Only with You (15 page)

Gray bit his tongue to keep from snapping that it had been his
precious
hotels that had put her and Jack through law school and enabled the purchase of the designer purses he bought her every year on her birthday.

“Yeah, well, this is one hotel that I won’t be able to add to my collection,” he said bitterly, nodding back toward the Blackwells.

“Oh, I don’t know about that.” Jenna snuck a cherry from the garnish tray and winked at the bartender. “I suspect that perv and his old man might be warming up to the idea of selling to you,” she said.

He set the bottle to his lips and shook his head. “I don’t think so. I’ve tried every angle, and they just won’t bite.”

“Not
every
angle.”

He raised an eyebrow.

She gestured toward her chest. “You lack these. The only numbers men like the Blackwells deal in is cup size.”

Gray choked on his beer. “Aside from the fact that I absolutely do not want to be hearing about my little sister’s breasts, is
that
why you’ve been letting that buffoon dry hump you out there? To help my company?”

She shrugged, looking unsure of herself. “It seemed the least I could do. Sophie mentioned that you were in the middle of a tough deal, and when she orchestrated this entire charade, I thought maybe I could lend a hand. Or a boob.”

Gray’s head spun, both with the idea that the deal could be saved and that his sister had actually gone out on a limb for him. The only thing that
didn’t
surprise him about this conversation was Sophie’s interference.

“So you’re doing this because my pesky little assistant ambushed you in the airport? How did she even find you?”

Jenna smiled and snagged another cherry. “She was standing there at baggage claim holding a sign with my name on it. You know, kind of like a town car driver would have done?” She shot him a side look.

“At least a town car driver could have delivered you to my condo or wherever you wanted to go. Sophie’s meddling got you trapped into
bowling
.”

“Well, actually,” she said, spinning around on her bar stool to look at their group, “it’s been oddly fun. Sophie’s great.”

Gray grunted.

“Are you two…you know…?” Jenna wiggled her eyebrows.

He sputtered on his beer. “She’s my assistant, Jen. That would be…No. She’s an employee.”

“So? Does your company have a policy about coworkers dating?”

“What? I don’t know.” He did know. They didn’t have a policy.

She kept pressing. “How about subordinates dating bosses? Is that off-limits?”

“Who cares? Why are you bringing this up?”

She smiled her cat smile at him, and got to her feet. “Call it feminine intuition.”

“Or I could call it…delusion. And have you not noticed how much she resembles a certain almost-sister-in-law of yours?”

Jenna gave him a disgusted look. “I told you from day one to stay away from that one. And sure, they look a little alike, but it took me all of five minutes to see that Sophie is nothing like Jessica. Not in the way that matters.”

Gray’s stomach knotted as he considered Jenna’s words. If business had taught him anything, it was that tingling sense you got in your hands when you knew you’d made a mistake.

He flexed his fingers.
Yup. Definitely tingling.

“How are things in New York?” he asked, annoyed to realize that his voice sounded gruff.

Jenna’s smirk showed she was on to him, but she’d apparently finally done some maturing because she let it go instead of pushing his buttons like she would have a year ago.

“You know, New York is pretty great. It feels like this one might stick.”

Gray had his doubts. Jenna thought every city would stick, but she rarely lasted more than a year. Still, if she could let things go, so could he, so he just nodded.

“Boyfriend?” he asked casually.

His sister gave him a look. “If I tell, are you gonna arrange for a background check?”

Gray winced. She knew about that?

“No,” he lied.

Jenna stood and dragged him to his feet. “No big-brother prying tonight.
My
life isn’t the one in deep crap right now. Come on, let’s go land you a hotel deal. And maybe improve your bowling skills. You’re embarrassing the Wyatt name.”

He followed her back to the group and tried to avoid looking at Sophie. She’d either give him a smug
I told you so
look, or she’d be grinning at him like a proud mother. But as usual, he lost the battle, and couldn’t seem to help glancing at her. What he saw was neither gloating nor pride. She looked almost…affectionate.

Which 
might
have lifted his mood if Jack’s arm hadn’t been around the back of her chair.

Maybe it didn’t even matter if he’d been wrong about Sophie. Even if she lacked Jessica’s more manipulative qualities, they had one very important detail in common.

Neither one wanted him.

