Suzy couldn’t help but think of how much better her life would have been growing up with parents who took that much interest in her life instead of just meeting her basic needs. She’d love to be able to talk to her mother or father as Gray did to his. Her parents had only visited her home once since she’d lived there. If you wanted to see them, then you had to visit. They took a little more interest in Beth’s life since she’d at least picked a career in education, although they considered teaching children to be pretty low on the pole.

Gray rubbed her hand asking, “Do you want me to show you to the bedroom to rest for a while?”

Suzy had been dreading this discussion, but she had to make her feelings clear. “That would be great.” As if sensing a ‘but’ coming, Gray remained sitting, studying her expression. “Gray, I’d like space of my own. If you only have one bedroom, then I’ll gladly take the couch. I know that sounds silly since we have slept together, but I need for this mess to be over before we continue that part of our relationship.”

She braced herself waiting for Gray’s argument and was surprised when none came. He took it so well, Suzy wondered if she should be offended and then scolded herself for being silly. You couldn’t lay down the law and then sulk when no one challenged it.

Gray stood and held out a hand to help her to her feet. Before she knew what was happening, he gave a tug and pulled her into his arms. He ran his thumb along her bottom lip as he stared into her eyes. “I love you Suzy, and if I could spare you this I would. I regret the stupidity that made this thing with Reva even possible. I guess in my defense I was just so down over thinking it was never going to happen with us that I let my guard down. I want you in my arms. Hell I never want you to leave them, but I do understand why you need the distance and I promise to let you call the shots. I want you so bad my teeth ache, but it’s up to you baby. Just know that I’m here waiting for you to come to me. My door and my arms are always open to you.”

Suzy’s eyes misted with tears at the obvious love in Gray’s voice. He leaned down to settle his lips on hers and she felt her heartbeat kick into overdrive. She allowed herself to be pulled firmly against his hard body as he melded their contours together. His breathing was ragged, but his touch was gentle, as if afraid she’d push him away. His tongue sought entrance into her mouth which she was helpless to deny. As her lips parted, his tongue swept inside, seeking hers and tangling with it. Suzy moaned, feeling liquid heat rush to her core as his erection pressed against her stomach. She knew in another minute she’d be too far gone to protest anything that Gray wanted to do.

Suddenly Gray wrenched his mouth away, breathing deep and ragged. With another deep breath, he rasped, “Baby, I’m sorry for getting carried away. I only meant to brush a kiss on your lips, but when I touch you, I go up in flames. Let me show you to the bedroom and I’ll use the guest bath for a very cold shower.”

Suzy chuckled at his expression of pain, but truthfully it wasn’t that funny since she was suffering just as much as he was. You made the rules so suck it up buttercup and just hope that your panties don’t burst into flames before this is over with. She could see that her nipples were pebbled and pushing against the thin material of her blouse. Since she had to use both of her arms for her crutches, she had nothing to cover them with. The flush on Gray’s cheekbones as he looked at her said that he’d noticed them and was having a hard time looking away.

Finally, he cleared his throat and led her down a hallway into what she thought was the master bedroom. A huge bed with a low black headboard dominated one wall with matching nightstand tables on each side of the bed. An armoire stood against the wall at the foot of the bed and a writing desk sat in the front of a large picture window. The white plantation shutters on the windows made a contemporary contrast against the black furniture.

He walked over to another door and flipped on the light as she walked up behind him. The bathroom contained a large espresso double-sink vanity with a matching mirror. A clear glass, enclosed shower took up one corner with a large spa tub against the back wall. Suzy smiled, giving Gray a thumbs-up gesture. “Very nice, Mr. Merimon, and very modern. I’m impressed. This is nothing like the beach house, though.”

With a sheepish grin, he said, “That’s because I picked the beach house myself. I was so busy when I bought this place that I picked it by location. It was already furnished and I just moved in. It’s so…clean, though, that I feel like a complete slob if I throw my socks on the floor or leave a glass on the table. I always felt more like I was visiting a hotel than coming home. The house in Myrtle Beach can be our home and we can keep this for our visits to Charleston.”

Suzy felt warmth flow through her at his casual mention of their home. God it was impossible not to love this man. If not for the thought of him making love to some other woman months earlier and the fall-out from it now, she’d have her body wrapped around his right now probably professing her love in every way imaginable. It was childish to punish him for something that happened before they were together, but this whole thing scared her more than she wanted to admit. After going through a hellish break-up with Jeff, she couldn’t bear to be played for a fool again; her heart would never recover.

Suzy became aware of Gray leaning against the door where he’d been studying her while her thoughts whirled. “It kills me that I put that look of fear in your eyes. I’d give anything to take it all back.”

She shook her head and forced a laugh. “I don’t know what you’re talking about, dear, I just remembered that Saks is having their huge one day sale this week and I can’t miss it. They have some leather pants that I’ve had my eye on for weeks.”

