Until You (Off-Limits)

I rest my forehead against the bedroom door, too embarrassed to leave. I know I’ll have to face Gray at some point… but I’d like to avoid it for as long as possible if I can. My stomach doesn’t agree, though. I’m starving.

I jump at the sound of knocking on my door, and my already flaming cheeks get even hotter when I hear Gray laughing on the other side. He has this effect on me. I was heartbroken last night, but waking up in his arms made that pain lose its grip.

“Ari… you can’t hide forever. You’re hungry, aren’t you? I have croissants and I even bought you that sugary coffee crap you like but can’t ever finish.”

I perk up, intrigued. “A caramel macchiato?”

“Yup.”

I place my hand on the door, hesitating before I pull it open. I find Grayson standing in front of me, wearing nothing but workout shorts. My eyes roam over his chest and down… and down. I can’t believe I climbed on top of him last night. I’m so embarrassed. If Gray knew what I’d been dreaming about, he’d never look at me the same.

“Up,” he says, and I blink in confusion. “My eyes are up here, babe. You keep staring at my dick like that and I’ll give you something to look at.”

Oh God. I try to push my door closed so I can hide, but Gray isn’t having it. He leans in and picks me up, throwing me over his shoulder as he carries me to the kitchen. “Gray!”

“Nope,” he says. “You’re eating.”

I glare at him when he puts me down by the dining table, but he ignores me and sits down opposite me, his torso on display. I take a bite of the croissant, but I can barely take my eyes off him. “Boxing training?” I ask, knowing full well that’s what he does every Saturday morning.

“Yeah,” he says, grinning at me. “Somehow, I’m feeling a little frustrated this morning, unsatisfied, if you will. I’ve got some extra energy to expend.”

I’m sure my face has been bright red all morning, but if it wasn’t, it is now. “Gray, I’m so sorry,” I tell him. “You were trying to keep my nightmares at bay, but I ended up becoming one for you. I didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable. I truly am sorry.”

He frowns at me, his gaze searching. “Aria,” he says, drawing out my name. “I don’t know… I’m a little concerned, to be honest.”

I gulp, my heart racing. I had this coming. He has every right to berate me.

“Baby, did you not feel how hard my cock was? I don’t know, I mean… I’m pretty sure my dick is above average, at least, but if you didn’t feel it pressed up against your pussy, then I may just be wrong.”

I choke on my croissant and cough, reaching for my coffee. I gulp half of it down before I’m even able to speak again, and all the while Gray looks at me, amused.

“I… I mean… I don’t,” I stammer.

“You don’t what? You don’t think my cock is big?”

I look at him wide-eyed and shake my head. “No, it’s huge. I mean, no, not huge. Like, not abnormal or anything. It’s the biggest I’ve ever felt, but like not in a strange way? It’s perfect, actually.”

I clamp my lips together and hang my head in shame. What did I just say? What is wrong with me?

Grayson bursts into laughter, and my eyes fall closed. Oh God. What have I done?

“It’s perfect, huh? But how do you know, Ari? You haven’t seen it yet. You haven’t felt it inside you yet.”

I can’t even look him in the eye. I truly wish the ground would just swallow me whole. It’d be best for everyone involved.

Gray chuckles and rises to his feet. “Come on,” he tells me. “Since you left me frustrated this morning, you’d better make it up to me with a sparring session.”

He pulls me out of my seat before I can object, his hand wrapped around mine. “That’s probably not a good idea,” I tell him, and he turns back to look at me.

“Why? You don’t think you can keep from throwing yourself at me?”

I groan in embarrassment and Gray chuckles as he pulls me along to his rooftop gym that houses his boxing ring.

“I’m in a dress, Gray,” I tell him, and his eyes roam over my body, lingering on my chest.

“I know,” he says, turning to grab boxing pads. “I’ll show you a routine, all right?”

I nod, trying my best not to notice the way his muscles ripple as he moves. For a while, I do just fine. For at least a couple of minutes, I get into it. I manage to do as he says, reciting the sequence in my mind.

Jab. Jab. Right hook.

I recite it over and over again as Gray has me perform the same sequence in rapid succession. But then he drops the pads and smiles at me.

“Okay, come on,” he says, tilting his head toward the ring behind us. “Let’s spar.”

He grabs my hand and pulls me into the cushioned area, a wide smile on his face.

“Try to hit me.”

I grin and dive toward him, aiming straight for his face, but he moves out of the way easily and I almost lose my footing. I glare at him and try again, but he keeps evading me with such ease that it angers me.

“Damn it, Gray!”

I look at him through narrowed eyes and try to trick him by moving in one direction and then jumping in the other. I manage to catch him off guard, and he loses his balance. I grin, but my smile is wiped off my face when he takes me with him as he falls back onto the thick cushions. He laughs and turns us over, his body on top of mine.

He looks into my eyes, the smile melting off his face. I feel him harden against me and I gulp. His eyes drop to my lips, and my breathing quickens. He tilts his head ever so slightly, and I lean in just a touch closer.

One taste. That’s all I want.

Just as I’ve decided I want to find out whether he tastes like the peppermint I can smell on him, a song starts to play.

Gray freezes and drops his forehead to mine. “The system is hooked up to my phone. Noah is calling,” he tells me, his eyes filled with guilt.

I nod, and he pushes away from me, pulling me up with him. “I, um… I have some work to finish anyway,” I say.

I walk away as I hear Gray say “Answer call.”

I hear my brother’s voice as I slip out of the door, and the guilt I feel nearly wrecks me. Gray is Noah’s best friend… he’s someone we’ve both always considered family. What am I doing? What am I even thinking?