Bewitching You (15 page)

His nice, tight, athletic butt
.

She’d had another dream of him. Just before dawn, she’d awakened in a sweat and couldn’t go back to sleep. Knowing he was down the hall when she’d reached orgasm, alone in her grandmother’s bed, was fairly humiliating. What if he’d heard? She was pretty vocal in her dreams, but had no idea if she revealed that in her sleep.

Thankfully, he was still fast asleep when she’d checked on him. He’d left his door wide open and was wrapped up in the white linens. Naked, with Sam the traitor cat curled up at his feet.

Not that she’d seen Gray’s...manly component, only his thigh. Calf. Ankle. Chest.

The muscle line that curved down his stomach to his...
That
she did
not
see.

Quit being such a prude, Sofe
.

“Morning.” His deep voice rumbled over her shoulder, close enough for her to smell his minty breath.

She jumped and noticed the eggs needed to be stirred pronto.
Focus
!

“Didn’t mean to startle you,” he said, and casually slipped his hand onto her waist.

Like she was his girlfriend. Darn, why did it have to feel so good? Make her feel so secure?

“You’ve been busy.” He settled his chin on her shoulder and eyed her most recent disaster. “It smells great.”

“You are a horrible liar, Grayson Phillips.”

“I would never lie to you, Sofia Good.”

She stifled the urge to turn her head and see the expression on his face. “Well, I guess I believe you, considering you only have a couple of hours tops to
never
lie to me.”

“Getting rid of me so fast?” The warmth of his body disappeared, and Sofia slumped her stiff shoulders.

She watched from the corner of her eye as he walked to the other side of the kitchen and stared out the window. Silent and somber.

His dark hair was damp and curly from showering. His wrinkled blue dress shirt was untucked from his dark jeans and his sleeves were rolled up. The white t-shirt with the stain was partially crammed into his back pocket. Even ruffled, he was a gorgeous man. The dreams didn’t do him justice.

Sighing, she plopped the eggs on a plate and carried them to the table she’d already set.

“This is kind of nice,” he said, still looking out at the cornfields.

“What is?” She stood next to him and tried to see exactly what he was seeing.

“This.” A cute grin pushed up the sides of his lips as he looked down at her. “I grew up in the city, so this is a treat for me. No noise. Just the sound of the grandfather clock ticking and you and me talking. It’s nice.”

“Oh.”

The man didn’t look like the country type, but who was she to argue? Maybe this was part of his recent crisis. What does a shrewd, controlling businessman with his whole big, glorious life planned out in front of him do when everything and everyone wilts away in such a short time span?

Well, he goes to see the desperate girl from his dreams and hopes she’ll make him feel better, that’s what he does
.

“Hungry?” Sofia asked, suddenly realizing he hadn’t broken eye contact.

“Yes.” His gaze dipped down to her chest, making Sofia want to curb his hunger in a way that wasn’t prudish in any shape or form. “Nana pick that off the clearance rack too?” He smiled with his whole face as he read the words on her chest.

“What?”
Good Lord
. What had she put on this morning? She’d been in such a haze, she’d simply thrown on whatever she’d stuffed in her duffle bag. “Please don’t let it be the
Sweet Dreams Are Made Of These
shirt.” The one with the hot pink words that spread across her breasts.

“It most certainly is.”

“This is mortifying. Listen, I’m really not trying to lead you on. I saw a white t-shirt, so I grabbed it because white matches everything, right? My mom gave it to me as a practical joke. Honestly, I didn’t think it was very funny, but I kept the shirt because I didn’t want to hurt her feelings. Nana always teases my mom that the boob gene skipped a generation, but I never laugh. My mom is drop-dead gorgeous and she doesn’t need boobs, really. And I packed this shirt, thinking I won’t see another living soul for the next few days. Of course, now you’re here, but I wasn’t thinking this morning because of the dream I had of you last night. I just
couldn’t
think. Of anything. I was lucky to put two and two together and get dressed. I don’t even know if I remembered to put on underwear.” She finally stopped rambling and took a breath.

“You dreamed of me last night?”

Nice, Sofe
. Of course he would pick that out of all the babbling mess that had left her lips. She heaved out a breath. “Yeah. It was really no big deal.” Her cheeks burned from the memory of how big a deal it actually was.

“No big deal? Am I not satisfying you in these dreams you’re having?” His smile disintegrated into an indignant frown.

“Um.” How was she going to get out of this one? He’d satisfied her completely, as always, but she didn’t want to tell
him
that.

“Was it just last night that I failed you? Because the reason could be I didn’t dream of you for the first time in over a month. Maybe there’s some sort of—” He waved his hands. “I don’t know what. Something’s missing. I mean, if I believe in this seeing the future…” He let his sentence fade, biting into his lip.

“It was fine, Gray. What do you mean you didn’t dream of me?” Could it be that her plan to get this guy out of her future was working? If so, why did it make her feel awful?

“Fine? I was
fine
?”

“You were brilliant, okay? Can we eat now?” Sofia slumped down into a chair. The food before her didn’t look so edible anymore.

Why
couldn’t
she have the hot guy?

Well, Sofe, because he’s only here to mend his wounds
. Then he’d leave and break her heart. The dreams never guaranteed he’d love her forever, did they now?

