?” he demanded. “I’m thinkin’ we go swimmin’.”
“Did he finally learn how to swim?” Sam asked.
“No, he hasn’t,” I replied.
“You’re CPR certified, right?”
“Technically, Josiah Hartford is; Ryder Collins isn’t.”
“Y’all ain’t that cute when you do this gangin’ up on me thing, y’know that, right? ” Gray told us. I smiled at him, enjoying how his animosity immediately crumbled under the affection. “Will you save my ass if I have issues in the ocean, baby?”
“How about we save the life-threatening events for a little later on in our vacation?” I suggested. I kissed him briefly as I stepped off the stairs.
“Save that for another week, Gray,” Sam chimed in.
He shoved his hands in his pockets as he stood with us.
“Riley and I talked about it, and we both think that you two should stay on the island for a while. Maybe a month or two. Just let the heat from Seattle die down. Riley was able to get rid of the bounty on your head for now—something about disrupting the messages. I don’t have a clue. I just trust him.”
“Am I still a serial killer?” I asked. That little thing would be hard as hell to get around if it stuck.
“It was all fabricated. There was nothing ever officially in the system. It was just enough to get Andrea in the door,” he reminded me. “And it’s all gone.”
“Good,” Gray said.
“Riley’s got a whole slew of shit that he’s planning to do to make sure your tracks are more readily covered when you do come back,” he continued. “Stay as long as you want, and send Riley a message when you’re ready to come back. We’ll send the jet for you.”
“They’ll send the jet for us,” Gray repeated, beaming as he glanced at me. “You hear that, baby? We have fancy friends.”
Sam rolled his eyes while I laughed. The ease and simplicity of it all was a welcome reprieve compared to the week we’d had.
“Sam,” he began as he dropped his bag on the ground, “it’s been good seein’ you.”
He closed the distance between the two of them, dragging Sam in for a tight hug. Sam returned the affection while I took a few steps back and let them have a moment. I watched the way they fell into a quiet conversation when they broke the hug. They were comfortable with one another—happy.
And there it was, that nagging moment where the little voice of anxiety in the back of my head reminded me that Gray could’ve had something like that.
Could’ve had someone like Sam. Where life was full of vacations in Hawaii for the hell of it, rather than hiding out in Hawaii until the heat died down.
That same little part of me couldn’t help but wonder if Gray would’ve been better off with someone like Sam. Or hell, even better with Sam.
“Thank you again,” Gray said as they meandered my direction.
“I’d say any time, but let’s not do this again,” Sam replied. He held out a hand to me, saying, “Ryder, it was good to meet you. Stay out of trouble, will you?”
“I’ll do my best.” I shook his hand, keeping it brief.
“You both have my number if you need anything.” He started back up the stairs, waving as he went. “If you’re ever in trouble, don’t hesitate to call.”
Gray and I watched as Sam disappeared inside the jet and waited for the staircase to close, leaving us alone on the runway.
“I’m goin’ to need you to stop doin’ that,” he said softly, and I frowned.
“Doing what?” What exactly did he think I was doing? He faced me, his hands running up my arms and shoulders until he found my neck. With his thumbs hooked under my jaw, he made me look at him. Those honey-chocolate eyes held mine as he smiled at me.
“I know you worry, but the grass ain’t greener on the other side, baby. It’s perfect right here. With you.” Gray’s smile widened. “And I know a thing or two about green grass, considerin’ I control the earth and all.”
He kissed me once. Twice. Three times. I sighed against his mouth and let the connection between us open up a little more. Joy. Safety. Love. I let it slip through me—consume me—wash away all the crap we’d been through.
“I love you,” I whispered.
“You bet your sexy ass you do,” he replied. He kissed me one last time before slinging an arm around my shoulder and guiding me toward the exit. “Now, c’mon, baby. I want to get lei’d, and then I want to get laid.”
I groaned because it was so simply Gray.
And honestly, I didn’t need anything else besides Gray and the next stretch of adventure ahead of us.