Page 66 of Praised
Shovingmy Sunday night tips into my pocket, it was impossible to not think about how easy my life would be if Flynn had his way. I’d made a couple hundred dollars, which was better than nothing, but still far less than he’d spent on me when he’d taken me shopping Friday afternoon.
As it was, the lace and satin on the panties he bought for me over the weekend were the most decadent pieces of clothing I’d ever owned, and the way the ones I currently wore cupped my balls was deserving of sonnets and songs. The material had long since warmed from my own body heat, and the soft touch of them on my most sensitive parts had me strung as tight as a high wire, even without Flynn nearby.
He’d wanted me to stay the whole weekend, and of course I wanted that too. But I’d told him no. I spent as much of the day Friday with him as my heart could manage, then I’d gone back to my very small one bedroom apartment where I shared a pizza with Drake and fielded more angry texts and calls from Cody. Flynn knew I worked over the weekend and even though he was clearly anxious to see me again—and the underwear he’d bought me—we didn’t have set plans.
I figured I would give him a call in a couple of days and maybe make plans for later in the week. I didn’t want to appear too eager, even though I was. Things with Flynn had the potential to beso good,if only I could let them, but it was near impossible to get over myself. For as much as I wanted him, there were still so many things about him that triggered my alarms. I hated it. I fought myself on it. But it wasn’t going to be an easy road.
And, anyway, what was the point.
Thirty days and then nothing.
God, this was stupid.
I pushed the door open, debating the sanity of every life choice I’d ever made, tripping over my feet when I found a shiny black Audi parked right next to my car. Much like Flynn had done in the past, a man leaned against it, legs crossed at the ankle and arms folded in front of his chest. I’d never seen him before, but I would have bet my pocket full of cash he knew Flynn. He looked up when the door opened, the alley light washing his face in a pale amber glow that made him look closer to my age than Flynn’s. I wondered who he was. How old he was. What he wanted.
He gave me a onceover, then straightened up, uncrossing his arms and stretching one out to me like he wanted a handshake.
“Do I know you?” I asked, coming to a stop after the door swung closed behind me.
He cocked his head to the side, chin tipped up while he stared at me down the bridge of his nose. He was taller than me, but still short. He’d just learned how to better compensate for it. I mirrored the posture, wondering how it would make me feel.
“You’re about to.” He gave his hand another shake in my direction until I took it and returned the gesture. “I’m Grayson. I’m friends with Flynn.”
“I figured.”
Grayson let go of my hand and shoved his into his pocket. “You’re Rose?”
I nodded.
“Short for something or did your parents just like to garden?”
I huffed, blinking slowly. “Short for Ambrose.”
“That’s a hell of a name for…” He looked me up and down as he trailed off, leaving the quiet part unspoken.
“Go on,” I encouraged. “Hell of name for someone like me?”
“Someone like you?” He repeated it back to me like the intent of my initial statement wasn’t clear. “What do you think I meant?”
“Nothing.”
“What do you think I meant?” he asked again, voice taking on a stern edge that compelled me to answer him.
I gestured at myself, then at him, and shrugged. “I’m not anything special.”
Grayson laughed and pushed off the car, coming toward me with long and sure strides. He looked like he was ready to smack me upside my head, so I squared my shoulders and again tried to look at him the way he’d looked at me, down the nose with the chin held high.
He stopped in front of me and grinned, blue eyes sparkling. “It would take a man with a name like Ambrose to bring Flynn Galloway to his fucking knees.”
The words registered, but they didn’t make any sense. I cleared my throat and took a step back, but my heel bumped into the stair and I fell right on my ass. Embarrassed and tired, I didn’t even bother getting up. Grayson, for his part, looked absolutely unbothered. He kicked my feet out of the way and sat down beside me, both of us starting at our cars across the alleyway.
“What’s your damage, kid?” he asked.
“I’m not a kid.”
“What’s your damage,Ambrose?”
I could hear the eye roll in his voice.
