Page 45 of You & I, Rewritten

“It’s funny…when I moved back home, I had no intention of starting anything with anyone, you know?” I say, taking another sip of my cocktail.

Klair hops up onto our kitchen island, her drink spilling slightly. “Oh, I knowexactlywhat you mean. I guess it’s true when they say people come into your life when you are least expecting it.”

“Amen to that,” I say, tipping my drink in her direction. “Everything with Graham feels so…”

“Sexy?” Klair interrupts.

“Ha Ha,” I mock. “Okay, yes…obviously sexy. I’mnotblind. But…no, it’s just that with him, it feels like exhaling. That’s the only way I can describe it. Like I’ve been holding this breath my entire life,” I point to my heart. “And then this man came along, and he sees me for who I am, and for the first time in my life, I can justbe.”

I look up at Klair, who is wiping tears from her eyes. “That’s all I’ve ever wanted for you, Will. I know the weight you’ve carried, so seeing yourself opening up like this with Graham…it’s truly something special to witness.”

“I’m going to… need you to cut that out right now,” I say, my voice catching in my throat. “Have you noticed that all of our toasts have turned into these sob fests lately?”

“I don’t even know who we are anymore,” Klair says, sending us both into a mix of laughter and repressed tears. “Anyway, I know I’m supposed to be distracting you from thinking about tonight, but are you at least excited?”

I’ve been thinking about this all afternoon. Graham’s mood seemed to be off from the moment his mother left his office. I didn’t want to pry because it didn’t feel like my place to inquire, but I could definitely tell something was on his mind.

“You know me in social settings…especially ones that include dressing up and impressing people such as the parents of the guy I’m seeing.” Instantly, my stomach is in knots.

“I know, I know,” Klair says after taking another sip from her drink. “But hey, plus side? You get to drool over Graham wearing a tux all evening!”

Our doorbell rings at the mention of Graham. “Speaking of!” she says, hopping off the counter and all but running to the front door, opening it with a dramatic flourish. “Well, well, well…don’t you clean up nice, mister boss man.”

Standing in the doorway looking like a freaking magazine cover model, Graham is mouth-watering in his all-black ensemble.

“Hey, handsome,” he says, completely overlooking Klair and locking eyes with me, his voice soft but compelling and my need for him is immediate. There’s somethingso sexyabout Graham when he is this dressed up, but man, what I would give to rip him out of these expensive clothes.Now.“Shall we?” he asks.

“Oh no you don’t!” Klair says, grabbing Graham’s forearm and keeping him rooted in place. “I’m not letting the two of you leave lookingthisgood without taking a picture.” She grabs her phone from the coffee table and heads out the front door.

“Come on, you’ll thank me later.” I roll my eyes at her because when Klair says she wants to take a picture, that usually means a hundred. I mouthI’m sorryto Graham as she leads us onto the front porch and aggressively positions us as if we are heading off to prom.

“Okay boys, three…two…one…smile!” Klair excitedly says as she snaps away. “Can y’all maybe do something different? I get it…you both are handsome and broody and masculine and…”

“You mean like this?” I say, abruptly pulling Graham by the hand causing our chests to collide, the sudden movement making a loud laugh escape from his lips. Our faces are close, this new proximity allowing me the opportunity to appreciate the beauty that is Graham fully smiling. It’s…mesmerizing.

“Perfect,” Klair declares, her voice ripping me from a Graham-induced trance. “Now get out of here and go have some fun.”

“After you,” Graham says, extending his arm outward in the direction of the street. We both turn and start heading toward Graham’s black SUV.

“Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do!” Klair yells before closing our front door behind her.

I hear Graham’s throaty laugh directly behind me. As I round the hood of the car and go to open the passenger door, he grabs my waist, squeezing slightly as he turns me around and pulls me closer to him.

“You look very, very sexy,” he whispers against my ear, pushing me firmly against the side of the car. Graham grazes his lips against my neck, along my jawline. His hands move from my waist to the front of my pants, the tight material doing nothing to contain my growing erection.

I wrap my arms around his neck, cementing my hold on him. “Um…so do you, stud. This whole black-on-black-on-black vibe totally suits you.”

He pushes his groin against my thigh, highlighting his own state of arousal that makes my eyes roll back into my skull.Fuck, I want that in my mouth.Driven by lust, I pull his mouth to mine, sliding my tongue through his parted lips. It is then that the all too familiar buzz of electricity rings in my ears, overpowering every sense with urgency. Ineedhim.

“As much as I desperately want to take care ofthis,” Graham says between kisses, giving my now throbbing member the most delicious of squeezes, “…we should probably get going.”

He opens the passenger door and I steal one last kiss before hopping in. “Oh, you’ll definitely be taking care of it later, don’t you worry.”

“Get in the damn car, Will,” he laughs, closing the door behind me with the biggest smile on his face.

CHAPTEREIGHTEEN

“So…arewe going to go in?”

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