Play It Safe(48)

“Then you don’t see because that’s not it at all. Or you do see and you’re just bein’ a dick,” Gray stated, Casey looked back at him but Gray wasn’t done. “Now, seein’ as you looked out for her awhile, you’ll also see she’s standin’ on a porch in thirty degree weather wearin’ a shirt so I know you’ll want her to get warm. So maybe you’ll share with us what you’re doin’ here so we can be done with that and I can get my girl back in my house.”

When Gray didn’t move, extend an arm to the front door or give any indication this conversation would happen anywhere but where we were currently standing, Casey snapped, “Right, so I see you’re happy to have my sister in your bed but you won’t invite her brother in your house.”

“No, I won’t,” Gray confirmed. “Woulda but you f**ked that by makin’ your own way in and doin’ it with your shoulder in my chest. You cool down, get your head outta your ass and prove to me you’re not an ass**le, you’ll get that invitation. Though, I’ll warn you, after the way you’ve acted and the shit that came outta your mouth directed at my girl, that’s gonna take awhile. So today you’re not gonna feel my hospitality. Now we got that straight, what the f**k are you doin’ here?”

Casey’s eyes went shifty and I instantly knew what he was doing there.

“You wanna give me a second alone with my sister?” he requested, trying to force his voice to normal but the irate still came out.

“No,” Gray replied shortly and said no more.

Casey glared at him.

Gray didn’t move or say a word.

I opened my mouth to speak but Gray got there before me.

“Tomorrow, nine o’clock, I meet you at the diner. I’ll have five hundred dollars with me.” I sucked in breath and my body went still but Gray wasn’t done. “You’ll take it and be happy with that. You get no more. Not from me, never from Ivey.”

“Gray,” I whispered, giving his middle a squeeze but he didn’t move, didn’t look down at me, didn’t tear his eyes from Casey.

Casey didn’t move either, just stood on Gray’s front walk, glaring up at him.

“Am I wrong?” Gray asked into the silence. “You’re here to hit Ivey up.”

Casey visibly clenched his teeth.

Yep. Just as I knew and Gray knew, Gray was right.

My brother.

Gray continued, “Five hundred dollars. Tomorrow at the diner. Nine o’clock. Then you’re done and you do whatever you gotta do but Ivey isn’t part of it. Get me?”

Casey didn’t move or speak.

“You get me,” Gray muttered then ordered, “In your car, man, off my land and until I give the all-clear, you don’t come back. You do, the door doesn’t open. I pick up the phone and call the cops and I know you don’t want that. And you don’t know me so I’ll educate you, I do not make threats. You with me?”

Casey remained immobile and silent.

Gray waited.

I waited.

Then Gray was done waiting.

“Car, Casey,” he said softly and finished with, “now.”

Casey glared at him then he transferred it to me then he turned and stomped to his car.

I watched, holding onto Gray, trembling and not with cold.

Gray watched too, shifting only to wrap an arm around my shoulders and pull me deeper into him.

Casey got in his car, reversed too fast then sped down Gray’s lane.

When we lost sight of him, Gray immediately turned us and walked me swiftly into his house, shutting and locking the door.

I pulled away, looked up at him and whispered, “I’ll give you the five hundred dollars tomorrow to give to Casey.”

I had it. Yes, tips were that good. But it would be a huge hit.

“You fallin’ in love with me?”

Gray asked that and when he did my thoughts about my tip money going to Casey went up in flames and so did my cheeks and most of my body.

“Sorry?” I was still whispering.

“Are you falling in love with me?” Gray asked.

I stared in his deep blue eyes with their russet tipped lashes.

Then I said quietly, “Yes.”

Then suddenly it was me that was over Gray’s shoulder and we were going up the stairs.

Fast.

“Gray!” I cried, my hands holding onto his waist but he said not a word and we were up the stairs, down the hall and in his room in no time flat.

Then I was flying through the air then flat on my back in Gray’s bed.

Then Gray was on top of me.

“Right,” he said, both his hands moving to frame my face, “I wanna be inside you. Jesus, God, I wanna be inside you but I can’t have that, I can’t give you that so I’m gonna give you my mouth then teach you how to give me yours. That good for you?”

Oh my.

“Yes,” I whispered.

“Good,” he whispered back.

Then he kissed me.

Then he gave me his mouth.

Then he taught me how to give him mine.

It was unbelievably awesome.

And we were so into it, neither of us noticed we got crackers, cheese, apple and store bought cookies all over the bed.

Chapter Sixteen

I Looked Out for Me