Chapter Twelve
‘Marcie, just answer the darn question. Did you trash Grayson’s barn or not?’
Grayson laid a restraining hand on Alan Howard’s arm. ‘I think we can take that as a given considering her sneakers and hair are speckled with white paint. What I want to know is why?’
Marcie folded her arms across her narrow chest. Her gaze slid across to Lauren. ‘Because you invited her here. Because you like her too much.’
‘I’ve had girlfriends before, Marcie,’ Grayson said. ‘But I don’t recall you letting out my chickens and writing graffiti on my barn because of it.’
‘But she’s different, isn’t she?’
Grayson shot an amused glance at Lauren who sat curled on the couch, her feet tucked underneath. Her skin was flushed, her lips reddened from his kisses. His body ached and hummed with satisfaction from their recent lovemaking. Damn, she’d be leaving him in two hours and here he was chatting to Marcie. ‘Yeah, she is, but that’s my problem not yours.’
Alan ran a hand through his short greying hair, his expression strained. ‘I’ll pay for the damage, Grayson. Marcie can work for nothing at the diner and repay me. I’d send her up here to work the debt off but I reckon she’d like that too much.’
Marcie bit her lip, her face reflecting a mixture of emotions as she studied her father. For the first time she seemed to be considering how what she’d done might have affected him.
‘How did you get out here, Marcie?’
Grayson waited for an answer but Marcie continued to study her well-chewed fingernails. ‘I doubt you walked so someone must have brought you. I’d like to know who it was.’
Marcie glanced at her father who looked right back at her, no help in his stern brown eyes. ‘You won’t believe me even if I tell you.’ She directed a venomous glance at Lauren. ‘You think she’s perfect.’
Grayson drew in a calming breath. ‘Lauren was with me all night. I know for a fact she wasn’t driving you around.’
‘Marcie . . .’ Alan growled.
Marcie looked defiant. ‘I didn’t say she drove me anywhere. After I got home from the meeting at the community centre I got a phone call.’
Grayson arched an eyebrow. ‘From Lauren?’
‘I’m not sure, the voice was muffled,’ Marcie said. ‘The woman said that if I wanted to get back at you, she had the perfect solution.’
‘This makes no sense,’ Gray muttered. ‘What did she do, fly you here on a magic carpet?’
Marcie went red. ‘Of course not. She told me a truck complete with supplies would pick me up and take me out to the ranch.’
Alan groaned. ‘You got into a truck in the middle of the night with a complete stranger? Haven’t I raised you better? What the heck were you thinking?’
Marcie heaved an exaggerated sigh. ‘I knew him, Dad. It was Billy Cooper, one of the guys from the rental car company who comes into the diner.’
‘You think that makes it better, Marcie? Well, it doesn’t.’
Grayson hastened to intervene as father and daughter glared at each other. ‘Did Billy stay in the truck or did he come in with you?’
‘He stayed in the truck. He told me he’d been paid to drive not to trespass.’
‘Billy Cooper’s obviously a lot smarter than he looks,’ Alan muttered. ‘He knew when to stop.’
Grayson shot Alan a warning glance and he went quiet. ‘Marcie, I could call Bob Foster right now and he’d have to come and take you down to the jail to make a statement.’
Marcie’s gaze widened. ‘You wouldn’t do that to me would you?’
‘Of course he wouldn’t,’ Lauren said quietly.
‘I don’t need any help from you, Ms Redstone,’ Marcie hissed. ‘You’re only being nice to me because you’re worried Grayson will see through your attempts to make me look bad.’
Grayson leant back against the family-room wall. ‘And exactly how did you work that out?’
Marcie pointed a finger at Lauren. ‘If she hadn’t called me and made it easy for me to damage your property, I wouldn’t have done anything. She did it to make sure that you’d hate me.’
‘But I didn’t call you.’
Lauren’s calm tone seemed to make Marcie even more agitated. She spun back towards Grayson, tears falling down her cheeks. ‘Can’t you see what she’s doing to us?’
Marvelling at the way Marcie’s mind worked, Grayson shook his head. ‘There is no “us”. I’m way too old for you. You’ll always be special to me but that’s because you’re my best friend’s little girl.’
Marcie continued to stare at him as if willing him to change his mind.
