Doyle watched Gray get up. The man was god-like and unselfish. Had the f-ing rocker thought about her needs? He wouldn't have cared about her bruises. Gray treated her like a partner, with mutual orgasms. She smiled since she had two and he only had one really long one.

As she got off the bed, she marveled at how much better she felt. Twenty-four hours before she was still fighting off something. She ignored her headache and fever even when she felt shitty at dinner. Maybe she should have stayed home and slept it off. Then she wouldn't have been beaten or met Gray. Perhaps it was best because the psycho could have beat her another time when Gray couldn't have saved her.

After locating her thong, she slipped it on and thought about joining Gray in the shower. She opened the bathroom door. "Need help with your back?"

He chuckled. "Already washed. I'm coming out. K, I might have to work today."

"That's cool. K?"

The water went off and he grabbed a towel. When he opened the shower door, she stared at him. Broad didn't describe him, but he tapered off at his hips. His abs and pecs were defined.

"Yeah, K. Katherine is too long. Do you go by a different nickname? Kathy? Katie?"

She looked at her feet. "Um. K's good. I like it."

"You can shower. I need coffee."

She stepped towards him and put her hand on his chest. "Thanks for earlier. It was, um..." Nice was too blah.

He smiled. "Fantastic." Unable to stop himself. His mouth found hers. Her body hummed again, but he had to work.

She pulled back. "Go while you still can."

He laughed as he stepped out of the bathroom. After showering and dressing in another pair of shorts, she entered the kitchen and stopped. Gray wore a nicely cut suit. Macintyre wore suits but not like the one Gray had on.

"Snazzy. That's no cheap suit."

He looked down at himself. "Why would I wear a cheap suit? Image is important."

"Your image is professional."

"Thanks." He looked at his watch. "I need to go. I shouldn't be long. The order came. It's right here."

Doyle busied herself by making tea. She heard the motor as the garage door went up and ran to the front windows. She could only see part of the car as it drove away. The basement view was limited as she watched a pair of legs walking a small terrier.

In the kitchen, she opened the back door Gray left through. Testing the door to make sure it wouldn't lock behind her, she stepped out into a small area. Stairs went up to the rest of the house. She looked in one door to find a workout room with a treadmill, two Peloton bikes, and weights. Behind the third door was the double garage with one car left in the space.

Opting not to go near the stairs, she returned to Gray's apartment. There could have been cameras watching her. Checking out a garage and an exercise room was not a big deal. During Amelia's last garden party, Percy caught some guests wandering around upstairs violating their privacy.

After putting away her new shampoo and other things, She walked in circles trying to decide what to do. Stopping in front of the bookshelf, she studied the rows of books. He had Patterson and Corbin. She picked up a Mazzarelli book and turned it over. He was cute, but an average build compared to Gray. As she sat down to read, she wondered if Gray had read it. She had never been a reader, but the noise of the TV gave her a headache.

She could have a concussion. What had the doctors told Tate when she hit her head doing Karate? No screens. Maybe that was why the TV bothered her. Never had she gone so long without checking social media. The band was gone, and she didn't care if Mick didn't miss her. Gray was ten times a better man than the guitarist.

Doyle shut her eyes and remembered sex with Gray. Mick was a Neanderthal compared. Thankfully, she never kissed him with the cross. Gray set the bar high, but she would find a man to kiss before she got too old. When she went home, her focus would be on her career and giving back instead of doing drugs. Maybe she could teach photography to kids.

She jumped when she heard the door go up. A few minutes later, Gray appeared carrying a baby. She had round brown eyes and light brown hair.

"I'm watching Ana while they're gone."

"Where did they go?"

"A brunch with a bunch of rich people. I mean wealthy."

She giggled. "So wealthy appearances matter, like having a chauffeur."

He sat down next to her. "Ana banana, this is K."

Her eyes looked up at Gray. She took her hand out of her mouth and reached for Gray's nose. Doyle giggled.

"Thanks a lot, little one. Let's go get your things." He turned to Doyle. "I'll be right back."

"Will she stay with me?"

He shrugged. "Let's see." He placed the baby in Doyle's lap. She looked from the new person to Gray and stuck out her lip.

"She's nice. See." He kissed Doyle's cheek and then Ana's.

Doyle followed and kissed Gray's cheek then kissed the soft baby cheek. She looked up at Doyle and didn't pout. Doyle laughed and Ana giggled.

