Page 123 of Eight Count Heat
Gray reaches for his wine glass, but I catch the slight smile tugging at his lips. He's enjoying watching me hold my own against his family's subtle pressure.
"Interesting perspective," Helena observes. "Though I find that young people often confuse personal fulfillment with responsibility to something larger than themselves."
"Perhaps," I concede. "But I also think previous generations sometimes confuse control with care."
The comment hits like a small bomb. Helena's lips thin, Harrison's eyes narrow, and Katherine looks like Christmas morning. She thinks I've overplayed my hand.
But Victoria grins openly. "Damn, Gray. Where did you find her?"
"On a dock," Gray says simply. "Commanding respect from day one."
"And you fell for that?" Katherine asks, incredulous.
"Hard," Gray admits, his eyes meeting mine across the table.
The simple admission sends heat curling through me, and not just from his words. My heat is building again despite the elegant surroundings, the temporary relief from earlier in the day starting to fade. I shift slightly in my chair, trying to ignore the familiar warmth spreading through my system.
Katherine notices the movement, her predator instincts sharp as always. "Are you feeling alright, Reese? You look a bit flushed."
"Just warm from the wine," I deflect, though I can feel Gray's attention sharpening.
"Perhaps some air?" Helena suggests with false concern. "The terrace doors are just through the parlor."
It's a polite way to suggest I excuse myself, probably hoping I'll compose myself or, better yet, leave entirely. But I have no intention of giving Katherine the satisfaction.
"I'm fine," I insist, taking a deliberate sip of water.
Gray stands abruptly. "Actually, I could use some air myself. Excuse us for a moment."
"Gray," Harrison's voice carries a warning. "We haven't finished dinner."
"We'll be right back," Gray says firmly, moving around the table to my chair.
I accept his offered arm, grateful for the excuse to leave the dining room even though I know exactly what Katherine will say the moment we're gone.
"The powder room," Gray murmurs as we exit, guiding me toward a hallway I hadn't noticed before.
"I can handle them," I protest quietly.
"I know you can." His voice drops lower as we move away from the dining room. "But your heat is spiking, and Katherine will use it against you if she figures out what's happening."
Gray opens a door to reveal an elegant powder room done in cream and gold, complete with a small crystal chandelier and marble vanity. He locks the door behind us, the soft click echoing in the enclosed space.
"Better?" he asks, moving to stand behind me at the mirror.
I meet his eyes in the reflection, seeing my own flushed cheeks and slightly dilated pupils. "How bad is it?"
"Noticeable to anyone who knows what to look for." His hands settle on my shoulders, thumbs finding the tension points at the base of my neck. "But manageable."
The contact sends electricity through my oversensitized system. I lean back against his chest, needing the solid warmth of his body.
"Katherine suspects something," I say.
"Katherine suspects everyone of everything. It's how she operates." His mouth finds the spot where my neck meets my shoulder, pressing a gentle kiss there. "You were magnificent out there."
"Was I? I felt like I was barely holding it together."
"You just went ten rounds with my family and came out swinging." His voice roughens. "Fucking incredible."