“Gray, my man,” Peter said in a whiskey-soaked boom. “Let’s get over here and discuss what you did in that fancy Chicago-based company of yours. Sophie and Jack tell me that a couple years ago you were responsible for turning around that set of fancy resorts on Barbados? Hell, those are five-star celebrity destinations now! I had no idea you had that kind of experience.”

Gray shot a glance at his brother and Sophie, who sent matching winks his way.

He couldn’t hide his victorious smile. Finally he was back in his element. He might suck at apologies, gratitude, and chitchat, but this?
This
he could do.

By the time the group was sitting at a long bench table at a nearby pizza parlor, Gray was feeling the best he’d felt in weeks. The Blackwells had just left to return to their hotel, but they were going to sign. He knew it. His business instincts were buzzing with victory, and they were never wrong.

He wondered if he should thank Sophie. It never would have happened without her interference. If it was up to him, the meeting would never have left the conference room and would have ended hours ago. Probably with the deal dead in the water.

“So, Sophie,” Jenna was saying as she wound a piece of mozzarella around her finger. “You seeing anyone?”

All eyes fell on Sophie, and Gray was annoyed to realize that he wasn’t the only one who seemed extremely interested in her response. Jack had gone completely still and was watching her carefully.

“Um, no. Not really,” Sophie said.

Gray squinted. Was she blushing? The Sophie he knew didn’t blush, but there was a distinct pink tint to her cheeks. He wondered what caused it. Or who. Not Alistair, certainly. Jack? The two of them had been inseparable most of the evening.

A fact that depressed him more than he wanted to admit.

“I can’t believe that,” Jenna was saying. “You’re so sweet and pretty.”

Gray’s eyes narrowed in on his sister. He knew that tone. It was the same one she’d used when she’d brought three puppies home without warning. The same one she’d used when she’d wanted to borrow his car without her driver’s license. That tone meant trouble.

“What about my brother?” Jenna asked, her gray eyes all innocent curiosity.

Gray and Jack exchanged a wary glance. Both knew they should shut up their sister. But both wanted Sophie’s answer first.

“Oh, um, you mean Jack?” Sophie asked, her voice coming out on a squeak.

Gray felt a funny twist somewhere in the middle of his chest. He should have been prepared for it. Of course she’d assume that Jenna had meant Jack. Who would think of dowdy, grumpy Gray when they could have the funny, charming version?

“Ugh, not Jackie,” Jenna said with a face. “He’s still reeling from Avery.”

“Don’t,” Jack said, his voice uncharacteristically curt.

“Uh-huh—so you never see each other?” Jenna pressed.

“We’re…friends,” Jack said with narrowed eyes.

Sophie nibbled at a breadstick and watched them curiously.

“Anyway,” Jenna said, waving away her brothers’ glares. “Jack’s no good for you, Soph. I was talking about Gray.”

He froze with his beer halfway to his lips and wondered if it would be inappropriate to drag Jenna out to the parking lot by her hair and put her in a cab. He wanted to look at Sophie, but didn’t think he could bear to see what kind of amused disdain would be written all over her face.

“Gray’s my boss,” she said quietly.

A good, safe answer. A disappointing answer.

“Oh, sure, but if he weren’t, you’d go for it, right? He’s cute,” Jenna said. She leaned over to pinch his cheek, and Gray batted her hand away with a warning look. Which she ignored.

“I’m pretty sure I’m the last woman on earth your brother would be interested in.”

Gray’s eyes flew to Sophie. An interesting choice of words. Was she saying that she would be interested if she thought he was? He silently begged her to meet his eyes so he could read her expression, but she didn’t look away from Jenna.

“Huh,” Jenna said, apparently realizing that she’d pushed the conversation as far as it could go.

Gray’s shoulders had just started to relax when his sister piped up again. “Hey, Soph, you should join us for dinner on Friday.”

He pinched the bridge of his nose. This was too much. He could barely handle Sophie nine-to-five during the weekdays. If he had to start seeing her on weekend evenings, he’d lose his mind.

“Oh, I couldn’t interrupt family time,” Sophie said.

“Please, you’ve seen this ‘family.’ We’re hardly the Brady Bunch. An outsider helps smooth the waters. Plus I need another girl to keep me company while the two of them argue about baseball.”

“She’s right, it’ll be fun. And Gray’s a fantastic cook,” Jack said, giving Sophie a soft elbow in the side.

