More Than a Billionaire (8 page)

She ignored the thrill his comment sent through her. “Get serious, Gray. Are you here for dinner?”

“I
am
serious. I came to see you.”

Excitement threatened to override her common sense. “How did you even know I was working?” Actually, she wasn’t even sure she’d told him what restaurant she worked at.

“When you didn’t answer your phone tonight, I asked your mom where you were.” Gray took her hands. “We never got a chance to talk this week, so I thought I’d stop by and see you.”

“Oh.” He’d talked to her mother. He really wanted to see her. “Are you here long?” She wanted to ask if he planned to collect his rain check soon.

“It depends.” Gray gave her a playful smile. “When’s your next day off?”

“Tomorrow.”

Gray squeezed her hand. “Then I’m here at least until Tuesday. I want to make sure I claim that rain check you owe me before I leave.”

Kiera pulled her hand away, hoping the loss of physical contact would help clear her head.

“What do you say? I can pick you up in the afternoon, and we can head over to the rink, or anywhere else you want.”

“Um, okay. I have a dentist appointment at eleven o’clock. It shouldn’t take long.” She’d already rescheduled the appointment once when she got called into work because a coworker was sick. “If you want I can reschedule the appointment.”

Gray took her hands again. “No need. I’ll pick you around one o’clock. How does that sound?”

She ignored the way he rubbed his thumb against her palm. “Good.”

“Then I’ll see you at one.” He gave her a mega-watt smile that made her hotter than the restaurant’s kitchen in August. “If you change your mind about skating, that’s fine. I’m game for anything.”

Before she responded, he kissed her cheek. “I better go before Pierre demands his office back. See you tomorrow.”

She watched Gray exit through the office’s main door. They had a date for tomorrow.

***

Gray left Mon Soleil and went straight to his hotel. He’d considered staying at Trent’s apartment again, but he didn’t know how long he’d be in town, and Trent was due back from his honeymoon tomorrow. The newlyweds would want some privacy. And he didn’t want his brother questioning his return.

After checking into his suite, he placed a room service order, and then dropped onto the bed. At the moment, his body wanted two things: food and sleep. He doubted it cared which order it got them in. If he’d been smart, he would’ve taken care of both needs the moment he stepped off the plane. However, when yet another of his phone calls went to Kiera’s voice mail, he’d driven out to Barrington to see Annette. Once he had Kiera’s whereabouts, he’d back-tracked to Providence for his surprise visit.

Despite its rocky start, the visit had gone well. Either the hostess hadn’t recognized him or she’d stuck to the rules because when Gray had asked to see Kiera, she’d claimed no one was allowed inside the restaurant without a reservation. He’d tried to explain that he’d only wanted a moment of Kiera’s time. When the hostess remained adamant, he’d asked to see the manager.

The hostess might not have recognized him, but Pierre had. The man apologized for any misunderstanding and led him into his office.

Gray dismissed both Pierre and the hostess from his mind. Kiera had looked downright shocked to see him, which he supposed made sense. True, he’d left her messages during the week, but he hadn’t told her he’d be back today. He hadn’t even known if he’d make it back this week or not. It had taken him longer than he’d hoped to handle the situation in Mexico. Then he’d flown back and met with Randall before attending a party in DC. A party he would’ve rather skipped, but he’d already committed to attending and hadn’t been able to come up with a good way to get out without offending the host.

Even though they hadn’t spoken, Kiera hadn’t left his thoughts. In fact, throughout the week he’d wondered when he’d get a chance to reschedule their date. He’d known she might not be available until later in the week. Still, he’d hoped she’d have a day off sooner rather than later. While no one would be shocked if he didn’t show up at the Sherbrooke office until Friday or even next Monday, he didn’t want to wait all week to see her.

Thankfully, he didn’t have to. He only had another sixteen hours, and for several of those, he planned to be asleep.

A knock told Gray that room service had arrived. It took some effort, but he peeled himself off the bed and let the employee inside with his dinner.

“Is there anything else I can get for you tonight, Mr. Sherbrooke?” The waiter stood beside the cart and pulled the covers off the plates.

