"Okay, you can let it out now", Beck sighed as we all walked into the apartment after work.
The both of them knew I was not happy, I had been quiet the rest of the day as Grayson's words bubbled inside of me.
Was I really that pathetic that they thought trying to pin me with the boss's son was the right move?
"I can't believe you guys had Grayson join the shoot! It's almost like you guys pimped me out to him! What were you guys thinking", I exclaimed as I threw my purse and blazer on the kitchen counter.
I took my shoes off and turned back to both of them with my hands on my hips.
"That pimp comment is definitely an exaggeration. We just saw the way you looked at him and the way he looked at you. It was obvious there was a spark between the two of you", Kyra explained as she took her heels off as well.
"Come on Lee, don't be mad. It's just the way he looked at you... It was like he really saw you as a goddess. Dude looked ready to get on his knees and start praying to you", Beck smirked with a small shrug.
"I'm not some goddess guys. He saw me dolled up with professional make up on right before a photo shoot. I wasn't even that pretty and he wouldn't have acted that way if he had seen me without all that make up on", I sighed as I moved away and plopped myself onto the soft, black, sectional couch in front of the t.v.
Kyra pouted and walked up to me before pinching my arm, making me yelp with a pout.
"You know I hate when you doubt your exterior beauty", she said squinting her eyes.
"Don't change the subject. It's not just you guys either, I'm mad at Grayson as well", I said rubbing my arm.
"Why, because of what he said about your self confidence? Leah you can't be mad at the guy for having a point", Beck shrugged as he leaned his arms down on the back part of the couch.
"And just who's side are you on", I asked him as I folded my arms over my chest.
"Don't act five Leah, there are no sides. I know it hurt to hear it but think about what he said. How can you tell millions of girls and women around the world to go out and have the time of there lives, find love, and be brave and fearless when every weekend you just stay at home and watch rom-coms in your oversized Scooby doo hoodie", Beck said as he sat up to really look at me.
I hated when he did that, his green eyes always made me feel like he was searching my soul.
"Maybe it hurt to hear it from someone you had just met but that doesn't make his words any less true. Maybe Beck or I should've sat you down and been the ones to talk to you but we didn't want to pressure you or make you upset. We know what happened in Seattle sucked but you can't let it control your life. It's been 8 months Leah, eventually you're going to have to let it go and move on with your life", Kyra added.
Move on with your life.
A statement so easily said but very difficult to actually do. I wanted to move on, I wanted to forget, I wanted to change and finally feel like I could be myself. I came here to be free, so why did it feel like I was still wrapped in chains?
"Physically I'm here in Los Angeles but it's like...", I began as I glanced down at my hands in my lap.
"Mentally you're still at that altar after Tara and Jordan admitted to having an affair", Beck finished with an understanding tone.
I simply nodded.
"I've always been the quiet and shy one. I always did as told and never complained. I was the pushover little good girl and it almost landed me in an abusive marriage. I'm tired of being like this. I want to go out and party and have fun. I want to walk around and actually feel confident, I want to go on adventures, I want to make memories and have no regrets. I want to be free. But I don't even know how to start", I confessed.
"Maybe it starts when we go out with Grayson on Friday", Kyra shrugged with a smile. Damn, they're being pretty persistent when it comes to this whole Grayson thing.
"Maybe. Despite everything... he was really sexy", I smiled. Kyra and I giggled together as Beck rolled his eyes, grabbed his phone and began dialing a number.
"I'm ordering the usual pizzas", Beck called out as Kyra got up off the couch to undoubtedly get the beers for all of us, and I turned on the t.v and PS4 and went to our Disney+ account. It had been an interesting day, and nothing said relax for the night like pizza, beer, and watching Star Wars.
————
"Okay Leah, you can do this. It really shouldn't be that hard". I mumbled to myself as I looked at myself through my bathroom mirror. I was trying to talk myself into going through with this, but it was proving to be harder than I expected. I had made it a point to buy a really cute outfit that was out of my comfort zone to wear to work on Friday thinking that if I spent money on it then I had to go through with it.
I had to start somewhere and this would be a good start.
