NESSA
A few weeks of being Grayson Everett's girlfriend, and I'd learned one thing: he lived for public displays of affection. As for me? I lived for trying to resist him and failing.
"Um, Grayson?"
I glanced sharply over at him as he slid into the booth at The Grounds. Directly next to me.
"Hm?"
"What are you doing?"
His husky chuckle gave me goosebumps that I tried to ignore. One of his hands clamped down on my bare thigh, just below the hem of my skirt.
"I'm sitting, Adler."
"You're not going to sit across from me like a normal person? There are a set of perfectly good, empty chairs right there." I pointed to the available seats, even though they looked admittedly uncomfortable.
"No, I'm not," Grayson said simply before smiling up at Madie, who'd brought him the iced tea he ordered.
I didn't miss how her eyes flicked from Grayson to his hand on my thigh and then to me. After throwing a wink in my direction, she hurried back behind the counter to prepare more drinks. Bren walked passed her, making a quick stop to whisper something in her ear before moving to the register to help a waiting customer. Madie ducked her head, trying to hide a smile.
God, they scheduled them for a shift at the same time? Absolutely nothing would get done.
Giving my attention back to the guy man-handling my thigh, I blinked up to see Grayson staring at me hungrily.
"We came here so I could get some homework done," I said pointedly, ignoring the heat rising in my body. "I have to research composers."
Grayson sipped his iced tea slowly before answering me. "I know."
"Then you're going to need to stop looking at me like that."
"Like what?"
I lowered my voice. "Like you're picturing me naked."
One of his shoulders lifted in a tiny shrug. "Well, I am picturing you naked. I've been picturing you naked since I saw you naked. Not really an easy thing to forget."
"Grayson..."
He flashed a naughty, unashamed grin. Inching his hand beneath my skirt, he squeezed my thigh. "Your legs are delightfully bare today."
"Yeah, well, it's hot out," I huffed. "And you keep ripping my tights."
Leaning in, Grayson kissed my forehead, murmuring against it. "Stop acting like you're annoyed by it, Adler. Or I might have to prove you wrong again."
I had to train my breathing to remain steady. He knew me too well, and it was starting to become a problem. A very good, perfect problem.
With Grayson's thumb still tracing circles on my inner thigh, I attempted to open my laptop and focus on music history. But dead composers were no match for the man sitting next to me, and it was impossible to concentrate. It had been impossible to focus on anything for the last several weeks. Grayson's moms hadn't wanted him to work his usual summer job mowing the lawn at the golf course, so he got a new summer job. It was one that paid in kisses: being my own personal chauffeur.
He was always with me. And I loved it.
I didn't love being so dependent on him, though.
"I've saved up enough money to buy a car," I said after getting too irritated with Debussy and Handel. They were nice to listen to, but boring as hell to read about.
Looking up from my computer, I found Grayson chewing on his lip. "Do I need to worry about getting dumped when you no longer have use for me?"
He said it teasingly, but I could tell by his expression that he'd prefer to keep the chauffeur job if given the choice.
With a shake of my head, I smiled slyly. "No. I mean, I'll definitely still have use for you."
A light laugh. "Yeah?"
"Yeah, the sex is really good."
Grayson's eyes rolled up, but there was also a satisfying fire in them when they landed on me. "Really good? Get a grip, baby. It's amazing."
God, I hated that he was always right.
A smirk slipped onto Grayson's face when he saw the truth in my gaze, and when it grew, I knew whatever he was about to say would make me want to punch him. But then he didn't say anything. He stayed silent, lips twitching as he watched me. And that was more irritating than anything.
I sighed. "Just say it."
"Say what?"
"Whatever it is on the tip of your tongue."
Laughing, he leaned closer, close enough that I could smell that spicy cologne he always wore. "I was just remembering when you tried to tell me you were better off without sex. Because it never really got you anywhere."
Goddamn him.
Feeling his smile against my skin, I tried not to groan when Grayson's lips brushed my ear. "I always like to think about that when you're on your back begging me for more," he muttered.
Just as I began to lean into him, heart racing as I needed to feel more, hear more, Grayson pulled abruptly away. He cleared his throat.
"Anyway, let me know if you want me to go car shopping with you before school starts," he said, taking another sip of his drink.
It took me a minute to swallow the desire in my throat before I could manage a response. "I'd love that, but I'm going to be the one talking to the dealer." I poked him in the chest. "No misogyny allowed."