“Brilliant?” His smile lit up again as he sat opposite her. “Are you saying that to appease me?”

“No,” Sofia said, solemnly. “You rocked my world. Again.”

“Why do you look upset about it then?”

“I’m not upset. I’m hungry.” She forked some cold eggs onto her plate, then into her mouth to prove her point.

He followed suit, filling his plate with everything she’d prepared. “So, you’re not wearing any underwear?”

~ * ~

Gray rinsed off his plate in the sink. He hadn’t had a full breakfast like that in a long time and he was stuffed. “Thanks for the grub, Sofia,” he said, as she stood next to him. “It was delicious.”

“A man who’s easy to please? Or a compulsive liar?” She reached over the sink and turned the water on.

“I’ll choose door number one. I didn’t complain about the hot water in the shower only lasting a minute and a half, did I?”

“Until now.” She smiled at him. “Sorry about that. I should’ve warned you. Nana’s water heater isn’t very powerful.”

“No worries. I needed a cold shower anyway, after the kiss we shared last night.”

Her cheeks stained bright red for the third time that morning. He liked that she was easy to read. The blushed cheeks were a dead giveaway to what she was really thinking. Obviously, kissing him had affected her on some level.

Hell, he’d figured that out last night when she’d wrapped her legs around his hips, allowing him to feel the heat between her thighs. But the blushing showed it wasn’t something she did often, if at all.

Just like in the dreams, she was completely innocent. And sweet.

She squeezed some dish soap into the sink and grabbed the plate out of his hand, nudging him out of the way.

He grinned, adding playful to the list of things he liked about her.

“Now, what kind of man would I be if I allowed you to do everything?” He nudged back.

“You wash. I’ll dry.”

“Fine with me.” She laughed and tossed a dishtowel at him.

Gray caught it and swatted her jean-clad bottom with it—faded jeans that showed off her heart-shaped ass. He secretly hoped that snug white t-shirt would get a little wet while dishwashing. She wasn’t exactly fashionable, but whatever she wore, she looked sexy as hell.

Shame she wanted him to leave. They could have a lot of fun together. Gray smiled to himself. Having fun hadn’t been high on his priority list for a long,
long
time. It hadn’t been part of his idiotic life plan. However, the woman beside him inspired him in ways he hadn’t imagined. Besides, he didn’t exactly have much going on in his life now. He could put off moving to San Francisco for a month or so. Live off his savings, well, whatever was left of his savings after he paid back Rachel’s parents for the chunk of change they put into the wedding that wasn’t going to happen. Her heartless actions may be the reason the wedding was off, but he could see now that she’d done him a favor. Marrying Rachel would’ve been a huge mistake.

Now his life had no limitations. Maybe he could convince Sofia to go out with him a few times. Show her who he really was, and who he could be if given the chance.

Anything was possible.

“Sofia, can I take you out on a—” Before he could finish, the faucet made a clanking sound and fell off into the sink, spurting water straight up and onto Sofia.

Gray dropped to his knees and threw open the cupboard door. He spotted the valve that shut off the water and turned the knob until it wouldn’t go around anymore. The sound of Sofia laughing hysterically brought him back up to his feet just as fast.

“What could possibly be funny?” he asked, but couldn’t help but chuckle along with her.

Her shirt was drenched, more wet than Gray had hoped, but he wasn’t complaining in the least. Underneath, a white lace bra sparsely concealed her ample breasts.

She slapped a hand on her thigh and continued her hysterics.

Gray chuckled. Her good mood was contagious. “What?” he managed to ask finally.

“Oh my gosh.” She took in a breath. “Ever since I realized I was wearing this shirt, I’ve been looking for a reason to change.”

At that, they both doubled over. Gray laughed more than he had in years. Not since his college days with Hayes. Sofia had a spirit and liveliness that reminded Gray of his brother. Hayes would’ve liked her, there was no doubt.

Hopefully, not as much as he had taken a liking to Rachel.

But that was a different story for a different time. Right now, all Gray wanted to do was be close to Sofia in any way she’d let him. If he wasn’t going to be able to dream of her anymore, he’d need to step up his game in real life.

Taking a chance, he leaned in and dared to kiss the side of her lips.

She stepped back, halting the laughter altogether.

Damn
. Undoing the damage he’d already done wasn’t going to be easy. “Why don’t I fix the faucet while you change?” That would give him a little extra time.

“You don’t have to.” She paused. “Are you sure?”

“It’s no problem. I’m pretty good with my hands.” He winked at her, and she blushed again.

Fourth time, but who was counting? “Your grandma have a tool chest?”

“It would probably be in the shed out back, but she keeps it locked up for some reason.” She pulled out a set of about ten keys from a drawer. “One of these might open it. But you don’t have to put yourself through all that trouble. I’ll get it.”

“No trouble at all.” Gray grabbed the keys from her and waved her away. “You go change into some dry clothes.”

He couldn’t rip his gaze away as she sprinted from the room. Curvy hips, narrow waist and an ass that had him biting his lip. Shaking the desire ratcheting his body, he headed to the shed.

The mid-July day was warm, and there wasn’t a cloud in the sky. The lake west of the house had a small pier with a rowboat attached. He wondered if there were any fish in the water. He hadn’t been fishing since he was a kid when Dad took Hayes and him camping.