“I like kids, too,” Iadmitted. “Always imagined myself with a toddler by now.”
Gray shrugged. “Could happen,”he said. “Maybe not… tomorrow, or anything, but…”
My heart swelled, andsuddenly it was hard to breathe. Gray wanted to have a kid with me, some day?
I knew I was smiling like acomplete idiot, but I couldn’t have stopped myself. The idea of getting toraise a little family with the man of my dreams was too good to care if otherpeople saw me looking deliriously happy.
“That might be the sexiestthing you’ve ever said to me.”
“Really? I gotta work onthat,” Gray teased. “I thought I’d make you dinner tonight.”
“Also sexy.” I laughed. “Doesn’tquite topIwant a baby.”
Gray snorted, holding theelevator door open for me as it arrived at the parking lot.
“Could rub your feet whilewe watch TV later,” Gray said.
“See, now I’m starting towonder how many promises I can extract from you just by pretending you’re notalways the hottest thing in my life.”
Gray chuckled. “Maybe I justlike doing nice things for you?”
“I know you do.” I paused infront of the car, turning to face him. Even in the darkened parking lot, hiseyes sparkled.
Leaning in, I brushed mynose against his before just barely touching our lips together. A promise thatthere’dbe more later.
Muchmore later.
“Get in the car,” Graymurmured against my lips. “I want you behind closed doors as soon as possible.”
Nowthatwas sexy. Arush of arousal shivered down my spine and pooled in the pit of my stomach.
I suddenly couldn’t wait to bebehind closed doors, either.
***
“Got a little powdered sugaron your nose, there,” Gray said, leaning against my desk as he licked his ownfingers. He’d come in to see me every day this week, with coffee just how Iliked it and pastries coated in varying amounts of sugar.
He’d figured out how to put mein a good mood pretty quickly, and I wasn’t about to complain. Things were juststarting to settle down at work—John had been fired and was under policeinvestigation for fraud, Dad had apologized to me and I’d apologized to him,and I was starting to feel like I could start over again.
I was already looking forpeople to continue the research we’d had to abandon, since we’d lost half theteam and I couldn’t put the other half back on the same project. But that wasthe thing about rebuilding. You had to demolish the existing structure beforeyou could put a better, stronger one in its place.
Destruction was good. Iremembered a doctor telling me that all the way back before my first round ofchemo, when I’dbeen so afraid that I’d never be the same again.
Destruction had ultimatelybeen good then, and it would be now, too. The sick parts of the company hadbeen cut out, and the rest of it could flourish again.
“So about this, uh, what didyou call it? Extended sleepover?” Gray asked, reaching out to wipe the sugar offthe tip of my nose with his thumb.
“It’s okay if you’re notready for that,” I said. “I just thought… my lease is up at the end of nextweek, and I need somewhere to stay until the new apartment is finished. A month,tops. Then I’ll be out of your hair.”
Gray raised an eyebrow. “What makes youthink I’d want you out of my hair?”
“You didn’t seementhusiastic when I mentioned the idea last night?” I tried. I was surprised he’dbrought it up again, since I’d been planning on dropping it. Gray loved me, butsharing space all the time—even if it was only temporary—was a big step.
I’d never actually lived withanyone who wasn’t family, so I had no idea what kind of roommate I’d make.
“Wasn’t sure you’d be happyin my crappy little apartment.” Gray shrugged, sipping his hot chocolate. “It’snot exactly what you’re used to.”
“I love your apartment.”