"I'll be quick." Gray took big strides to the door.

As soon as the door shut, Ana looked up at Doyle and then looked around. Her lip trembled, and she let out a cry. Doyle stood and walked around talking. "This is Gray's TV, and look! His kitchen and his stove."

Ana looked at Doyle with big tears in her eyes. Doyle began singing the Unhinged Rage ballad because it was all she could think of. Her crying stopped as she chewed on her fingers slobbering everywhere.

Gray appeared with two bags. "Did she cry?"

"A little, but I sang to her."

"You sing?"

Doyle smiled. "Doesn't everyone?"

He shook his head. "Not me." He pulled a toy giraffe out of a bag. "Here baby, giraffe."

She grabbed the toy and put it in her mouth. Gray put a blanket on the floor and took her from Doyle's arms. He put her down with the other toys around her. She reached for another toy for her other hand. Gray took off his suit coat and sat on the floor.

As Doyle watched him, her chest ached. She didn't understand what it meant. Maybe it was her clock telling her she wanted a baby.

"Can she sit? I could use your phone and photograph her." Maybe she should stop taking pictures of rock bands and photograph wealthy people's babies instead.

Gray handed her his phone and sat Ana up talking to her the whole time. She smiled at Gray and Doyle clicked. Her eyes looked glossy from her previous tears. The moisture worked like mascara darkening her extremely long lashes.

"She should be a model."

Gray looked at her and curtly said, "No."

"Stand beside me so she'll look at you." She changed the settings to portraiture, but wished she had her camera. It might be her most important possession. She could live without her closet full of designer clothes and her expensive hair products. Her camera was like an extra appendage.

After taking thirty shots, she smiled at Ana. "You're a beautiful baby." She pouted. "She doesn't like me."

Gray put his arm around her and pulled her close. Her heart sped, and it felt better than coke. "She's hungry. I'll give her a bottle and then she'll be ready to nap in the car." Doyle frowned; they were leaving her. "Hey, I'll be back. You rest and I'll come find you. I'll have to change my clothes."

She tilted her chin up to him, and his mouth lowered to meet hers. His kiss seared with the promise of good things to come.

Expertly, he made up a bottle from a supply in his own kitchen. "You must watch her a lot."

"They only use an outside babysitter when I'm with them."

"Like Friday night?"

Gray nodded. "There was a babysitter upstairs when I brought you home."

Home. Gray's arms felt like home. Her thoughts sounded like Baxter, but he loved Ivy and she couldn't love Gray.

"Don't frown. I shouldn't be gone long."

He sat on the floor and expertly changed her diaper. After he disposed of the dirty one and washed his hands before picking Ana up. Offering her the bottle, she greedily took it while he held her in his arms. Doyle had heard women joking about feeling their ovaries quivering, but never understood until watching how tender the giant of a man was with the baby.

Her eyelids grew heavy as she finished her bottle. Gray picked up his suit coat and winked at her. "I'm not sure how long I'll be."

She instantly felt lonely when he left, which was a novel experience. She had always enjoyed her own company. When she picked up the book, she couldn't focus. Instead, she followed Gray's advice and climbed into his bed.

Doyle woke to his body pressed into hers and his hand cupping her breast. "Mmm. I could get spoiled." She stretched and turned onto her back.

He kissed her leaving no mistake about wanting her. His dark eyes gazed intently. "You have too many clothes on."

She hadn't noticed that he wore only his boxers. His suit was handsome, but his sculpted body was perfect. She raised her arms so he could peel her shirt off. His eyes lingered over her breasts and belly, before he reached behind and unclasped her bra.

His head bent as he kissed her breasts. When he looked up, he smiled. "I like your tat." Her sun and moon was strategically hidden under her right breast . Amelia would freak if it showed in public.

"I like yours." He had various designs on both biceps and a butterfly on his left pecs. "Who is the butterfly?"

He looked away. "It's someone I loved and lost." He turned back. "It was a long time ago."

Doyle didn't pry but found it difficult to tamp down her curiosity, at least until Gray's lips met hers in a searing kiss. His fingers and lips used the same gentleness she saw when he cared for Ana. For the first time, she felt like she had gone beyond sex. Maybe it was what making love felt like, but she couldn't fall in love. In her heart, she feared it might be too late.

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