He sighs and drops his head. “Fine. One song, then we’re leaving.”
“Yay!” I clap my hands, then pepper kisses all over the side of his face.
He chuckles and grabs one of my hands, lacing our fingers together before bringing me over to the piano bench and sitting me down next to him.Ooh, backstage show. Lucky me.
The room quiets down except for the silent murmurs of our friends questioning if any of them knew about Greyson’s hidden talents. Greyson takes on a serious look as he delicately passes his fingers over the keys like he’s touching a long-lost memory.
No one talks as they all give him the time he needs to settle in. He seems hesitant for a moment, and I instantly feel bad for forcing him to do this. But just as I’m about to tell him he doesn’t have to, he closes his eyes and takes a deep breath. Then his fingers start gliding at rapid speed over the keys, muscle memory taking over.
A beautiful soft melody begins to play that I don’t recognize as he starts to sing along, taking us all by surprise at how smooth and velvety his vocal cords are despite his usual deep voice.
“There was a time when I’d look up to the sky, looking for the brightest star that shined. Now all I do is close my eyes, because you’re the brightest thing in my mind. There was a time when my only goal in life was to be the greatest in my new lifestyle. Now the only goal that has meaning to me is to wake up every day to your beautiful smile.”
I’ve never heard this song before, and I know a lot of them, certainly those about love.Wait… is this… is this an original? How is this possible? When did he write this, and why?My heart begins to flutter in my chest at the possibility that he may have written this for me.
“They always say that these kinds of things only happen once to those who are lucky enough to see it through. But I never thought, I never believed, that these kinds of things happened out of the blue. But now that I see it, now that I feel it, I think this kind of thing might just be with you.”He opens his eyes for a moment and gazes my way, bumping his shoulder against mine with a smile on his lips as he sings the words.
My throat constricts as I listen to the words pouring from his lungs. The way it feels like they come from deep within his soul. All of it feels natural, as if he’s singing from pure emotions rather than being forced to perform it.
He wrote this for me…
“I want a future, I want a life, I want the white picket fence where the kids play outside. I want a dog, I want a wife; just take my hand, and promise you’ll stay for the ride.”He closes his eyes again and sings the chorus, his heart pouring out as his magical voice sends us all into a captivating trance.
I look up to my friends and find them all in a state of awe as they watch with admiration.
Greyson hits the bridge of the song at full force.“Through every laugh, through every cry, I promise to hold on to youevery night. You are my stars, you are my sky, you make my heart beat faster than the speed of light.”
Before the song slows down and his voice drops to a soft caress, he opens his eyes once more and looks into mine as I fight the emotions threatening to break loose.“I want a future, I want a life, I want the white picket fence where the kids play outside.”
His fingers slow on the keys, his voice turning to a whispered secret.“I want a dog, I want a wife.”A single tear slips out from its cage, rolling slowly down my cheek.“Just take my hand, and promise we’ll do it side by side.”
His hand leaves the piano as he plays the last notes and comes to cradle the side of my face, wiping away my single tear as he watches me with such deep affection.
“Greyson…” I want to tell him. I want to tell him that I love him. But not here, not now with all our friends around.
“I know, Bunny.” It’s all he has to say, because at this moment, he feels it too. It’s what he was saying through his song.
That he loves me.
Chapter twenty-five
Greyson
No-go zone for oversized loads.
When we get home, Emma puts a sleeping Gracie in her crib as I watch her bend over and place a featherlike kiss to Gracie’s forehead, tracing the side of her face with a finger. A smile worth millions is etched on Emma’s beautiful lips while peering down at my daughter, as if she’s her entire world.
A tightness forms around my heart, and my throat constricts as I gaze at them. She may not biologically be Gracie’s mom, but in my eyes and anyone who sees, she is.
Emma finally turns my way and wanders over. The smile that lights her face when she sees me leaning against the doorframe watching her takes my breath away.She’s so fucking beautiful.
She comes to my side, leaning her body against mine and resting her head on my shoulder, looking back toward our littlegirl. “I love her, Greyson. I love her so much. How do people feel this way all the time? It’s like my heart gets this aching feeling every time I look at her, every time I hear her angelic laugh.”
Her eyes take on this glassy effect filled with emotions. “And then when she’s asleep or too quiet for longer than usual, I get so worried. Or when we have her babysat to have alone time, it’s like I can’t shut my brain off. All I want to do is have her in my arms again because I miss her too much.”
“I know, Bunny. I get it.”Because it’s how I feel about you, too.“Come with me, I have one more gift for you.” I grab her hand and pull her with me down the stairs.
“Ooh, is it sex? Because I really like that kind of gift. Maybe some role-play sex where you pretend to be a big bad wolf about to devour the poor innocent little bunny? But then shit turns kinky and you decide to fuck her before eating her?” she whispers quickly, getting more and more excited as the words pour out of her.
