Gray stood looking down at K. He knew verbatim all the reasons it wasn't a good idea to kiss her. In close to two months, his desire for her hadn't diminished. In their absence, it had grown stronger.

As he looked at her pink lips, her tongue licked them making his desire to taste unbearable. His head lowered on its own, and when he captured her lips, he felt things he didn't understand.

She met his insistence, and he savored her tangy taste, not sweet like in the car. He didn't care as his heart felt like it might burst out of his chest.

She pressed her body into his. His hands ran down the back of her soft blouse. When the light was right, he could see through it while she worked. Watching her, he was in awe of her skill and professionalism.

His mind caught up. "This isn't a good idea."

"I think it is. It's not like we haven't already."

"That was before."

"Before what?" Her hands moved towards his belt.

"Before I knew who you were."

She unbuckled his belt and started on his button. "It doesn't matter. Didn't you listen to the dinner conversation?"

He almost said he was too busy watching her. "It does matter." Her hand was busy making it hard to think straight. "Your family will never."

"This is between us, not my family."

She sank to her knees. She had never gone down on him before. Maybe he could be her plaything. Only his little head was thinking.

Fuck. She knew what she was doing as he came quickly. He immediately wanted to taste her. With his pants at his ankles, he shuffled her into his bedroom and shut the door. He shed his pants before working on hers. She bit her lip as she helped him remove her clothes.

"Lie down." She did, and he put his face between her legs and took in her feminine fragrance. "Baby. You smell so good. I want to taste you."

Sex had been gentle with her injuries, but she had healed. His tongue tasted her as she moaned; he persisted, sucking and licking. She bucked underneath him, like an unbroken horse. Loving his power over her, he smiled.

"Did you like that?"

"Yes. You are the most skilled I've ever..."

"I get it. I don't want to think about others who have touched you when I am touching you." Or ever.

Gray moved up on the bed to uncover and play with her breasts. They were perky with her pink areola perfectly centered.

"Don't stop," she gasped.

"You are perfect. Tell me how you want me."

"On top. Hard."

He smiled. "That's what I want too." He reached for a condom. He loved how she watched him roll it on.

Gray slowly entered her. He didn't want to hurt her as he remembered how tight she was around him. "Fucking perfect." He was in as far as he could.

"You are perfect." She smiled up at him. He kissed her as his hips moved. Once he picked up his pace, she wrapped her legs around him. Then he reached underneath and tilted her so he hit her most sensitive spot with every thrust.

"Oh. Oh. Oh God, Gray. I'm ahhh..."

He came with a force along with her. When he finally pulled out, he rolled over panting. She curled up against him. He could never stop, maybe if he stayed away from her. Her skin was so soft as his hand moved up and down her back. His mouth captured hers for a slow and sensual kiss. It was his attempt to tell her how wonderful she felt without using words. Words might make promises he couldn't keep.

With her on her back, looking up at him. He could see his reflection in her eyes. He shifted his gaze to her breasts and then to her tattoo, before tracing the simple sun and moon with his finger.

"What does this mean?"

She shrugged. "It's for me and my twin. We were inseparable, but my parents said we could also be like day and night. His eyes and hair are dark. I was blonde as a child. He would be awake during the night, but I slept. Even now I like to go to sleep and wake to a new day, but he'll sleep until noon."

He kissed her ink. "It's nice that you are close."

She reached up and touched his butterfly. It took him a long time to decide how to memorialize Beth. Not wanting an angel, the wings led to a butterfly. He didn't think of her up above some place looking down. In his mind, she never left him, but was flitting around. Maybe not in the bedroom. He braced himself for her question.

"Who did you lose?"

"I told you someone I loved."

She kissed the butterfly which left him feeling a clash between his betrayal to Beth and the depth of K's caring. "Loved, yes, but a child, a sibling, a friend, a lover?"

"Not a child or a sibling."

"She must have been very special to capture your heart."

Looking down at her, he could have said like you, but he simply nodded. Emotion hung in the air. Feelings swirled, but he kept them inside.

She cleared her throat. "I wonder what they think is going on down here."

Gray chuckled. "Monty knows. I have a reputation. I don't want to give you a reputation."

She frowned. "It's too late. My time with the band cemented my reputation. The article is coming out. I'm afraid it might mention me. The writer met with the band before I joined up to take photos."

