NESSA

Grayson: Can you stop looking at me like that?

Me: Like what?

Grayson: You know exactly what, Wednesday.

Me: I can't help it. You're wearing a suit, and it gets me all worked up.

Grayson: I wouldn't have worn it to class, but I don't have time to go home and change before my recital later.

Me: I'm glad you wore it to class. By the looks of it, I'm not the only one.

Grayson rolled his eyes and put his phone down, looking up at Dr. Michaels as she explained the circle of fifths for the millionth time. Luckily, she was so into her PowerPoint presentation that she overlooked the two of us in the back row. She always did.

I went back to typing on my phone. I wasn't done.

Me: So I shouldn't stare at you like this during your recital? That's gonna be tough.

Grayson: Definitely don't stare at me like this during my recital. I won't be able to concentrate.

Me: But you're so hot when you play. I always have to cross my legs realllly tight when I watch you.

There was an audible groan from the man next to me.

Grayson: Can you not? I'm trying not to get a hard-on in the middle of class.

I bit down on my lip to keep from smiling. And then I typed another reply.

Me: You're the one who unleashed naughty Nessa. This is your fault.

Grayson: God I love you, even when you drive me insane.

Me: I'm pretty sure that's my line.

Grayson: Looks like we have something in common. Maybe we should date?

Me: Probably fuck, too.

Grayson: Adler.

Grayson: Stop or I'm going to fuck you so hard you won't be able to walk tomorrow.

Me: You say that like it's a bad thing.

He sighed, shaking his head with a smile. He put his phone down again like he refused to read one more text from me and grabbed my thigh instead, fingers digging in slightly with a possession I adored. Those steely eyes of his flicked up to Dr. Micheals as he tried very hard to pay attention to the lecture. Much harder than me.

It was probably a mistake to register for the same course as Grayson this fall, but I found it increasingly hard to regret. Mainly because we usually made out in the practice rooms afterward. And then sometimes we practiced things that had nothing to do with instruments. It was the perfect midday boost.

Me: Before I drop you off at home tomorrow, would you maybe want to come for dinner? My dad is making Klepe.

Grayson: I'd love that, baby.

I paused, considering. Nerves fluttered in my stomach.

Me: Also, I have a surprise for you.

Grayson: A good surprise?

Me: I think so?

Glancing over at me, he raised a brow. But I just shook my head. I wasn't going to give it away. So he turned back to his phone.

Grayson: Can't wait, darling.

****

"Maybe I want to try something new?"

Grayson gave me a skeptical glance just as I pulled into the long line at the drive-thru of the coffee shop the next day.

"You want something other than a caramel macchiato?"

I shrugged. "Maybe I want to spice it up a bit. Add a little flavor to my life."

Sinking into his spot in the passenger seat, Grayson sulked. He made a little noise in the back of his throat that had me swallowing a laugh.

"Didn't give you enough spice last night, huh?" he mumbled.

He definitely had. After watching him at his recital, looking just as handsome and hot as I'd known he would, I practically dragged him back to his place. And then I took my sweet-ass time removing every piece of that suit. Well, I took as long as he let me before eagerly returning the favor.

"No, you did, my spicy piano man."

Grayson choked on a laugh and then turned his head to glare at me. "You did not just call you that."

An uncharacteristically girly giggle slipped through my lips. "Actually, my friends have been calling you that for a very long time."

"No way."

"Oh, definitely," I assured him. "They definitely have."

Grayson slowly turned to stare blankly out of the windshield again. He blinked before muttering beneath his breath. "I don't even know what to say to that."

Barely containing another laugh, I pulled up to the speaker and ordered the same thing I always did.

Maybe Grayson was right. Maybe I did have enough spice in my life. After all, I had him.

****

"Grayson!"

The fact that Rory ran straight into Grayson's arms before he ran into mine should have hurt, but as I watched my boyfriend ruffle those curls on Rory's head, all I could do was smile.

Rory already had his football under his arm, and I knew he was ready to steal Grayson away until dinner. Which was honestly fine with me because Grayson missed throwing that goddamn ball so much. Even if it were with a twelve-year-old spitfire of a little kid, he'd be happy.

Sure enough, the two of them disappeared into the backyard, leaving me to announce my arrival to the rest of the family. Dad was in the kitchen already, cooking up a storm that smelled delicious and so much like home. Mom sat at the countertop, reviewing notes on something that looked like a manuscript. And Piper was peeking out the back window.

"No spying on my boyfriend," I said with a smile.

There was an immediate blush on Piper's face as she spun around. "Just making sure he's still...you know...."

"Hot?" I murmured, low enough that only the two of us could hear as I walked over to hug her.

"Yeah," she said with a guilty laugh.

"He is," I whispered with my own little giggle.

"Welcome home, ćerka!" Dad called from his spot behind the stove. "Is Grayson staying for dinner?"

"He sure is. Hope that's okay."

"Definitely okay," Mom cut in. Looking up, she gave me a big smile that made me feel warm inside. "Glad you made it home safe, honey. How's the new car?"

"I like it a lot! Grayson helped me pick it out." I paused, grinning a bit as I thought back to the day we drove from dealership to dealership, and I had to listen to Bren and Grayson trade barbs lovingly for five hours. "Bren came, too."

"The end decision was yours, though, right?"

Oh, Dad. Always the support behind my back.

"Of course it was."

Dinner was a low-key affair. My whole family got along swimmingly with Grayson, although it would be hard to imagine Grayson needing to try very hard to fit in anywhere. It helped that Rory looked up to him with stars in his eyes, and as the baby of the family, if Rory approved...everyone approved.

