Page 6 of Grayson

“But can we add homemade margaritas to that plan?”

“Strawberry?”

“Of course.” She rolls her eyes and grabs her own bag before hooking her arm through mine. “Though watermelon isn’t bad, but we’ll have those next time.”

I smile thinking of next time and not caring the slightest that I’m being such a nerd. Haven’t had time for friends and hanging out. I’ve had my head focused on one thing, taking care of Tori. That has never involved drinking and hanging out talking about guys I shouldn’t be talking about. “I’ll go to the store and get everything for the margaritas. You and Tori decide on what’s for dinner and send me your address so I know where to meet you.” Vivian leads me out of the salon offering a wave to those we’ve left behind but not even looking in their direction.

I rattle off my address and she stops practically falling over her own feet.

“Oh hell, you live next door to Grayson Hawk?”

“Why, do you know him?”

“Well, not how most women know him.” She wiggles her brows suggestively. “I used to run around with his cousin Scarlett. Now she is another one that is not afraid to tell anyone exactly how she is feeling. It’s been a minute though since she and I hung out. I think you’d like her, but Gray is nasty.” I wrinkle up my nose at her description of him. “As in kinky nasty, girl,” Viv clarifies.

“Excuse me?”

“From what I’ve heard the man has some major talent in the bedroom but he’s shared that talent with far too many women. I don’t know if he’s ever been serious about anyone for longer than a night or maybe two.”

From the things we’ve heard through our apartment walls none of this should be a shock to me.

We pause near our cars and she offers me a quick hug, before climbing inside and waving to me through the driver’s side window.

On the way home I give Tori a quick call and tell her we have company coming over and to pick up the apartment. She and I are not the tidiest pair and it’s not out of the ordinary to have a basket of folded clothes sitting on the kitchen chair or a sink full of dirty dishes that I intended to load later.

As I pull into my parking space I am met with the same motorcycle, only this time it’s in the space next to mine.

I’m reminded of the things that Vivian has told me about my neighbor as his face flashes in my mind. Those dark eyes and that smirk. I’ve never truly spoken to him but I’ve heard and seen enough to know I should stay far away.

Far far away.

5

Grayson Hawk

The loud pounding on my door wakes me from a nap. I’d spent the day helping Dad and Uncle Issac chop firewood and repair the fence that separated their properties. Cows on one side and horses on the other. The two bought neighboring properties, acres upon acres of land that they treat as if it’s a shared property. They may not be brothers by blood but from the moment my dad’s sister Sheri married Issac he became the closest thing my father ever had to one. The two of them separate are a riot, but you get them together and watch out.

Two peas in a pod, sometimes I swear they share the same brain.

More pounding echoes over my apartment and I look at the clock to see it’s a little past six in the evening. I’d been sleeping for a few hours, but I could’ve slept for a few more. Back on duty tomorrow morning at seven I was gearing up for whatever the Nashville community threw at me.

Again with the pounding. I push up off the couch and walk toward my front door. “Damn, I’m coming,” I holler just as I flip the lock and slide the chain. But before I get the chance to twist the handle the door opens and I have to take a step back.

“Really?” My cousin Scarlett steps inside scowling at me. Her eyes are narrowed, her nose wrinkled up. All she’s missing is a growl.

“I swear Gray I am going to beat you with a firehose then hang you out to dry.”

And there’s the growl.

“Gia,” she snares, “of all the willing women you have to keep going to the one I’d love nothing more than to ship to Alaska and freeze her permanently in a glacier. She is a,” Scarlett places her hands on her hips and opens her mouth three times to continue only to lose her words each time. Suddenly she stomps her feet and throws her hands up in the air.

“She is a flesh-eating bacteria and if you keep going back your pecker is going to fall off, Grayson Thomas Hawk. What in the hell is wrong with you?”

I try not to laugh, but I’ve rarely gotten the chance to see Scar so flustered. But if there is one person that gets her riled up it is Gia.

“Do not laugh at me.” She shoves my chest and slams my door behind her. “You do know she purposely targeted you because you are my cousin and she knows we are close. Ever since she banged Johnny in the bed of his Chevy and I punched her in the nose she’s had it out for me.”

Gia walked around after that incident with two black eyes for weeks. Johnny had a bruised lip and bruised balls, because when Scar was done with Gia she’d turned on him. I’d sat back amongst others and enjoyed the show. The asshole cried like a bitch.

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