Page 31 of Ready for You

Iwantedto stay with them. I wanted to help him cook dinner and hear all of Daisy’s stories from her school day without being interrupted by a customer. I wanted to help tuck her in at night and snuggle up with Grayson on the couch as we watched a show together. And that’s why I jumped at Winnie’s offer to stay here instead. It was too soon to be wanting those things.Wasn’t it?

Sighing, I gathered up the empty pile of boxes and headed to the kitchen. It was nearly dinner time and Grayson had informed me in the same grumpy tone that I’d be joining them and I didn’t have a choice in the matter considering every pan and utensil from my kitchen was covered in drywall and insulation.

The front door flew open, “Dinner’s ready!” Daisy yelled at the top of her lungs as she executed a pirouette in the living room, only wobbling slightly in her purple, polka-dot socks.

“Why was this door unlocked?” Grayson stomped over to me and grabbed the stack of boxes out of my arms like it was a handful of papers. It seemed his grumpiness hadn’t disappeared.

“Why would I lock it? We needed two ridiculously long codes just to get up here. I’m honestly surprised I didn’t have to give a blood sample or a retinal scan.”

“It’s called security, sweetheart. Those codes will help keep you safe, just like a locked door will.”

My mouth opened to argue with him some more, but the vulnerability that his eyes were exuding stopped me. I knew all too well that a locked door wouldn’t stop someone who was intent on harming you, but it could provide you with enough time to escape. “You’re right. I’ll make sure to lock it next time.”

Grayson’s shoulders relaxed and he blew out a relieved breath. “Thank you. Now, if you would like to join us across the hall, Daisy and I have provided a lovely feast of pizza and cheesy bread,” he bowed dramatically and swept his hand to the open door. Giggling, I took Daisy’s little hand and she pulled me the short distance to their place.

Having dinner with the two of them felt as natural as the first time I’d come over. Grayson shared stories about some of the antics that he and Kane would get into as teenagers, and even though I’m sure they were toned down for the set of PG ears in the room, they were still hilarious.

After dinner, Grayson herded an exhausted Daisy to bed and I took the opportunity to clean up. It was terrifying how comfortable I was, how easy it was to insert myself into their routine, never once feeling like an outsider.

I’d never had family dinners growing up, and my father’s stories were nothing like Grayson’s, his would give me nightmares. Daisy was growing up the way every child should, and the way that Grayson took care of her only made him more attractive in my eyes.

“Thank you for cleaning up, you really didn’t have to do that, Lily.”

I turned away from the sink and smiled at him as he walked into the kitchen on bare feet. He looked tired. I had no idea how he did it all, running a business, taking care of Daisy and to top it all off he’d dropped everything to help me move apartments.

When he got close, I didn’t hesitate, I dried my hands on the dish towel and circled my arms around his waist and held him tightly. This felt natural, too. “It’s the least I could do for everything you did today. I’d probably still be standing in the middle of my apartment in shock if it wasn’t for you.”

“Hey,” he tipped my chin up, sincerity shining on his face, “I’d do anything for you, sweetheart, don’t you know that by now?”

He would, I knew he would and it had me wanting to tell him everything. To share my secrets with him, a man who’d never use them against me but would take that knowledge and protect it, protect me. I kissed him, trapping the words inside but wanting to give him something. To let him know that I was his, probably forever. Grayson took over, stealing the breath from my lungs as he lifted me up and padded softly to his bedroom.

“You’ll have to be quiet. Do you think you can do that, sweetheart?” I nodded my head, eager to have Grayson’s hands on me again.

We undressed each other slowly, stopping to kiss and touch all the places that were revealed. When we were both bare, he lifted me onto the bed and I wrapped my legs around his waist, bringing him down over the top of me. I arched my hips and his cock dragged through my wetness, the head pushing into my opening felt so good.

We’d had the talk about protection and the fact that I was on the pill. Which meant we could be together without anything between us and I was thanking my past self for being proactive.

Grayson’s body shook above me as he pushed himself inside. “Fuck, you feel so good,” he whispered against my lips once he was fully seated.

We moved together, unhurriedly, tongues intertwining, our orgasms building steadily. He swallowed my cries when it washed over me and groaned out his own pleasure, warmth filling me up and making us both gasp for breath.

We stayed joined, our hands moving over each other’s bodies reverently as we continued to kiss lazily. When Grayson eventually softened and slipped free, he gathered me in his arms and dragged me to his chest, clutching me to him so tightly it almost hurt. His heart was beating fast and I ran my fingertips over it, knowing mine was doing the same.

What we’d just shared was so much more than sex and when he asked me to stay, I simply snuggled closer. Tomorrow I’d start figuring out how to tell Grayson I’d been lying to him. He deserved to know the truth and I was ready to share it.

18

GRAY

The last few weeks with Lily had been some of the best in my life. Even though she was technically living across the hall, every moment of her spare time was spent with me and Daisy in our home. Where she belonged.

My hands grasped at my hair in frustration, a habit that seemed to be occurring more and more lately. I’d been taking things slow with her. Okay, maybe not slow by normal standards but as slow as I could while still keeping my sanity. I wanted her in my home, permanently. I was tired of her sneaking out of our bed every morning to go shower across the hall before Daisy woke up.

She insisted on keeping up the ruse that she was living in Kane’s old place. It wasn’t fooling anyone, even Daisy rolled her eyes last night when Lily ‘went back to her place’ only to sneak back in ten minutes later.

I wanted her to share her past with me when she was ready, but I was growing more impatient every day that she kept it a secret. Was she simply scared of being found, or the more terrifying possibility, did she not trust me?

“Daddy! I need help! My backpack won’t close!” Leaving my depressing thoughts in the kitchen, I followed the sounds of Daisy’s yelling.

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