Against All Odds (7 page)

“Oh my God, Grayson Walsh, can’t you knock?” I’m sure my face and body are as red as a tomato.

He chuckles, and all I want to do is crawl under my desk and die. I’m so embarrassed, I don’t know what to say.

“Were you having fun?” he asks, his voice rumbling with amusement. It sends goose bumps all the way up my burning body.

“Yeah, I was… you know…” My voice is unsteady, and I look around the room.
I feel mortified.

Gray bursts out laughing, and when I see him laugh, I do too. I laugh so hard, I have to clutch my stomach. As our amusement dies down, I get a good look at him. His dark denim jeans clutch his thick hips. A white T-shirt spans his broad, ripped chest, and tattoos beam brightly from under each sleeve. Grayson’s all man. Thick, hard, big, and rugged.

I flip my eyes to his and his smile gets bigger. His shiny blue eyes stare back at me, causing my breath to falter. I can’t help but think that he’s absolutely stunning, and any woman would be lucky to have him. Gray’s one of the best guys I’ve ever known. He’s thoughtful, considerate, and playful. He knows when you need a friend, when to make you laugh. He works hard, but plays hard too. He’s an all-around great guy. A perfect catch for some unsuspecting girl.

“What are you doing here?” I ask with a hint of curiosity. “Did I leave the door unlocked?”

“Nope, I knocked.” He answers on a lopsided smile. “I saw your car in the driveway, but when you didn’t answer the door, I got worried. I used the spare key to make sure everything’s okay.” His smile turns playful. “But now I know what you do in your spare time. You’re quite the little dancer.”

I feel a blush creeping up my neck. “I’ve gotta let loose sometime.” I laugh. “Anyway… Did you make it home okay the other night?”

His brows quirk in mischief. “Ah, yeah. I didn’t die in a car crash or get robbed along the way, although I could have used your help getting tucked into bed after rushing out of Key West like it was on fire.”

I roll my eyes and grin. “Hardy har har, Grayson. Your attempt at humor is amazing.”

He chuckles, a tenderness taking over his features. “I’d do anything to see that beautiful smile.”

The room heats up as I stare into his eyes. We’re both silent for a second.

Then he asks, “Did he call you yet?”

“What? Who?”

“Your husband,” he states, his voice steady. “Did he call you?”

I pick up the pencil holder I was using as a mic and place it on my desk. I don’t want to answer that question. I’ve managed to put Cooper out of my mind all morning. Thoughts of him make me sad, and that aching pain comes back full force. I push the emotion off my face when I look back at Grayson.

He sees straight through my facade. “Hey, it’s okay. Don’t let him do this. I know it’s tough. I’m not going to excuse his behavior anymore. He’s being an ass.” He moves into the room. “Look, I was harsh the other day. I didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable. I don’t want things to get weird between us. I’m here for you no matter what. I want you to know that.”

“Yeah, I know. Don’t worry about me. I’m fine.” I try to clear the lump lodged in my throat. The last thing I want to do is cry in front of Gray again.

“Kylie.” He places his fingers under my chin and tilts my face up. He gives me a minute to calm down and then smiles. “Why don’t we go out? Let’s do something today. It’s really hot. We could go for a swim or cook out. Whatever you want. Let’s just have a day without stress.”

God, he’s perfect.

He’s such a good guy… a nice guy who hates seeing the people he loves hurting. I don’t know how he ended up friends with a couple like us. A day out sounds nice. I’m tired of being alone.

“Are you sure? Don’t you have stuff to do?” I don’t want him throwing away plans to deal with me. He’s done that too many times already.

“Are you kidding? I wouldn’t ask if I wanted to be somewhere else.”

The thought of spending time with Gray sounds amazing. I sigh and wrap my arms around him, hugging him tightly. He slips his large arms around me, and all thoughts of Cooper get tucked into the back of my mind. Today, I want to pretend. I want to pretend that my life isn’t a mess. I want to pretend I’m hanging out with an amazing man who happens to be my best friend. I want a break, and Gray’s the perfect escape.

“Okay, I’d love to go out. We can go to the lake house. I haven’t been in a while.” I step back and watch as a grins slides across his face.

His eyes skim down my body. “Are you going to get dressed, or are you going in that?”

I glance down, realizing I’m standing in a nightgown with no bra. “God, what is it with people walking in on me in lingerie? Between you and Cali…” I shake my head and walk out of the office.

“It’s that incredibly hot body of yours. It calls to the suckers,” he says.

“You’re crazy. I am pretty sexy, though.” I giggle, trying to make light of my current state of undress.

“Fuck yeah, you are,” he responds on a chuckle. “Super fucking sexy.”

That makes me flush. I’m flirting with danger. Something inside me is warning me that things with Gray are skimming the line between what Cooper can and can’t handle. As I swipe a summer dress off the hanger and a bathing suit from a drawer, I think of what Cooper’s doing. I see the blonde curled in his arms, plastered to his body, and my gut clenches. No, no Cooper today. Today, I’m going to swim, relax, and spend time with Gray.

If
my husband wants me, he’s going to have to come get me.

We pull up to the lake house about an hour later, after making several stops to get food, liquor, and supplies. I grab some stuff out of the truck and tug my purse over the shoulder of my pink sundress. Cooper and I bought the lake house five years ago. It was meant to be a getaway house, a place for little honeymoons to keep our relationship intimate and spicy.