Of course Gray knew she was lying through her teeth, but she could tell he appreciated the effort to lighten the mood. She hobbled behind him back into the bedroom as he was sitting her bag down, and with a brief kiss on the lips, he was gone. She washed her face and used the restroom and then collapsed on the bed where she fell asleep before she had time to dwell on anything else.

~~~

Gray had decided to pass on the guest room so he settled instead for a chair in the living room. Even though he was tired, his mind was still racing from everything that had happened in the last twenty-four hours. This morning had started off with such promise. When he’d rolled over and found Suzy gone from the bed, he hadn’t been alarmed. He’d taken his time leaving the bed and wandering through the house looking for her. When he’d heard the sound of someone being violently ill, fear had almost choked him as he rushed towards the sound. After he saw his phone in the floor and put all the pieces together, he too had wanted to throw up. He’d never thought it possible to be vulnerable, but in that moment, he’d realized how much of his life was already in Suzy’s hands.

Even though he was still worried, he’d started to relax today even the unexpected drop-in from his parents hadn’t shaken him too much. Maybe that’s how life sets you up. You suddenly start feeling confident and then something small slams you back to earth. For him that moment was when he saw the expression of terror on her face in the bathroom and he knew that he was responsible for it. After what Jeff had put her through when he left her for another woman, he knew that to trust and love again was difficult for her. He didn’t think she’d dated anyone in the year since that had happened. Due to the cold nature of her parents, Suzy needed to feel loved whether she could admit it or not.

He’d been so grateful this morning when Suzy had come out of the bedroom dressed and obviously ready to stand by her man. He’d have gladly followed her to the ends of the earth at that point without complaint. Now that they were here, though, he was starting to question the wisdom of taking Suzy with him tonight. He knew she was a strong woman, but Reva was a very nasty one. Was he making a mistake? He was banking on Reva not making a scene in a public place, but hadn’t he already established the fact that she was pretty much crazy?

Dragging a hand through his hair, Gray pulled his cell phone from his pocket and grimaced as he saw a load of missed calls and texts all from a now-familiar number. He’d started saving them all a few days ago for evidence should he need to go to the police and file a complaint. He opened one message and his skin crawled as he read it. ‘Lover, I need what only you can give me. I’m burning up for you.’ He forced himself to hit the reply button on the message and sent her a text asking her to meet him Sorin’s Pub later on that evening for a drink. He’d barely hit the send button when her reply popped back. ‘Sorin’s? You’re here! See you there lover.’

In disgust, he tossed his phone on the coffee table and wearily leaned his head back on the chair. He realized he must have dozed when a movement in front of him startled him awake. At first he wondered if he was actually still asleep and dreaming. Suzy stood between his spread legs completely naked. Gray sucked in a breath as he sat there and simply stared at the picture before him. She’d released her hair from the ponytail and it lay against her shoulders like fire. Her breasts were full and her dusky nipples puckered under his scrutiny.

He leaned up in the chair and put his forehead against the neatly trimmed nest of red curls and she shivered at the warmth of his breath against her core. Still neither of them spoke as she laid her hands on his shoulders and then pushed back. He lay back in the chair and caught fire as he saw the heavy lidded desire in her eyes.

Suzy smiled into his eyes and said, “This next move isn’t going to start out very sexy, but the main course will be well worth it.” She gripped the arms of the chair and slowly—and rather awkwardly—managed to get on one knee while she slid her cast out to the side. Oh geez, I should have thought this out better. I’m going to have to be good with my mouth to have any hope of making him forget this scalded cat performance.

Gray forgot to breathe as Suzy finally settled on the floor between his legs and reached for his belt and unbuckled it. Next she went for his zipper, and as she slid it down, her nails raked against the sensitive skin of his lower stomach and he almost came unglued. His erection was straining at the confines of his boxer briefs as she rubbed her fingers against the sensitive tip. Just as he was afraid he’d embarrass himself right there in his underwear, she gripped the top of his pants along with the briefs and started sliding them down. He lifted his hips to make it easier for her. His erection sprang free, almost even with her plump mouth. She left his pants around his thighs and took him into her hand, running her finger over the moist tip.

“Oh God baby,” Gray moaned, “I need to be inside of you.” As he tried to shift to pull her up onto him, Suzy pushed his hands away.

“Not yet, just lay back and hang on, things are going to get a bit…bumpy from here on out,” She purred.

With that warning, Suzy took him completely into her mouth. Gray almost came up off of the chair at the sensation of her hot, wet warmth sucking his pulsing cock. Moaning so loud he was afraid the neighbors would hear him, Gray was helpless against the mind-numbing pleasure coursing through his body. One of her hands lightly rubbed his balls, while the other was gripped around the base of his shaft, pumping up and down in tempo with her hot mouth. He almost exploded as he felt his cock go down her throat as she took him deeper than anyone had ever dared. If he didn’t slow her down now, he’d never be able to keep from coming.

He put his hands in her hair, pulling her head back from his erection. Her cheeks were flushed and her breathing ragged. She leaned down to kiss the top of his shaft one last time. He hissed as his body jerked, desperate to penetrate her sweet depths. He had just enough rational thought left to know he needed a condom. He started to sit up. “Baby, I have to get protection.” He wanted to weep with gratitude when Suzy reached behind her and held up a condom like she’d just won the lottery.

With a wicked grin, she said, “You’re lucky that I firmly believe in the BYOC policy.”

“BYOC?”

With a laugh, she answered, “Bring your own condom.”

Laughing along with her, Gray growled, “Thank God.”

Suzy tore the wrapper and proceeded to torture him as she slid the condom onto his straining length. He gently hooked his hands under her arms and lifted her onto the chair. As she planted her knees on either side of his body, she was able to hang her cast off of the front of the chair. She used her knees to lift herself over his cock and then, with her eyes locked on his, she lowered herself inch by inch until he was buried to the hilt inside of her tight sheath. She threw her head back in abandon as she used her knees to ride him. Gray cupped her breasts in his hands, using his thumbs to tweak her nipples eliciting a low moan from her lips. He pulled Suzy closer to him so that he could take one stiff peak into his mouth. He felt her inner muscles contract around him as he nipped and sucked her nipple and then moved on to the other one.