Total pages in book: 66
Estimated words: 66323 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 332(@200wpm)___ 265(@250wpm)___ 221(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 66323 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 332(@200wpm)___ 265(@250wpm)___ 221(@300wpm)
Because Gray definitely isn’t a secret.
He’s just new.
I left Seattle at four-thirty this morning. Too keyed up to sleep, I packed right after hanging up with Liv.
Less than five hours later—and thanks to the address Maya managed to text me—I pull into the driveway of a large house on a big lake in northern Idaho.
I have no idea how Maya managed to get my number from Gray, but I’m so grateful that she did because I really want this to be a surprise for Gray.
He’ll either be happy or ask me why in the world I thought it was appropriate to come to his family’s home during an emergency—which wouldn’t be wrong.
I asked myself that at least fifty times during the five-hour drive here this morning.
I step out of the car and shut the door, nervous about which reception I’ll receive from the man I came to see.
But before I can even walk up to the front door, it opens wide, and Gray comes hurrying outside, his face intense.
Crap. He’s not happy to see me.
“I’m sorry—”
Before I can complete the thought, he grips my ass and lifts me, simply lifts me as if I weigh nothing at all and kisses me with more intensity and passion than I’ve ever felt from another human being in my life.
“You came,” he says at last as he tips his forehead to mine. “Jesus, it’s like I conjured you out of my imagination.”
“I took a gamble and came,” I admit and frame his face in my hands. “I should have told you.”
“It’s the best surprise of my life,” he says with a soft smile, and the vulnerability in his eyes is breathtaking. “I’m glad you’re here.”
He finally sets me on my feet and takes my hand, bringing it to his lips to kiss my knuckles.
“Can we discuss this house?” I ask, taking it in before we go inside.
“Sure, what do you want to know?”
“You made it seem like your family had a simple house on the lake. One you grew up in. This is a freaking compound. Who are you, a Kennedy?”
Gray laughs and shakes his head. “Not hardly. Dad’s a cardiologist.”
“Ah.” I nod and follow Gray into the house. When I see the view through the wide windows in the living area, I gasp. “Holy shit, that’s gorgeous.”
“Yes, it is.”
I look his way and roll my eyes when I see that he’s looking at me.
“So charming.” I walk to the windows and admire the blue water and the bald eagle soaring over the lake, looking for his breakfast.
“Dad’s already at the hospital,” Gray says and wraps his arms around my middle from behind. “Maya’s still asleep, and Sidney should be rolling up in about an hour.”
“Then I should make breakfast,” I suggest and turn in his arms, finding him laughing at me. “What did I say?”
“Do you just enjoy feeding people in the morning?”
“I—” I shut my mouth and narrow my eyes on him. “I’m hungry. I left the house before five and haven’t had anything to eat.”
“Then I’d better feed you,” he says before gently kissing my lips. “There’s always plenty of food around here. Do you want some coffee?”
“I might sell my soul for some coffee,” I confirm as he leads me into a gorgeous kitchen with ornately trimmed woodwork and more of that beautiful view just beyond the breakfast nook, where I take a seat and watch Gray bustle about as he fills a mug for me and then gets to work heating up some food.
“Are those potatoes?” I ask as I stir the cream into my coffee.
“Yes, along with quiche and a cinnamon roll.”
“Who does the cooking around here?” I ask with a grin. “That’s quite the spread.”
“My dad cooks when he’s stressed, and it’s not always the heart-healthy foods that he preaches about in the office. Although, I think my mom made the cinnamon rolls the other day. You won’t go hungry here.”
“It’s probably better food than the hotel offers,” I agree and pop a potato into my mouth, sighing in happiness.
“What hotel?”
We both turn at the sound of the woman’s voice, and I smile.
“You must be Maya.”
“And you must be Stella,” she replies with a grin. “And what is this talk about a hotel?”
“Well, I’d rather not sleep in my car, so I reserved a room at the resort on the lake. It looked really nice from the website.”
“You’re not staying there,” Maya says firmly, and I turn to Gray with a raised eyebrow.
“You heard her,” is all he says.
“Then where am I staying?” I ask them.
“I don’t know if you noticed, but this house is big,” Maya replies. “There is plenty of room here. Just please, I beg you, if you do…things…please don’t make me listen to them.”
“I don’t think I intend to do…things…in your parents’ house.”