Page 15 of Fierce Hearts

Then he was gone, leaving me alone with my conflicted thoughts and the ghost of his touch still lingering on my skin.

I finished my shower quickly after that, desperate to regain my senses and come to terms with what the fuck had just transpired. Wrapping myself in a bathrobe, I padded out to the room.

Gray sat on the small couch, helping himself to a croissant from a plate on the coffee table, wearing only pants. I wasn't going to lie, the sight of food had my stomach grumbling, but the sight of him, his abs on full display, his wet hair hanging in his eyes, had another part of me aching.

A part I needed to ignore right now.

"What was that, Gray?" My voice was low as I stood in the doorway of the bathroom.

"We're still friends, aren't we? I'm not allowed to treat you nicely?" He arched a brow at me before glancing at the mug on the coffee table. "I'm afraid your coffee isn't hot anymore either."

I just blinked, still reeling from it all.

"Sof, I care about you, you're my sister's best friend and you're family now. Am I also attracted to you? Yes, clearly. But we made an agreement, and I will stick to my word." Those emerald eyes held mine as my chest tightened.

"Washing me like that gives the wrong idea, we can't let it become anything. You can't feel anything more for me, okay?” I said softly, hating how it pained me to say it.

Was it him I was actually telling off?

"I know. I'm sorry, I overstepped. I can't say I've done something like this before," he admitted with a sheepish smile.

"What, had a one-night stand?" Now it was my turn to smirk.

"One with someone I consider a friend as well," he said after a brief moment.

I nodded, still not sure how I felt about what he'd done. It had been soft and sweet, something I'd enjoyed far more than I wanted to admit, and also had me feelings things I shouldn't have been. Things I needed to kill right away.

"What time is checkout?" I asked as I headed over to snatch up some food and the coffee. I sunk into the armchair across from him, wanting to create some distance now.

"Noon, I think. Why, you in a hurry to leave?" He took another bite of his croissant, his tone not revealing anything.

"I have a shift tomorrow morning. Need to get back to the city and prepare." It wasn't even a lie. I did have a shift I needed to be back for.

"Right." He nodded as he leaned back. "Back to real life."

"Back to real life," I echoed before taking hefty swig of my rather cold coffee.

I reached for another pastry in an attempt to ease the disappointment that settled in my chest. I had no right to feel that way. We'd agreed on the terms, this was what I wanted. No strings.

Right?

We ate in silence for a few moments, my mind churning.

Grayson was not someone I could get involved with. He was involved in the Donati family, practically one of them, and getting involved with a mafia family was out of the question. I'd left that life behind.

Then again, my best friend had just married the Donati heir, and I had no intention of cutting her out of my life. She was the only family I really had any more.

I never should have said yes to the dance.

That was what had started the fall that had me in this predicament, feeling things I shouldn't. I ground my teeth together, knowing I'd brought it upon myself as well. I'd left the bathroom door open, given him the belief I wanted more. Which I had, but now I realized it had been too much.

"Need a ride back to the city? I know you came with Meredith." His tone was casual, but it snapped my focus back to his gaze.

Right. I'd come with Meredith in a limo from where we'd gotten our makeup done, our bags getting brought in by a driver.

I'd planned to just call a ride home when I was ready to leave.

"I was just going to call a ride. Meredith did offer to get me a ride back, but I want her to focus on celebrating."

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