Grace (The ‘Hello’ series)

13. Chapter 13

thirteen

M y sleep is so dense, so easy, so refreshing that the soft buzzing beside me does almost nothing until I hear Ashley’s voice.

“Grace, please turn off your phone!” she yells through the apartment, and I pat my hand on my nightstand, searching for my phone.

I hit Accept and groan softly.

Whoever’s calling is too early. I rest my phone against my ear and barely resist the urge to groan into the phone like a zombie.

“You are late. That’s not how I expect you to behave when it comes to work, Grace.” Daniel’s voice is commanding and sharp.

I blink myself awake, open my eyes, and look at the time. Holy shit. “Oh, no. No. No.”

“Here. Now,” he orders. “I don’t care if you’re here in your pajamas.”

I peek down at my oversized shirt and panties.

“No, I do. Get dressed and get here,” he says.

I’ve never changed faster in my life, gliding into a loose-fitted dress that lingers above my knees. But as it grazes over my hip, I hiss and stare down. A purple bruise stares back at me and my brows knit. What happened…? Oh, right…

Hazy memories fill me as I recall my tumble. A stupid, embarrassing spill when I tried to get off Ben’s bike in front of my apartment. Oh, God, Ben.

I shake my head and slide into my heels as I hurry into the bathroom, splash some cold water on my face, and quickly brush my teeth.

My heels click on the ground as I run toward the front door. Ashley groans from the couch, and I have to blink twice as I see Marko lying on the floor next to her.

“Don’t ask,” she mumbles.

“I won’t,” I say as I try to grab my bag, but it slips through my fingers. “Damn it,” I curse and lean back to try again and clutch it tightly in my hand as I hurry out of the apartment. The world around me is a blur. My heart won’t slow and my palms turn sweaty. It isn’t until I’m parked at the office that I come back to my senses, at least enough to catch my breath.

With the car turned off, I run my fingers through my fuzzy red hair and make an attempt to tie it as neatly as possible in a high ponytail. A few strands escape my touch and frame my face. My heart races in my chest, and I close my eyes to take a deep breath.

This is it. He’s going to yell at me, scream how worthless I am, prove that if I’m not perfect, I’m nothing at all. I just know it.

With one last breath, I get out of my car, lock it, and rush into the building.

By the time I get to our floor, everyone is leaving the conference room.

My shoulders sink, and I nibble on the inside of my cheek as I head to the conference room as Melissa gives me a pitying look. She walks forward. “Are you okay?”

“Yeah. I just… I completely forgot about the meeting,” I say honestly.

“I have a feeling a certain boss is going to be unhappy with you,” she says before looking over her shoulder. “He’s been in a mood all day. Good luck. I hope you’re not fired.”

Stacy shoots me a glare as she walks by, her hip crashing against mine as she sneers at me. “Stupid girl.”

I stumble and clasp the edge of my desk. My hand moves to my hip as I hold back the whimper. I suck in my groan and look up, meeting Daniel’s gaze. He watches me, then jerks his chin toward his office.

“Somebody’s in trouble,” Ms. Castain hisses, and my jaw tightens.

Pushing myself off the desk, I run my hands over my dress, smoothing it slightly as I walk into Daniel’s office under his intense, expectant glower. I don’t need any more than that to hurry into his office and walk past him.

The door shuts behind me, making me flinch, and the blinds close in the next second. I rub over my throbbing hip as I take a slow breath.

“I’m so sorry I was late. I’m so sorry that I… I’m sorry,” I rush out, unable to look at him as he moves around me.

He pauses in front of me, the warmth of his body seeping into mine, and gently, his fingers hook under my chin, tilting my head as he forces me to meet his gaze.

“I was so worried about you.” His gaze drops to my hand, lingering on my bruised hip. “Are you hurt?”

“It’s fine! It’s nothi—”

He closes in, his hand dropping to my back as he crouches slightly. In one move, his arm is under my ass and he picks me up and sets me on his desk.

“Show me,” he says, and my breath hitches.

His eyes burn through mine as he inches closer. His fingers carefully move up my thighs and to the hem of my dress.

Why is he worried about this? He should be furious. I shake my head slowly, and he pauses. “I know I’m in trouble,” I whisper.

“You’re not in trouble,” he disagrees. “You’re… It was an off the books meeting, and I didn’t remind you on Friday. Now, show me what’s hurting you. You’re still holding your hip. It has to hurt, darling. Let me take care of it.”

My whole body warms, and a soft whimper leaves my throat as Daniel edges closer, his palms spreading over my thighs. His fingers graze over the sides of my ass, and he takes a slow breath.

