Page 36 of Wicked Bite
“You’re very resourceful.”
That wasn’t the usual reaction I got. Usually, they held my hand, pulled me closer, or tried to show sympathy with a serious sad face. But Grayson didn’t do any of that. There was no pity party. “I like to think so.”
“I admire that.”
“Why?” Intriguing.
He pushed his plate away. “If there’s anything I’ve learned over the years, it’s that it’s not always blood who is family. I’ve built my own family, and I find it gratifying.”
Why did that make me feel so much calmer? Like he understood what it was like to have people who were important. People I needed. “I like that.”
“Me, too.”
“So, I’ve caught your attention.” I leaned in closer to him and rested my hand on his leg.
He glanced down at my fingers then back up to my lips. “It would seem so.”
My picker might’ve been broken, but when it came to reading the people around me, I was dead on. I might’ve turned a blind eye to my gut feelings for a pretty face, but when it came to lying, I was a human lie detector. I met his gaze and held it. “I just want to tell you something.”
He waved me on. “Oh, please, do tell.”
“I have no interest in playing games.” I’d been through enough guys, enough relationships, and enough drama. Could I play games? With the best of them. Did I win? Often. But even the best games eventually lost my interest.
“You, my Little Creature, could never be a game.” He moved in closer. Our bodies were nearly on top of each other.
“Oh, no?” I whispered. “Then what am I?”
A deep chuckle rumbled in his chest. “The best kind of playmate.”
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
PIPER
He didn’t even try to come in with me. He walked me home, kissed me goodnight, and left me at the door. Left me wanting him after a night of being wined and dined, topped off with great conversation. He was the perfect amount of delicious. I flipped over in my bed, kicking the blankets off then pulling them back on. I’d gotten only a few hours of sleep, and I couldn’t quite figure out why. My mind was a whirl, analyzing every little touch or thing he said. Even more so, thinking about the night before. I flopped over onto my stomach and shoved my face into the pillows trying to find an ounce of sleep.
I counted to one hundred and focused on the little flickers of light dancing behind my eyes. Deep breath in, deep breath out. It wasn’t exactly the early morning hours, but for a bartender, it was. I flipped over again and shoved my pillow into the right position and lay down with a sigh. I kicked my leg out like it was a temperature gauge to cool my too-hot skin. The man was addictive, completely and totally addictive. I didn’t know up from down. But deep down, I liked the excitement of it all. It was a different kind of high, knowing he was going to be around for the foreseeable future. I should’ve been able to sleep in, to rest easy with the feel-good excitement. But I was too worked up to sleep. Deep down, I wanted to see him again. I almost craved it. Being around Grayson was intoxicating in a way I couldn’t explain. My phone vibrated on the bedside table, and I scrambled for it. My pillow fell off the side of the bad as I sat up and kicked some of the blankets off. I slid open my phone and went to the text messages.
One hour. Be ready. -G
I jumped from the bed and hurried to my dresser. Be Ready. Two little words sent shivers down my spine and excitement through my body.
An hour later, I was showered, shaved, and dressed to the nines in my black boots, leather skirt, and black V-neck sweater. I let my hair fall wild down my back and around my face. I took extra time putting dark liner around my eyes just to make them pop. One last finger-comb through my hair and I was ready. I darted from the bathroom and slammed into Dice. Her hair was a tangled mess of knots, and her eyes were barely open.
She glared at me. “What the fuckkkkkkk?”
“Gotta go. I’ll text you later.” I waved to her as I hurried down the stairs.
“No devil dick is worth being up this early!” she called after me, but I was already in the living room.
I didn’t know if I should sit and wait, or if I should put on my coat and go outside. I paced back and forth for a whole two minutes that felt like an eternity before the doorbell rang. I forced myself to take a breath. Calm down, Piper, calm the hell down.
When I opened the door, he stood there in the late morning sun, caressing his hair, with that half-smile on his face. “Hello, Little Creature.”
“Hey.” I tried to play it cool but couldn’t stop the butterflies dancing in my stomach.
“Shall we go?” He offered me his arm in the gentlemanly way I wasn’t used to.
I stepped down onto the steps and took it. “Where are we going?”
