Suzy realized that Gray had cut off the ignition and was studying her reaction. She forced herself to shut the mouth that she knew was hanging open and gave him a nervous smile. There was simply no way she could insult this house. “Gray, it’s beautiful, but I’ll admit, I’m surprised. “
“Why is that, were you perhaps expecting something with pink flamingos?”
With a chuckle, Suzy said, “Not exactly, I’d have expected something more modern. You’re a big, rich, single guy on the prowl. This type of home might send the wrong message to your female fans. This house, although breathtaking, says, ‘I want two point five kids and a new mini-van in the drive-way.’
Gray studied her intently for a few moments and Suzy was powerless to turn away. He whispered one word that sent shivers down her spine, “Perfect.”
Gray walked around to the passenger side and opened the door. “I’m going to run unlock the door, and I’ll be back to carry you.” Suzy tried to edge her way towards the door, hoping to at least be standing when Gray returned. The sharp pain took her breath away. When Gray returned, her face was white and her uninjured leg was hanging out the car door. “Damn it, Suzanna, couldn’t you stay still for just two minutes?”
Unable to think of a snappy come-back, Suzy settled instead for sticking her tongue out at him, childish maybe, satisfying, definitely. Gray slid his hands under her as gently as he could and eased her out of the car. Each step he took caused a jarring pain in her ribs, but she kept her lips tightly pursed, determined not to look weak.
If Suzy thought she was in love with the house from the outside, the interior made it pale in comparison. The house had an open floor plan and soaring ceilings. The walls were painted a warm, pale yellow and a chandelier in the foyer bounced light off the shining hard-wood floors. “I know you would like to look around, but I think for now it would be best to get you settled in for some rest. Maybe later if you feel up to it, I’ll carry you around for a tour. Would you prefer the bed or couch in the family room?”
“The couch, I think. I’m tired of lying in the bed.”
Gray carried her through the foyer and into another brightly lit room in the same color scheme. There was a floor to ceiling stone fireplace on one wall with built-in bookshelves on the connecting wall. A row of windows framed in a light-colored wood made up another wall. A set of double French doors were situated in the middle of the windows and appeared to lead out onto a back deck. Suzy could see some lounge chairs and patio furniture arranged in seating areas around a barbeque grill and the sparkling waters of the Atlantic Ocean in the background.
Gray walked over to a tan leather sofa and gently deposited her onto it. He carefully arranged two decorative pillows behind her head and then took another pillow and propped her injured ankle on it. Next he grabbed a chenille throw from a nearby chair and covered her. When he was finished, he stood back to survey his work. Suzy could no longer hide her grimace of pain. Seeing it, Gray squatted down beside of the sofa and took her hand.
“You’re in pain; will you please take some medication now?”
Suzy wanted to say no. She was tired of the drugged feeling that the pain medication was giving her. The ride from the hospital and then the trip into the house was painful though, much worse than she’d imagined. She nodded her head to Gray in agreement and decided that there was always tomorrow to be strong and take a stand, the only person to suffer today for her stubbornness would be her.
Gray soon returned with a glass of water and a pill. He used his hand to support her head so that she wouldn’t have to jar her body again. Suzy murmured a quiet thank you and snuggled back into the couch cushions as best she could. Gray went to collect her luggage, and she was dimly aware of him calling Beth and telling her that they had made it home. When he came back into the room a few moments later, Suzy’s eyes were getting heavy and her thoughts were spinning.
With what she was certain was a dopey smile, she looked at Gray and said, “Thank you for everything. You’ve been so good during this mess, and I’ve never done anything to deserve your kindness.” As if by great effort, she whispered, “I do care about you, though, but you scare me Gray, you scare me so much.”
With those final words, Suzy slipped off to sleep. Gray stood beside the sofa looking down into the face of the woman he loved more than life itself. The words that Suzy had spoken were a great admission for her. She wasn’t likely to remember them when she woke again, but he would. He also knew what she’d said was true. He felt certain that Suzy more than cared for him, she loved him. Her heart, though, was damaged. She gave it years ago to her parents, and they treated it with nothing but criticism and indifference, and then she’d taken one more chance and given it to Jeff, and he shattered it. Repairing that heart and taking it as his own had been a long road, and it was far from over. He’d not have wished her harm in a million years, but the one positive to come from this accident was that Suzy’s running days were over. She was here with him now, and he intended to show her that they were each other’s forever after.
Suzy woke to a wonderful smell, and her nose twitched in appreciation. At first, disoriented from the unfamiliar surroundings, it took her several minutes to put the pieces together again. She was with Gray at his home. Apparently, he’d either left for take-out or had something delivered and whatever it was, it smelled delicious. Her stomach rumbled in appreciation.
Soon the object of various fantasies and a lot of denial came into view. “Oh good, the patient is awake. I thought you might be hungry by now. “
Suzy surveyed Gray’s casual attire and hadn’t thought it possible for her mouth to water any more than it already was…she was wrong. The man might look like a GQ model in a suite but in jeans, he was drop-dead gorgeous. He was wearing a Nike t-shirt and jeans that were faded from use and almost lovingly hugged his physique. Great, I look like a hag, smell even worse, and he looks as fresh as a daisy. Where is the justice in the world?
“Are you ready for something to eat? It’s just simple vegetable soup and grilled-cheese sandwiches. I thought we would have something light and then maybe a slice of lemon pound cake later this evening if you like.”
“Wow, I’m impressed. When did you go out to pick all that up?”
Gray looked at her and laughed. “I didn’t pick it up; I made it.”
Impressed despite herself, Suzy said, “Wow, now opening the soup can and making a sandwich I can see, but actually using a cake mix is more than most men I know could handle.”
