“Grayden, I’m scared,” she whispered.
My eyes shot open, and my heart squeezed. “Of what, sweetheart?” Did she mean Danny? The break-in? Officer Bronski?
“Of getting my heart broken.”
Heaviness gathered in my throat. She’d sounded so vulnerable. “I know.” I kissed her hair. “But I won’t hurt you.”
“How do you know for sure?”
“Because I’d rather die.”
“I’d rather you hurt me thanthat,” she slurred sleepily.
“I’d prefer neither. I’m not going anywhere. As long as you want me, I’m yours. I promise, I’m yours.”
Piper burrowed against me. I had no idea if she’d heard that,or if she was already asleep. But to me, my words seemed to echo in the room like a vow. Like something far bigger than a few murmured sounds.
I was already hers. There was nothing I could do about that. I’d tried and failed to stay away. Now, I was all in.
So, I had to make her mine.
THIRTY-ONE
Piper
I wokeup wedged between two couch cushions. And with a pounding headache.
Crap, what had I done?
Whiskey, babe. Too much whiskey.
I jolted upright as more of last night came back to me. Someone breaking into my garage. My shameless attempt to seduce Grayden into spending the night.
And then the image, hot enough to sizzle as I remembered it, of Grayden kneeling over me with his thick cock in his hand. His thumb flicking over his piercing. The heady scent of his arousal. And when he came…
“Piper? Hey. You’re up.” Grayden leaned against the archway into the living room. His hair and clothes were rumpled. Another brief image came. More a collection of sensations really. Snuggling up with him on the couch.
So he’d stayed.
“I was going to make some breakfast.” He pointed a thumb in the direction of the kitchen. “How you feeling?”
I kicked off the blanket and got up, patting down my tangled hair. When I swayed, Grayden lunged forward to grab my arms.
“Somebody’s hungover.”
“Barely,” I protested. But yeah. I was a little hungover. “Just means I had fun. Nothing some coffee and eggs won’t fix.”
“Good.” He was close now. Touching me, practically holding me up. Warmth flooded my stomach.
“I’m glad you stayed,” I said softly.
“Promised I would.” He pushed strands of hair back from my cheek. “I didn’t really have a choice about it, in the end.”
“Because I’m bossy? Or because I fell asleep on you?”
His grin was knowing, but he didn’t elaborate. “You remember what happened before the sleeping part, right?”
I glanced down between us in an exaggerated way, as if I was trying to get a glimpse of the goods, then lifted my eyebrows. Too bad he was wearing his jeans.