I remember the first time I saw it. I fell in love… unequivocally in love.

“What do you think?”

I tip my head, seeing Cooper’s smiling face. “I love it.”

“What do you love about it?” he asks, pulling my back flush against his broad chest.

I look at the house, enamored with everything about it. “I love the huge windows, the bright red door, and the wraparound porch.”

“What else?”

I flip my eyes up to his, a smile flirting on my lips. I point toward the right side of the front porch where a beautiful cedar swing hangs. “I love the swing.”

“I love that, too.” His tongue skirts across his mouth and he presses his hips into mine. “I love the thought of what we could do on that swing.”

I giggle, watching his eyes turn hazy. “And what could we possibly do there, Mr. Bailey?”

“I have several ideas, soon-to-be Mrs. Bailey. I also have several ideas of what we could do over there.”

My body warms as I look to where he points. “The willow trees?” Excitement flutters low in my gut.

“Mmmhmm, I’d love to watch you ride me naked under those trees.” He kisses my cheek and nibbles his way to my ear.

“What about the lake?” I whisper, my body burning for him. “Will you make love to me there too?”

“I’d make love to you wherever you’d let me.” His green eyes are filled with love and admiration.

“Does that mean we can have it?”

“Baby, you can have anything you want. If you want this, consider it sold.” He grins and places a kiss on my forehead.

I look back at the house, feeling as though my life’s just beginning. This is a great place to start. A honeymoon house with the love of my life.

It was our place. One that, at the time, I felt was built just for us. I knew we’d be here a lot. The love we’d share in this house would be filled with memories we’d take to our graves.

Little did I know that some of our most painful memories would take place here too.

Gray comes up behind me and swings an arm around my shoulder. I look at him, and he smiles brightly. I smile back and prep myself to go into the place I used to love, one that now holds a mountain of memories I’d rather forget.

“You ready to head in?” he asks.

Trepidation skips through me. “Yeah, I’m ready.” Wanting to come here strikes me as insane. I seem to like putting myself in intensely painful situations.

We head toward the house. I inhale a shaky breath, put the stuff I’m holding down, and grab my keys from my purse. With sweat pebbling between my fingers tips and nerves whipping through me, I grab the cool doorknob, and twist, swinging it open.

“What the fuck happened here?” Grayson asks, startled.

I take in the living room and my heart breaks.
It’s the way we left it.

Picture frames are shattered, and pillows are strewn all over. Broken plates cover the dining room table, and beside the sofa two lamps are turned over. The place is a wreck, absolute mayhem. Panic sets in as I close my eyes.

The last time Cooper and I were here, Kayla had been dead for six months.

We were struggling. Not only in our marriage, but in life. We were working nonstop, using it as a way to stay clear of each other. It had taken its toll on us emotionally and physically. The last time we had been intimate was before she had passed. I needed sex from my husband. It was the way we connected, became one. I had tried to be sensitive of his feelings. I knew I had hurt him by not attending the funeral. I had pushed him away. So I had been giving him space.

But that space had turned into mountains, and those mountains were turning into canyons. My entire being, the very center of who I was, was crying out for him. He was my air, and for months I had been deprived. I needed to do something. I needed to find a way to tell him I was sorry, so I suggested a weekend at the lake house. He was hesitant at first but saw the desperation in my eyes, and he eventually agreed.

What was my last ditch effort—an attempt at a reconciliation I’d hoped would spur us forward—turned into the closing hammer that’d demolished
my
world.

We pull up to the lake house, and excitement soars in me. We sit in the car, and Cooper looks as though he’s contemplating something. His golden hair is tussled, and his tanned skin shines in the sunlight. Gently, I place my hand on his thigh. He looks over and smiles weakly. It looks as though he’s trying to feel the same excitement I do, but he’s failing.

I tuck down my disappointment and force a smile. “Are you okay?”

A knot of tension sparks in his eyes. “Yeah, of course.”

“Hey, let’s just try to relax.” I say, feeling the anxiety rolling off of him. “I just want to spend time with you. That’s it.”

His Adam’s apple moves as he swallows roughly. “Of course, baby. I do too. Let’s go.” He doesn’t meet my gaze as he takes the keys out of the ignition and gets out.

I release a breath as I watch him step out of the car. This will be good. We need this. I chant this to myself as I step out and the warm air wraps its arms around me.

Cooper grabs our bags and nods toward the door. I follow him, waiting for him to unlock and open it. I go straight to the back windows overlooking the iridescent lake. I sigh, reveling in the tranquility that rises from the shallow ripples. It’s always brought me a sense of peace. Coop closes the door and moves into the bedroom to set down our stuff.

A moment later, he strolls into the living room and asks, “Are you hungry?”

I turn toward him and offer a small smile. “Yeah, are you?”

As if on cue, his stomach grumbles, making us laugh. “Can you tell?” He points toward the offending noise and quirks a brow. “Do you want to cook? I brought stuff to make our favorite pizza.”

I feel a lick of fire shoot from my heart through my body. He thought of cooking with me. Yes, it’s a simple thing couples do all the time. But we haven’t spent any time together in months, and even something this small gives me hope.

I miss him. I’ve missed every single thing about him. My eyes trail lazily down the valleys and peaks of his body, of their own volition. I crave him: his heat, his warmth. I crave the touch of my lover, friend, and soul mate.

I haven’t just missed him. I’ve been dying, reaching out for my missing half, the key to my existence.