Plus there wasn't really a hardcore dress code for work, so I knew that it wasn't like I'd get in trouble for it.
"Come on, do you want to be portrayed as some quiet little girl forever? You want to be heard, show that you deserve to be heard. You're a Goddess, you're a goddess Leah Selene Rhodes", I said as I looked into my own eyes. I'd always been reserved and shy but I didn't want that anymore, I wanted to be the opposite. I wanted to be rebellious, free-spirited, and sexy.
I looked into my own eyes and took a deep breath before leaving my bathroom and walking to my nightstand. I grabbed my phone and put on one of my favorite songs of the month, 'Sorry Now' by Crimson Apple. After putting on the appropriate undergarments I pulled out the outfit I had bought along with the shoes. It was a cute jean bustier tank top coupled with a wine red mid thigh length pencil skirt with black pumps.
I put on the said outfit and did my make up and straightened my hair as I sang along to the song. Beck came into my room as I was putting on lip gloss. He looked at me with wide eyes as I rolled my eyes at him.
"Come back to earth when you're ready Becky", I smirked using the nickname he hated but only let Kyra and I use.
Well not let, he really couldn't stop us if he tried and he knew that.
"Kyra come here! Our little girl is growing up", Beck called out into the hallway before walking fully into my room. Kyra came running in and as soon as she saw me she screamed excitedly and ran over to me before giving me a hug.
"Look at you, you look amazing Leah! Let's go before you change your mind and try to change that hot outfit of yours", she smiled. I barely had enough time to turn off the music and grab my things before Kyra was pulling Beck and I out of the apartment and to work.
A few hours later at work I was working on more edits until I heard a knock at my door. Kyra had been checking in on me almost all day to make sure I hadn't changed out of my outfit so I had figured it was probably her again.
"Yes Kyra I'm still wearing the outfit, and no Kyra you don't have to keep reminding me that I'm thick with 3 c's. Don't you have a design to finish", I called out as I continued to type my notes for a co-worker's writing column.
The door opened and I looked up to give Kyra a piece of my mind about interrupting my work when I realized it wasn't Kyra at all.
Instead it was Grayson standing in my door way wearing a dark blue shirt under a black blazer and black pants with a smirk gracing his handsome face.
Ahh, of course it wasn't Kyra... she wouldn't have knocked.
"Grayson, I'm sure you already knew this, but this definitely isn't your mom's office", I said nonchalantly as to not let him know how shocked I actually was to see him again. He walked further into my office and before he could close the door behind him I noticed Ethan and Hailey peering in with wide eyes.
I would definitely be hearing about this later on today, they were gonna want all the gory details.
"I'm glad because I actually came here looking for you", Grayson smiled as he gazed around my office. He walked closer to the window as he looked out of it with his hands in his front pockets as the light from the sun hit his blue eyes giving it a perfect shine.
"The plans you had made for my friends and I were tonight Grayson... not now", I smirked as I finally stopped typing to give him my full attention.
"I guess I couldn't wait to see that beautiful face of yours, and may I just say you look absolutely ravishing in that outfit", Grayson said as his eyes moved from the bustling streets of L.A towards me to glance over my outfit and body appreciatively.
"Look Grayson, you've gotta stop that", I sighed as I ran my fingers through my straightened hair.
"What, don't tell me the Fearless Phoenix can't take a compliment", he smirked at me. God, he was getting to be so annoying! Why does he keep bringing up my writing column?
"I've been polite because you are my boss's son, but don't act like you know me. You may have been right about my self confidence but you'll never fully understand what I've been through. Yes I've struggled with my confidence but helping others with theirs is helping me with mine, unlike your backhanded compliments which don't help at all", I snipped in an aggravated voice.
He looked at me confused and then stepped up to my desk slowly before placing a hand on it and leaning closer towards me. I would be lying if I said he wasn't both intimidating and hot as hell, I didn't know whether to be scared or turned on.
"Backhanded compliments? Leah Rhodes I can assure you, every compliment I've given you...", he began as he leaned closer and closer to my face.
"I meant", he finished softly.
