Read Online On the Ropes (Fighting For Love Book 2) by Evelyn Glass - Free Book Online
Authors: Evelyn Glass
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him to kiss her in the sensitive spot that he’d discovered the night they slept together. It’s a short drive to the art museum where the party is being held, and Grayson is grateful for it. He doesn’t know how much longer he can be in such close proximity to Adriana without jumping her. He’s barely able to concentrate on the small talk they’re making.
“Grayson?” Adriana looks at him expectantly, and he realizes he’s missed something. “I said you look good in a tux.” She smiles shyly at him. “Very James Bond.”
“Thanks,” he smiles awkwardly, adjusting himself yet again in his suit and hoping that she doesn’t notice. “I still feel like an idiot.” More than an idiot, he feels like an imposter. His tux cost more than he and his family would have lived on in a month back in Philly. This kind of formalwear and this kind of event make up the territory of the wealthy, the famous, not people like him.
You’re a screw up, a nobody . His father’s words still echo in Grayson’s ears. No matter what he does or where he goes, he can’t shut him out.
“Hey,” Adriana reaches over and lays her hand on top of his, squeezing it gently. “Where do you go when you look so sad?” She looks searchingly into his eyes, like she’s trying to figure him out.
“Sorry, I was…” He scrabbles around for something to say. “I guess I’m just a little nervous about tonight.” To be fair, it wasn’t a lie; but, the reason he is nervous has nothing to do with the party they are about to hit.
“Of course,” Adriana shakes her head as if she’s annoyed at herself for not having thought about that. “This is a big deal for you…a new sponsor, your first big win. This is your night, you should enjoy it.” She smiles up at him as she squeezes his hand, gently. Automatically he runs his thumb over the soft skin on the back of her hand, instantly feeling that strange mix of calm and excitement or, as he calls it, The Adriana Effect .
“It’s our night. I wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for you.” He looks into her eyes, hoping that he can communicate at least some of what it is that he’s thinking.
She looks askance at him, unsure. Then, she bites her bottom lip in the way that makes him want to kiss her hard and lay her down across the back seat. “What do you mean?” She shakes her head in confusion and withdraws her hand from his as if she’d read his mind and wanted no part of his primal need. But her breathing has picked up, as if she herself is feeling just how small the back of the car is getting.
“How was your date?” He doesn’t know why he says it, but he just does, and the bitterness in his voice is unmistakable.
Adriana looks away from him, shaking her head. “I should never have said yes.”
“Why not?” Grayson tries to stop himself from smiling at her lack of interest in her date.
“Because it wasn’t fair to lead him on when I know he’s not the person I want to be with.” Adriana’s voice is quiet, but Grayson hears her words loud as a bell. The way she looks at him almost begs him not to ask the only question that he can think about.
“Sir, we’re here.” The driver’s deep voice interrupts them, and Grayson doesn’t know whether to be relieved or irritated.
“You ready?” He looks at Adriana who takes a deep breath before nodding bravely. “Here we go.”
As Grayson steps out of the car, he’s met by what feels like a hundred flash bulbs in his face as the press goes wild. He helps Adriana out of the limo and doesn’t let go of her hand as the photographers get all excited again. She looks like a deer caught in headlights, and all Grayson wants to do is wrap her up in his arms and protect her.
“Hey, I’m here.” He squeezes her hand as he says the words, encouraging her to look up at him.
As their eyes meet, Grayson gets that familiar jolt that feels like his heart has
“Grayson?” Adriana looks at him expectantly, and he realizes he’s missed something. “I said you look good in a tux.” She smiles shyly at him. “Very James Bond.”
“Thanks,” he smiles awkwardly, adjusting himself yet again in his suit and hoping that she doesn’t notice. “I still feel like an idiot.” More than an idiot, he feels like an imposter. His tux cost more than he and his family would have lived on in a month back in Philly. This kind of formalwear and this kind of event make up the territory of the wealthy, the famous, not people like him.
You’re a screw up, a nobody . His father’s words still echo in Grayson’s ears. No matter what he does or where he goes, he can’t shut him out.
“Hey,” Adriana reaches over and lays her hand on top of his, squeezing it gently. “Where do you go when you look so sad?” She looks searchingly into his eyes, like she’s trying to figure him out.
“Sorry, I was…” He scrabbles around for something to say. “I guess I’m just a little nervous about tonight.” To be fair, it wasn’t a lie; but, the reason he is nervous has nothing to do with the party they are about to hit.
“Of course,” Adriana shakes her head as if she’s annoyed at herself for not having thought about that. “This is a big deal for you…a new sponsor, your first big win. This is your night, you should enjoy it.” She smiles up at him as she squeezes his hand, gently. Automatically he runs his thumb over the soft skin on the back of her hand, instantly feeling that strange mix of calm and excitement or, as he calls it, The Adriana Effect .
“It’s our night. I wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for you.” He looks into her eyes, hoping that he can communicate at least some of what it is that he’s thinking.
She looks askance at him, unsure. Then, she bites her bottom lip in the way that makes him want to kiss her hard and lay her down across the back seat. “What do you mean?” She shakes her head in confusion and withdraws her hand from his as if she’d read his mind and wanted no part of his primal need. But her breathing has picked up, as if she herself is feeling just how small the back of the car is getting.
“How was your date?” He doesn’t know why he says it, but he just does, and the bitterness in his voice is unmistakable.
Adriana looks away from him, shaking her head. “I should never have said yes.”
“Why not?” Grayson tries to stop himself from smiling at her lack of interest in her date.
“Because it wasn’t fair to lead him on when I know he’s not the person I want to be with.” Adriana’s voice is quiet, but Grayson hears her words loud as a bell. The way she looks at him almost begs him not to ask the only question that he can think about.
“Sir, we’re here.” The driver’s deep voice interrupts them, and Grayson doesn’t know whether to be relieved or irritated.
“You ready?” He looks at Adriana who takes a deep breath before nodding bravely. “Here we go.”
As Grayson steps out of the car, he’s met by what feels like a hundred flash bulbs in his face as the press goes wild. He helps Adriana out of the limo and doesn’t let go of her hand as the photographers get all excited again. She looks like a deer caught in headlights, and all Grayson wants to do is wrap her up in his arms and protect her.
“Hey, I’m here.” He squeezes her hand as he says the words, encouraging her to look up at him.
As their eyes meet, Grayson gets that familiar jolt that feels like his heart has
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