Page 44 of Please, Stay

Juliana’s sweet face appeared in his vision.

He blinked away the blur until all he saw was her. Her eyes. Her lips.

She placed her hands along his cheeks. “Grayson?” She touched her lips to his. “Grayson? Calm down. Breathe. C’mon, babe.”

He did as she asked, breathing her sweet smell in, clearing his vision of the haze. He kissed her harder than necessary, needing that connection. Needing to know she was alright. It hurt deep inside. The worry and pain from thinking one more person might have hurt Juliana.

He’d have protected any woman, but Juliana…Juliana was his to protect. At least for the time being.

A man grabbed Grayson’s arm. Grayson started to shrug him off until he recognized the security guard from the Capitol. “We’ll need you to come with us.” Another security guard helped the idiot off the ground.

Juliana stepped away to grab her portfolio from the table. The security guard pulled once more, but Grayson didn’t budge. Not until Juliana was ready.

Her lips trembled into a smile. What would’ve happened if he hadn’t been there?

He wrapped an arm around her shoulders, shielding her the best he could from the attention. The security guard parted the crowd. Everyone around them held up their phone. Grayson’s phone vibrated in his pocket. Trevor, no doubt. The fight, if he’d even call it that, would already be up on social media. He didn’t care. He wouldn’t have done anything differently. He hugged Juliana tighter.

The security guard led them straight out the coffee shop, across the street, through the lobby of the Capitol and into a back room. He motioned toward two chairs. “Please, have a seat.”

Grayson didn’t want to. At his hesitation, the security guard crossed his arms and glared.

Juliana stroked his shoulder. “Let’s sit down.”

Grayson picked up his chair and put it right next to Juliana’s.

“I’m Officer Kent.” The security guard shifted his gaze between the two of them. “What happened?”

Grayson clasped his hands together and rested his elbows on his knees. Juliana rubbed his back in slow circles. The same way a mother might a child who was upset. He’d have to let her explain the story. The details weren’t too clear.

“Mr. Spencer said that if I’d have coffee with him that he’d get me in to see the Governor.”

Grayson stood so fast the chair tipped over behind him. Officer Kent held up his hand.

“Just sit, please. We’ll sort this out faster without your interference.”

Grayson didn’t sit, but he did stay in one place and not pace the room. Officer Kent motioned to Juliana.

“So,” Officer Kent said, rubbing his temples. “Lawrence Spencer asked you to go have coffee with him? And you said yes?”

“Because he said that if I had coffee with him, he’d let me go see the Governor.”

Did she realize how bad that sounded? Her eyes were wide, innocent, but intelligent. She knew. She had to know.

Officer Kent closed his eyes and let out a slow breath. “Mr.—”

“Moore.”

He didn’t look up but kept rubbing. “Grayson Moore? Like the Hollywood actor? I made the connection when you signed in earlier.”

“That’s me.” If there was a time to use his position, it was now. Either that or he needed to call a lawyer. Or Trevor.

“This isn’t going to look good.”

Grayson crossed his arms. “For whom?”

Officer Kent finally met Grayson’s stare. “For the Governor.”

Good. They were on the same page. “Can we see the Governor?”

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