Mistaken Identities (14 page)

Grayson took his time before he answered, and she prayed he would just let it go. They were doing well enjoying each other. Exploring further didn’t have to happen. She could make a clean break when the time came to return to her life. Okay, not clean, but at least acceptable.

To her surprise, he released her and strode toward the bathroom. “I’m going to shower and put something on. Then over breakfast, we’re going to discuss this.”

She frowned. “You can’t force me to do what you want, Gray.”

“Oh, I’m not going to force you to do anything you don’t want to do.”

She folded her arms under her breasts. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

“It means exactly what I said last night.”

The bathroom door clicked closed, and she looked for something to throw. Her ruined panties lay on the floor near her foot. All they did was remind her of how good it had been and the words he’d said in the living room. He would go to the ends of the earth to make her his.

Groaning, she left the bedroom to go down to the kitchen and searched the refrigerator for food. What he said ran through her mind over and over. The heat and intensity weakened her defenses. He excited and terrified her. Grayson was not the man that Roman was. Grayson came off as ten times bigger and much more threatening to her equilibrium.

She shook herself and focused on cooking. Bacon, sausage, and pancake mix would make up the meal, and if she remembered correctly, Grayson had a waffle iron she had brought over years ago when they had all gotten together here. She found it among the pots and pans in pristine condition and set it on the counter. Within a few minutes, the meat was frying in the pan and she had set out orange juice, plates, and silverware.

Grayson walked into the kitchen and stole a slice of bacon over her shoulder. “Mm, looks delicious.”

Her stomach fluttered, and her heart pounded.

“Waffles,” he exclaimed. “I remember this iron.”

“I’m surprised you still have it. Do you make waffles?”

His nose wrinkled. “You weren’t here to make them for me.”

“Excuses. You’re a pretty good cook.”

“You remember.” When he said the words, his voice dropped low, bringing goose bumps to her arms as if he’d caressed her. She switched off the stove and unplugged the waffle iron before she grabbed the plate piled with meat and took it to the table. He followed with the stack of waffles.

She sat down to put food on their plates. Had there been this much connection between them even back then? As she thought of it, she felt like she’d been so aware of everything he did, details of his life and his personality.

“Do you remember that time I made you hide with me in the closet to scare Roman?”

He bit into a piece of sausage. “You brushed your ass against my leg. I didn’t know how I would hide my hard-on.”

She gasped. “I don’t remember you having a hard-on.”

“Did you look?”

“Of course not!”

He grinned, and she blushed. The truth was, she’d thought of it, and if she had never been attracted to him, she wouldn’t have. The conversation headed down a road she didn’t want to travel. Before long, he would turn it back to what they discussed in the bedroom.

“Mm, these waffles are good. Next time, I should add blueberries to the batter.”

His eyes sparkled. “Next time, huh?”

She grunted in annoyance.

“Hey, Gray, you up?” came Roman’s voice from somewhere in the house.

Tonya dropped her fork, and it clattered on the plate. Grayson frowned. She looked down at herself and realized she’d had her heel hanging on the edge of her chair, displaying her pussy for all the world to see. She moved it to the floor and dragged the T-shirt down as far as it would go, which wasn’t that far. Her legs seemed longer with too much skin bared.

The kitchen door opened before either of them could move, and Roman appeared. “I need to talk to you, buddy. I think Abby—” At the sight of Tonya, he stopped speaking. His confused gaze swept her from head to foot and lingered on her exposed legs. She saw the wheels turning in his head and the conclusion he came to in his curled lip. “No wonder you didn’t want me. You’d already gone after the big fish.”

“Shut the fuck up,” Grayson growled, and he stood, imposing in his height and build. Roman didn’t appear to be intimidated. He gazed from Grayson to her and back again.

Tonya’s anger flared. “I think you forgot you’re married.”

Roman sneered. “I loved you, but I guess you were too busy being a whore with any man available, including my best friend.”

The last word came out garbled because Grayson’s fist connected with his chin. Roman slammed into the doorframe, and the kitchen door smacked him in the chest. Grayson jerked it wide and glared at his friend, fist still clenched. Tonya scraped her chair back, and it tipped over, crashing loud in the silent room. At first she thought Roman took the punch well, and she didn’t feel sorry for him, but the next instant his knees buckled, and he sank to the floor, shaking his head.

