Homewrecker Incorporated (13 page)

"Sorry, just a sec," he said, standing up. With him still shirtless, I appreciated the view of his muscular back as he strode through the door. A moment later he returned with a silver pot and two cups.

He passed me a cup of the piping hot liquid before pouring his own.

"I've never had breakfast in bed before," I said before taking a careful sip. "Did you cook all of this?"

"Of course, well, except for the pastries. Those are from the store. I'm not much of a baker."

"Still, this is pretty impressive. I can mess up boiling water." I laughed as I grabbed a fork and took a bite of eggs. I'd had a lot of eggs in my life, but those were amazing. He definitely wasn't afraid of seasoning.

"I laid that out for you to wear." He inclined his head toward one of his shirts at the bottom of the bed. "Although I prefer you the way you are." His eyes darkened as they drifted down my body. My own followed to see the sheets were a bit on the sheer side.

Feeling bold, I let the silky material go. It tickled my skin as it slipped back to the bed, leaving me bare for his enjoyment, which was quickly revealed by the growing bulge in his black pajama pants.

"Jesus," he groaned, grabbing the tray and moving it to a table against the wall. He prowled back to me and pulled the cup from my hand to set it on the night table. "You can eat later." He leaned down and captured my mouth, pushing me back against the soft overstuffed pillows. "But I'm going to eat now," he whispered against my collarbone as he sprinkled kisses down my torso until he reached the blonde curls between my legs.

He flicked his tongue over my clit, and I gripped the sheets in both hands as I moaned in pleasure. The man was a fucking genius when it came to giving head. I was starting to think he was good at everything.

He moved his tongue lower, dipping it inside me before moving back up to suck on my clit. My legs trembled at the intense sensation. He pushed one finger inside me and then another and another. I was deliciously sore for our activities the night before. Turning his hand, Grey used his fingertips to stroke upward, hitting my G-spot and making me cry in ecstasy as my orgasm built. I was just about to come when he pulled his fingers out and sat up. I groaned in frustration, which morphed to anticipation when he reached for a condom and slipped it on. He spread my legs wide and slid inside me in one smooth stroke.

"God, your pussy is so fucking tight," he sighed as he pushed into me again. "I could fuck you all day."

I was lost. My fingers dug into his back as he pulled back and plunged back in. I clung to him for dear life as the orgasm radiated out through my body in intense waves. Just as they were starting to subside, he turned me on my side and continued the deliberate strokes of his cock while his hand found my clit and rubbed it in perfectly timed circles.

"Oh my, aah, fuck! That is fucking amazing!" I came hard yet again. I'd definitely found my favorite position of all time as he continue to fuck me and rub my clit bringing me to climax after climax in a way I'd never experienced or dreamed possible. I wasn't sure how long we stayed like that. Time seemed to lose all meaning, and I'd lost count of how many times Grey made me come.

"Fuck, Claudia. That tight little pussy is going to make me come," he groaned and then called out as his cock pulsed inside me. "You are fucking amazing," he said, collapsing next to me.

I would have laughed if I hadn't been so dazed. All I'd done was lie there while he worked some kind of magical voodoo on my body.

I cuddled into his side and laid my head on his chest, something I couldn't remember ever doing with a man in my entire life, not even back in college. Sex had always been strictly business, even before it was part of my business.

Grey sighed and put his arm around my back, pulling me even closer.

"We should play hooky and spend the day together," he suggested. I sighed. My first thought was how great that sounded. The next was it was impossible. I would already have a ton of questions to field from Grace for not coming home the night before. I couldn't imagine how bad it would be if I didn't show up until late in the day.

"I really can't," I said, genuinely disappointed with my answer. "I have errands I need to take care of this morning, and Janet said to expect a call and possibly a meeting with your brother this afternoon."

"You know, I could still put in a good word for you. It would pretty much guarantee you get the job."

"Please don't do that. Seriously, promise me you won't say anything about last night. I don't need the office gossips telling everyone I fucked my way into a job."

"I'm starting to think you might be ashamed of me," he teased.

I laughed, although I guessed it was true in a way. "Of course it's not that, but I'm a little embarrassed. I don't usually do things like this." Which was true. I hadn't gone to bed with a man who wasn't a mark since college.

"I know your soon-to-be new boss fairly well. He's a progressive thinker. I'm sure he'd just chalk it up to you being a go-getter, really going the extra mile to get the job done."

I pushed his chest playfully. "You're hilarious."

"I won't say anything as long as you don't want me to, Claudia. We can do this by your rules." He nuzzled my neck. "How about dinner here tonight?"

"I can't tonight, I have plans with some friends." A complete lie. "Listen, Grey, if I get the job, we should probably keep our distance for a while, especially around the office."

He pulled back slightly, the corners of his mouth turning down, and he looked away from me.

I was a fucking terrible person. He wanted to keep seeing me and if I was honest, a part of me wanted that, too. Unfortunately, I knew it was impossible. The money was too important. My first responsibility was to Elsa Michaels and even if it wasn't, I couldn't be with Grey. I'd started out with lies, ones he would likely find unforgivable. No matter what came of Elsa's case, there was no getting around the lies I'd already told or the wall I'd built around my heart.

"That's going to be tough but I understand. I hope that just applies to being in the office?" He looked hopeful.

"I think we should play it by ear, especially after last night. The city can feel pretty small sometimes, and I'd prefer not to run into anyone from work like that," I said quietly.

