Page 30 of Never Always
I smirk because his sentiments mirror mine. Grey isn’t impressed.
Grey sways on his feet and Grange notices, too. “Hey man, you okay?”
“Just peachy.” Grey steps back toward the door.
“You off the clock?” Corrick says, spinning my chair back and forth even though I’m still sitting in it.
I nod, hesitant to have a conversation in front of Grey. “I am, just need to check on the lab really quick.” Standing, I put my cell phone away before he sees the messages from my sister.
He catches me around the waist, both of his hands hot on my hips and leans down to kiss my neck. It’s playful, it wouldn’t be inappropriate if we weren’t standing in my office in front of my co-worker I just shot down. Even though his lips feel magic laced, I push against his hard chest.
Swallowing down the embarrassment tinged lust, I say, “I’m at work, Corrick.” He lets me push him back a step, but his eyes gleam carnal. My insides quiver in anticipation.
I hold up a finger. “Give me a second and we’ll get out of here.” When I’m safely inside the lab, I fan my face against the heat that has risen from my core and spread through my entire body. Everything is where it should be. I check on the thermostat and tidy the back counter, make a note of supplies we’re running low on for the techs to order next week. When my assessment is finished, I peep into the door window leading to my office. Grange’s back is toward me, and Grey’s face is visible. A harrowing anger is washing his features, a sight I’ve never seen before.
What is Grange saying to him?I push in quickly, intent on breaking up whatever conversation is taking place. “Hey, ready to go,” I say. Grey bristles and escapes my office.
Corrick spins. “Yeah. I’ll walk you home.”
Crinkling my brow, I say, “Just go home. I’ll meet you there. Don’t you need to flounder in the kitchen?”
“Flounder?” he scoffs. “Never.” He turns back to look at my open door. “I want to walk you home.”
I shrug. Any attention from Grange is wholly welcomed. He picks up my bag. “Anything else going in here?”
Grinning, I pick up a stack of books, open the flap and dump them in. He makes a show of leaning to one side. “This is going to give me scoliosis.”
“I carry it every day. Weenie. Toughen up.” I let a smirk play on my lips.
He straightens, because let’s be honest, this humongous man could carry me in a duffle bag and not flinch. I lock my office door because I’ll be out this weekend. Grey’s office door is closed when we pass by it. I wave to one of the assistants and ask quietly, “What did you talk to Grey about?”
Grange peers down at me next to him. “The weather.”
I quirk a brow. “Liar.” He grabs my hand. “Tell me. He looked upset before I came back in.”
“Typical guy shit, Fire. I have what he wants and he thinks because he’s known you longer he has some claim on you. Bullshit. Nothing to concern yourself with. Man talk.”Has some claim on me?Gross.
I groan. “Men.”
“Well, that one is more of a boy in bad pants, but I digress.”
“Don’t be a jerk. You were the one who wrote the exclusive clause.” We jokingly banter back and forth while we cross to the path that leads to the entrance to my condo parking garage. I thought Grange would merely walk me to the elevator, but he pushes the button and rides it all the up and walks me inside. I wonder which floor Ariel lives on and I also wonder why he’s not afraid of running into her and then having to explain things to me.
He puts my bag on the coffee table, eyes lingering on the chessboard. “About tonight.”
I sling my hands on my hips. “Don’t tell me you don’t want to cook. It’s been a crazy week, we’ll just order takeout. I’m not cooking.”
His blue eyes crinkle as he laughs. “Oh, I’ll cook. I was only going to suggest you bring a bag. Stay the night.” He clears his throat. Is Corrick Granger nervous? “If you want a proper fuck, that is.” And, he’s recovered in record time.
Folding my arms across my chest, I realize this is a ritual. Us standing a safe distance away from each other, in this identical position. We’re both thinking the same thing even if Grange doesn’t know it. Or maybe he does and that’s why he’s comfortable making crude comments. “Are you suggesting I have to spend the night to be fucked properly?” Merely saying it out loud brings a hot flush to my face, but there’s no hiding it.
He lifts his shoulders up and down, tilting his head from one side to the other. “There are a lot of things I need to show you. Start off with a bang. Heavy politics, you know? Hours and hours. If I had a deadline, it might stifle my creativity. Plus, I really, really want to take my time fucking you.” His gaze does a heated appraisal of my clothed body. Like he has X-ray vision or something. My panties are completely wet and my core clenches when he bites his lip.
“Stop cussing. Fine. Yes. I’ll stay at your house tonight.” Honestly, I want to. I haven’t seen it yet and everything about him intrigues me. I close my eyes. My parents are going to freak out. I can see and hear it now. Mama’s screeching accent, Daddy’s sharp browed stare. “You have to meet my parents next week. For Thanksgiving.” Blurting it out when he doesn’t expect it is easier than having a normal conversation.
“Well, well, well. Meeting the parents, huh? You’re worried about what they’ll think of me?”
Hurting his feelings is the last thing I want to do, but honestly. “Well, yeah. A little. You curse a lot and they go to church three times a week.” I blow out a breath. “I said fuck once as a child, just to see how it tasted, what my mouth would feel like saying something so forbidden. I tasted Ivory bar soap instead… for days.”
