Chapter 8

Chapter 8

Layla

I had been quiet since we arrived at the airport. While we waited in the lounge for boarding to begin, I busied myself on my laptop with emails. I could work twenty-four seven and never work myself out of things to do at my firm. But today, if I was being honest, my head stayed down with my nose buried in work because I didn’t want to talk to Gray.

Last night, we’d made plans to meet for breakfast before our flight. But after hours of staying awake, fixating on the man I’d gotten a glimpse of last night, feeling like I’d been lulled into seeing the man I’d gotten to know two years ago—a man who had crushed me—I needed to use my head and not my heart to put things into proper perspective.

Conveniently, I had a headache this morning and didn’t join him for breakfast. I didn’t need any more personal alone time with Gray. I’d just gotten my life back on the right track, and the last thing I wanted was to reopen old wounds.

After hearing him out, though, I felt bad. I really did. But it had taken me almost a year to move on, and we hadn’t even been physical. The connection we’d shared was unlike anything I’d ever experienced, and his lie—technicality or not—coupled with his crazy past and the fact that he was now a client, was all just too much.

I didn’t have a good track record with picking the right guy. Neither did my mother. And I was determined not to become her—a woman who spent her life with a man who was never really hers—no matter how much I felt the temptation gnawing at me.

When our fight home reached cruising altitude, I took out my laptop in an attempt to ignore Gray. He gently reached over and closed it.

“It’s going to get expensive if I have to lock you up at thirty-five thousand feet every time I want to talk to you,” he said.

“Sorry. I’m catching up on some things I didn’t get to last night. Did you want to discuss your partnership agreement?”

He shook his head.

I took a deep breath and exhaled audibly. “Gray, you’re starting a new company. You have your life back. You should move on. I’m sure all you’d have to do is snap your fingers to get a date. Did you even notice the way the flight attendant was looking at you when she came over to give us the hot towels? She’s attractive. Why don’t you ask her out?”

He shot me an annoyed scowl. “Do you go out with all the decent-looking men who are interested in you?”

“No. But I am seeing someone.”

“He’s not right for you.”

“And you know this based on one dinner where you disrespected him, and he was forced to remain polite to you because of his job?”

“No. I know it because he’s not me.”

We embarked on a long stare-off. I got the feeling that nothing I’d said on this trip had deterred him in the least. “I’ve moved on, Gray. You need to accept that if we’re going to be working together.”

“And if you weren’t seeing the Pencil Dick?”

“I thought his name was Pencil Neck?”

“I followed him to the men’s room. Trust me, the thin neck is representative of the entire anatomy.”

“You’re such a jerk.”

“You’re not defending his honor to say I’m wrong. Which means only one of us has had the unfortunate experience of seeing his little dick, or you know it’s true and the subject is indefensible.”

“I think you’ve lost your mind. I’m not discussing another man’s genitals with you.”

“That’s good. Because I’d much rather we discuss mine.”

I couldn’t help but laugh. “Seriously, Gray. How about we don’t discuss anyone’s dick, and instead you tell me what else I can do for you, other than draft the partnership agreement?”

“You can’t ask me that question—what else I want you to do for me—and expect a legitimate answer.”

“I’ll watch my phrasing in the future.”

Gray’s playful face morphed into something more serious. “There’s actually one thing you can do for me.”

“What’s that?”

“Let’s start clean. No bringing up the past or anything.”

Totally not what I had expected he would say. “Okay. I think that’s a great idea. We’ve rehashed it and put it to bed. I think moving forward with a clean slate, if we’re going to be working together, is a good thing to do.” I tilted my head. “Although, I’m a bit surprised you would suggest that since you’ve spent most of the last twenty-four hours trying to make me remember what happened between us in the past.”

My left hand had been sitting on the armrest between our seats. Gray covered it with his and looked up into my eyes. “I just wanted to explain myself. Clarify the facts. But I’m willing to start from scratch to win you back.”

“Gray…”

“I’ll give you a little space now. I know you need it.” He caught my gaze. “But there won’t be any more lies or even omitted facts. That being said, we’re not over. We’re just getting started. Because what we had was real, and real doesn’t go away, no matter how much you want it to.”