Page 55

Lilly

I don’t know how many bottles of wine the girls and I have consumed tonight—too many to count. But it’s my birthday tomorrow, and I deserve to have fun.

I managed to convince Greyson to stay the evening, therefore, he was also forced to wear a sash that said “pretty princess” with a pink cowboy, and Payton also dug out some feather boas for us all to wear.

Callie also somehow ended up with a pair of pink fluffy handcuffs on one wrist too, and I don’t even want to know where she got them from. Or if she's used them, because I know the answer to that question before even thinking it.

I was of course wearing a sash that said “birthday queen” and I even got a plastic tiara to wear. All in all, I think the four of us looked fucking hilarious. Especially considering the girls and I were also wearing our matching pink satin pajamas.

“Do you have a hammer?” Greyson grumbles, wiping the non-existent sweat from his forehead.

Callie currently has him attempting to build another bookshelf—so mething she’s more than capable of doing herself—which has been the most entertaining thing to watch.

He’s huffed, and he’s puffed—almost like he was the wolf from that one nursery rhyme. The only thing he hasn’t done is blown the house down.

“You don’t need a hammer.” Callie responds, sitting crossed legged beside him.

“Then how am I meant to get the screws in?” He throws his hands up in frustration, his eyebrows knitting together.

“Uh, with the allen key.” She moves forward, almost spilling her wine, picks it up from the floor in front of him, and displays it with a grin.

He grumbles something incoherent under his breath as he takes it from her and begins screwing in the screws.

Grabbing the wine bottle that’s almost empty, I pour the rest into my glass as I sit crossed legged and watch as Greyson’s biceps flex every time he turns the allen key,

Fuck me. He’s so hot.

It’s not the wine talking, it’s me.

And I have to squeeze my thighs together because right now isn’t the time to get horny.

Payton sits with her phone on her lap, shuffling the songs until “Untouched” by the Veronicas plays—a song the girls and I always get hyped over.

She is immediately up, grinning as she drags Callie and me along with her. And I’m grateful for that because if I stayed staring at Greyson for a second longer, I fear I ’d be dragging us both to my bedroom and fucking him while screaming his name as loud as my lungs would let me.

Payton grabs my hand, spinning me around, almost making me spill the wine over the glass edge, but I manage to keep it in, giggling as the three of us dance around.

Callie holds the wine bottle up to her mouth like a microphone, singing along, and swaying her hips to the rhythm.

“Sing!” She declares, holding the bottle to my lips.

I giggle, wrapping my hand around the base as I sing along to the chorus. The three of us form a circle, screaming out the lyrics as Greyson sits on the floor holding his phone up to record us, laughing to the point his eyes are crinkling—building the bookshelf long forgotten about.

Bringing my glass to my lips, I down the rest and wipe away the droplets that spill across my lips.

Taking another glance at Greyson, I see he’s already looking at me, a smile spread across his face as he watches me dance. And I can’t help but smile back, my cheeks flushing red from not only dancing, but from his gaze on me too.

Seeing him wearing the pink cowboy hat, two pink feather boas and that “pretty princess” sash makes my heart flutter.

Because the truth is, in the three months I’ve known him, he’s done more for me, to me, and with me than my dick of an ex did in the almost five years we were together.

Every moment with him feels like a beautiful dream that I don’t ever want to wake up from.

How could I not fall in love with him when he’s everything I’ve always drea mt of?

Diverting my gaze from him, the song finally comes to an end. I pause, panting, trying to catch my breath. But when I look at the girls, I burst out laughing.

We’re all a mess—hair wild, cheeks flushed, and there’s even wine spilt down Payton’s pajamas.

I place my glass down on the coffee table, ready to pour another when we hear the front door open and close, meaning Nina and Hunter are back from their date.

“Act like nothing happened!” Payton shouts.

I giggle as we all run around the living room, knocking into each other while trying to play it cool.

“What the hell is going on in here?” Nina laughs as she stands in the threshold to the living room.

“Welcome home, lovers.” I grin, taking a step toward them. I somehow manage to trip over my own foot, but luckily for me, Greyson manages to catch me.

My knight in shining armor…or more like in a “pretty princess” sash, pink cowboy hat, and pink fluffy boas.

Fuck, he’s so hot.

“Maybe it’s time for bed?” He says, his tone as soft as his eyes.

Maybe it’s time to kiss me.

“It’s my birthday!” I declare, grinning at him. “I can stay up as late as I want.”

But as I say that, I could feel the tiredness creep in.

“If you say so.” He says, his eyes zeroing in on my lips.

I subconsciously lick them, my eyes darting to his lips. And I want them on mine. My nipples harden, and goosebumps spread across my skin.

What is he doing to me?

“Fine,” I pout, blinking up at him. “Can you tuck me in?”

His lips tilt up, trying to hide a smile. “Let’s go.” He says, gesturing toward the door.

Yes, sir!

Walking behind him, I stop in front of Nina and Hunter and divert my question toward Hunter. “Are you coming to my party tomorrow?”

“Wouldn’t miss it.” He nods.

“Good,” I smile. “We’re doing a competition to see who can get the drunkest, I think it’s going to be me.”

There was no competition, but now I’ve blurted it out, there’s going to be one. And the winner will get…uh…I’ll have to think of that once I’m sober.

“Who’s in the competition?” Nina asks, raising her brow.

“Uh, everyone?” I giggle, giving her a duh look. “They just don’t know it yet.”

“Okay, drunkie. Let’s get you to bed, yeah?” Greyson chuckles, gripping my hip and guiding me out of the living room.

“Ugh, you’re such a bore.” I grumble, stomping toward the bathroom.

“Hmm…”

Grabbing my toothbrush, I apply the toothpaste and look at him through the mirror as I brush my teeth. “I didn’t mean that,” I say, spitting the toothpaste out. “Y ou’re not a bore.”

He’s far from one.

He smirks, standing behind me with his chest pressed against my back. Leaning in, he whispers. “Don’t worry, Lil-Bug. I know I’m not a bore from how loud you scream my name.”

My eyes widen, but I refuse to meet his gaze in the mirror as I finish brushing my teeth. Rinsing my toothbrush off, I place it back in the holder before making my way to my bedroom, Greyson following close behind me.

He grips my hand, spinning me around to meet him. I give him a questioning look, but then he reaches up and takes the tiara off my head, placing it neatly onto my dresser before telling me to lift my arms so he can take my sash off too.

Once he places the sash onto my dresser too, he walks over to my bed and begins fluffing my pillow just the way I like it, making my heart pulsate against my chest before he’s guiding me into bed.

“Kiss me?” I ask, giving him beady eyes—or what I hope is beady eyes because my vision is so blurry right now.

Leaning down, he presses his lips to mine in a delicate kiss that ends before it even begins, making me groan.

“Sweet dreams, Lil-Bug.” He whispers against my forehead, brushing away my hair as he kisses it.

My eyes become blurrier as I watch his figure retreat toward the door, and I want nothing more than for him to stay.

“Greyson?” I mummer, pulling the duvet up to my chin.

“Yes, baby?”

“I love you.” I whisper before everything goes blank.