Finding Bliss (Bliss #1) Read online

  Yikes!

  ♥♥♥

  We’d made a quick stop at the mall to get a change of clothes before we went to our hotel. Grey and I had parted ways at the entrance and did our thing. I bought two new pairs of jeans and two new sweaters, as well as undergarments.

  The second outfit was for tonight. It was a tad bit tighter and a bit more revealing than what I’d had on. It wasn’t until we were at the hotel and I’d finished getting ready that I saw my mistake.

  I wanted to kick myself as I looked in the mirror and turned around to study myself. The jeans hugged my ass more so than any other pair I owned – they molded to me perfectly. The sweater was a pale pink with a swooped neckline that almost fell off my shoulders. It was so wide, I had to buy a strapless bra just to wear it. It was cashmere and felt yummy against my skin, but it showed a lot of it, too. I looked great, and I loved the outfit, but it was obvious that I was trying to look good for Grey. I didn’t want Grey to think I was trying to do anything to entice him. I…

  Yes, you do, Clara.

  I wanted Grey to think I was beautiful.

  I was totally lying to myself.

  Grey… He was so different. I wanted him to want me. When he arrived, I wanted to open the door and knock the breath out of him. I wanted him to take me in his arms and kiss the hell out of me because he couldn’t resist the pull any longer.

  Grrr.

  This was not supposed to happen. But the more time I spent with him, the harder I was falling.

  I pushed all those thoughts aside.

  Keep fighting the pull, Clara. You can do this.

  Thankfully, I had some makeup with me, so I was able to touch up my face before it was time to go. My hair was already down, but I had a few bobby-pins in my purse. I pulled a piece from my face and pinned it back, giving it a little bit of texture.

  I kept repeating to myself, this isn’t a date, this isn’t a date. I wasn’t going to act any differently toward him. Everything was going to stay the same. Yes, I was getting all dolled up for him, but didn’t most women want to look nice when they went out?

  When a knock sounded at the door, a ripple of nerves went through me. I wanted to hide and just forget this whole thing, but I couldn’t. I steeled myself and opened the door for Grey.

  “Hey. Let me grab my stuff,” I told him, not sparing him a glance. I was too anxious. I turned and was about to go back into the bedroom, where my purse and jacket were laying on the bed, when Grey stopped me.

  “Hold up, darlin’.” He caught my elbow and made me spin toward him. He peered down at my face and then did a sweep over my shoulders. He did it once more, but it was a full body sweep, taking me in completely. “Wow. I like this color on you.” The expression on his face was ravenous, like he wanted me.

  Me!

  I felt that look everywhere.

  Everywhere.

  “Um, thanks.” A blush crept into my cheeks. Damn my traitorous body! “Let me get my things, so we can go.”

  Running and hiding sounded a lot better to me.

  His voice came out gruff. “Sure.” He let me go and stepped back into the hall.

  I was in so much trouble here.

  I shrugged on my jacket and grabbed my purse. I pulled the scarf I had on earlier out of it and wrapped it around my neck. “Ready,” I told him as I closed the door behind me.

  “Good. Let’s go.” There was a terseness in his tone that puzzled me.

  “Okay…” I drawled.

  He took my hand in his and led me down the hall to the front lobby of the hotel. I stole a quick glimpse of him and realized that he was still wearing what he had on earlier. It made me feel stupid for buying something special for tonight.

  Once we were outside, Grey helped me into his Tahoe before we were off. The snow had finally stopped, and the roads were cleared. It was not safe to drive home yet, but the roads around town didn’t look too bad.

  “Where are we going?” I asked.

  “You’ll see.” He looked over at me with an unreadable expression on his face. It was dark out, but the lights from the street and passing cars illuminated us both.

  “Are you oaky?” I was curious and confused at the same time.

  “Yeah…” His eyes turned from the road again and did another sweep of my body. He shook his head and clutched the steering wheel tighter.

  I looked down at myself, feeling inadequate. Did I misunderstand the want I saw in his eyes minutes ago? Did I completely misread him?

