Chapter 7

SEVEN

One would think after two late nights full of energetic sex, sleep would’ve come easy. That was not the case.

Yesterday, Wilson had dropped me off in front of the resort with a sweet kiss to my temple. He hadn’t walked me to my room. That wasn’t a slight, it was the smart thing to do. It was also kind. I had zero willpower when it came to Wilson McCray. I would’ve embarrassed myself and invited him in only to prolong the inevitable.

Then I’d chickened out and waited for my grandmother’s call wondering where I was, telling me I’d missed Wilson before I’d headed to her house.

We’d spent the whole day in her apartment catching up until she demanded we go to her favorite restaurant, Nadine’s. For a small city the traffic was horrendous up to a town called Rathdrum, but the food was worth the drive. Who would’ve thought a tiny little restaurant in North Idaho would have the best Mexican food I’d ever tasted?

The place had been packed but the moment the hostess saw my grandmother she smiled and led us straight to a table. I was happy my grandmother had this. My grandfather had been gone a long time. My mother longer. My uncle still lived in New York, his children scattered. I knew my cousins called and visited when they could, but like me, life had turned busy and they hadn’t been to Idaho for far too long. Letty and her friends had become my grandmother’s surrogate family. That both warmed my heart and made the guilt I was already feeling coil in my stomach.

I needed to do better.

And this morning after a fitful night’s sleep missing Wilson wondering where he was and what he was doing, hoping he hadn’t found my replacement too quickly, I was determined to soak in all the time I had left with my gram. My flight left at the buttcrack of dawn tomorrow, I had to get back to work, but come hell or high water I was making it my mission to come back for a visit every few months.

Helene Simpson liked to pretend she was seventy but she was in her nineties. One day I wouldn’t have her.

Good Lord, the thought of that killed.

It also spurred me into action.

I ignored the love bites…no, hickeys…love bites implied something else. What I had dotting my breasts and stomach was the evidence Wilson liked to bite and suck his way down a woman’s body.

Not helping.

With my gaze now averted I brushed my teeth and rushed through a shower.

I’d pack up tonight after my visit with Gram.

* * *

“Where’s Wilson?”my grandmother asked.

Surely she wasn’t asking me.

I looked up from the stack of books I was perusing and did my best to look uninterested.

“He and Jack are finishing up a meeting, then they’ll be on their way,” said Jane, a very beautiful blonde with stunning green eyes.

I knew Jane was married to Davis, a development that had pleased my grandmother. She was not a woman who pretended not to have favorites. Everyone in my family knew they had my grandmother’s love, but they knew I was her favorite. Just like I knew Davis Wright held a special place in my grandmother’s heart. For some reason she worried about him more than the rest and was over the moon when she’d met Jane and had instantly declared the woman perfect for her Davis.

Now Jane worked at the bookstore, Smutties, with my grandmother. Something else that pleased her greatly.

“Wilson’s coming here?” I squeaked.

Yes, I freaking squeaked.

What the hell was wrong with me?

Oh, I knew…Wilson McCray’s big dick and the memory of what he could do with it was what was wrong with me.

That was a lie, but I was sticking to it. A lie was better than admitting seeing him would be like a dagger plunging into my heart.

Jane’s attention snapped to me.

Great.

She’d heard the squeak.

“Who do you think is going to carry all those boxes of books out here from the back?” my grandmother asked.

“I can carry them—”

“Nonsense, child. Besides, it’s your last night, we’ll all be having dinner together. Wilson’s offered to host. His condo is the closest.”

I knew where his condo was.

Damn that man.

“You okay?” Jane asked.

“Yeah. Sure. Dandy.”

My grandmother snorted.

“Dandy? That’s telling.” Gram paused then looked at Jane. “That’s what she says when she’s frazzled.”

I was not frazzled.

“Gram—”

“Don’t kid a kidder, Atlee Marie. I’m old, not blind. I saw the way you two looked at each other. Shoo.” She waved a hand in front of her face.

Part of my grandmother’s charm was her flair for theatrics.

“Gram, really—”

“River can take me home tonight. No need for you to rush.”

Enough.

“Gram, I love you more than anyone in the entire world.”

“I know that, child.”

“So it would really hurt my feelings if—”

A bell sounded and the front door opened, cutting off my threat.

In walked Wilson.

