Page 73 of Royal
I didn’t know why we were laughing, but once we started, we couldn’t stop. It was as though another wall had been knocked down between us.
Grayson pulled me against him and glided his hand along my cheek, staring into my eyes with an expression that made nerves spring to life in the pit of my stomach.
“I miss you, Royal. I miss us.”
My chest tightened. “I miss us, too.”
We’d never be the oldusagain, though. There was no changing the past, and we weren’t the same people anymore.
“I wish I could go back and do everything differently.”
“I think that’s the problem.” I lay my head on his chest. “We’re trying to figure out how to go back to how we used to be, and it’s not possible. We need to learn how to be a new version of us. One that matches who we are now.”
His eyes flickered to me. “I know I was a major pain in the ass back then. Fuck, I still am. But I’m not afraid of getting close to you anymore. Losing you opened my eyes to a lot. I know what it’s like to live without you, and I don’t wanna go back to that.”
I didn’t know what to say, so I kissed him instead, letting my kiss say what I couldn’t. That I wanted him, that I forgave him for hurting me. His lips moved on mine—soft and slow, tender yet passionate—as if his kiss was filled with unspoken things, as well.
Shortly after, Grayson fell asleep.
I carefully unwound myself from his arms and cleaned him up so he wasn’t lying in a mess. He grumbled in his sleep and reached for me, as he usually did, and I softly smiled, feeling a slight breaking in my chest. I tucked the blanket around him before leaving the room and going to check on Brysen.
He lay crazily on the large couch, his small limbs hanging off the cushions and his blond hair wild and curly. As gently as I could, I moved him farther back on the couch, so his legs weren’t hanging off, and I grabbed the sheet he’d kicked to the floor and draped it over him.
I double-checked the locks on the doors before going back to bed. When I crawled back beside Grayson, he wrapped an arm around me and tugged me to his chest, still fast asleep.
My big, grumpy teddy bear.
The next morning, Grayson woke me with a gentle kiss to my forehead. I cracked open my eyelids, squinting at the light in the room. His handsome face filled my vision, and I rose up to catch his lips.
I loved kissing him and had greatly missed doing so, especially in the morning when both of us were still a little tired.
“I have to go home, shower, and get clean clothes,” he mumbled against my mouth. “I would just steal yours, but they’re too small.”
I scoffed and playfully shoved his chest. “Excuse me if I’m not a freaking beast like you.”
“Ah, I didn’t say it was a bad thing.” Grayson smirked before nipping at my neck.
“Will you come back over tonight?” I asked, as he got out of bed and grabbed his clothes from the dresser.
It was a shame he covered his naked, delicious ass when he slipped on his boxers. His brow furrowed as he put on his pants and then his shirt. He turned to me, his unbuttoned shirt laying open and showing his muscled chest.
“Not sure it’s a good idea, Royal. I’d never forgive myself if that psycho is keeping tabs on me and then comes after you because he realizes we’re together.”
Despite the warning in his tone, I cracked a smile.
“I guess we sort of are together, huh?” I got out of bed and approached him, having to tilt my head just a fraction to look into his warm, brown eyes.
“That’s your call, Charming.” Grayson had a smile on his face, but I saw the questions burning in his eyes. He really wanted me to say yes.
And I was running out of reasons to say no.
I kissed him, letting my lips linger on his a moment before pulling back. I’d never belonged to anyone else. It’d always been him. A label wouldn’t change that. Friends, boyfriends, it didn’t matter. I was his.
Seeing the answer in my eyes, his faint smile grew larger, and he slipped a hand around my waist. He watched me as I buttoned up his shirt and fixed his collar before grabbing his tie. He didn’t let me tie it, though, before his lips were on mine again.
As he backed me up against the wall, I reached around his neck and clasped my hands together at his nape. We took our time exploring each other’s mouths, not rushing it, even though he had to leave.
“I’ll call you later,” he said, breaking the kiss. He gripped my chin and stared intently into my eyes. “If anything weird happens, and I meananything, you call me. Okay? I don’t care what I’m doing or what time it is, I’ll drop everything and come over.”
