Page 49 of Please, Stay

She squeezed her eyes shut, opening her own heart. “You make it hard not to fall in love with you, you know.”

She waited for his rebuff. Or a long lecture about their distance. After the way he’d almost skipped town at the mere mention of a family last time, it wouldn’t surprise her if cut their dinner short.

He held onto the bottom of her hair the way he tended to do. The way she loved.

“Same here, Jules.”

Her breath rushed out. Knowing that made it hurt worse. They were both heading in the same direction. They both knew it was a dead-end.

The door behind them cracked open and then closed again. “It’s time to eat,” Grayson said, patting her hip.

Instead of laying a kiss on his lips like she wanted, and skipping dinner altogether, she kissed his cheek and sat down at the table. He moved to the seat across from her.

The lion cub stuck its nose against the window, again. Juliana giggled and held her arms out wide. “This is unreal, Grayson.”

“I agree. Trevor is really working for a pay raise.” He poured the champagne, looking happy. Relaxed. Hopefully, he’d remember this moment like she would.

The golden liquid bubbled and foamed in her crystal champagne flute. “If the last New Year’s Eve party I attended was any indication, I won’t be able to drive home if I have that.”

They clinked their glasses together. She took a tentative sip.

Grayson hesitated before taking a sip himself.

“What?”

His eyes held an uncertainty that wasn’t like him. “I was going to suggest driving to a hotel.”

“A hotel?” It squeaked out. “With you?” Like in a hotel room. Alone. She drank again, her throat suddenly dry. Oh, that wouldn’t end well. Or, she drank again, it probably would end very well, but not in another week when she said goodbye.

His smirk didn’t ease her worries. “Judging by how that thought makes you feel the need to get drunk, I’ll limit what I drink and drive your little go-kart back to Statem.”

She drained the glass. Of course, she had to drink. Grayson didn’t intimidate her. The idea of a movie star did, but not the man. She set her glass down. Her eyes roamed over his chest before focusing back on the lion next to them. Her leg bounced under the table. Why couldn’t she calm back down?

Easy.

She wanted to sleep with him.

It was ridiculous.

“Believe me,” he said. His soft tone startled her. “I’d love nothing more than to hole up in a five-star hotel with you until it was time for me to fly out.” He sat back and sipped his champagne. “But we both know that isn’t the smartest thing considering I have to leave soon.”

Knowing he wanted the same thing made it better and worse all at the same time. They were both miserable and frustrated.

The door to the cave opened. Reggie came in, holding two plates.

“A feast fit for the king of the jungle.” He set their plates down. Hamburger. Fries. Brownie. Grayson popped a fry in his mouth as Reggie left.

“The champagne makes it classy,” he said as he picked up another fry.

She smiled, and, for him, she dropped the subject of the hotel for the rest of the night. It wouldn’t have taken much to persuade her. Not after she ended up having three glasses of champagne before snuggling up next to him under Carrie’s princess blanket on the chilly golf cart ride through the Christmas lights.

Although, as she blinked her eyes open when he stopped the car in front of Becky’s house, she probably wouldn’t have been much fun in a hotel considering how quickly she went to sleep once they made it to the expressway. If she ever did get the opportunity, sobriety was a must.

“How are you going to get home?”

Grayson opened his car door and walked around to open hers. He helped her stand up. “I thought I’d crash on the sofa here. Maybe Cameron can come to give me a ride tomorrow?”

“Grayson…” Becky’s guest room had a queen-sized bed. There was no reason for him to sleep on the sofa. She fumbled with her keys and managed to get the door open. Becky’s car wasn’t parked in the driveway, so either she’d stayed with Eliza or hadn’t made it home yet.

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