  Hesitantly, I asked, “Is there something wrong with what I’m wearing? Is there something on me?”

  He gave me a look that said are you crazy. “You look beautiful. Clara.”

  I had no response to that, so I stayed quiet as he drove.

  He pulled into a parking lot a few minutes later. There were cars everywhere, and we could hear the loud music already playing. I stared wide eyed as Grey passed the front entrance to what looked like a bar.

  “A bar?” I asked as he parked. I imagined a club or something along those lines.

  “Not just any bar. They have live music most nights. We’re only here for the dancin’.” He turned off the ignition and grinned at me. “Don’t worry, darlin’, I’ve got ya.”

  A pit of trepidation formed in my stomach as my eyes darted between the entrance and Grey. He must have sensed my fear, because he reached over and cupped my face in his palms.

  My breath hitched.

  “I won’t let anythin’ happen to you. Trust me in that. We’re gonna have fun. All you have to do is follow my lead.” He tucked some free strands of hair behind my ear and then leaned in and kissed my temple. My whole body quivered at the sensation of his mouth on me. He’d never done that before. “There’s nothin’ to fear in there.”

  “Okay,” I acquiesced, breathless.

  “Good girl.” His gave me that killer smile and let me go. “Leave your purse here. I’ll carry whatever you need. It’s better not to worry about leavin’ your stuff at the table.”

  Knowing he’d had more experience at this, I nodded and dug my wallet out of my purse. I handed him my ID and my credit card and then pulled my cell out of my purse. He didn’t make a peep as he stuffed them in his pocket when he climbed out.

  He held my hand again as we walked into the bar. There was an already pretty impressive crowd and a live band was on the stage, their music pumping through the speakers blaringly. The place was more like a honky-tonk that I’d only seen on television. A lot of men and women wore cowboy hats, button-up shirts, boots, and tight jeans. There was a huge dance floor with people scattered around. I guessed by the size of the floor and the lack of people on it, the night had only just begun and that this place could fit a lot more people.

  Grey sidled up next to the bar and peered down at me, completely comfortable in our surroundings. I was a bag of nerves. “What do you wanna drink?” he asked, raising his voice a bit so that I could hear him over the music.

  I raised mine, too. “Wine. White, please.”

  He lifted a brow at me. “You really are a city girl.”

  I put my hand on my hip and glared. “Grey, I’m from Chicago. Of course I’m a city girl.”

  He laughed and ordered our drinks, shaking his head at me. With our drinks in hand, we made our way to a free table close to the dance floor. Once we were seated, I took in everything that was going on. There was an upbeat country song that I didn’t recognize being played. The couples on the floor moved around with footwork I’d never seen, either.

  There was no way Grey expected me to do that.

  “What do you think?” he questioned, seeing my wide eyes.

  “It’s a bit intimidating,” I confessed.

  “Nah. This is fun, darlin’.”

  “If you say so,” I muttered under my breath as I took a huge gulp from my glass. I needed some liquid courage. I felt like I was in a different world. Chicago was nothing like this. The last place I went with Paige played jazz and the men wore three pie
ce suits.

  “I’ll give you a chance to drink your wine and relax for a few minutes.” He motioned to the dance floor. “Then, I’ll take you out for a spin.

  Well, that answered that question.

  “Grey, there is no way I can do that. What is that?”

  “Two step. It’s simple once you catch on. I’ll teach you.” His eyes glittered with excitement – he was looking forward to this.

  “I don’t know…”

  He leaned in so that our noses were almost touching. I held my breath, excited by his proximity. “Trust me, Clara. For one night, let go.” I bit my lip, unsure. His eyes drifted down, and then his fingers were on my lip, pulling it from my teeth. Oh, holy moly. “Don’t be scared, darlin’.” When his eyes found mine again, they were blazing.

  I didn’t misread anything earlier, I concluded. Grey wanted me just as much as I wanted him.

  Having no idea that I’d just had an earthshattering revelation, Grey teased, “What do you say? Do I need to dare ya?”

