I took a sip of my own coffeeas Gray hung up and handed my phone back, sighing happily as it washed thetaste of whatever the hell was in the other cup out of my mouth.
“Your dad says take care ofyourself,” Gray explained, retrieving his cup from my side of the desk. “Andalso that he wants us to have a sleepover.”
“He didn’t say that,” Iresponded, reaching out for the bag of pastries and finding it full of donuts.My stomach growled so loudly I was afraid Gray might hear it.
Not that it really matteredif he did, did it? He’d just know I was grateful and that his timing hadbeen perfect.
I just didn’t want him to bedisappointed in me for not eating breakfast.
“He said I should ask tostay with you, which I’m choosing to interpret ashave a sleepover. Yourhair’s a little short to braid, but I can definitely paint your nails.”
The image of sitting curledup on the couch with Gray in our pajamas and gossiping about boys flashedthrough my mind, and I didn’t exactly hate it. Much as I wanted to pretend Iwas only interested in Gray for his body, I was actually starting tolikethe guy.Especially if he was going to bring me coffee and donuts just when I neededthem most.
If I was being reallyhonest, I would have admitted that I’d always liked him. Even when he’d beensqueezing past me into my hotel room, there’d beensomethingabout him.Something I didn’t entirely understand just yet, but increasingly wanted to.
“Only if I can paintyournails,” I said, andthen instantly realized it wasn’t much of a deterrent, based on the look onGray’s face.
I grabbed a donut for thesake of putting something in my mouth. If I wasn’t talking, I couldn’t sayanything stupid.
“So did you really check inwith the police, or…?” I asked after my first delicious mouthful ofcream-filled donut, just barely stopping myself from moaning happily.
Gray had clearly figured outmy sweet tooth despite the way I took my coffee, and he was indulging it.
“I did, in the sense that Iran into Moreno in the coffee shop on the way here. You heard the update shegave me, so…”
“Yeah.” I sighed, slumpingback in my desk chair. “I mean, they’ve got more important things to do, Iguess.”
“It’s not that, exactly.There’s just not a whole lot theycando. There’s not much to goon. No point starting a manhunt for a guy where the best description is that he’svaguely human-shaped.”
“You’ve seen the footage?”
“Yeah, actually, on herphone. And to be honest, if she hadn’t pointed the guy out I wouldn’t even havenoticed him. I guess it might have been a little easier on a bigger screen, but…”
“Okay.” I nodded, takinganother bite of my donut to give myself a chance to process. I was getting goodat thiscopingthing.
Although again, if I wasbeing really honest, I got a lot better at it when Gray was around.
“So if you weren’tintentionally coming here right after the police station, whyareyou here?”
Gray shrugged, sipping hismystery beverage with a soft little hum that suggested helikedit. “I’ll feelridiculous collecting a paycheck if I haven’t put insomework. I won’t hover aroundyour office if you don’t want me to, but…”
“No, you can stay,” I saidin a rush. “It’s fine.”
“I also…” Gray looked downat the floor, pacing a few steps. It took me a second, but I realizedeventually that he wasnervous.
“I wanted to offer you… ifyou’re avoiding me because it’s awkward, I’m bringing on a new guy. He’ll beready to start in a couple of days, and I’d trust him with my life. And yours.Just, y’know, if you’re more likely to keep someone else around.”
I blinked at him for longmoments, the thought that Gray feltrejecteddawning over me slowly.
It was hard to imagine a manlike Gray being insecure at all, but apparently, I’d managed to make him feelthat way.Me. Skinny littleMiles Emerson who’d begged to suck his cock just over a week ago.
Well, I hadn’t exactlybegged, but I wouldhave if he’dmade that seem like a good idea.
“I’m not avoiding you,” Isaid.
Iwas, but notbecause of anything he’d done.
A pang of guilt hit me inthe stomach at the thought of making Gray feel like this was somehow his fault.