Gray choked. “Who said I was cooking?”

Jack shrugged. “You’re good at it. And we all know Jenna isn’t civilized enough for any decent restaurant.”

“Hilarious, Jack,” Jenna purred. “Sophie, did you know we had a comedian in the family? But Jack’s right. Dinner at Gray’s sounds great.”

“Of course it does,” Gray muttered. “All
you
have to do is show up and drink my wine.”

“Exactly. So, Sophie, you in?”

Gray spared his assistant the briefest of glances. “I’m sure she has other plans on a Friday night.”

Sophie’s blue eyes locked on his. “Actually I don’t. And dinner sounds great. I’d love to come.”

Shit.

S
ophie stood outside the condo building of one grumpy Grayson Gregory Wyatt and wondered at what point she’d completely lost her mind.

She also wondered what kind of uptight fool advertises a full name like Grayson Gregory on their building call box.

I’m going to kill Jenna.

Gray’s sister had only been in town for a week, but Jenna had firmly inserted herself into Sophie’s life as though they’d been lifelong friends. Shopping trips, happy hour at the local wine bar, spa day…

And now this.

She’d known exactly what Jenna was up to when she’d suggested dinner. Sophie was a little sister herself. She knew all about the set-up-the-big-sibling routine. Sophie had gone through a brief phase of matchmaker, trying to set Brynn up with the wrong men.

She knew firsthand that these things never went well.

But Gray’s eyes had been begging her to decline.

So
of course
she’d had to accept.

Plus, the three of them clearly didn’t have the whole “family” thing figured out. Not that the Daltons were perfect, but at least they didn’t avoid conversation with one another. If Gray was left to his own devices, he’d end up treating the twins like either children or clients.

If anyone needed to build solid familial relationships it was Gray Wyatt.

But what had sounded like a harmless idea on Tuesday was a lot more daunting when she was actually standing in front of her boss’s condo building on a Friday evening.

Sophie thought uncomfortably of the last Friday night she’d spent with him in the office. She certainly didn’t need a repeat of those uncomfortable emotions.

At least tonight the twins would be there as a buffer. No chance of her getting the hots for her sulky employer with his siblings looking on. She glanced up at the high-rise condo building. It looked like a museum. No doubt, the interior of his condo would be more of the same. Monochromatic, cool, and tidy. Boring.

Still, a promise was a promise, and so here she was. Sophie slowly reached out and punched the button next to his pretentious-as-shit name. Dinner in a restaurant would have been awkward enough, but actually going to her boss’s home officially crossed the fragile boundary between professional and personal. She had no idea why Gray had agreed to it, but it could have something to do with the fact that Jenna had the personality of a Rottweiler and biceps like Jillian Michaels. One did
not
mess with her master plan.

A flash of sanity demanded that Sophie turn and run, but then she heard Gray’s rough voice on the tinny intercom.

“Yeah?”

“It’s me,” she said.

“Sophie?”

“Um, no, this is Mimi, the hooker from Vegas? You called for a genital massage?” She smiled at the elderly couple approaching the building, hoping they were hard of hearing.

“I’m so amused,” Gray’s voice crackled through the intercom. “I hope you like Top Ramen, because that’s all you’re—”

Sophie punched the call button again to end the cheery discussion and scooted in the front door behind the couple. They turned to size her up, and she gave them her sweetest smile. “You don’t mind if I slide in behind you, do you? My boyfriend’s a little grumpy because I forgot it was our one-month anniversary. Honestly, how is a busy woman supposed to remember these little things?”

The blue-haired woman’s expression softened, and she patted Sophie’s shoulder. “Oh, don’t you stress about a thing, dear. Men pretend they don’t care about that stuff, but they’re so sensitive! Walter here pouted for a nearly two hours when he thought I’d forgotten our forty-eighth wedding anniversary.”

Walter harrumphed, sending his white mustache twitching. “That’s bollocks. I was just upset that the tennis tournament got canceled for those blasted cheerleading competitions!”

“I didn’t exactly see you reaching for the remote to turn the station away from those scandalous little skirts.”

Walter flushed slightly. “My arthritis was acting up, Joyce. You know I can’t just go gallivanting around the living room trying to find the remote.”

The little woman rolled her eyes at Sophie. “You see what I mean? They’re sensitive. Now you go right on up there and make amends with your man. Cook him a nice meal and maybe give him a little nookie!”

