Page 119 of Swim To Me

“Thank you.”

“You don’t have to thank me.” He laughs. “It was your speech—”

“No, thank you for coming with me, for being here, for being mine, Grey.”

Chapter 30

Delilah

Igrab another cocktail from the complimentary bar to steady my residual nerves, feeling the alcohol warm up my stomach and drip into my bloodstream. I’m on the pleasant side of tipsy after the speeches are wrapped up and the instrumental band perks up to play a popular pop song from a decade or so ago.

Grey urges me onto the makeshift dance floor, twirling me around until the room spins and I have to latch onto his upper arms, fingernails digging into his toned biceps to stop myself from toppling over.

He laughs warmly in the shell of my ear, a mischievous smile playing about his lips.

“Are you drunk, Mr Millen?” I attempt to whisper in his ear, but my legs are too wobbly to stand on my tip toes and I’m not sure I’m being as quiet as I think I am.

“Tipsy,” he answers, flashing me a smirk. “And so are you.”

It must be the alcohol in our systems, or perhaps it’s the fact I’m actually enjoying myself at one of these work functions rather than just standing off to the side, quietly waiting until the respective time I’m allowed to leave without looking rude, but the evening swims past me in a blur.

“It’s lovely to see you enjoying yourself, Delilah,” Kate, one of my favourite bosses, says to me in passing. She gives me a side hug, and I squeeze her back tightly, feeling less aware of my actions and just going with the flow, before she stalks away.

The band picks up another song I’m not so familiar with, but Grey sings along to the words while I lean against him, my cheek practically smushed into his chest as I register the ache beginning in the balls of my feet. Even the sides of my toes are being pinched from the heels I’m wearing and—

Grey’s voice rumbles through me. “We can go home if they’re hurting.”

Realising I must have voiced my pain out loud I shake my head. “No, you’re enjoying yourself! It’s fine, I’ll—”

“Seriously, I don’t mind. I’m ready to go home if you are.”

“Okay,” I agree. “Give me a minute to pop to the loo and we can get going.”

Trying not to let the pain show on my face, I limp off to the toilets, emptying my bladder with a sigh. I wash and dry my hands and return to Grey’s side, silently waiting for him to look up from his phone.

“The car is just around the corner.” He powers the device off and shoves it deep into the depths of his trouser pockets. “Do you want to get some fresh air and wait outside?”

I nod. “Let me just do the rounds and say goodbye before we leave.”

A lot of tonight’s crowd have left already, but I still make it my mission to congratulate the author once more, giving her a tight hug.

“Thank you so much for coming!”

I smile, her joy infectious. “I wouldn’t have missed it.”

“So, I guess I’ll see you tomorrow for the nine thirty meeting to discuss how everything went?”

Shit.

I feel my smile turn to wax. “Of course! See you bright and early!”

“The nine thirty meeting?” Grey asks as we walk away hand in hand, heading for the exit.

I wave goodnight to my favourite assistant and her date, hoping they can’t see the displeasure written all over my facial features, which are quickly bitten by the cold autumn air whipping about outside.

“I completely forgot…” I hear myself moan, cuddling into Grey for warmth. He tucks me inside of his suit jacket and I melt; he smells so fucking good, all minty, and I wish I could climb inside his pocket right now and close my eyes.

“A meeting on a Saturday!?” Grey says it like it should be illegal. I agree.

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