Sweet Billionaire Stepbrother(11)

7: Layla


“Thanks for helping me with Carmen and her uncle. You handled that so professionally.” I smiled up at him as we quickly made our way back to our table. Everyone would be wondering why we’d been gone for such a long time.

Grayson laughed. “You’re welcome. It’s all part of my training and compared to some of the things I need to tell family members that was easy.”

My stepbrother was nothing short of amazing. In a firm and authoritative manner, he’d explained to Tim that his niece could not be left to her own devices under any circumstances. When the uncle came up with the lame excuse that he wasn’t a female and couldn’t go into the ladies room, Grayson reminded him that the wait staff would most probably have been happy to assist Carmen if he’d only have asked.

For a moment his expression grew serious. “I’m so proud of the way you settled Carmen so quickly. You really have a knack with your patients. Carmen loves you . . . nearly as much as I do.” He stopped in his tracks, gripped my shoulders and gently pulled me to him before brushing his lips over the top of my forehead, sending shivers down my spine.

Relax, Layla. It’s just a Grayson thing. He kissed Carmen’s forehead too. It’s what he does to settle people, he’s done it to you a thousand times before. It doesn’t mean anything.

He pulled away and in a playful voice, he added, “I wish I had a sexy physiotherapist like you when I had those sports injuries at school. I may have actually looked forward to the treatments. Instead it was like damn torture with Miss I’ll-fix-you-even-if-I-kill-you.”

Sexy? Don’t read anything into it, girl.

Miss Watson’s reputation for being a sergeant major style physiotherapist was still a joke around campus.

“Luckily she’s retired and gone off to Scotland.” I laughed and carried on walking back to our table.

“Well, I’m almost tempted to play sport again just so you can be my therapist.” His voice was low and husky, as if he really meant it.

I turned and swatted his arm. “Don’t be silly. And I can be tough too when I need to be. Don’t test me,” I warned, both hands on my hips.

“Lala, you are too sweet to ever be mean. I have no doubt you can be firm when needed, but there’s a difference to being bitchy just for the sake of it and telling someone what they need to hear and do. Miss Watson had a score to settle with the male population.”

He cleared his throat. When he spoke, his tone of voice had changed. “Promise me something?”

Shrugging, I eyed him suspiciously. I hated making promises I wasn’t able to keep, so it was a motto of mine to never make agreements idly.

“Depends on what it is.”

“Promise me to stay as sweet as you are. Your innocence is refreshing.”

What the hell did that mean? Did he think I was na?ve?

“I . . . um—” Luckily we’d reached the table and everyone’s eyes were on us, so I didn’t answer him.

“What took you so long?” Mum asked as she dabbed the corners of her mouth with a napkin. “The food arrived and since everyone was starving, we started without you.”

My gaze stayed glued to the chair that Grayson had pulled out next to him. Thankful, I sat down, my knees feeling uncharacteristically shaky. My mouth salivated when I saw my salad. Maybe I was hungry after all and had hit a sugar low.

“So tell me about the shopping. Found a dress?” Grayson directed his question at Sloane who sat next to me, yet his eyes were trained on me. I pretended not to notice and took a big bite of salad, keeping my jaws occupied with chewing so I didn’t say anything stupid.

From my peripheral vision I could see he was frowning again, as if something bothered him. Every time the subject of the ball came up, something about him changed subtly.

I wasn’t opening that can of worms. My dress, or rather lack of a dress, and my date with Seth wasn’t any of his damn business. And more importantly, I was determined to ignore the way he was staring at me. Yet, I couldn’t help a small shiver running up my spine. The man was unnerving me big time.

Sloane rambled on about how difficult it was to shop with me. Apparently Grayson was amused with her story as he laughed out loud several times. He’d dug into his food and carried on asking her questions between mouthfuls. He focused on her completely which of course, made her practically f*cking glow.

Chewing on another mouthful of lettuce, I nearly choked as my gaze fell on Seth and his mother entering the restaurant.

Of all the places in Sydney, they had to choose this one?

Then I remembered that my mother and his usually played tennis on Tuesdays and Mum had mentioned they often came to Tony’s afterwards for lunch.

I let my gaze run over Seth. He looked hot in a fitted pair of jeans that sat low on his hips and a skin tight sleeveless t-shirt that showed his ripped biceps to perfection. He had a scowl on his handsome face that lifted the second he spotted me.

Seth’s wide mouth turned up in a smile. He tugged his mother’s arm and pulled her in our direction.

“Hello, Mrs. Forbes,” he greeted Mum as he got to our table. Much to my astonishment he leaned right over and kissed me on the lips. “Hey, babe. Ready for tomorrow night?”

“Babe?” Grayson questioned, his voice low and ominous; I swear he actually growled.