  Butterflies were taking flight again. “No, I’ll be fine. Just don’t let me fall and make a fool out of myself.”

  “Never,” he vowed.

  ♥♥♥

  Grey kept hold of my hand as he spun me around and brought me back to him, our bodies flush, as our feet moved to the beat. I couldn’t quit giggling. I’d stopped counting the steps a long time ago and followed Grey. Two stepping was fun, easy like he’d said. He twirled me around over and over again, moving us in circles around the dance floor. He was good, really good at this.

  With one hand on his shoulder and the other in his hand, the music changed again to something a little less fast paced, which was needed. I was breathing heavily, but it was in a good way. Who knew dancing could be this much fun?

  “What do you think, darlin’? You’re dancin’ like a pro already.” He flashed me a self-satisfied smirk.

  “This is great!” There was no way my smile was disappearing tonight.

  “It’s nice to let loose now and then, am I right?”

  I rolled my eyes at him. “Are you going to do the whole I told you so thing?”

  “Nah, just want you to admit it.” He swung me out and brought me back in so that his arm was around my waist and my back was to his chest. “Are you gonna?” He whispered in my ear, causing chills to pebble down my neck. He spun me before I could answer, and then we were chest to chest again. “Are ya?”

  “Yes, I’ll admit it. I’ve never had this much fun.”

  “That’s what I like to hear.”

  The song changed again, but this time it was a slow song. Grey brought me in closer and wrapped both arms around my waist, letting go of my hand. I rested my hands on his shoulders as we swayed. It felt too intimate, though. Before, it didn’t seem like anything other than a good time. This was something altogether. He was looking at me with that unreadable expression I still couldn’t decipher. I felt scrutinized under it, like he was bearing the deepest part of my soul.

  I licked my lips nervously, and his eyes followed. “Uh, I’m parched. I think it’s time for another drink.” I needed a break to help sort out my head.

  He nodded, but I thought I caught a small glimpse of disappointment. “Well, I don’t want you to waste away.” He let me go but kept our fingers linked as he led us back to our table. “I’ll go get us another round. I’ll be right back.”

  “Thank you,” I told him as I sat, attempting to slow my thundering heart. It wasn’t just from dancing; it was the feeling I had right before we broke apart. One minute he was acting friendly, but then he gives me one of those blazing looks. The chemistry that arced between us was mind-blowing.

  A glass of wine was placed in front of me, as well as a draft beer with an orange slice on its rim. I stared at Grey as he took his chair, confused. “Planning on getting me liquored up?” I joked and pointed to the beer. “What is this?”

  “We need to put a little bit of country in you, Clara. Try the beer. It’s not completely country, but it’s good and better than wine.” He was playful, even though I could tell he was partially serious.

  “Plenty of people drink wine,” I objected.

  “True, but tonight is all about new experiences. Squeeze the orange before you take a drink. It’s good.” He took a swig from his beer and dared me with his eyes.

  “New experiences?” I picked up the glass, though I doubted it. “I’ve had beer before, but it tasted like urine.”

  His eyes went wide. “You’ve tasted urine before?”

  I rolled my eyes. “Stop. You know what I mean.”

  He laughed and shook his head. “Give her a try. Come on.”

  I squeezed the orange and dropped it into the glass, making it overflow a bit. I held out my glass to him, saying, “To new experiences.”

  His eyes heated again, but he clinked his glass with mine. “New experiences.”

  I took a deep swallow and was pleasantly surprised. “Wow,” I told him, smacking my lips together. “That was really good.” It was a tad bit fruity but spicy, as well.

  “See…what I tell ya?”

  “You’re really cocky, you know that?” I couldn’t help but laugh.

  “Not cocky, sure. There’s a difference.”

  “Keep telling yourself that, buddy.”

  He threw his head back and let out a huge laugh. I blinked a couple of times in shock. I’d seen him laugh but never like that. It was something of complete and utter perfection.

  I took a deep breath and told him, “You’re trouble, mister.”

