Chapter Nine
Gray stood in the shower, gritting his teeth as the icy jets of water blasted his over-heated skin. He hadn’t been kidding about the cold shower; he was so consumed with need for Suzy that he’d barely been able to leave the room. The reality of feeling her against him had been much more than any of his fantasies. Her tongue had tasted of pure honey as it hesitantly sought his, twirling around him as if finding a long-lost lover. His palm still tingled from the feel of her firm, breast straining against it. If not for her cry of pain, he wasn’t sure when or if he’d have been able to get control of himself. He’d always known there were hidden depths within her, he just had no idea how hot they burned.
After toweling off, Gray looked through the suitcases that Nick had dropped for him earlier. Normally, he slept in either boxers or nothing at all, but tonight that would be dangerous. He was grateful that he kept a pair of lounge pants to wear around the house in the evenings. He pulled them and a t-shirt on. He toweled his hair enough to get by without digging through some suitcases for a dryer.
Reluctantly, he pulled his cell-phone from the front of the toiletries bag where he’d stored it earlier. He had turned the ringer off, afraid that Reva would go on one of her mad calling sprees. Sure enough, there was a string of missed calls from a number he recognized as hers. He had to talk to Nick tomorrow to see if he’d found out anything. He was so tired of dealing with the whole mess. His life was finally going just as he’d hoped, and Reva could send it all crashing down. He could handle her messing with his life, maybe he even deserved it. He’d not allow her to cause Suzy any more pain. Reva would find out just how ruthless he could be if she threatened someone he loved.
Gray packed his phone away and went back into the bedroom. Suzy’s eyes were bare slits as she struggled to hold them open. She plainly wanted to watch her game, but sleep was doing its best to claim her. He walked over to the bedside and smoothed the hair off her brow. “Baby, why don’t you let me turn this off so you can get some sleep?”
With a tired smile, she touched his arm and said, “Mmm, ok. I’m so sleepy.”
Gray reached for the remote and clicked the television off. He’d thought he would sleep on the couch, so he’d be close enough to help Suzy if she needed him during the night. As he was walking away from the bed, Suzy’s whispered, “Gray, please stay with me.”
He walked back to the bedside and said, “Baby, I am. I’m going to be right over there on the couch.”
“No, Gray, sleep in the bed with me. “ With one last tired smile, she teased, “I promise not to feel you up during the night.”
He knew this was going to be equal parts torture and bliss, but he was helpless to stop the anticipation of sleeping next to Suzy all night. He walked around and climbed in the other side of the bed. He wished he could pull her onto her side and snuggle, but settled instead for lying close to her and enfolding her hand in his.
Suzy woke him one time during the night for a bathroom trip, and soon they were both back in bed soundly sleeping.
~~~
The sun gleaming through the windows woke Suzy early the next morning. Her first realization upon waking was all the aches and pains in her body; the second was the male arm draped possessively over her stomach. She turned her head and studied Gray as he slept beside of her. Just looking at him took her breath away. If a man could be called beautiful, he most certainly was. Even the shadow of stubble on his face just made him more handsome. His kiss last night had completely blown her away. Her reaction to him was something she’d never come close to feeling with Jeff. Gray had started a slow-burn inside her the moment his lips met hers. If not for her damn injuries, there is no way she’d have stopped. She ached from frustration afterwards just as he had.