Page 50 of Please, Stay

“Goodnight.” He moved to kiss her, but she pulled away and motioned him to follow.

“As much as my brain does want to sleep with you,” she said and laughed at his pained expression. “I agree we shouldn’t.” She didn’t agree, not at all, but he seemed to have dismissed the idea. “But, please, come sleep in here. Or Becky’s bed.”

“I’m not sleeping in Becky’s bed.”

“Then, stay with me.”

He scratched his beard regarding her with an unreadable expression.

“Please.”

“Alright.”

She managed not to do a small victory dance at his answer. He followed her into the room. The bed, with its pale pink comforter, took up most of the space in Becky’s spare bedroom. The small dresser held a few extra clothes of Juliana’s and an extra toothbrush.

“Never thought this room would feel crowded.”

He jumped toward the door. “Do you want me to leave?”

She laughed at his nerves. Between the two of them, she had the only reason to be nervous. She grabbed his arm and tugged him in, closing the door behind him. She locked it in case of another surprise visit from her dad.

Unfortunately, that made undressing in front of him inevitable.

He sighed, sounding frustrated, before rolling his eyes to the ceiling and turning to face the wall.

She stared at his broad shoulders.

Then the bed.

Maybe…

“Go ahead and change,” Grayson said, his voice deeper than usual. “I don’t trust myself anyway.”

She caught her reflection. The big smile she saw wasn’t her own. She’d never looked that happy in the mirror before. Had to be the champagne. Pulling out oversized shirt and sweatpants, she cringed at how totally unsexy her sleepwear was. More “out of work rapper” than sexy Victoria’s Secret model. Nope. No sex happening with her tonight.

“I’m decent.”

His eyes swept down to her toes and back up. No reaction. Ignoring the slight level of embarrassment, she pulled back the covers and crawled into bed. Washing her face and brushing her teeth would have to wait for tomorrow. No matter how excited she might be, her eyes were starting to grow heavy again.Never again, Mr. Champagne!

He turned off the light.

The shadowed moonlight that filtered in from the small window illuminated enough to see Grayson pull his shirt over his head.

She swallowed and then squeezed her eyes shut as she heard his zipper. What the hell was she supposed to do now?

The bed sagged under his weight, and he crawled over her to the side of the bed against the wall. His arm snaked around her waist and pulled her back to his bare chest. His lips nuzzled her ear. His hand rested just under her T-shirt on her stomach.

“I knew you were somewhere under those clothes.” His husky voice in the dark accelerated her heart rate, making it thump in her ears. Could he hear it?

“Goodnight, Juliana.”

She interlaced her fingers with his and pinned his arm in place. She wouldn’t let him sneak out before morning. She was too tired to enjoy being this close tonight, but tomorrow was a different story.

16

Grayson drew lazy circles on Juliana’s bareback. She’d ended up with one leg draped over his waist, her shirt partway up, exposing her soft skin, and her hair spread out over the pillow. His mind had raced for most of the night as he’d analyzed their day. What’d prompted him to tell her about the lions? To show her his tattoo? He’d kept that story out of every magazine interview and made sure that what makeup didn’t cover, the art department eliminated from pictures and film. Everyone that worked with him was required to sign a confidentiality clause.

Trevor only knew because he’d asked him directly about the meaning. He’d avoided beaches where anyone would recognize him. It was a small part of himself that Hollywood wouldn’t sell.

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