Page 41 of Grayson’s Challenge

“I thought we were going to your parents’ home.”

“Neither of us would be able to relax there. Besides, your mother doesn’t know that we haven’t reached your brothers yet. The moment she looks at you, she would know. And I don’t think she needs any more worries.”

Monique nodded. “You’re right.”

She didn’t want to face her mother, because she couldn’t be strong for her right now, when she was close to breaking down herself.

“Come,” Grayson said.

They got out of the car, and Grayson took her travel bag out of the trunk. Moments later, they were inside his loft, and the door shut behind them. Silence greeted them, and Monique took a deep breath.

She followed Grayson into the open-plan kitchen, where he opened the refrigerator and took out two bottles of blood. He handed her one.

“Here, you need your strength.” He twisted the cap open and started drinking.

Monique opened her bottle, and did the same. When the viscous red liquid coated her tongue and throat, she felt her cells awaken with new energy. Her entire body seemed to revitalize. Her senses sharpened, and her mind became clearer.

She emptied the bottle and set it on the kitchen counter. “Thank you. I needed that.”

Grayson set his empty bottle down next to hers and took her hand. “Come.”

She allowed him to lead her to the large sectional sofa in the living area. He sat down and pulled her on his lap, so she straddled him.

“What are you doing?” Monique asked, but didn’t try to get up. She liked being close to him.

“I want to hold you,” he murmured and pulled her to his chest.

She put her arms around him and pressed her cheek to his. The embrace felt comforting and made some of the tension in her body seep from her.

“Do you believe that we’ll find your dad and mine soon?”

“Yes,” he murmured. “Our best people are working on this. We will find them, I promise you. And then we both get to apologize to them.”

Monique pulled back and looked at his face. “You too? What did you say to your father?”

“I told him to stay out of my life, or he would regret it.” He gave a light shake of his head. “Now I’m the one who’s regretting it. It was a stupid fight. I was out of line. And for what? Because I didn’t even want to meet with you, just because the idea was my father’s.” He sucked in a breath. “When in reality, Dad really does know what’s good for me.” He pinned her with his eyes. “You are good for me.”

“We barely know each other,” she said though his words made her feel warm inside. But she didn’t want to read too much into her relationship with Grayson. She couldn’t trust her own feelings right now, not with the rollercoaster that she was on.

“Then we’ll have to make an effort to get to know each other better.” He lifted his hand and stroked his knuckles over her cheek. “Don’t you agree?”

His gaze lowered, and she realized that he was looking at her lips. She inhaled, taking in his masculine scent, and the fact that they needed to rest was suddenly forgotten. She was drawn to Grayson like a bee to the sweet nectar of a flower. Maybe their fathers had been right after all to try to bring them together. It couldn’t hurt to get to know Grayson better. Nobody had to know.

“But we won’t tell anybody about what’s happening between us,” she conceded. In case this didn’t work out, she didn’t want to have to answer anybody’s questions.

“Just you and I. Nobody needs to know about this.” Grayson put his hand on her nape and drew her closer to his face, until their lips were almost touching. “I’ve never been with a woman like you.”

“Like how?”

“Strong, demanding, bossy.”

“You think I’m bossy?”

“Oh, hell, yeah. And I love it.”

He slanted his lips over hers, not demanding but coaxing her to part them, waiting for her to invite him in. He gave her control over what was going to happen. And she needed that right now, needed to be in control of something, because everything else in her life was spinning out of control.

Monique licked over the seam of Grayson’s lips and felt them part.