  ♥♥♥

  The rest of the night passed in a blur of banter and dancing. I’d never enjoyed myself quite so much. The conversation between Grey and I stayed playful. It was flirtatious…but not overly. He was funny and free. I liked that a lot.

  I found myself at my hotel room too soon, though. I didn’t want the night to end. Grey took my keycard from me and opened the door. I turned and rested my back against it so that it didn’t shut on me while I said goodnight.

  “Thank you for tonight. It was…fun.” I couldn’t find the right word for tonight and fun didn’t cover it adequately.

  “I’m glad. That’s what I wanted. My toes might be a little sore tomorrow, though,” he teased, his lips curving up a little.

  “Hey! I caught on! I thought I did well.” I faked a pout.

  His laugh warmed me. “You did. Sorry, I couldn’t help it. Once you figured it out, you were amazin’.”

  I felt some heat on my cheeks again. “Thanks,” I whispered.

  “I’m lookin’ forward to next time. Who knows what I’ll think of next.”

  After the night I had, I was too. “I agree.” I tried to stifle a yawn. “But I’m not used to all this excitement,” I said through it. “You wore me out.”

  His eyes lit with humor. “Won’t be the last time, darlin’.”

  What did that mean?

  My mind went to the gutter, and I felt my face flame brighter. “Um…”

  He chuckled again. “Get some rest. I’ll see you in the mornin’. We’ll leave around ten. Sleep in some.”

  I hadn’t slept that late since I’d gotten here, so it was an exciting prospect. Plus, it was well past one in the morning.

  “That sounds wonderful.”

  His hand came up and stroked the side of my cheek as our eyes locked and held. Electricity sparked between us, neither of us wanting to pull away. I couldn’t have broken the connection if my life depended on it.

  It finally ended when he leaned in and kissed the side of my mouth, whispering, “Sleep well, Clara.”

  When he let me go, I felt lost, like I was missing a fundamental part of myself. I didn’t like feeling this, so I turned and opened my door all the way. I heard his footsteps retreating toward his room. I couldn’t leave it at that, so I glanced back at him.

  He hadn’t taken his eyes off of me.

  “’Night, Grey,” I whispered.

  “Goodnight, darlin’.”<
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  I leaned against the door once it was closed and felt the place where his lips had been. A smile spread across my face as I remembered how close we were from really kissing. I wanted his lips back and so much more.

  Yes, it was official. I’d lost my damned mind.

  But I didn’t care one bit.

  Chapter 12

  Grey

  I was such a bastard. But I’d never admit what I did to Clara.

  I’d been aching to spend some quality time with Clara without Bella around, even though I adored that little girl, since the day I’d taken her to lunch. Yeah, I’d been able to see her a lot, but I wanted to be with her without distractions or prying eyes – and there were a lot of them waiting to see what happened between Clara and me. I’d planned the day to take her to get an SUV knowing full well that snow was on its way. I’d already had the hotel booked, too. I was going to hell for that, but I would pay the price willingly.

  The image of her in that sweater would be seared into my mind forever. Dear God, she was beautiful. That in itself made the whole ruse worth it. But then her dancing… I was a goner. Just remembering her head thrown back as she giggled, her hair whipping through the air as I spun her, and the sensation of her in my arms had a surge of emotion rising in my chest. And those eyes… God, those eyes. When she let go and let herself be, they brightened more, sucking me in deeper.

  At first, I told myself that the reason I pressured her into having fun was because of Galen’s comment about her life in Chicago. I lied to myself – I wanted to get to know Clara. She intrigued me. She’d thrown herself into the role of caregiver and put everything else out of sight. She hooked me in with it.

  Now that I’d gotten to know Clara really well, I’d come to understand her and how she operated. She held herself too tightly, too controlled. There were moments when she looked at Bella that I saw true happiness radiating from her, but to the rest of the world there were shutters in place.

  There were no shutters last night. I found a free, lively woman deep within her, one that finally decided to join the world. And I wanted to continue to drag that out of her.