Grayson’s thoughts were interrupted by the faint sound of snoring coming through the wall. He listened for a moment before a smile broke over his face. Then he rolled over and went to sleep.
He woke to early-morning light. It took a few blinks to remember he had a guest. Or more like a captive. Surprisingly, he liked the idea of Chloe’s being his captive…maybe a little too much. Climbing out of bed, he headed for her room. He opened the door to discover what she had been doing last night. He stared at the paint splattered all over the wall above his headboard. He hated to admit it, but Chloe painted better than he did. Beneath the painting Chloe slept. She had taken off her sneakers and jeans and was sprawled on her stomach. The hem of her T-shirt rode up, and he could see her red panties and the half moons of her bare butt cheeks. One had a streak of purple paint.
Grayson’s right hand twitched, but he ignored the involuntary movement and closed the door. He showered and got dressed in another gray suit. He had a multitude of things to do that day, including the interview. But before he went to work, he collected some food for Chloe. He wasn’t much of an eater, so the pickings were slim. He chose the nonperishable items—a jar of peanut butter, a box of stale crackers, a couple of PowerBars, and three diet colas that had been left in the refrigerator months before by one of the models who had posed for him.
He put the food in a grocery sack, then retrieved her duffel bag from his car and took both back to his room. When he opened the door, Chloe had rolled to her side and was hugging the same pillow he slept on. He studied the sweet curve of her leg wrapped around the soft, down-filled pillow for only a second before he set the bags on the dresser. The zipper on the duffel bag was partway opened, and something glittery caught his attention. He had never been much of a snoop, but he couldn’t help sliding the zipper the rest of the way open.
The glittery name on the front of the shirt had him glancing over at Chloe. He could understand her having the nightshirt from his collection: As a model Madison got first choice of lingerie and had no doubt shared with her friend. Even the panties Chloe wore were from French Kiss. But if Chloe was leaving town and had packed only one small bag, why would a nightshirt with his name be included?
The question stayed with him all the way to French Kiss’s corporate office, but he couldn’t come up with a single answer…except for one. Maybe Chloe didn’t hate him as much as he thought. He had barely started to digest the notion when his cell phone rang. He pulled into his executive parking space and answered.
Chloe’s voice came through the receiver loud and clear. “I like smooth peanut butter, not chunky. And I don’t drink cola—especially diet. Are you saying I’m fat?”
Grayson couldn’t help the smile that spread over his face. He should’ve known that being held hostage wouldn’t stifle her spunk. “Not even close, but I was out of chocolate milk and Fritos.” As soon as the words were out, he wanted them back. But it was too late. Her reply came only seconds later.
“You remembered?”
Yes, he remembered. There was very little of their road trip that he had forgotten. He remembered the skinny jeans she’d been wearing and the way they hugged her butt when she’d run into the gas station to buy her chocolate milk and Fritos. He remembered the way her soft-looking top had fluttered in the breeze when she came back out, showing a peep of her stomach and the top of her tattoo. He remembered her falling asleep, and the way the sunlight had reflected off the red in her dark-brown hair and the diamond stud in her nose. But most of all he remembered her sullen attitude and biting remarks. Which made him veto his theory about why she had his nightshirt in her bag. Chloe didn’t like him. She barely tolerated him. Which made his reply short and snappy.
“I’ve got to go.” He hung up.
When he got to Deacon’s office, Kelly greeted him wearing a Hello Kitty belt and holding a full morning agenda. “You have a meeting at nine with Miles for the catalog,” she said as she followed him into the office. “At ten you have a meeting with Samuel, and at eleven the film crew from ET will be here. I thought you’d want to do it in the design studio. Madison and Natalia will meet you there. And after that you have a meeting with Deirdre Beaumont about the charity event she’s planning.”
“Great. Thanks, Kelly.” He glanced at his watch. He had exactly thirty minutes to take care of some personal business. “What time do you think it is in Greece?”
“I don’t know. You want me to find out?”
“If you would. And if it’s not in the middle of the night, get Nash on the phone for me.”
“Will do.”
It turned out that it was only evening in Greece, a perfect time to call a honeymooning couple. Or so he thought until it took forever for Nash to answer, and when he did, he sounded out of breath.
“If I’ve interrupted something, Nash, I can call back,” Grayson said.
Nash laughed. “I’m not having sex, Gray. I’m running.”
“On your honeymoon?”
“Eden thought we needed to get out of the room,” he said. “Although if she keeps teasing me with those tight running pants, I’m going to continue our honeymoon right here.”
“Nash!” Eden’s voice came through the receiver. “Would you cut it out? I’m trying to find my rhythm.”
“I can show you some rhythm, baby—ow-w-w. I wish your brothers had never taught you how to frog someone in the arm. That hurt like hell.”
Grayson laughed. “Now you know how I felt when you and Deacon punched me in the arm.”
“I never punched you as hard as Eden punches me. I swear I’m going to have to turn the woman in for abuse.” His voice got a sweet tone. “Just kidding, honey, I would never turn you in for abuse, even though that riding crop did sting a little—”
“Nash!”
Nash laughed. It was a good laugh. One that didn’t carry any of the pain it once had. As much as he missed having his brother living with him, Grayson was glad he had found happiness.
“So what’s up, Gray?” Nash asked. “Are there problems at French Kiss?”
He probably should’ve mentioned his arrest, but that could wait until Nash got back. “No problems. Actually I called to talk with Eden.”
Without hesitation Nash handed over the phone. “Here, baby, Gray wants to talk to you.”
A few seconds later, Eden got on, sounding completely out of breath. “Hello?”
“Sorry to bother you, Eden, but Madison mentioned that you were thinking about cutting your honeymoon short so you could come back and talk Chloe out of leaving, and I wanted to let you know that there’s no need to worry. Chloe isn’t going anywhere until you get back.”
“She’s not? How did you change her mind?”
Grayson could’ve lied, but he didn’t want Eden getting her hopes up that Chloe was going to stay in San Francisco. “I kidnapped her.”
There was a pause. “I’m sorry, Gray, but I must have a bad connection because it sounded like you said that you kidnapped her.”
“That’s exactly what I said. It was the only way I could figure out how to keep her here until you got back from your honeymoon.”