Gray looked over his dinner. “No, I believe everything I need is here. Thank you.” Even if something were missing, he wouldn’t care. Right now, he wanted to eat and he didn’t care what it tasted like.

The waiter walked toward the door. “Have a nice evening, sir.”

If someone considered sleeping a nice evening then he planned to enjoy himself as soon as he finished the baked scrod and clam chowder.

Removing the plates, Gray set them on the table. He didn’t find himself alone for dinner often. Frequently he dined with business associates. Other times, he found an attractive woman sitting across from him. He didn’t mind the solitude tonight. It was nice for a change. It wasn’t that he didn’t like being social, but when it was work related it wasn’t exactly relaxing. Tomorrow, he hoped to find himself relaxing in Kiera’s company.

He’d only invited her skating, but that didn’t mean he had any intention of ending their date after they finished. Unless she refused, he planned to spend the whole day with her, and that included the evening hours. Before he flew back to New York, he intended to explore things between them more.

The previous weekend, she’d aroused him in a way no woman had in a long time—and she hadn’t even tried. Heaven help him if she did. The desire he felt wasn’t the only thing telling him to pursue Kiera. All week, he’d thought about their conversations, both at lunch and at her apartment. It had been like reconnecting with a best friend. A best friend who evoked images of sexy lingerie and big beds.

Gray dug into his chowder and shook his head. Sexy lingerie and beds. No wonder his father feared he was taking over where Trent left off with women. If his father—and the rest of his family—only knew the truth. He hadn’t slept with a woman in months. Sure, he’d taken plenty of women on dates, but he’d done nothing with any of them—even though several had tried. He’d been tempted once or twice, but his head and heart hadn’t been in it.

That wouldn’t be a problem tomorrow.

***

“Hi, Kiera. There’s no emergency, but I need you to call me right away,” her mom said. “It’s important. Love you.” The voice mail message ended and Kiera deleted it.

Not an emergency but important enough that her mom wanted to talk to her right away? What could be up? Hopefully not bad news.

Kiera’s cell phone rang before she could call her mom back. A quick peek at the screen revealed the name
Mom
on the screen.

Fear made Kiera hesitate. If not an emergency, why call this late? Was Pepe okay? Her grandfather’s doctor had changed his blood pressure medicine last month. What about Meme? Her grandmother had the flu right before Christmas and spent three days in the hospital.

Please no bad news.
She pressed talk. “Hi, Mom. What’s wrong? Is Meme in the hospital again?”

“Meme is fine. Your grandparents left on their vacation this morning.”

Kiera let out the breath she was holding

“Everyone’s fine. Like I said in my message, there’s no emergency.”

Thank goodness but why the call?
 

“Are you alone?” her mom asked.

“Of course. I’m on my way home from work. Why?” Her mom occasionally inquired into her social life, but for the most part, she didn’t pry.

“Gray stopped by tonight. He wanted to know where you worked.”

Kiera took the on-ramp to the highway. “He told me when he stopped in”

Another throat clearing came over the phone. “I don’t think it’s a good idea for you to date him, honey.”

Kiera almost laughed. In fact, she would’ve if her mom didn’t sound so serious. “Mom—”

“I’ve known Gray all his life and think the world of him, but your dad and I do work for his father. I know we all sometimes forget that because they don’t treat us like employees and Donna and I were friends, but we come from different worlds, honey.

“Mom we’re—”

“And I know you grew up being friends with Gray, but he’s not the settling down type.”

People had said that about Trent at one time, too, and look at him now. “We’re not dating, Mom.” They’d kissed and planned to spend the next day together, but that didn’t equal dating.

“Last week, we were supposed to have lunch, but he had to cancel. He just wanted to reschedule while he’s back in town.” She spoke the truth—more or less. She’d only left out a few details. Her mom didn’t need to know
everything.
 

“Oh.” Her mom didn’t speak for a few seconds. “I guess that’s okay.” Another moment of silence followed. “Just be careful, okay? And remember, your dad and I work for the Sherbrookes.”

Kiera crossed her fingers before she answered. “There’s nothing to worry about, Mom.”