"And romantic relationships aren't exactly your thing," Grey added, quoting our conversation from dinner.

"Something like that." I shrugged.

"I get it, Claudia, more than you know. I've been alone for a long time for a reason. We can keep things casual." He paused. "For now."

An urge to cry overwhelmed me. I sat up and slid to the edge of the bed.

"Nature calls," I said over my shoulder as I grabbed the shirt he'd lain out for me and made my way to the master bathroom on the other side of the room.

I'd thought the guest bathroom was nice. This one was like something from a dream. I ran my fingers over the marbled vanity and awed at the double rainforest shower. This bathroom rivaled a five-star spa.

Looking at myself in the mirror, I could only describe the way I was feeling as shame. I asked myself what I was doing for what felt liked to hundredth time. I'd told myself I just needed to get laid, but it was already so much more than that and I had no clue what I was doing or how to move forward. I slipped into Grey's shirt and inhaled its fresh scent as I worked the buttons. A dress shirt seemed like an odd choice but once I had it on, I had to admit it was sexy.

I splashed some water on my face and smiled at the new toothbrush he'd set out for me. I took my time brushing my teeth and hand combing my hair before finally emerging to find him sitting on the bed with my dress, shoes, and purse neatly arranged on the end.

"I really need to get going soon," I said, hearing the regret in my own voice.

"I probably should, too. I haven't seen my parents yet and my mom has left quite a few messages."

"When was the last time you saw them?"

"About six months ago. My parents came out to visit me in Tokyo every spring. Gregory and Elsa made the trip with them a couple of times."

"What about Chad?"

"Last night was the first time I've seen him since the day I left." He ran his hand through his hair. "It's not as bad as it seems. We talked and video messaged a couple times a month."

"So you're not as close with him as the rest of your family?"

"I guess not. Chad has always kind of done his own thing. He struggled with some shit when he was in college and pulled away from the family for a long time. It was only about a year before I left that he started to get it together and took a job with the company."

I nodded. I wasn't sure why I was so curious about his relationship with Chad. I often went months without seeing my sister. We talked regularly, but Jessica wasn't privy to the more complicated aspects of my life, mainly my business with Homewrecker Incorporated, so it was impossible for us to be as close as I would have liked. She was under the impression I was a private investigator, which was the truth, but it wasn't the whole truth.

I walked over to the bed and grabbed my stuff.

"Thanks for, um, everything, I guess," I said, awkwardly leaning over to give him a quick peck. He grabbed my face before I could get away, turning the quick peck into a long, slow kiss. I didn't fight it, savoring the kiss it instead.

I slipped back into the bathroom and quickly dressed.

"Vince is waiting for you. I'll walk you out," Grey said, grabbing my hand.

We stepped out onto the driveway through the same door we'd come in the night before.

"Last night was amazing," he whispered, pulling me to him as Vince slipped out of the driver's seat to open the door for me. "I think I'm going to miss you."

"Me, too," I said honestly as he leaned in to kiss me. It was sweet, gentle at first, but I pulled him closer, parting his lips with my tongue and pouring all the emotions I would never speak into it. I fought back tears and relished the taste of him, the feel of his full lips before pulling back from what had to be the last kiss we'd ever share.

Chapter 8 

"Good morning, John." I waved to the doorman, who'd become something of a friend to the girls and me over the years, as I did my walk of shame across the lobby of my building. As I stepped onto the elevator, my bag vibrated against my thigh.

Grey: I was right. I do miss you.

It hadn't taken him long to make use of the number I'd typed into his phone before I left.

Me: Who is this?? ;P

Grey: Ouch! Forgotten so quickly. I feel cheap...

Me: Hardly, my legs are still wobbly!

Grey: My work here is done...

"The fuck, Claudia? Where the hell have you been?" Grace practically yelled.

I'd been so engrossed with messaging Grey I'd walked into our shared penthouse on autopilot.

"I called you like ten times and sent I don't know how many messages!"

"I'm sorry. My phone died and I left my charger in the office." The lie came easy. "It got late, so I just stayed at Jessica's after dinner."

Grace crossed her arms over her chest. "Bullshit, you were just looking at your phone," she replied, her anger evident. "And Jessica called me after you avoided all of her calls, too."

Fuck.

"This is my burner, Grace. Business only. I was just checking for a message from Janet, she said to expect a call.

"Something else is going on, Claudia. You could have used the phone for one call to me, so I'd know you weren't lying in a gutter somewhere." The anger in her voice turned to concern. "What aren't you telling me?"

My brain went into panic mode. If I told her the truth, she was going to lose her shit and insist I pass the case on to Lydia, pride be damned. I should have been fine with that; it was what needed to happen after last night with Grey.

What happened with Grey? My head was still reeling and despite myself, I smiled when I thought of him. Thinking about him was a foolish indulgence I couldn't afford. I was determined to stay on the case, if only to prove to myself I was still in control. I would have to see him again, but I had to stick to what I'd told him and keep my distance. I prayed he would keep his word. God knows I hadn't exactly been able to resist him when he tried to get close to me. I dreaded the thought of lying to him again, even though it was inevitable. Who I was to him was a lie. There was no getting around it, but it didn't matter. It couldn't matter. He was just a man like all the others despite the way he made me feel. I'd just had a natural response to an attractive, potent male at a time in my life when my biological clock was probably ticking at full steam ahead much to the chagrin of my plans.