Apparently sometime in the last three days I’d developed a suit fetish—something I didn’t have before I’d met Wilson. Though before him I also hadn’t known I liked dirty talk and totally got off being ordered to my knees. And just thinking about Wilson’s strong hand flexing around my throat while he pounded into me made my nipples pebble.

“You’ve got it bad,” Jane whispered from much closer than she’d been before the bell had chimed.

“Huh?” I mumbled.

“Mrs. S is right, shoo,” Jane breathed. “My husband is hot, but that man is fine and he’s looking at you like he wants to strip you out of your shorts.”

Thankfully, Jane was speaking quietly and my grandmother’s attention was on the approaching men. She’d have a field day with Jane’s comments.

“Mrs. S. Jane,” Wilson greeted. “Atlee.”

Christ on a cracker, I loved the way he said my name.

“Mr. M,” my grandmother weirdly snapped.

Wilson’s startled gaze went to Gram and a slow, easy smile that sent my heart into overdrive graced his sinful lips.

“Touché,” he muttered. “We don’t have much time. Are the boxes ready?”

“Yes. Atlee will show you where they are.”

This was one of those times in life when you picked your battle. I could argue that I didn’t work at Smutties but Jane did and she was standing right next to me and could easily show the men where the boxes were, or my grandmother could’ve simply explained where they were. I knew the men frequented the bookstore and would have no problem finding them.

However, arguing would delay Wilson’s departure.

I needed him in and out…no, no, no thinking of Wilson going in and out of anything.

I heard Jane giggle.

My grandmother was about as subtle as a brick to the forehead.

“I’ll show you.”

I moved around the new releases table, set down the Kris Michaels book I was definitely buying for the plane ride home in front of my grandmother on the checkout counter, and walked toward the backroom.

When I stopped next to the stack of boxes only Jack had followed. The man was tall, broad, extremely good-looking but it was his black eyes that made me shiver. Or more to the point the way those charcoal eyes stared at me like he was dissecting my every thought was what had me squirming under his scrutiny.

“Are these all of them?” Jack asked.

“Uh…yeah.”

Jack’s gaze turned astute, or more astute as he contemplated me. I couldn’t stop from shifting from one leg to the other.

His lips twitched, a ghost of a smile tugged up the corners of his mouth. “Do I make you nervous?”

“What? No. Of course not.”

The sudden transformation from brooding to playful took me off guard.

“I don’t bite,” he drawled.

“I would certainly hope not, that seems a bit forward.”

Jack’s rumbling laugh filled the small space.

I wonder what Wilson sounds like when he laughs?

I was so enthralled by the change in Jack I missed Wilson joining us but I didn’t miss the rumble in voice when he barked, “If you two are done, let’s get a move on it.”

“Sure thing, boss.” Jack snickered.

Wilson grunted and it had nothing to do with the two heavy boxes he lifted like they weighed nothing.

Jack picked up a box but paused on his way past me.

“See you tonight, Atlee.”

“Yeah, um, see you later.”

I heard Wilson’s growl even though I could no longer see him but it was Jack’s wink that left me standing in the backroom stunned.

What the hell just happened?

* * *

This was a bad idea.

I should’ve feigned a stomach ache and begged my grandmother to stay at her apartment for a nice quiet dinner at home—just the two of us.

Instead I was sitting on Wilson’s couch rethinking my life choices. Oh, and not only was I sitting on Wilson’s couch I was holding a sleeping baby Maverick. This after Letty handed the child to me so she and River could eat. I wouldn’t have minded this, actually getting to cuddle the cute little boy was awesome. What wasn’t awesome was my grandmother asking me very loudly when I was going to settle down and give her some great-grandchildren.

I prayed to the safe-sex god that no condom in the last forty-eight hours had broken, and by the pissed-off looks Wilson was throwing my way, I assumed he was sending up the same prayer.

“You know how much I love you, right?” I started.

“She only says that when she’s getting ready to say something disrespectful,” Gram rightly told the room. “There’s no need to get uppity, Atlee Marie, I’m simply asking if you will be giving me great-grandchildren sometime in this century.”

“No, not likely.”

“Well,” she huffed. “Then give me that baby so I can at least pretend.”

“It’s a toss-up who’s more dramatic, Mrs. S or Letty,” Reese muttered.

“I heard that, Mr. T,” Gram hotly remarked.