It was hard to remember a time when I'd been more nervous, though. I knew I shouldn't be. It wasn't that big of a deal. It really wasn't.

But I still couldn't shove the butterflies down far enough, and my palms were sweaty when I grabbed Grayson's hand to bring him up to my room after dinner.

"At least give me a little hint about this surprise," Grayson whispered, knowing what was on my mind.

"Um..." A hint?

"You seem very nervous," he said, keeping his voice down as we entered my bedroom. "You don't ever need to feel nervous around me, Nessa."

"I just..." I sighed. "I just hope you like it. That's all."

Shaking his head with a smile, Grayson dropped onto my bed, making himself at home like usual.

"I'm absolutely positive that I will."

He was always confident. But when he had that confidence in me? It left a different kind of lasting impact on my heart.

Taking a deep breath, I walked over to my bags that I'd set by the door earlier, searching for what I wanted to show him. Finding it, I slipped the vinyl out of its case and flicked open the lid on my record player.

Glancing over my shoulder, I saw Grayson sit up a little straighter, interested.

"Collins and Beau have been helping me with something," I said.

"What is it?"

"Just listen."

And then, before I could let myself back out, I positioned the needle on the edge of the vinyl...and let it play.

Grayson immediately knew. He leaned back against the headboard of my bed with a massive grin on his face as the opening chords played. But when my voice started filtering through the speakers, he lifted a hand over his mouth, fingers massaging his jaw.

I'd heard it so many times before. Knew it by heart. So this time, I barely listened at all to the track as it played. All of my attention was on Grayson, but he didn't move. He didn't speak the entire time.

Never in a million years would I imagine that I could render Grayson Everett speechless.

Finally, with the scratchy sound of a vinyl reaching the end of its track, the room grew quiet again.

Grayson's hand dropped away.

Every once in a while, the truth comes around and smacks you in the face.

It was that way with Grayson. But I was too afraid of falling hard and then falling apart again, so I pushed it away. And yet, I couldn't let him go completely. Thank god I didn't let go. Even when my brain was telling me it was over, my heart held on.

"You finished your song," he said, his voice gravelly. "The one you were writing in the dorms."

I nodded.

"I did."

"When?"

"When you were...gone."

Tears shone in his eyes, and I had to swallow a lump. Grayson's throat worked up and down, and I knew he must have had something there, too. "Say the rest of it," he said. "The rest of the lyrics. I want to hear them again."

Sniffling, I murmured the last words fast enough that I wouldn't get stopped by tears.

"I prayed that even if you couldn't stay,
there'd be a way to keep you somehow,
some day.
Because I wanted you,
I wanted you anyway."

"Nessa..."

Grayson was shaking his head, his lips parted in a way that looked like words should be coming out, but they weren't.

I inhaled deeply. "I thought that it would help me," I said. "I thought that if I could finish the song, it would help me find closure when I didn't think you were coming back."

Grayson blinked, pain and love in his eyes. "Did it?"

I shook my head. "No. We were never over."

"Damn right." Grayson pushed off the bed, striding across the room in quick steps that brought me into his arms within seconds. Lifting me off my feet, Grayson captured my lips in a deep kiss that made my heart sing. "Damn right we weren't over," he breathed between kisses.

"You're here to stay?" I whispered, even though I knew the answer.

"I'm here to stay, baby." He smiled. "And I want a copy of that so I can play it on repeat. Your voice is gorgeous. I think I fell in love with you the day that I heard you sing. And I think I just fell in love with you all over again."

"Oh, stop." I pushed at his chest, brushing off the comments because the alternative was to collapse into a crying heap on the floor.

"I'm serious." Letting go of me, Grayson walked across the room to pick up my ukulele. He held it out to me with a puppy dog expression that made me want to laugh. "Do I get a live performance now?"

"The reason I had Beau and Collins help me record it was so that I wouldn't have to play the song live for you."

"Please," he pleaded, pushing his bottom lip into a pout that made me roll my eyes. And smile. He wiggled the ukulele at me. "At least the beginning."

How could I say no to that?

"Fine."

Snatching the uke from him, I went to perch on the edge of my bed. With a huge grin on his face, Grayson walked over, too. And I assumed that he'd sit next to me, but he quickly proved me wrong as he swung a leg behind my back, straddling me. He pulled me tight into his chest. Swept my hair to the side. Brushed his lips against the back of my neck.

Everything inside me was fluttering.

"How am I supposed to play with you doing shit like that?"

"Hm," Grayson hummed against my skin. "Tricky, isn't it?"

Closing my eyes in an attempt to concentrate, I played the first chord, strumming for a few beats.

But then Grayson pressed an open-mouthed kiss on the side of my neck. His tongue swirled against my skin before he murmured, "What was it that you told me that day? Oh, yes. Just focus."

What an infuriating, loveable man. I tried to elbow him slightly, but his hand caught my arm before I could make contact with his side.

"Ah, ah," he tutted. "Nice try, but my reflexes have been picking up again, Adler."

I should have been annoyed, but I bit down on a smile instead. He was healing.

"Oh, yeah?" I shifted to a different chord in the song, not having enough breath to sing but enough focus to play.

"Yeah." Grayson's voice was husky as he let go of my elbow and trailed his fingers up my arm instead. A whole-body shiver worked through me. "And I don't know if you've heard, but I'm pretty good with my hands."

"Oh, you are?"

Grayson nipped at the back of my neck, but I felt his lips curve in a smile against my skin. "Yes, I am. And that means I'm going to catch you every single time."

I sure hoped that was true. Because being in love involved a lot of falling.

"You better, Wilder."

"I will, Adler." He pulled me in closer to his chest. "Oh, I will."

💗

one epilogue coming right up
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