Sophie smothered a smile at the throwback to a different era. She didn’t have the heart to tell Joyce that “her man” would actually be cooking
her
dinner, and that nookie was so not an option.

Saying good-bye to the now-bickering couple, Sophie found her way to Gray’s apartment, giving a perky knock. She tugged nervously at the hem of her tight white sweater. She knew this wasn’t a date, of course. But maybe she’d taken a
few
extra minutes getting ready.

And the results were worth it. She was wearing her cutest (and tightest) jeans, and the sweater she’d just picked up from Nordstrom. The cashmere kept it classy while the tight fit made it sexy. Not that she wanted to be sexy. He finally answered the door, and all thoughts of her own appearance vanished.

Because Gray looked…gorgeous.

She realized this was the first time since dinner at her parents that she’d seen him outside of a suit, and while he admittedly filled out a suit very nicely, casual was a surprisingly good look on him. He wore dark jeans that were either designer or personally made for him, because he looked like a freaking male model. The gray sweater was layered over a crisp white shirt and made his eyes look, well…actually they looked downright stormy and pissed.

But it was a sexy picture nonetheless.

“How’d you get into the building?”

“It’s called charm—I’ll write a report on it on Monday so you can begin to understand the how the concept works. Short version: you smile at people and they like you more.”

His scowl deepened and he braced an arm on the doorway, blocking her entrance.

“Okay.” She sighed. “I can see I’m moving you along too fast on the path toward not being a dick. Lesson number one: invite me in.”

“Jenna’s not coming.”

Sophie blinked at that. “Why not? Is everything okay?”

“Oh, everything is fine. Just some apparent stomach bug,” he replied.

She chewed her lip. This was not ideal. Although Sophie was
technically
here to provide a buffer among the Wyatt siblings, what she really needed was a buffer between her and Gray. This would be all the more awkward with just herself, the two brothers, and no fellow female influence.

“I hope she’s okay,” Sophie said. “You and Jack must be bummed to not see her on her last night in town.”

“Oh, I’m not so sure Jack
won’t
be seeing her,” Gray muttered, still not inviting her in.

Sophie had gotten pretty good at interpreting this man’s moods and mumbles, but she was now officially confused.

“What’s going on?” she asked pointedly, folding her arms self-consciously across her chest.

“We’ve been set up,” he said, not meeting her eyes. “Jack thought dinner tonight was canceled, and I don’t think Jenna ever had any intention of showing up.”

Suddenly everything became clear in Sophie’s mind, and she couldn’t help but laugh at how well Jenna had played her cards. The setup was even more blatant than Sophie had expected.

“Why are you giggling?” He glanced at her sharply, as though surprised to see her still there.

“Just admiring your sister’s tactics. Well, the least you can do is let me in. I’m guessing you cooked for four, right? You may as well feed me.”

“I’m not so sure this is a good idea,” he said.

“Oh, it’s a horrible idea. This will be a complete disaster,” she agreed, slipping under his arm and scooting into his apartment. “But it’ll build your character.”

“Fine, but don’t expect me to entertain you. You eat, then you leave. I have things to do.”

She laid a hand on his arm. As expected, he stiffened, but she kept her hand there anyway. She couldn’t help it. She was by nature a warm, affectionate person, and she was tired of always trying to hide that around him. Besides, if anyone needed a little dose of harmless human contact, it was this man of stone.

“I’ll leave if you want,” she said, meaning it. “But I’ll be stuck going home to a dinner of cereal, and whatever you have cooking in here smells amazing.”

He stared at the spot above her head before nodding shortly. “Sorry about this. I never meant for you to get caught up in the disaster that is my family dynamics.”

“Relax, Gray. I’m glad to be here. Besides, it might be good for you. I know too well that one-on-one interactions are not your forte. Practice can’t hurt.”

Sophie froze, realizing how that had sounded. She had practically proposed a
date
. With her boss. Who didn’t like her.

She ordered her impulsive brain to back the heck out of this impending disaster. But then Gray frowned. And for some reason, his reluctance solidified her resolve. She had promised to help him with his innate lack of social skills. Who said that had to be exclusive to the office?

And besides, she was starving.

“You’re my assistant,” he said. “This just seems…wrong.”

