Page 71 of Gravity

“I’ll be more than happy to help out,” Lacy mocks under her breath, entering my side of the bar and walking up to me.

Irritation rattles my bones. One, because she’s too close, and two, because I don’t think I’ve ever heard her say a good thing about Nora. “God, that girl makes me cringe at times.”

I turn to face her, taking a step back in the process. The more her attitude changes, the more I’m beginning to dislike her by the second. “For doing her job?” I ask. “Maybe if you were to try and be a little more pleasant to the customers like Nora is, Lacy instead of scowling every time they ask you for a meal, you may just get more tips that you’re forever complaining about not getting.”

“I’m a bartender, Grayson. I serve drinks not food.”

“When you work in my club, you do whatever damn job needs to be done at the time. Now, table eleven has just become vacant. Clear it and wipe it down,” I order.

With a huff, she stomps off, muttering something under her breath just as I hear the soft chuckle of Nora coming up behind me.

“You know, you should have just put a smile on her face and slept with her once and for all. It would have stopped the teenage strops.” Entering the bar, she comes to stand beside me, her back facing the floor of the club.

Like they usually do, her eyes cover every inch of my face as if she needs to take all of me in.

It’s been a week since Asher left, and things are finally starting to settle down at Nora’s. Pete is comfortable but has showed signs of seizure activity from time to time even though they’ve been nowhere near as fierce as his first. On the nights I’ve had to work late, Nora has spent time with him and Fiona. In our spare time, we’ve been with each other, getting as much time together as we can while we can. To say keeping us a secret is difficult is an understatement. I don’t like the thought of our relationship being confined behind closed doors, but if it means protecting Nora then it needs to be done. However, when she stands as close as she is now and my body hums with her presence, it’s fucking hard to stay in control.

Stepping closer, I inhale her fragrance and take advantage of the fact we are alone for a moment. “First, why would I have to do that when I’m not interested? And second, the only woman whose face I want to place a smile on is the one standing right beside me.”

“Oh really?” she grins.

“That and other things.”

“Well, this woman approves.”

“Good to hear.” My eyes drop to her tan legs, the hem of her skirt too tempting. “Although, I have to ask if you wore that skirt today just to drive me wild?”

She rises on her tiptoes, pushing her chest out to give me a better view of her cleavage. “That depends.”

“On?”

“On whether or not it’s working. Am I driving you wild, Mr. Bennett?”

“You know you are.”

“Well, there’s your answer.”

Needing to touch her and suddenly not giving two shits about where we are or who will see, I slip my hand between her legs to trail it up her thigh, feeling her heat the further my hand rises. Her hands instantly grip the edge of the bar behind her and she inhales sharply.

“Grayson. What are you doing? Not here.”

“Don’t move and stay quiet. No one will suspect a thing,” I whisper, looking out across the bar at those eating their meals while I’m desperate for my own.

“There are too many people.”

I push her panties aside and slip my fingers into her heat and have to work like fuck to stop myself from letting the snake in my pants come out to play when I find her wet for me. “Oh, Jesus.”

Within seconds I’ve gone from being Club Manager to a hungry animal who has no control over anything. She’s brought me to my knees, capturing me so fast my feet have barely touched the ground. And as much as that scares me shitless, I’m thriving on how fucking good it feels.

As I smile at a gentleman who looks over toward the bar, I continue to rotate my thumb over Nora’s swollen bud before I push another finger inside. I don’t move them: I just let her feel my presence as she starts to come undone. Her hands continue to grip the edge of the bar, her knuckles white, and her eyes drift close, breathy whispers playing beautiful melodies from her lips. All the while my cock aches like you wouldn’t believe.

“I’ve not been able to take my eyes off you all day,” I whisper, wanting to kiss her so fucking bad.

“That makes two of us.”

“You look too good in my club. And you look too fucking hot right now as I work you to the point where I know will have you crying for me.”

“Grayson, please,” she breathes.