When I'm walkin' with you
I watch the whole room change
Baby, that's what you do
— Finesse by Bruno Mars
We were on the way to Manhattan. Gray was behind the wheel, and Liam was sitting shotgun. I was squashed between Victoria and Isaac on the backseat, my head resting on Victoria's shoulder as we quietly watched an episode of Supernatural on her phone. Jordan and Nick were in a separate car, following us.
I glanced up at the rearview mirror, catching Gray stealing another glance at me. My lips curled into a smile just as his did, butterflies filling my stomach at the gorgeous pair of emeralds meeting my gaze, holding me in place.
When his eyes were back on the road, my smile faltered.
● ● ●
I stared at my reflection in the elevator's mirror, my body clad in a white bandeau bikini top and brazilian bottom. Victoria was standing beside me, dressed in her red bikini with a black mesh draped over her body. As soon as the doors opened, she grabbed my arm and hauled me with her to the exit leading to the beach.
We spotted Nick and Jordan, lounging on a VIP cabana with a cocktail in hand.
"Looking good, babes," Nick praised, wiggling his eyebrows playfully.
"When are we not?" I joked, pulling my crochet dress over my head and dropping it on the space by his legs.
"Where are the others?" Victoria asked, removing her mesh dress.
"Isaac's already in the water," Jordan answered, sipping his drink. "Liam and Gray are at the bar, waiting for you two."
Victoria looped an arm around mine as we headed to the bar, making a beeline for the two guys. We were about to approach them when two other girls walked up to them.
"Hey," one of them chirped, sitting on the stool beside Liam as the other perched herself next to Gray.
Victoria stopped dead in her tracks, and I glanced up at her curiously. She shouldn't be standing inertly while some chick chatted up her man.
"Why aren't we pulling them away?" I asked quietly.
She chuckled. "This isn't the first time that someone has walked up to them. It's going to be hilarious, I promise."
I nodded tightly, but it still didn't stop me from wanting to rip away those manicured nails that were wrapped around Gray's arm.
"It must be our lucky day to bump into two hotties," said the one beside Gray.
"Two?" Liam spluttered, his eyes widening. "And why are your fingers curled like that? Are—oh shit. You...you see him too?"
Those two girls blinked in confusion, and I clasped a hand over my mouth to stop a laugh that threatened to escape. Gray placed his glass of whiskey on the counter and smacked Liam on the back of his head before turning to the girl beside him.
"I apologise. My friend is a bit of a dumbass." He flashed her a charming smile, and my eyes narrowed. What the actual fuck? "I didn't catch your name."
"Paris," she basically purred, obviously swooning over Gray's sexy accent.
I pressed my lips firmly together, fighting the strong urge to shove her away from him. It was bad enough that I was feeling this way. Gray was free to flirt with anyone since we weren't a couple. I shouldn't be taking out my claws.
"And I'm Lexi," said the girl beside Liam.
"Gray," he introduced before turning to Liam. "I haven't met a person named London before. Have you?"
"It's Paris."
Gray's eyes widened in mock sincerity. "Oh, shit. I'm so fucking sorry, Paige."
"Dude," Liam scolded, shaking his head. "It's Patrice and Lea."
"Right. Phoebe and Lindsay."
"It's Paris and Lexi!" Paris shrieked, crossing her arms over her chest.
"This is where we come in," Victoria said, dragging me towards them. "Hey, guys!" she called out.
They turned in our direction, and Victoria settled on Liam's lap straight away, staking claim at her man. I made my way to Gray's side, careful not to step into the personal space of that pesky Paris woman. She looked pissed.
"Babe," Liam exclaimed, placing a kiss on Victoria's shoulder. "Laura, this is my girlfriend."
"It's Lexi," she hissed, glaring at him.
Gray turned on his chair and grabbed both my hands, pulling me between his legs. "Hey, Shortcake."
"Hi." I pecked him on the cheek before looking at Paris. "Who's your friend?" I asked.
"That's Pamela."
