Page 25 of Rayna's Daddy

“Okay baby.” She made kissing noises through the phone. “Love you.”

“Love you too.”

Too antsy to sleep, I pushed the covers off and jumped out of bed. Maybe changing into pajamas would make me want to sleep. I continued unpacking and retrieved a plain white tank top and pink polka dot shorts. None of my outfits were complete without my signature knee-high socks. The white ones with the pink strip were my favorite. I crawled back into bed and settled under the covers.

A yawn caught me off guard, but when I closed my eyes, they popped back open. Maybe some scrolling would help. I googled The Quadrangle. Kyler Grant and his family owned hotels all over the world. A picture of Kyler popped up in my search, but I shut it down before the results came up. Going down the Kyler Grant rabbit hole was not a good idea. Rest first, operation stalking Kyler would have to wait.

* * *

My eyes fluttered open.I sat up with a gasp. It was dark outside. It took me a minute to remember. How long had I been asleep?

I jumped out of bed and tiptoed to the door. The light in the hallway was on, but the apartment felt quiet. The door clicked and opened. I poked my head out and looked down the hallway to the left and right. Coast was clear. I slid against the wall. The living room and kitchen were empty, too. The hallway off the entryway laid dark. I crept to the door at the end and knocked, no answer. My stomach growled, and the sound echoed off the walls.

“You need to eat.”

I screamed and flattened myself against the wall.

Kyler stood in the entryway with his hand on his hips. He had changed out of his jeans into black sweatpants and a black t-shirt. With a towel thrown over one shoulder.

“You scared the shit out of me.”

“Watch your language!” He said it so politely, I thought he was joking, but when he frowned, I knew it wasn’t a joke.

“Sorry.” His hair and beard were wet and sweat stained his shirt.

“How was your nap?” He grasped the edge of the towel, wiping the sweat from his face.

“Good.” I rocked back on my heels. “How was your workout?”

“Good.” He nodded.

“Is there a gym in your apartment?” The hallways were a maze. A loud growl emanated from my stomach. With a blush staining my cheeks, I quickly covered my waist with my hands.

“How about we eat some dinner first and then I’ll give you a tour?” He scratched his stomach, revealing a sliver of skin. My mouth watered. My gaze trailed up his body past his torso and landed on the most striking steely grey eyes staring down at me.

He said something, but I missed it.

“What was that?” I wiped my mouth. Please don’t let me drool in front of this gorgeous man.

“What would you like?”

What a loaded question? Was ‘you’ an appropriate answer? All of you, with your sexy bearded smirk and penetrating eyes that could see into my soul. I wanted to touch every inch of his muscular physique that look good in a suit and in sweats. I’d also like his deep voice to tell me what to do and when to do it. To be held by those strong hands and pressed up against the wall and kissed with those sexy lips. Of course that wasn’t what he meant, but he smirked like he could read my thoughts. Instead of calling me on them, he walked to the island separating the kitchen and the living room and picked up the phone.

“Uhm.” I climbed onto a bar stool and swiveled back and forth. He placed his foot on the bottom rung of the chair to keep me still. With a sigh, I finally answered. “What do you got?”

“Anything you want.” He leaned in.

“Anything?”

“Try me.” He winked.

Damn, those eyes.

“Okay. I want a cheeseburger with cheddar cheese and bib lettuce only. A mix of thin cut fries and curly sweet potato fries.”

He gawked at me.

“You want me to write it down?” I reached for the pad of paper on the counter.