He was so close that I could count the small freckles that were spaced out on his face if I wanted to. I could see the slight grey to his blue colored eyes and had an even closer look at his rosy pink lips.
He was so close, and smelled so good. His eyes were lit up with a certain mischief and my fingers were itching to move some of his dark brown hair that had fallen in front of his face. My eyes danced across his features as I pulled my bottom lip in between my teeth. A movement that had caught Grayson's attention as his eyes zoned in on my lips.
"Was there something you came here for Grayson", I asked softly to release the tension between us and change the subject.
"I was in the area for a brunch meeting and tonight seemed like forever to wait to get a glimpse of you. I'm glad I didn't wait, makes me wonder if you wear outfits like that all the time", he smirked as he pulled away and sat in the chair across from my desk. I rolled my eyes and leaned back against my chair before folding my arms over my chest.
Another movement that had definitely caught his eyes.
"No, I just felt like trying something different today" I shrugged.
"Because of what I said on Wednesday?"
"No."
"I feel like that's a lie, but okay."
"There are like one hundred other girls in the building who are crushing hard on you, why can't you go bother one of them", I asked tiredly. This conversation was going no where with him and I just wanted to get back to my editing so that I could hopefully get off a little early.
"None of them would be as fun as you little goddess", he smiled with a cocky wink.
"Nothing about me is little", I mumbled as I went to continue my editing notes.
"You've got that right. Quel tuo corpo è uno spettacolo celeste e sono pronto a lodarlo", he groaned in appreciation making my eyes snap to his.
*That body of yours is a heavenly sight and I'm ready to praise it.
"Do I even want to know what you just said", I asked sarcastically.
"Let's just say I'm contemplating changing religions", he winked back.
"Well not that this hasn't been... entertaining but I really need to get back to my work", I said as I stood up and dusted off my dress.
"Of course, I didn't mean to bother you", Grayson smiled as he stood up as well. I offered my hand to shake and he looked at it quizzically for a second before looking back up at me with one raised eyebrow.
"Leah I'd like to think that we're friends, not business partners", he chuckled with a smile.
"What you are Grayson, is one of my boss's sons", I reminded him as I moved around the table to stand in front of him and once again offered my hand. I was just trying to be professional with him. Could we be friends? I mean sure, but that'd be awkward... right?
I mean... he's my boss's son. What would people think if I just went around and- god who am I kidding?!
That was the most half assed excuse I could ever come up with. I didn't give a rat's ass what people thought, what I worried about was my self control. I mean give a bitch a break! The guy was hot as fuck and he gave me those looks with his hypnotic blue eyes and that dazzling smile and thought that I wouldn't have any kind of sexual desire for him?
Grayson Hart knew exactly how sexy he looked and at this point was just using his charm and good looks to get under my skin.
But to be honest he could get under me in general and I'd-
Okay Leah, calm it down girl.
Grayson grabbed my hand as if to shake and only shook it once before he pulled me into his arms, successfully pulling me out of my thoughts as well. I bumped into his chest softly and had placed my hands on his chest to steady myself as his hands found their way to my waist.
He must work out, he hadn't moved an inch when I had bumped into him and his chest felt strong and warm.
I looked up at him in surprise and was about to give him a piece of my mind when he moved one of his hands to brush away a strand of my black hair that had fallen in front of my face.
"I'm not just my mother's son, and you're not just an editor, columnist, and occasional model. I am Grayson Hart and you are Leah Rhodes, so how about whatever we are to each other... we decide for ourselves", Grayson asked softly as I felt his fingers trace over the skin of my cheek and jaw in a whisper of a touch.
Before I could respond Grayson smiled and kissed my forehead before heading towards my office door and opening it. Ethan and Hailey stood in the background looking into my office in awe while a few other workers at least acted like they weren't trying to figure out what was going on in my office.
"I really can't wait to see you later on tonight little goddess, I'd ask that you make sure you look stunning for tonight but I think you already do that effortlessly", Grayson winked before leaving.
"I'm really starting to hate when he gets the last word", I mumbled to myself once I had successfully picked up my jaw off the floor as I stood in the middle of my office.
Where Grayson had given me the first of his many forehead kisses.
~Kyra above~