There was a beat of silence before the room erupted in laughter. That was, everyone was laughing except me and Wilson. Gram was just smiling. I glanced around the room not understanding what was funny. Luckily when my gaze landed back on my grandmother she enlightened me.

“I’ve given up. What’s the expression? If you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em.”

I blinked at my very proper grandmother who had always corrected my grammar and detested slang.

“I think she’s warmed up to Mrs. S,” Asher put in.

“I have not,” Gram countered then demanded. “Now give me Maverick.”

I shifted on the couch and carefully set the precious bundle in Gram’s arms.

Jane appeared next to me with a warm smile.

“Would you like another glass of wine?”

I would love the whole damn bottle.

But I was flying first thing in the morning and I’d already had two.

“No, but thank you.”

“You’re doing better than I did,” she muttered.

“I’m sorry?”

“This.” She used her glass to motion around the room. “It can be overwhelming.”

I glanced around the room.

Jack, Sadie, Reese, Letty, River, Brooklyn, and Rhode were sitting at the table. Asher, Davis, and Sloane were standing next to Wilson’s bookcase looking at something on a black lacquered shelf.

Jane was right, it was overwhelming but not in a bad way. All of my grandmother’s friends had welcomed me into the fold. Actually, it was a bit surprising how easily the women had accepted me.

“I work in hospitality; people don’t bother me.”

“Lucky you. When Davis first brought me back, I was scared to death.”

I found that hard to believe. Jane was confident and had an air of ‘I don’t give a fuck’ that totally worked for her.

“Really?”

“Yes, really. But it took me about five minutes to realize this group—”

“This family,” my grandmother nosily corrected.

“This family,” Jane started over. “Takes care of each other.”

I appreciated Jane’s reminder but I already knew that. They’d adopted Gram and took good care of her.

“I gathered that with the way they take care of my gram.”

“That goes for you, too,” Jane insisted. “You’re part of the family.”

Family.

After my mom died the only family I’d ever had was my grandmother and grandfather. I had friends, but not like the friendships that these men and women shared.

And one day my grandmother would be gone and I’d have no one.

A phantom pain hit my chest.

Damn, was I going to cry.

Shit.

“Excuse me.” I abruptly stood. “I need the restroom.”

Jane gave me a sympathetic look and scooted to the side.

The hallway was dark; the only light illuminating the way was the light from Wilson’s bedroom.

And fuck my life for knowing which door belonged to Wilson’s room.

Before I could push open the door I thought was the bathroom, Wilson appeared.

I froze.

He did not. He continued walking down the hall. His long, powerful strides brought him directly to me. Damn him for having such a sexy walk.

“Wrong door, princess.”

Princess.

I was totally going to miss hearing him call me that.

Neither of us moved.

Me mostly because his large frame was blocking my way. But even if he wasn’t in my way I didn’t think my legs would work.

This was unfortunate. It gave Wilson the opportunity to hook me around the back of my neck and bring me closer.

His head descended and I braced. Feather light, his lips brushed mine.

Not a kiss.

A sweet, soft mouth touch.

“Be safe getting home, Atlee.”

Shit, that hurt.

It shouldn’t’ve. He was being sweet. We’d shared two great nights together. Nothing more, nothing less. Yet I felt my heart splinter.

I nodded.

It felt like an eternity before Wilson lifted his head.

He looked like he was struggling to say something.

That wouldn’t do.

He had no reason to feel bad, or uncomfortable.

“It was a great weekend,” I whispered, rolling up onto my toes to press my own kiss on the corner of his mouth. “I’ll never forget it.”

His fingers on the back of my neck flexed.

This had to end.

“You should get back to your guests before someone catches us.”

“Fuck,” he growled. “I’ll be in Las Vegas week after next.”

Butterflies erupted in my belly.

“Wilson—”

“I’ll call you.”

God, I wanted that so badly but I wasn’t sure I could handle more of Wilson.

“That’s not a good idea.”

“I’ll call you,” he repeated.

His tone brokered no argument. Besides, he didn’t have my number and if he asked my grandmother and she gave it I didn’t have to answer. Or maybe I could wrangle my unruly heart back to where it needed to be and I could give myself a few more nights of fantastic sex and otherworldly orgasms.

“Okay, Wilson.”

“Christ, I love hearing you whisper my name.”

With that he dropped his hand, leaving me in his hallway alone to wonder why his admission sounded like it had been torn from his soul.