Her cheeks turned pink. “I’m used to doing things on my own.”
“Not anymore. You have me.”
The panic had subsided. Spilling all my secrets to Cass and Sophie, and having Gray with me again soothed my soul.
When he suggested stopping, I knew I wouldn’t be able to. All those definitive thoughts about work and needing to succeed tampered down in his presence. I didn’t want either or. It was a case of finding balance in my life so I could have both. I needed space to calm down, but I couldn’t keep away from him, and the damage had been done. We just needed to be less destructive about it — if that was even possible.
Gray leaned over me, crowding my space, and kissing me, nipping at my bottom lip. Insatiable. That was the word that could describe us together.
My mind replayed a single sentence he’d said.
You know, I’m not messing around.
Of course, he was. We both were because it could never be more than this. He’d told me, and I’d accepted it.
A knock on the door interrupted our reconciliation.
“Quentin?” Sophie called.
“Yes, Soph?” I said, turning my head away from Gray, but he just moved the kisses to my cheek and down my neck.
“Just wanted to make sure everything is okay.”
I looked back to Gray, and he rested his forehead against mine.
“We’re good,” I said to her.
“Well, I’ve already asked Erik, and he’s happy to, but would Gray like to stay until you’re ready to leave?”
Gray rolled his eyes. “Of course, Erik made this a holiday.”
I hit his chest, and he sat up, talking louder so that Sophie could hear through the door.
“I’ll be staying until Quentin leaves if that’s alright with you, Sophie.”
“Perfectly fine!”
It was strange to have Grayson and Erik in the house with us. What was even stranger was the fact that Cass and Sophie knew who they really were.
Over dinner, there were a million questions about the Gods and Elysia, and I could see the jealousy peek through Cass when I mentioned I’d visited the heavens. Gray stayed next to me through dinner, and I traced the numbers — one, four, three — on his hand when it was near mine.
Cass shot disapproving looks at Gray when he first thought we were dating and now, after the truth was out, I caught him giving glances towards us more often, but it was like he couldn’t make up his mind if it was safe or not to dislike Gray.
“Quentin,” Cass called when we were ready to retire to bed.
Gray stopped. But when I looked to Cass, I knew he was after a private conversation.
“Go on,” I said quietly to Gray. “I’ll be up in a bit.”
Gray hovered for a moment. I’d noticed he didn’t like to leave me alone when someone wanted a private word.
“Okay,” he said eventually, leaning down to kiss me.
Cass cleared his throat, and I rolled my eyes, pulling Gray down and kissing him again. He grinned at me and left the room.
“Must you?” Cass asked.
“You and Sophie kiss in front of me.”
