“Hmm.”

“Hmm, what?” I strapped my wedges onto my feet.

“You remind me of someone.”

“Who? Morgan?” Our outspoken natures had been compared more than once.

“Me, right around the time I started dating Jagger.”

Grayson called my name before I had time to process that.

“Have fun!” Paisley called out as I headed down the steps.

Grayson waited for me at the bottom of the stairs, wearing pressed khakis and a light blue dress shirt that was unbuttoned at the top and rolled up just past his elbows.

I stopped on the second to last step, making me equal with his height, and ran my tongue across my lower lip. He looked incredible.

“Wow,” he said as his eyes scanned over me and then came to rest on my mouth. He leaned forward, and I stepped back up a step.

“Oh no,” I said. “You’re not going to kiss me and think that gets you out of what happened today.” I shook my head for emphasis.

A corner of his mouth rose. “I didn’t think it would.”

“Ugh. Don’t do that half-smile thing. It makes me think you’re back to being my Grayson and does things to me.”

He stepped up the next step. “I’m always your Grayson. Now tell me more about these things.”

I put my hands on his chest to stop his assault and nearly groaned at the feel of his muscles playing beneath my fingers. “No. You give me whiplash, I swear. Now take me to dinner. I’m not starting this with you again to get called out of it halfway through.” Hell no. I liked sex, loved sex, and the need I felt for Grayson’s body had me ready to rip his clothes off on the stairs. But I selfishly wanted all of him with me, every thought on me, every touch only for me. I didn’t want to share him for a single second, and I didn’t know if that was possible after seeing things go down today, or if I could separate sex from my feelings for him. They ran too deep already.

His arms slid around my sides, pulling me off the step and into his arms. “The next time I get my hands on you, Sam, I’m not stopping. So if you’re not sure about this, about us…well, this is your warning.”

I wound my arms around his neck as he carried me down the steps. Mad or not, I wanted him too much to not enjoy the tiny moment. “It’s hard to be sure about anything when you keep me locked out.”

I cringed as the wall went up behind his eyes. “We’re going to be late.”

The drive to his parents’ house was only about ten minutes, but I enjoyed every one of them. He pointed out places that held significance to him and held my hand.

“Are we going to talk about today?” I asked, fidgeting with the hemline of my dress as we pulled into his parents’ driveway.

He parked and turned to me. “Yes. I promise. Let’s get through dinner, and we’ll talk after.”

I had to ask. “Did you really hit Owen with your car? Is that the damage on the front end?”

His jaw locked. “I hit the fence post right next to him.”

“You’re a different person here,” I whispered as he held my face. “I don’t like it.”

He answered with a soft kiss. “I promise. After.”

I nodded. “Okay.”

He held my hand as we walked up the steps to the door but paused before we went inside. “Oh, Sam?”

“Oh, Grayson?” I smiled up at him, soaking in this one moment that he was still my Grayson.

“Can you remember not to mention anything about flight school?” His forehead puckered.

“Uh. Sure? Why would—”

He kissed me again, this time swiftly sliding his tongue along mine. I quickly forgot my name, let alone what I’d been asking.

“Ahem.” Mia cleared her throat. “Maybe you should come in before Mom comes out?”

Grayson released my mouth with one more quick kiss. “After.”

I nodded, and then growled as my head cleared. “Stop doing that.”

“Stop doing what?” he asked with mock innocence.

“Kissing me to stop me from asking questions.”

“You look very kissable while asking questions,” he answered as we stepped into the house.

“Excuses.” I laughed.

“Where is everyone?” Grayson asked Mia, who was grinning at us.

“Oh, Mom set up the table outside. There were too many people here for the dining room.” At the look on Grayson’s face, Mia clarified, “Only family, I swear.”

“Good,” Grayson replied as we walked toward the back of the house.

I stopped at the doorframe that led to the kitchen. “You have one!”

“What?” Grayson asked.

My fingers skimmed over the inked lines with dates and names. “Your heights. They’re all marked as you grew up.”

“Yeah?” Mia asked.

My cheeks warmed. “It’s just really cool to see you guys grow up in this house. It’s all right here. A family story.” I stood, my eyes prickling, and brushed imaginary lint off my dress. “You probably think I’m stupid.”

Grayson tilted my chin. “Mia?”

“Yes?”

“Leave.” He didn’t wait for her response, instead pressed me against that doorframe and kissed me breathless, tilting his mouth over mine to get the deepest, sweetest angle.

I was dizzy and ready to strip him by the time he finished. “What was that for?” I asked, unable to tear my eyes off his mouth.