Paris rolled her eyes and scoffed in disbelief, storming away with Lexi in tow behind her.
"Do you girls want a drink?" Liam offered, waving a hand at the bartender.
"I'd love a Margarita," I said, turning around so my back was facing Gray.
"Me too, babe." Victoria encircled Liam's neck with one arm. "I can't believe you both pulled that wrong name card again."
"It never once failed us," Liam chuckled, eyeing me with an eyebrow raised. "Jealousy looks good on you, Mer."
"I wasn't jealous," I scoffed.
"She was totally jealous." Victoria turned to Gray with a smirk. "You have a feisty one there, Gray."
"Yeah, she's mine to straighten out," Gray said, pulling me down to his lap.
I jabbed him on the stomach with my elbow, cursing him under my breath as warmth traveled up my neck. He chuckled, circling his arms around my waist as he rested his chin on my shoulder.
I let my eyes roam the space as Gray asked Victoria about the dinner reservations she made. The energy of the crowd was infectious. I spotted a woman standing by the corner, and a slight frown reached my lips. She was staring directly at me with her mouth curled into a smirk, her identity concealed by the masquerade mask she was wearing.
"Hey," Gray whispered, the concern heavy in his voice. "Is everything alright?"
"I was just admiring the view." I glanced up at him with an assuring smile before looking back at the corner.
The woman was gone.
● ● ●
Victoria raised her shot of tequila and cleared her throat loudly. "A toast to friendship and the week-long vacation before returning to hell!" she exclaimed.
"Preach it, babe!" Nick hollered.
Laughing, we raised our respective glasses in the air and clicked them in the middle. We decided that a round of tequila slammers was the way to end the night after spending the whole day on the beach, doing as many activities as we could in one day. Gray was the only one who refused to drink, insisting on a coke instead. We slammed our glasses on the table, then gulped down the drink. A shudder worked its way up my spine, and I let out a breath.
We were seated outside the bar on a patio that overlooked the beach. The music blared from inside the bar, and the atmosphere's high had a neutral balance, thanks to the cool breeze and the sea's fragrance that enveloped the air.
I missed this feeling.
I spent half of my time today watching Gray, admiring his perfectly toned body and vibrant tattoo, careful not to get caught by either of our friends. Seriously, whoever invented sunglasses deserved a lifetime supply of orgasms.
"You good, Shortcake?" Gray asked, rubbing the exposed skin of my back with his hand.
"Just a little buzzed," I giggled.
Victoria insisted that I packed my figure-hugging dresses for the week getaway since she wanted to prove just how much I was affecting Gray. It was one of our constant debates over the last few days. But I doubt I was affecting Gray the way he was affecting me.
Gray lowered his head until his lips brushed against my earlobe, the action causing me to suck in a breath.
My eyes quickly scanned the table. It was such a relief that all our friends were busy in their own bubble. Gray's hand trailed further down my bare back, and I shuddered. I couldn't get enough of how he made me feel. I loved how he would take his time to feel every inch of my skin, exploring every part of me to discover what made me feel good. He made me feel like I was worth everything.
His hand moved to my thighs, and his fingers brushed my skin lazily, drawing patterns as he slowly inched up inside my skirt. My fingers gripped the shot glass.
"You've been looking at me all day," he accused, the tease heavy in his husky voice. I blushed at his words, the embarrassment clawing on my stomach. "Just as I have been watching you."
"You've been watching me?" I squeaked out when his fingers reached the edge of my underwear.
"You looked beautiful."
"It worked," I mumbled to myself, suddenly smug.
He eyed me with an eyebrow cocked in amusement, his green eyes twinkling under the warm lights. "You wore that bikini for me?"
"No," I gasped, my other hand clutching his bicep when he brushed his thumb over my panties. "That's not what I meant."
"Oh, really?" He started rubbing my clit in slow circles. "Then what did you mean?"
"The...uhm...lights?"
"Lights?" He pressed his lips together to fight back a laugh, and I dropped my forehead to his shoulder.
