Page 99 of Catch Me When I Fall

“I want to meet him,” Sarah demanded over the phone.

I’d gotten off work four hours ago and had been preparing for Grayson to come home to me.

Home.

I bit the inside of my cheek as I stared down at the sheer pink bra and thong on my bed. I’d just gotten out of the shower, my hair in a bun on top of my head, my skin smelling of berries.

“Sarah, I didn’t call you for that,” I reminded her.

When I’d gone into work this morning—Grayson dropped me off—-I dragged Sarah to the back room and told her about Grayson coming back, all while her jaw was on the floor. Margo didn’t care that Grayson took up the space of the entry to the store and Rossy was, as usual, hiding in his office. Of course, I lied about all the other things involving Leo, who had been the talk of the fucking town, and explained to Sarah that Grayson had showed up, wanting me. I told her he’d been on a job, searching for one of his men who had gotten caught up in some shit.

Did I know about the shit?

No.

But, she believed me, and that was all that mattered. I told her about the last week we’d spent together, how caring he was, how gentle he was. We cooked together, watched movies together, and at one point, we were even working together. Him doing his bounty hunter thing, and me editing photos.

The best part about it all? He actually talked to me—listened to me.

Grayson already knew all the bad things about me and he was still interested in hearing the good. He’d listen intently as I told him about my favorite book and my first time reading it in high school. His dark eyes would shine as I told him about my co-workers. He would smile as I told him about how goofy Rossy was under that shy exterior.

He told me about his childhood and being raised by a single mother, about his time in the Marines and the “shit” him and his friend, Mags, used to get into. He told about how he met Hayes, his second in command, and how they started Red Snake Investigations together.

The only thing he hadn’t told me was the story behind his tattoos. Then again, I was almost too afraid to ask. Every time he caught me staring at them, a muscle ticked in his cheek.

I also told Sarah he hadn’t touched me in the past week. Part of me assumed it was because of what happened with Leo, but the other part of me was uncertain. Every time I tried to take our kisses to the next level, he gently stopped me. The first few times, I’d brushed it off like it was nothing, but truly, I was starting to wonder if I was the problem.

So, I made a plan for tonight, roping Sarah in to make sure I was doing the right thing. I’d never seduced a man before. With Robert, sex had been rushed and uneventful. It was a chore for him, and now, I realized he never actually loved me in the first place. I’d been blind to believe that was the way love was supposed to be. Grayson was teaching me different.

“Carrie, I told you if you put that on and wait for him, he will devour you. Trust me. Anytime I do that with Michael, he is all over me,” she promised.

I blew out a breath and clutched the towel tighter to my chest.

“Now, am I going to meet him or not?”

I rolled my eyes, laughing. “Yes, you will. Soon.”

“I better,” she grumbled.

“Sarah?”

“Yeah?”

My voice trembled. “What if he rejects me?” I didn’t think I could bear it. What if he took one look at me and decided I wasn’t good enough? Or worth the trouble? I was trying to shake off the self-doubt, but now more than ever, those were loudest ones in my head.

I’d grown to love my body, and before everything happened with Leo, Grayson seemed to love it too. I loved how healthy I felt, how soft my stomach was, how I couldn’t see my ribs anymore, how round my face was compared to how sickly it used to be, how healthy my hair was. I loved every dip and curve my body had now. I loved the way clothes fit me instead of having them hang off my body like a potato sack. I loved how soft my skin was, how my breasts hung on my chest. I loved the shape of my butt and the way they looked in jeans.

I was beautiful.

I knew this, and yet?

Self-doubt was eating me alive.

“Carrie,” she called softly. “That’s crazy, you know that, right? After everything you’ve told me about him and the chemistry between you both…trust me. He isn’t going to refuse you.”

I heard his truck pull up in the drive. “Shit. He’s here.”

She giggled. “Put the lingerie on, let down your hair, and get into bed. Are the lights off downstairs?”

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