Grayson bent over Roman, and she ran to him to grab his arm, but he made no move to hit Roman again. “Pick yourself up off my floor,” he growled, “and get the hell out of my house.”

Roman’s eyes widened. “You don’t mean that.”

“Oh I mean it. You had your chance with her. You lost it. Now I’m going to do what I can to win her heart, and trust me, I’m not going to be too weak to keep her.”

Tonya gasped and slapped a hand over her mouth. She squeezed Grayson’s arm with the other, pleading in silence. She didn’t want to come between them.

Roman’s expression said the same. “You’re choosing her over me? We’ve been friends most of our lives, Gray. You better think about this a little longer. Is she really worth it?”

Grayson didn’t hesitate. He dragged Roman up from the floor by his shirt and gave him a hard shove that had Roman stumbling backward. “Focus on your marriage, you damn idiot. If not for yourself then for Lukas. You claim to love Abby. Well, prove it to her. Forget about Tonya. She’s not yours anymore. She’s mine, and if you come near her again, I’m going to forget you’re like a brother to me and break your fucking neck. Am I clear?”

Roman’s mouth hung open, and so did Tonya’s. Her mind swirled. Relief flooded her system when Roman took Grayson’s advice and walked away. Grayson left her in the kitchen and followed him, but he returned within moments to take her into his arms. She tried to get free, but he allowed her only room enough to follow him into the living room.

“We weren’t finished eating.”

“Forget that for now,” he said. “I need to talk to you.”

“Grayson.”

He sat on the couch’s arm and drew her close. “Listen, please.”

She swallowed and nodded.

“I loved Nola in my own way, and I would have married her. Do you know why?” She was about to answer, but he went on. “Because I knew I couldn’t have the woman I wanted more than anything—you. The two people I loved most in the world had each other, and I was resigned to it. I supported the two of you because I wanted you both to be happy. Then I made a mistake that broke me. Worse, it made you hate me.”

“I couldn’t really hate you. Deep down I knew you didn’t say it out of spite. I knew you believed it. I saw how devastated you were.” Tears filled her eyes and spilled down her cheeks.

He swiped the tears away, and she saw wetness in his eyes. “I ruined your life. Tonya, I don’t deserve your forgiveness, but I beg for it.”

She sniffed and shook her head. “You didn’t ruin my life. You changed it. In the end, it turned out for the best. But I do forgive you.”

“I will make it my mission to make up for lost time.”

She glanced away from the intensity in his gaze. “I love you, Gray, but I’m so afraid.”

He pushed off the arm of the couch and dropped to one knee. She gasped.

“W-What are you doing?”

“Marry me, Tonya.”

She pulled her hands from his and stumbled backward. Her jaw worked, but words would not come out. Terror gripped her heart. All the memories flooded her mind, the happiness melting to loss and abandonment. She’d known fear would enter in if ever a man asked her to marry him after what happened with Roman, but not this debilitating emotion. Of all men, Grayson Porter knelt before her, completely open with his heart in his eyes.

“What can I do?” he asked.

“Nothing. I’m so sorry, Gray. There will always be this thing, this stigma. In Los Angeles I made a new start. I do love you. You know that. But…”

He stood up and walked to her. She shook all over when he drew her to his chest. His hand smoothed down her back, and a hiccupping sigh escaped her.

“I will never give up on you.”

She sobbed on his shoulder.

* * * *

Tonya sat at Aunt Linn’s bedside, relieved that the woman looked no worse than she had on Tonya’s first visit back home. Tonya helped her sip tea and set the dish aside.

“I see you’re worried over something,” Aunt Linn said. “Do you want to talk about it?”

“No, I’m good.” Tonya forced a smile. “You don’t need any burdens. The doctor said no stress. I’ll work through it on my own.”

“Worrying about my family stresses me,” Aunt Linn countered.

“Aunt Linn, that’s blackmail. But, thanks for calling me family.”

The elderly woman grasped her hand and held it. “I’ve always loved you, Tonya. You fit right in the moment Roman brought you home. Even if you aren’t together, that makes no difference to me. Besides, now that I’ve had time to think about it, you and Gray make a much better couple.”

Tonya stared, and Aunt Linn grinned.

