I told the fluttering in my stomach to calm because I knew—Iknew—he’d been telling me I didn’t need to change. That was all. But my masochistic self couldn’t get past the words “you look perfect” in that soft, even tone.
None of the typical Hudson Gray charm. Not a hint of a smirk or any of the things he normally used to make women practically fall at his feet.
But then his expression and words from the night before slipped into my thoughts, unbidden, effectively destroying that ridiculous fluttering.
“Are you wearing makeup? Are you wearing a dress?”
“Where’d you even get a dress?”
And then, when I’d finally changed out of the material he’d seemed to find so repellant on me, he’d muttered,“Comfortable?”like I’d gone from bad to worse.
I swallowed past the knot in my throat and grabbed the latte from him, examining the cup as I did. “What, no phone number this time?”
His expression fell. “Monroe, I didn’t do anything to encourage that.”
I somehow doubted that.
I took a step back, not wanting to get into that pointless argument again when I had hundreds, if not thousands, of occasions that proved otherwise. “I’ll go change.”
Gray reclaimed the distance like he was afraidIwould shut the door on him this time. “Don’t?—”
“No, it’s fine,” I said over him. “I just didn’t realize we were going somewhere, so I should...” I resisted the urge to look at what I was wearing, since I was already fully aware, just as Gray and I were both completely aware that I’d gone out in this exact kind of outfit more times than I could count because I’d never cared. “I’ll be back.”
“Mallory, wait,” he began as he gripped my arm, the touch making me draw in a quick breath from how at odds it was. Both freezing from where he’d been holding my drink, yet somehow managing to sear me with a heat I’d always tried ignoring when it’d come to this man.
When my stare met his, he continued. “I mean it, you look perfect. Don’t change.”
My eyes narrowed at the plea that seemed to have a double meaning, but I just pulled my arm from his grasp and said, “I’ll be right back.”
I didn’t miss the defeat that swept across his features as I turned for my room. I also didn’t let myself think on it.
Trying to figure out Hudson Gray had never ended well for me.
But when I returned to the living room in the same outfit and my flip flops, the only sign of approval was the barest trace of his dimples, letting me know he was fighting a smile.
“Where are we going?” I asked as I neared him.
At my question, his dimples deepened as he let a smirk slip free. “Should I feel wounded that you don’t know?” He playfully checked his chest and sides before sighing. “Superficial. I’ll live.”
“Oh, good,” I muttered dryly, prompting his smirk to widen as he opened the door for me. Once I reached the threshold, I turned on him. “No, really, where are we going?”
His green eyes searched mine as if trying to determine if I really didn’t know, the only tell on his otherwise amused expression that he was bothered. “Guess we’re about to see.”
My stare narrowed as more of the same questions danced on my tongue, but I decided to let it go for now as I stepped out into the overcast, overly humid morning.
If my only choices were the two of us being in my condo, where he could easily inspect the part of my life I’d always kept hidden, or going somewhere, I’d takesomewhere. But when we settled into his truck, I realized the alternative to my condo wasgoing outwith Gray. In public. Where other women were waiting to be charmed by dimples, ridiculous words, and a deep drawl.
I loosed a sigh and tried to mentally prepare myself for another outing with the man at my side. I tried to do a lot of things as Gray started driving...
Tried to ignore the woodsy scent I’d always loved that was so much stronger in the cab of his large truck. Tried to ignore the palpable tension that felt at once weighted and alive with energy. Tried to ignore how different things were from three months ago.
Gray and I had always talked incessantly. Whether it was about work, life, or us bickering like the world might end if we stopped, we were never silent when we were together. Which meant so much about this drive felt wrong.
The silence. The pain and confusion, and the questions that came with both. The unknowns for the future.
But I was afraid I’d say something I regretted if I started talking—like,do you have any idea how many times you’ve shattered my heart? Do you care that it’syours? Tell me why it would matter to you if I broke upour teamby leaving? Because you would lose your best friend, your favorite work partner, or something more?—so I kept my mouth shut...until I pulledmyself out of my whirlwind thoughts about half an hour later when I realized we were still driving...and on a highway.
I quickly glanced around, then checked to see which way we were heading. My stomach dropped when the fields on either side of us seemed far too familiar.