“Don’t be such a stiff. It’s just one night, and nobody has to know. On Monday you can go back to grumbling orders to Ms. Dalton. And if you’re on good behavior tonight, I may even start calling you Mr. Wyatt in the office as a little reward.”

“Indefinitely?”

“Let’s say for one day. For Monday, I promise to be perfectly respectful and boring. If you can go the entire night maintaining the facade that you’re interested in me for more than my filing skills, then I’ll even call you sir. Deal?”

His eyes lit at the idea of a challenge. “You’re meaning to tell me that you’ll actually be docile and unobtrusive for an entire day if I pretend you’re my girlfriend?”

Sophie’s heart seemed to skip for a split second at the word “girlfriend.” That hadn’t been what she’d meant by this little experiment.

And yet she still wasn’t turning and running. She pasted a smile on her face as though she played these kinds of charades every day.

“Eh, let’s say
almost
-girlfriend,” Sophie said with a nervous smile. “Let’s pretend it’s the third date, and that we’re moving in the direction of a committed relationship.”

There. That seemed harmless enough.

He ran a hand over his short dark hair. “This is insane. I don’t know why the hell I agreed to this dinner in the first place, and now I’m stuck with
you
.”

“That’s lovely. I have to say, you’re a pretty awful boyfriend so far.”

“Sorry,” he said gruffly. “That was rude. I’m never at my best around you.”

His eyes seemed to warm a moment, and be still her little stupid heart, but she almost wished that he was interested in her for real. Then again, he hadn’t even
once
glanced down at her strategic sweater. Clearly he wasn’t interested in her as a woman.

So much for my investment in a push-up bra that weighs more than a Thanksgiving turkey
, she thought.

“Lesson number two,” Sophie said, setting her purse down and shrugging off her coat. “Always offer the lady a drink.”

She started to set her coat on top of her purse, but he snatched it from her and hung it in the hall closet. “Very good,” she said. “That was a test.”

“It’s not like I’ve never had a guest over before. I’m not completely without manners.”

The way he stalked toward the kitchen sort of undermined his claim on manners, but she let it go. Baby steps.

Peering around curiously, she took her first look at Gray’s condo. She almost grinned when she saw it was exactly what she’d expected. The floor seemed to be made of honest-to-God concrete. There were a couple of cool-toned area rugs to break it up, but still. Concrete was concrete.

The walls were a shocking white, softened only by a handful of depressing-looking metal structures. Either he’d completely overpaid his decorator or he’d gone shopping himself at Home Depot. The living room off to her right was clearly unused, and she wandered into his personal office, running her hand over the built-in bookshelves.

This room at least had a bit of warmth. She wondered if it was the only one he spent any time in. The walls were still white, but a large colorful painting of an old-fashioned bar took up one wall, and the other held a few photographs, most of them pictures of Jenna and Jack.

She could easily picture him here, relaxed in the large leather easy chair with some brainy book in his lap and a glass of whiskey on the side table. What the man really needed was a dog. Maybe a Labrador or a spaniel. Something friendly to sit by his feet and banish that chronic look of loneliness the man wore around him like a cape.

Sensing eyes on her back, she turned around and saw Gray standing in the doorway, two wineglasses in hand.

“Don’t you ever read fiction?” Sophie asked, accepting the wineglass he handed her. “There are dozens of biographies, and not a single one seems to be fewer than a thousand pages.”

Gray gestured to the bookcase on the far end of the room. “Take a look at the top shelf.”

Sophie wandered that way, taking a sip of excellent Chardonnay. She immediately saw what he wanted her to see and a laugh bubbled out. “Harry Potter? Really?”

He shrugged. “Biographies are my preferred reading material, but I enjoy well-written fiction once in a while. Plus I wanted to see what all of the hype was about.”

“You reading about a boy wizard.” She shook her head, completely unable to picture it.

“Quit snooping through my stuff. Come into the kitchen.”

She followed him out of the office, pleased to see that he seemed more relaxed than when he’d first opened the door. Maybe it was just the lack of pinstripes, but he didn’t have his usual wary expression. Jeans suited the man, Sophie thought. She found herself studying a surprisingly yummy-looking backside.

“Quit checking out my ass.”

She choked on her wine.
Caught.

“I’m just mentally cataloging potential areas of improvement on behalf of your future wife. Do men do squats, or is that more of a Hollywood actress exercise? And—
wow
. Look at this kitchen!”