“How hurt are you?” he asks.

“It’s okay, really. It’s… It’s just a bruise,” I insist.

He lifts one hand from my hip to my face, gently cupping my cheek. “How fast did you rush to get here?”

“Very fast. I ran,” I mumble.

He shakes his head but softens his hand on my face. He presses his forehead to my face. “You terrified me. I’d feel better if I… see.”

“That… that…” All I can see is where that would go, how it would lead to so much more. I’d be all on display. “I’m wearing a dress. It’s not appropriate. We’re in your office, and…”

“And you don’t want this?” he asks softly. “If that’s what you need to say, go ahead and get it out. I’ll let you go.”

“You’re my boss,” I breathe, trying to remember all my reasons. “My ex’s—”

“I’m very aware of how wonderful your memory is, darling.”

“But I forgot about the meeting. I’m so ashamed. I can’t believe I slept through my alarm and—”

“And it’s a Sunday, which isn’t a normal work day, and it’s not what’s important right now,” he says. “What happened Friday in the meeting, that’s much more important.”

I shiver under that reminder. How is it possible to think about the office behind us when Daniel is staring into my soul like he wants me all to himself, like he knows this is bad and is willing to shoulder anything that could happen just for one kiss?

My breasts strain against my bra and dress, and I can’t breathe. Everything is too tight and overwhelming. How can I…? I lick over my bottom lip, and he groans.

“Tell me you don’t want me. Tell me that seeing my tabs open and knowing I’m thinking of you doesn’t drive you insane. Tell me you were going to push me away before we were interrupted on Friday.”

And that’s the thing… I can’t. If I could, maybe this would be easier. If flirting with Ben last night had felt just like this moment, I could be done, but all I want is Daniel.

My words all get stuck in my throat, and none of them can get free. I don’t know what I’d say, anyway. I can’t lie and tell him I would have stopped him. I can’t tell him that I’ve watched porn since seeing his. I can’t tell him that I want him.

“Tell me something , Grace. I don’t want to be wrong where you’re concerned,” he insists.

I move a bit and put my hand on my side again. Daniel’s eyes sharpen, and then he grabs my dress and drags it over my hip. I look down with him, and a sharp groan escapes him as we both look at my panties, fully revealed. Then he hisses as he grazes his thumb over the bruise. One that seems a lot worse than I thought earlier.

“It’s fine. I just… I, um, bruise easily.”

“Grace, please, you’re killing me.” He sighs and drops to his knees, his touch never leaving my skin.

“Daniel,” I breathe, and his lips trail over my knee. It’s so soft, so gentle. Heat radiates out from the kiss, then goosebumps rise on my skin as his breath tickles the same spot.

My stomach coils, and something deep down pulses as his lips trail higher, curving to the outside of my thigh until he gently kisses the mark on my hip.

My lips part as a soft moan spills from my throat. My fingers flex on the desk, desperate to hold on to something as the room spins around me.

Daniel pauses, his breath fanning over my heated skin. “Stay right here. I’m getting you ice.”

Again, words fail me. I’m choked up by surprise, confusion, too many emotions to name. The lust is something new and surprising. I can’t ignore how my body tries to set itself on fire whenever he touches me. I can’t delude myself into thinking I’m just into older men or men I shouldn’t really want, considering Ben at the tattoo studio didn’t do anything for me.

His motorcycle did more because it was a taste of freedom, of having something reckless for no other reason than I wanted it. Can’t I do the same with Daniel? It’s not like I’m married to this job. It’s not like I owe Sebastian anything. I could just… give in a bit.

I jerk my dress back down and almost get off the desk when Daniel comes back in. He locks the door behind him, and my throat closes, wondering what that means.

He’s in front of me in a blink and gently places a bag of ice wrapped in a paper towel against my hip.

“You’re driving me insane, Grace. I can’t think straight when you’re around,” he says, his voice sounding huskier than I’ve ever heard it.

“Daniel—”

“When we’re in meetings and you’re next to me, my eyes are on your notes, then your thighs, then your fiery hair that never stays in place. If this is one-way, I need to know now ,” he emphasizes.

I swallow with difficulty.

“I want you , Grace. I know it’s wrong. I know that it’s not professional. I know plenty of people who would be confused, disgusted, whatever by this, but I want you and I can’t take the silence anymore. I’ve been reading your eyes, your panting breaths, your blushes, the way you seem to swoon for me, but I need your words. What do you feel for me ?” he insists, staring into my eyes with such intensity and sincerity.

I know that I don’t have a choice but to answer, no matter what it does to us, to me, to the peace I’ve just started to get to know.