Lauren appeared with a box of tissues and guided the unwilling girl to the couch. Grayson sat opposite Marcie and Lauren. ‘I’m not going to call Bob Foster and give him your name. Somebody else has taken advantage of your jealousy and used you to play a cruel trick on me.’ Marcie’s mouth opened but Grayson continued, ‘Think about what you did. You didn’t hurt Lauren; you hurt me and my ranch.’
Realisation dawned on Marcie’s face and she began to stutter. ‘I didn’t mean . . . I never wanted to . . .’
‘Hurt me? Maybe not, but the person who set you up did.’ Grayson let that sink in for a moment and then asked, ‘Do you know who was on the phone, Marcie?’
Marcie dabbed at her eyes with a tissue and glanced at Lauren. ‘If it wasn’t her, I don’t know who it was. Why would someone want to hurt you through me?’
Grayson got to his feet. ‘Because you let them, Marcie. Now go home and make it up with your dad. He deserves an apology too.’
Lauren waited until the sound of Alan’s truck faded down the drive before she got to her feet and went to find Grayson. He stood by the house, Petty glued to his left leg. Lauren walked up behind him and slid her arms around his waist.
‘Marcie will survive this, Grayson.’
His taut stomach muscles flexed beneath his shirt and then relaxed. He sighed. ‘I know. It’s just that I don’t like all the unanswered questions. I don’t like the thought of someone using Marcie to get at me.’
Lauren laid her cheek against his cotton shirt. His now familiar scent, a mixture of citrus, leather and pure sex curled around her senses. She’d know him anywhere.
‘I have to go soon,’ Lauren said softly.
Grayson bowed his head as Lauren released him and stepped back. She headed for the house, wondering if he would follow or leave her to gather her belongings in peace. She wasn’t sure which she’d prefer. If he asked her to stay again it might start an argument and that was the last thing she wanted.
In the quietness of the luxurious bathroom, it only took Lauren a few minutes to pack her bag. She hung her Barbie cowgirl outfit back in Grayson’s closet and placed the cowboy boots on the carpet below. She smoothed the garish blouse with her fingertip.
The thought that she might not come back here scared her more than she’d believe possible. In only a couple of days the secluded ranch felt like home. It shocked her to realise that she hadn’t even missed the city.
Sternly, Lauren reminded herself of all the many reasons why holiday romances didn’t work. She and Grayson led different lives and had totally different expectations. Just because they were sexually compatible did not make them fit for the everyday business of a successful, committed relationship.
Lauren put on her pink-checked Chanel skirt suit and a white blouse. She pinned up her hair in front of the mirror. Did she look the same? Would anyone know she’d spent the weekend having the most fantastic sex of her life?
In the bedroom, she paused to leave Grayson her last gifts. She’d taken a digital photo of Robbie and Foxy, his two horses, enlarged it and printed it out in black and white on his computer. The silver frame she’d purchased in Mrs Maxwell’s complemented the picture beautifully. She propped the picture up against the wall hoping Grayson would hang it up if he liked it enough.
She also read the note she’d written him. ‘I’ve left you a few decorating items for your bedroom in the box in the mud room. Use what you like and take the rest back to Mrs Maxwell.’ She’d chosen reds and browns to warm up his bedroom and Western-themed art to complement his gentleman cowboy nature.
Grayson waited for her in the kitchen. He sat on the edge of the table cradling a mug of coffee in his hands. His gaze swept over her but he made no comment on her altered appearance. He dumped the coffee in the sink and retrieved his car keys.
‘Are you ready to go, Lauren?’
Lauren found it surprisingly difficult to speak and nodded instead. Grayson picked up her bag and led the way out to the yard. Lauren took a moment to cuddle Petty who seemed to want to jump into the truck with her.
‘Look after Grayson for me, Petty,’ Lauren whispered into the puppy’s sleek fur. He yelped as she squeezed him hard and then he settled back into his basket.
Lauren took one last look at the whitewashed ranch house before she got into the truck and then shut the window. In the gathering darkness, the house looked welcoming and secure. Grayson reversed the truck and slowly drove down the gravelled track. In the distance, Lauren could make out the faint shapes of the horses in the paddock.
She drew in a breath as a rush of unexpected emotion flooded her. ‘Dammit, I forgot to say goodbye to the chickens.’