I didn't know what to feel anymore. I was embarrassed, but I was so lost in the feeling of his fingers teasing me.
Fuck, fuck, fuck. "Yeah, the lights."
Chuckling, he wrapped an arm around my shoulder and hauled me closer to his body. "I don't want to sound fucking cliche, but I really want to kiss you right now."
"Hold that thought for later."
● ● ●
It was already past midnight, and we switched from tequila slammers to fancy cocktails while Gray ordered himself a whiskey.
"I'm gonna go and get another drink," I said, getting up from the chair. Gray was about to stand when I placed a hand on his shoulder to stop him. "I'll be back in a jiffy," I assured him.
"But..." he hesitated.
"I'll be fine."
Heading back inside, I bounded over to the bar to order a Tequila Sunrise. I rested my elbows on the counter and waited for my drink. I was on vacation. It wasn't a crime to want to forget everything, even if it was only for a short while. The bartender handed me my drink a minute later, and I went back outside to the others.
As the night progressed, Victoria, Nick, and I challenged ourselves on who would pass out first. Not exactly the wisest thing to do, but it was still fun. Gray, Liam, Jordan, and Isaac stayed out of the game. Liam and Jordan had their responsibilities as boyfriends, while Isaac and Gray had a general obligation of keeping anyone out of trouble for the night.
I was laughing with Nick and Victoria over something that Nick said. I couldn't even remember what it was.
"That's hi" — Victoria hiccuped — "larious, Nick-ee!" she exclaimed, slapping her hand on her knee as she laughed with no care in the world.
I laughed with her as well, my stomach begging for me to take a breath. Sweat formed on my forehead as my hands began to tremble. I ignored the feeling, embracing the excitement bubbling inside my chest instead. Everything around me was moving in slow-motion, the trance music a blur in the background.
I felt...weird.
"I need to go pee-pee," I giggled, jumping out of the chair.
"Do be careful on the way to the Ministry of Magic!" Victoria shouted in an English accent. "I heard the transport could become a little...messy at this hour," she added, her fingers making quotes in the air.
"I'll be fine, dear!" I exclaimed, imitating her accent. "I've done it a million times!"
"Then I'll see you soon, my dear," she sniffled, wiping away a fake tear under her eye. "And do give Dolores Umbridge a slap for me while you're at it."
My head throbbed as I made my way to the restroom. I stumbled forward to the sink, my hands gripping onto the counter as I let out a heavy breath. My chest squeezed tightly, causing me to slam a hand over my chest. What was wrong with me? I managed to switch on the tap and splash water to my face, but it made no difference.
I glanced up at the mirror, and my eyes widened as they focused on the woman standing behind me. She was wearing the same mask, and her head was tilted slightly to one side with a smirk playing across her lips.
"Who..." I stammered breathlessly. "Who are you, and what do you want from me?"
"I know you want to know the truth," she said, stepping closer. The scent of her perfume hit my nostrils in strong waves. She smelled like a fresh bouquet of roses, and it was familiar — like I had smelled it on someone before.
"I...I don't know what you mean."
"The yearbooks." She stalked over to the door, and my eyes trailed after her in shock. "The question you should be asking yourself is: who exactly is Gray Stanford?"
She slipped out of the restroom, leaving me dumbfounded. I sucked in a breath and pushed myself out to follow her, pressing a palm over my chest as the intense pain threatened to cripple me, my eyes searching desperately for that woman. Finding the back door opened, I slowly made my way to it. I could see the stretch of the dark ocean ahead and the moon reflecting its light onto the waters. I headed straight to the sea and stopped just where the water touched the shore.
My mind was a complete blur, like I was trapped inside it, watching from the back instead of sitting in the front row seat.
I squeezed my eyes tight to focus on my breathing. Something was wrong with me.
Opening my eyes again, everything around me spun, and my head pounded violently that it felt like it was going to explode. Black dots filled my vision, and I stumbled closer to the water as the darkness confounded me.
"Summer! Where are you?!"
"Gray..."