***

Many people hated dentists, but they didn’t bother her. Even when she’d had a mouth full of metal, she hadn’t minded the monthly visit to the orthodontist. Of course, back then, it helped that the visits meant she got to miss school.

So, while the dental hygienist cleaned her teeth, Kiera sat back and thought about her mom’s phone call. She realized that while the Sherbrookes included her family in their inner circle, they didn’t truly belong there. Sometimes, it was easy to forget that and her mom had only been looking out for her by reminding her. Most people would also say that her mom’s opinion that Gray wasn’t the type to settle down was correct.

Kiera didn’t.

Maybe she would’ve a year ago, but now that both his brother and Jake, the two biggest playboys in the world, were married, anything was possible.

All that led her back to the half-truths she’d told her mom. While they weren’t
technically
dating, they
had
kissed.

Oh, how they kissed.

Kiera sighed, but with her mouth wide open and dental tools inside, it came out as more of a choking sound.

“Are you okay?” The hygienist stopped working to ask.

Kiera nodded, and the hygienist went back to work while she went back to thinking.

He’d kissed just her cheek in Pierre’s office, and she hadn’t tried for more. Would he give her another brotherly kiss today or something more like the ones last weekend? Her lips wanted more of last weekend’s treatment.

Her brain kept replaying her mother’s voice. Was her mom only concerned that Gray would break her heart, or was she worried Mark Sherbrooke would fire her and Dad?

Kiera had known Mark Sherbrooke forever and couldn’t see him doing anything like that. That didn’t mean it wasn’t a concern for her mom, though.

“You can sit up and rinse now.” The dental hygienist raised the back of Kiera’s chair.

Maybe the dentist chair isn’t the place to figure this out.
Kiera followed the hygienist’s instructions. Once out of the chair, she stopped at the desk and made her next appointment before she drove home eager for the fun to really start.

***

Kiera almost bit down on her fingernail, but yanked her hand away and shoved it into her jeans pocket. She’d buzzed Gray into the building seconds before, and any minute he’d knock on her apartment door.

How would today play out? She’d asked herself the same question over and over since leaving the dentist.
How do I want it to go?
Her mom’s comments kept coming back.

A simple day on the ice, followed by dinner and then a, “Goodbye, see you around,” would be the safest route. Safe was good. Most of the time, she played it safe. Nobody got hurt or in trouble when she did that.

This time, a little voice kept telling her not to play it safe. It kept shouting that if the opportunity to live dangerously arose, she should take it and hang on tight.

In fact, it was that little voice that convinced her to wear makeup today and put a little extra thought into her outfit. She’d never mastered the art of applying makeup and doing fancy hairstyles, so she threw on some eyeliner and lipstick, then pulled her curls into a loose braid to keep her hair under control while skating.

Kiera expected the knock on the door, but still, she jumped when she heard it. So that it didn’t look as if she’d just been standing around waiting, she counted to ten, then opened the door.

“I’ve been looking forward to this since last week.” Gray stepped inside and kissed her before she said a word.

The kiss was quick, but it still sent enough heat through her to bake an entire soufflé.

“Sorry I’m a few minutes late. I stopped to buy new gloves. I lost one of mine somewhere.”

She’d forgotten about the glove he dropped on his last visit. “It’s here. You dropped it. I’ll grab it.”

Gray took her hand before she could step away. “Don’t worry about it. I’ll grab it when we come back.” He pulled her closer. “Are you ready to go?”

“I’ve had my skates out since this morning.” The little voice that told her to take a risk got louder. She allowed herself a quick glimpse at his lips before making eye contact again. The kiss he gave her had been way too short. If it had been any shorter, she would’ve missed it.

Would he mind if she kissed him? They stood close enough. All she had to do was lean forward a little.

Kiera moistened her lips. If he could kiss her, she could do the same. She leaned forward.

Your father and I work for the Sherbrookes.
Her mother’s voice canceled out the urging to take a chance, and she stepped back.

“Let me grab my jacket, and we can go.”

On the ride into Providence, they discussed her previous week at work and her new recipes. She tried to get him to talk about his week, but he came back with an, “I’d rather not talk about it” answer. She could understand that. Everyone experienced those types of weeks.