"I'll have to get it. For the photographs." He winked.

"They want to do another one about my attack. I don't think I can do that. My family doesn't deserve the backlash."

"It will all come out at the trial. Money can't stop that. Maybe you should control your own narrative."

She bit her lip. "I don't know. If I did it, I would like it to be a warning to other girls. Every city there were new women willing to throw their bodies at strangers because they play music on stage."

"I'm not a star and you keep throwing your amazing body at me."

"But we're friends." She touched his chest. "We have a connection."

Fuck, she felt it too.

He cleared his throat. "I should get you home. Did you want to say goodbye?"

She shook her head. "No, I'll, um, send a note to thank them for dinner."

He laughed. "Or I could tell them."

"Nope. It's fine."

"In my world, a note was what my mother made me write to my grandparents when they sent a birthday check from Florida."

She laughed. "Notes aren't painful."

He kissed her before she went on about writing a thank-you note. Mostly, his mouth longed to be on hers. Pulling her on top of him, he didn't want to crush her. His cock was hard again, and she knew by the way she pressed into him. K reached for the foil package and opened it. When she rolled the sheath on him with her delicate fingers, he held his breath. His want for her was off the charts. If only, she could stay the night. Instead, he got up immediately after his breathing evened out. As he walked to the bathroom, her eyes followed him. She had never been afraid of him even when she woke up injured in his bed.

She quietly watched as he dressed in his suit. "You are just dropping me off."

He shook his head. "I have to open the door for you and carry your equipment."

"Still, Percy doesn't care."

"I care. I care about Monty's reputation and yours." He picked up her lacy bra and threw it at her. "This is yours."

"I hope you don't have anyone else's underthings hanging around."

"Only yours." He thought of the thong she left behind.

It should freak him out that she practically said she expected them to be exclusive. Maybe he was cool because he couldn't execute in the produce section, or because he didn't want horny paws touching her unblemished flesh. They were driving down the road to disaster. Their journey would end and he expected the crash and burn.

Once they had dressed, he escorted her out his front entrance. She attempted to get in the passenger seat. "No, Miss. Kane. Please." His voice softened.

She sighed and walked around to where he stood. Once he closed her door and sat down, he looked at the dash. It wasn't as late as he thought. Nine o'clock was an appropriate time to return from dinner with friends.

Before they reached her house, she said, "When can I see you again?"

"K, it's not a good idea." I want to too.

"Staying away is not a good idea."

He didn't reply, as he opened his door and walked around to hers. She brushed past him getting out.

He cleared his throat. "I'll get your equipment."

The door opened, and he listened as she greeted the butler. When he carried her equipment and set it inside the door, she had disappeared. He felt her absence immediately.

"Thank you very much, sir."

He looked up at the butler and smiled. "It's Gray. Gray Hoffman."

He nodded. "I know you kept her safe. Thank you."

He stammered. "You're welcome. Good night."

"Good night to you too, Mr. Hoffman."

At least her butler respected him. It wasn't much of a consolation as he drove home. When he stepped out of the garage, Monty appeared.

He looked at Gray and sighed. "You look like shit."

Gray shrugged. After the amazing sex, he should look great. Monty followed him into his place. His eyes stopped at his bedroom door. The bed left no doubt what had transpired.

"Be careful. Her family is powerful."

Gray nodded. "I keep telling myself no more, but then I see her."

"Is she why you came home alone when you bought the mango."

He shrugged and sunk into his couch. "Compared to her, they all come up short."

"You know it will never last." He laughed. "Good thing you aren't looking for something lasting."

Gray felt uncomfortable and shifted his body. "It feels different. I don't know why."

"The damsel in distress saga. You'll get over it."

He looked at his best friend who had lived with a broken heart for years. "What if I don't?"

"You will. If I did you can."

Gray frowned. "Talk to me in ten years."

"You can always make a wish."

The magic fountain. "I'd wish for her parents to like me."

Monty laughed. "I met her mother. Even the fountain isn't that powerful." He patted Gray on the shoulder. "I love you, but you picked the wrong girl to get over your grief with."

Gray didn't respond, but gnawing in his mind was the feeling that he didn't consciously pick her. It was as if he woke up with her the first morning and his heart had opened up. Maybe it was all an illusion because she needed him.

As he tried to sleep, her scent brought comfort and emptiness. He finally drifted off, hoping she was thinking about him.

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