Obviously amused by her statement, Gray said, “Prepare to be blown away then. I didn’t open a can, its homemade soup and I didn’t use a mix, I made the cake from scratch. Now while you tuck that bottom lip that’s hanging open back in, I’m going to go collect our trays.”
When Gray returned, he set two trays containing steaming bowls of soup, cornbread and ice tea on the coffee table. He grabbed another pillow, and positioned it behind her head as gently as possible. Then he picked up a tray and arranged it over her lap.
Suzy looked down at the tray on her lap in shock, “Holy shit, you have got to be kidding me! There is only one thing that I haven’t seen yet that could be wrong with you.”
A smile of supreme masculine confidence crossed Gray’s face as he leaned over her on the couch and put his lips to her ear. “Sweetheart, if you’re looking for a flaw, I promise you, it’s not that as you will soon find out.” Shivers ran down her spine as his warm lips paused to trace the contours of her ear and then dropped a brief kiss onto her lips before straightening up.
Her heart raced, and heat rushed through her body at the feel of his lips on hers. Good grief, girl, get it together. He barely touched you and you’re ready to roll your injured body off the couch and ride him like Sea Biscuit, geez. Suzy hoped the throw would hide the fact that her nipples were now standing at full attention. If a simple kiss could do this to her, she could only imagine how it would feel to have Gray inside of her. Stop before you experience your first thought-induced orgasm.
Suzy cleared her throat as she looked down at the tray that Gray had arranged on her lap. “I’m impressed, slick, I really am. If I didn’t know better, I’d say you actually cut up all these vegetables yourself.”
Gray sat in his own chair and tried to settle his tray over the throbbing bulge in his jeans. The feel of her lips still burned on his. To think that if not for the accident, he’d already know her body as well as he knew his own. Living with her and being unable to make love to her would be equal parts of heaven and hell.
Gray pointed to the large, flat-panel television that hung over the fireplace and said, “If you aren’t too tired, I thought we could watch a movie after dinner. I’m even willing to do a chick-flick for you. “
“Hey, it’s Thursday, right? What time is it?”
Gray quickly checked his watch, worried by the urgent tone in her voice. “It’s just after seven, did you have prior plans? I’ll grab my phone when we finish dinner if you need to make a call.” Surely, she didn’t have a date. Damned if he’d have her in his home making her apologies to another man.
“No, nothing like that, the Gamecocks are playing tonight on ESPN. Do you mind if we watch that instead? I have season tickets and I never miss a game if possible. If you don’t like football, maybe I could watch it in the bedroom.”
Gray couldn’t help it; he threw his head back and laughed. Here he was trying to earn points with her by watching a romantic movie without complaint, and she wanted to watch a college football game. If he didn’t already love her, this would do it for him. Every time he thought he knew her, he found another layer. What you saw with Suzy wasn’t even close to what you got. “I really had my heart set on Sleepless in Seattle, but for you, I’ll sacrifice. Meg Ryan will always be there tomorrow.”
“You’re messing with me, right?” Suzy took a bite of her soup while waiting for his answer and almost swooned in pleasure. “You know what? I don’t even care if you’re a little light in the loafers, this soup more than makes up for it. Where did you learn to cook like this?”
“Light in the loafers, now that’s something I’ve never been accused of.” Gray couldn’t remember laughing this much in an evening in years. The things that came out of that beautiful mouth were a constant source of amusement. She’d questioned his manhood at least twice this evening. That had to be some type of record. He’d so enjoy showing her that he was all the man she’d ever need.
“My mother believed that we should never be dependent on someone else to take care of us. Nick and I learned to cook at an early age. My parents, although financially secure, didn’t believe in having others take care of them. Nick and I planned, shopped for, and prepared dinner once a week for the family. Everything had to be made from scratch, and sandwiches were not allowed. My mother loved to cook, and I find I enjoy it as well. It’s a great stress reliever. Of course with my busy schedule, I don’t have time to cook every evening, but when I do, I much prefer it to dining out.”
Despite herself, Suzy was impressed. Gray was nothing like she’d imagined. She always pictured him as an uptight, rich guy, with an uptight, rich family. As she enjoyed the rest of her meal, she said, “Tell me more about your parents, what was it like growing up?”
A warm feeling spread through Gray at Suzy’s interest in his life. She’d always been so careful to maintain a distance between them. He knew she was trying to protect herself from being hurt again, and he’d tried to give her the time that she needed. She’d knocked him on his ass the first time they’d met and time had done nothing to change that.
“My parents are wonderful. Nothing like you’d expect. You will love my mother. You never know what’s going to come out of her mouth. She’s outspoken, funny, and always finds a positive in something or someone. She’s very affectionate, but doesn’t mind busting our balls…Um giving us a piece of her mind when she feels we deserve it. She reminds me a lot of you actually, well, minus the leopard skin. My father is her opposite. He’s quiet and dotes on my mother like some poor sap. She in turn treats him like a king. Don’t get me wrong, my father can be ruthless in business and is very shrewd, but where my mother is concerned, he’s putty in her hands. Even after all of these years, you would swear they’re newlyweds.”
Suzy smiled at the love she could hear so plainly in Gray’s voice, and waited for him to continue. “My mother’s favorite quest of the moment is to see her boys, as she still calls us, settled down and happy. She feels that there may be hope for me, but has her work cut out for her with Nick. He’s the baby of the family, and even though he has a hard time keeping his pants zipped, she can’t stay mad at him. Nick’s charm makes him a favorite with all the ladies, even our mother.” Affection was apparent in his voice; there wasn’t a hint of jealously that Suzy could detect.
