Page 67 of Accepting Fate
“A beer? It’s not even noon!” I call after him as he makes his way quickly up the stairs.
“It’s five o’clock somewhere, babe,” he yells down.
Taking a look around without Grayson next to me feels like I’m invading his privacy. But also, I’m really fucking curious. I have a feeling Grayson left out a key detail about his parents or what really happens when he’s with his brothers. I’m not saying I don’t believe him but if their hangout looks like this, what does his house look like? Not that his financial status would make me feel any different about him. He could work at Walmart, and I wouldn’t feel any different about him.
I don’t want him to think I’m snooping around so I go to the fridge. Inside is a shit ton of beer, bottled water, and a few sodas. I’m tempted to grab a beer. But while the idea of being drunk in a hot tub with Grayson sounds like a dream, I opt for water.
I’m debating on what to grab Grayson when I feel arms go around my waist. On instinct, I freeze and ball my fist ready to punch whoever is behind me in the nose. I’m about to strike when I see the familiar tattoos wrapped around my waist.
He nuzzles his face into my neck, trying to suppress a laugh but I feel his shoulders shaking. “Easy, killer. It’s me.”
Shit.
Relaxing back into his chest. “Sorry. It’s going to take me a minute to get used to having someone besides Harper or Allie in my space.”
Grayson untangles one arm from around my waist and grabs himself a water, then backs us up to close the fridge.
I turn to face him and search his eyes for a hint of what he could be thinking. That thought goes out the window when I see he is shirtless.
Holy fucking caveman, Grayson is ripped.
His washboard abs are so hot I want to lick them. His sun-kissed skin looks like he just got back from a vacation to Hawaii or somewhere warm.
I step back to admire the tattoos that cascade down his sides. On one side is a large grandfather clock with broken gears falling from the shattered glass of the clock face. I sense a deeper meaning to it, but I don’t ask.
The other side puzzles me more. It’s a willow tree starting at his pant line with the trunk stretching to the large branches that wrap behind his back. It’s not the tree that confuses me. It’s the figure of a man standing below the branches holding a gun in his hand. The man and gun are shaded in completely.
Without thinking I trace the outline of the man with my finger. I feel Grayson still under my touch and I look up at him.
In a small voice, I ask, “What does this mean?”
Touching his forehead to mine, he speaks softly. “Remember when you said you didn’t want to talk about your nightmare?”
“Yeah?”
“I don’t want to talk about my nightmare either. I will tell you someday, but not today. Okay?”
I nod my head. “Of course.” I pull my head back and kiss his cheek. “But you know you can talk to me, too, right? Just because I’ve been a hot mess lately doesn’t mean you can’t talk to me.”
A small smile spreads across his face. “I know, Angel. Now if you’re done memorizing every inch of my body for your spank bank, let’s get your sexy ass in that hot tub.”
And the caveman is back.
Lacing his fingers with mine, we head outside.
Grayson gives me a show while taking the cover off the hot tub, his back muscles flexing. I admire the willow tattoo from his backside. When he stands on his toes to push the cover, I can’t help but stare at his ass in his navy swim trunks.
I’m happy we are about to get in the hot tub, or I would be embarrassed at how turned on I am.
I’m practically drooling by the time he turns around. He stalks over to me and brushes his thumb over my lip, I didn’t realize I was biting.
His eyes darken as he stares down at me. “Angel, you better stop looking at me like that or I’m going to have no choice but to fuck the shit out of you right here.”
My cheeks flush and I consider taking him up on his offer.
“Logan, stop. I’m trying to be respectful and you’re making that really hard right now.”
“Sorry,” I say looking down at my feet, now embarrassed.