Page 59 of Getting Down to Business

Chapter 12

“I’ve never been so disappointed in my life,” Alyssa said, stifling a laugh after they’d caught their breath.

“Excuse me?” Gray propped himself up on his elbow, looking indignant. She let him suffer for another second before she explained.

“I wish I could purr.” She smiled and stretched out against him like a cat. “It’s the only noise that could possibly express the way I feel right now, and I can’t do it.”

“I don’t want to be one of those people who says, ‘I told you so,’ but…”

“Go ahead. You’ve earned it.”

“So you enjoyed yourself?” he asked with a grin.

“You couldn’t tell?”

“I think I could tell you enjoyed yourself like three times.”

“I guess you’ve earned the right to be smug too.”

“Thank you,” he said with a big smile as he lay back on his pillow. He obviously didn’t need her permission to be smug. Smugness was seeping out of every pore. She found it adorable.

She didn’t want to tell him he was right about something else too. His little exercise had led to an exchange of trust between them. He’d been patient with her as she worked out her insecurities enough to tell him what she liked and didn’t like.

She’d had sex many times, but she never let go and enjoyed herself as much as she did tonight with Gray. The first waves of regret seeped in threatening her happiness.

Couldn’t she just have this one time to enjoy being close to a man without the guilt? He’d made it all about her because he wanted her to feel good. He didn’t understand. He’d done something nice for her. He deserved a parade that wasn’t clouded over with her issues.

“At the risk of making your head so big it won’t fit out the door, I just want to say thank you for taking the time.”

He turned his head to look at her. He was still smiling, but it was more natural now.

“It was hot,” he told her, then looked away. It was obvious he wanted to say something else. She would have pressed, but she wasn’t sure she wanted to hear it.

“We’re still going out with Doug later?” she checked.

“I kind of wish I would have said no so we can just stay in and do this all night.”

“Stay in? It’s Friday.”

“People do it.” He shrugged as she went to get ready.

An hour later they were walking into MacGregor’s. The place was full. Gray offered to go get their drinks while Doug scoured the place for a table.

She was impressed when a few seconds later, he was waving her over to a booth. Gray carried the three pints over to their table as she scooted across the bench.

They all made the same sound of appreciation when they swallowed that first gulp.

“So you’re a woman,” Doug said.

“Kind of.” She smiled over her glass.

“I can vouch for her. I’ve seen all the parts.” Gray’s smug smile was back.

“What do you think of me? Am I okay looking?” Doug asked.

“What’s this? Don’t I tell you you’re sexy enough, Dougie?” Gray joked, but she could see the sincere doubt in Doug’s eyes.

She made a show of looking him over and then nodded.