“You think I wouldn’t notice?” She made a
tsk
sound and waggled a finger. “I’m sick, not addled in the brains.”

“So not funny.”

Aunt Linn patted her hand. “Tell me everything.”

Tonya heaved a sigh and gave in. If Aunt Linn knew about her feelings and didn’t hold them against her, then maybe her insight might help, although Tonya doubted it. Nothing seemed to ease the fear that gripped her when she considered giving into a relationship with Gray. She held Roman’s weakness against him because he hadn’t let go of his issues regarding his parents, but she was just as bad.

“I love Gray,” she blurted. “In some ways I suspect I always loved him. I was attracted to him back then, but I was focused on Roman. I thought I couldn’t live without Roman, but I was wrong. And now…” She bit her lip. “Gray asked me to marry him.”

Aunt Linn’s eyes widened and brightened with her excitement. “Why that’s wonderful. I’m glad to know he’s not letting his friendship with Roman hold him back.”

Tonya suppressed a groan. “No, he’s definitely not holding back on that front. He told Roman I belong to him now.”

Confusion lit Aunt Linn’s gaze. “Why would he say that? Roman’s married to
her
.”

“Just to solidify it, I guess.” Since no one had told Aunt Linn about the kiss or that Roman had been chasing after her, she didn’t intend to either. The woman might love her and Gray, but Roman was still like her son. Aunt Linn wouldn’t want him unhappy.

“Ah, the boy’s code,” Aunt Linn said, nodding. “So when is the wedding? I have to get a dress.”

Tonya blinked at her. She was in no condition to leave the bed. “I didn’t tell him yes.”

Aunt Linn gaped. “You didn’t turn him down? You love him, Tonya.”

“I know, but… The truth is I’m scared history will repeat itself.”

“So you make different choices.”

Tonya drew a blank in response. Aunt Linn continued.

“Instead of fighting, you ran. Choose to stay no matter what, and life will go down a different path. Will you fight for the man you love, Tonya?”

“I…”

“Fight for the truth.”

“That’s easier said than done. Just like back then.” She shut her eyes and ran a hand over her face. “Everything inside me wants this, but giving in to it feels impossible. I can’t go through it again. I was alone. You can’t imagine how horrible it feels to have no one at all.”

“Sweet darling,” Aunt Linn whispered, “you were never alone. You just thought you were. Now you
know
you’re not.”

Chapter Fourteen

Tonya opened the door to Grayson’s office and hesitated. Roman and an older balding man stood at his desk. “Oh, sorry for interrupting.” She started to back out and close the door when Grayson called to her.

“No, come in, baby. You need to see this.”

A warm, fuzzy feeling came over her at the endearment, but it also embarrassed her with Roman there. They hadn’t settled anything despite the fact she spent the last couple of nights in his bed, and he insisted he would not give up on her. She wouldn’t tell him yes she would marry him, but the persistent man had noticed she hadn’t told him no either. When he pointed it out, she determined she’d turn down his proposal, but couldn’t bring the word to her lips. Looking into Grayson’s eyes, she saw the real man of her dreams, the mature and sexy one who proved by his words and actions that no one would come between them. That didn’t speak to the future, but it went a long way.

She entered his office and shut the door behind her. “See what?”

Grayson gestured to the older man. “This is Frank Jones, a private investigator.”

Tonya’s eyebrows rose. “The one that found me?”

“The same. I also contracted him for another job.”

She moved to the opposite side of the desk from Roman, but she felt his gaze on her and ignored it. Frank stepped between them and tossed a picture he held in his hand on the desk. Tonya, along with Grayson and Roman, leaned over to examine it. Tonya squeaked in alarm and slapped a hand over her mouth. Tears sprang from her eyes, and she shook her head, backing away.

“That proves it,” Roman snapped.

Grayson rushed around the desk. Tonya stumbled, but his arms encircled her, and he drew her to his chest. “Easy, baby, it’s okay.”

“No, it’s not.” She could say nothing more but dropped her forehead against him and shut her eyes. Tremors rocked her from head to toe, and Grayson’s hold tightened. If he wasn’t there, she’d have crumbled on the floor.

“Yes, it proves something,” Grayson said above her head. “It proves that it wasn’t Tonya.”