Grayson didn’t reply, his attention on the road as he joined the heavy traffic on the freeway. He didn’t know what to say to her. Part of him yearned to tie her to his bed and keep her there forever. The slightly more civilised part wanted to keep arguing with her until she stayed simply to shut him up.
He knew in his soul that neither idea would work. Armoured in her business suit, Lauren would give him a dismissive stare and refuse to allow him to meet her in San Francisco the following weekend. If he wanted to see her again he needed to bite his tongue and at least act like a gentleman.
When they reached the turn-off for the airport, Lauren laid her hand on his knee. Grayson gritted his teeth and willed her to slide her fingers up to his groin and pet him.
‘You don’t have to park. You can drop me off right in front of the airport.’
Grayson scowled and moved into the left lane making the car driver behind him brake and honk his horn. ‘Tough, I’m parking.’
Lauren snatched her hand away as if he’d bitten her. He stole a glance at her averted profile as he hunted down a parking space big enough for his truck. She looked pissed off with him for not doing what he’d been told, her lips were folded into a thin line.
He grabbed her bag from the back of the truck and stalked towards the elevators. Lauren followed him, her high heels tapping on the yellow concrete floor. He didn’t need to ask her where the flight left from. He’d used the service so many times he could’ve piloted the damn plane himself.
Lauren refused to run after Grayson as his long stride ate up the ground leaving her behind. She’d had it with chasing men, period. She checked he was going the right way and then followed at a more leisurely pace. In the last two days he’d developed a bad habit of stalking off and leaving her to follow meekly behind. Why wasn’t he talking to her?
She caught up with him just as the flight was announced. He stared down at her, his face a blank, his eyes the hard blue-grey of slate.
A spark of anger awoke deep inside her. ‘You don’t have to come to San Francisco next week if you don’t want to. We can finish this now.’
Grayson dropped her bag onto the floor and gripped her by the shoulders. ‘I don’t know what kind of men you generally hang out with, Lauren, but I’m coming to San Francisco. We made a deal and I don’t break my promises.’
He traced his thumb along her lower lip, his expression softening, his gaze filling with more emotion than she guessed he could handle. Lauren gasped as his mouth descended and he crushed her to his chest. He kissed her until she forgot the people moving past her to the gate. He kissed her until she wanted to wrap herself around him and never let go, until she forgot why she had to leave. When he raised his head she could only stare helplessly into his eyes.
‘We haven’t finished this game yet, Lauren,’ Grayson whispered. ‘It’s only halfway done. By this time next week we’ll see who wants to leave who. I’m betting you’ll change your mind.’
Grayson handed Lauren her bag, tipped his hat and strode off into the crowds. Lauren turned to find the cabin crew of the aircraft gawping at her. She patted her hair and wondered if she had any lipstick left on at all.
The oldest of the three women checked her ticket and winked at Lauren, respect colouring her gaze. She lowered her voice. ‘Honey, that is one gorgeous hunk of a man. It’s a wonder he allowed you out of bed long enough to get on the plane. How can you bear to leave him?’
Lauren cleared her throat and refused to look back for a last glimpse of Grayson striding away from her. She managed a shaky smile for the enthralled cabin attendants. ‘I don’t know.’
Chapter Thirteen
As soon as Lauren reached her apartment, she dropped her bags on the floor and rushed to the phone. After dialling the number, she kicked off her shoes and curled up on the couch. The phone rang and rang.
‘Hello?’
‘Ella, it’s me.’
Her best friend gave a delighted squeal which made Lauren jerk the phone away from her ear.
‘Oh my God, you’re back, how did it go?’
‘It went well . . . way too well, Ella.’ Lauren bit her lip and tasted a faint hint of Grayson. Her body relaxed into the soft fabric of the couch. ‘I need your advice, girlfriend. I’m in big trouble.’
‘I’ll be there in twenty minutes.’
Lauren sat up and surveyed her apartment. She always hoped it might be magically transformed in her absence. Despite her insistence that she owned the space, her father had paid for the apartment to be decorated. Six months ago, she’d returned from a business trip to discover a décor that reflected his taste for extravagant decadence not her preference for more funky European design.
She sighed. It was always the same with her father. He presented his attempts to control her in many guises. Refusing his ‘gifts’ made him sulk and made it hard on her mother. She’d fired the decorator and got rid of the worst of it. But she had to put up with the rest because she couldn’t afford to take money out of her business and redo it – yet.