He threw his free hand up. "I don't know shit about cars except for how to drive them, so no problem there."
Bren took that moment to swoop in, bringing my steaming macchiato. He leaned against the table, slightly out of breath, messy hair in his face like usual. "I know some shit about cars, Nes. I can go with you if you need."
While I was glad that Bren's self-confidence had taken a turn for the better, it was a terrible combination when matched with Grayson's ego, which I could feel rear up next to me. The hand on my leg gripped tighter.
I sniffed stubbornly. "I don't need either one of you."
Bren laughed, standing straight again. He lifted his hands in defeat. "Fair enough."
Grayson was less than amused. His dopey eyes told me that I'd hurt him just a little bit. And I didn't like that at all.
"But I'd still very much like it if you came with me," I added softly, giving him a reassuring smile. I liked my pride, but it was possible that I liked Grayson even more. "Okay?"
He returned my grin. "Definitely okay, darling."
"We still on for dinner tonight?" Bren asked, clearly wanting to interrupt before we forgot he was there.
He could just leave, though.
Tearing my eyes away from Grayson, I nodded. Going on a double date with Bren and Madie had been an instant demand from my best friend and former roommate as soon as I told her that Grayson and I had made it official. And Grayson had agreed. Reluctantly.
Bren stuffed his hands in the pockets of his apron, rocking back on his heels with an amused grin that reminded me of the one his girlfriend liked to give.
"Madie and I just have to unload some boxes into our new place after work, and then we should be ready. We can unpack them later."
I took a sip of my macchiato, savoring the flavor for a moment before scowling at Bren. "You know, I'm still mad at you for taking my roommate from me."
"Sorry about that."
What a lie. He had a huge fucking smile on his face.
I shook my head. It was impossible to actually be mad, though. Madie and Bren deserved to be happy together.
"I don't know where Beau and I are going to find a third roommate," I added with a sigh.
We signed the leases last winter when we didn't know if Bren would be back or if I'd get over the denial of loving Grayson Everett. I was still excited to live off-campus, though. It would be heaven not having to share a bathroom with thirty-one girls. And the apartment was right around the corner from Julian's place, where Grayson would be living.
Bren pursed his lips. "Huh," he said, mulling over an idea in his brain. "I just might...let me check on something."
Without another word, he stalked off, leaving me with a broody boyfriend. Something in Grayson's jaw twitched when I looked over at him.
"Are you...okay with me living with Beau?" I asked quietly.
"Beau's fine," he said with transparent honesty, "but I'm not thrilled about the possibility that your third roommate might be some dude who'll gawk at you when you leave the bathroom in a towel."
I choked on a laugh. "First of all, I have no plans to walk around the apartment in a towel. Second of all, no one would even think about gawking."
He snorted. "I would."
"You're allowed to, though."
His eyes raked over me, taking my breath away with that single swipe down my body.
"Noted."
"Do I need to be worried about your roommates gawking at your abs?" I asked, trying to turn the table as I elbowed his side teasingly.
Grayson caught my elbow and twisted my arm up and over his shoulders. "Julian doesn't give a shit about my abs."
"You're right. Do I need to be worried about all the girls that are over at that house all the time?" I amended, raising a brow as I took to playing with his hair.
"Definitely not." Grayson slipped a finger beneath my chin, lifting it so he could kiss me lightly. "Besides, you're going to be one of them, right?"
"Right." It was unhealthy how much my stomach was fluttering right now. How my heart felt like it was going to jump out of my chest. How my smile was going to crack from being so wide. One of these days, I was going to overdose on the serotonin this boy gave me. "When do you move in again?" I asked.
Grayson leaned back in the booth, thinking. "Well, football practices start in like a week, so I'll probably move in...."
A loud rushing noise filled my ears, and I didn't hear the rest of his sentence. All I heard was football practice. That was a joke...right?
"Football practice?" I echoed, sounding breathy.
He cocked his head to the side, brows drawn together.
"Yeah, captain's practices start on August 2nd."
Maybe it was silly of me, but I just assumed with the heart condition and the stroke and the coma that maybe playing football wasn't on Grayson's to-do list for sophomore year. Maybe junior year or senior year, but not sophomore year. Not a few months after he almost died.
Panic rose in my throat as my brain gave me a quick catalog of all the things that could go wrong if Grayson stepped foot onto that field again.
"Oh, hell no."
💗
protective nessa ✨ activated ✨
also one double date coming right up. how's that gonna go?
xoxo amelie