“Hey!” I yell, pushing at his abs.

A throat is cleared. We all freeze. I turn my head and look at a very unamused Grayson. Aiden lets me go straight away, and London as usual, finds the whole thing hilarious.

“Now who’s going after whose man?” London says. “Tsk tsk, Paris, we’re family!” She fist pumps for added effect, the drama queen.

I lean back against the table. “Do you really want Aiden to have a black eye for your first date?”

London takes that as a challenge. “Oh, please. My penis will take on your penis any day.”

“Is that how you think of him? As your walking penis?” I burst out laughing. Grayson, who must have had enough of the show, picks me up and carries me to the car.

I can’t stop laughing the whole way home.

The next night, Grayson and I are out having dinner when I see a familiar face. I quickly look away, hoping he didn’t see me. From the corner of my eye, I see him walking over.

Fuck.

“Paris?” he asks, staring down at me with a look of wonder on his face.

“Mark, hi,” I say, not sure if I should stand up and shake his hand or what? What are the appropriate mannerisms for meeting an ex of yours who you don’t really like? Or that you’d hoped to never see again? I look at Grayson who is staring at Mark with a look of distaste, eyes slightly narrowed.

“Hi, I’m Grayson. Her boyfriend,” Grayson says, standing up to shake Mark’s hand. Apparently, he has more manners than I do. Mark greets him, but then goes back to staring at me.

“You look amazing, Paris,” Mark says. I hear Grayson make a sound from deep in his throat. I hope Mark heeds the warning.

“What are you doing in Perth?” I ask, trying to act casual.

“Here on business. You live here now?” he asks.

“I do. Was nice seeing you again,” I lie, hoping he takes it for what it is—a dismissal. Instead, he puts his hands on my shoulders.

“Do you remember when--”

Grayson cuts him off. “If you want to live, take your fucking hands off her.”

Mark removes his grubby hands instantly. “Calm down, man. I was her first boyfriend. I think I deserve to be able to speak to her.” He looks at me. “You let him control you like this?”

Grayson stands up as soon as the words ‘first boyfriend’ leaves Mark’s lips. “Gray,” I say, getting up and walking to his side. “Ignore him, let’s go home.”

“Did he hurt you?” he asks, glaring at Mark. His fists are clenched, and I know he’s dying to hit him.

“No, he was just an asshole. He didn’t hurt me. Now let’s go,” I say, pulling him toward the exit. We walk outside, having already paid, and head toward the car. Mark, like the brainless idiot he is, follows us.

“I still remember the freckle she has on her right breast,” he says, grinning. He clearly has a death wish. Grayson’s body goes still at his comment.

“Babe, get in the car,” he grits out, making sure I’m safely in there before he walks up to Mark. They exchange words, then Grayson punches him in the stomach, and then in the face. Then he walks away like he does this every day. He gets into the car and drives off, his fists clenching and unclenching on the steering wheel. The air in the car is so tense I can barely breathe.

“You let him see you,” he grates out, eyes straight ahead on the road. “Touch you.”

“That’s as far as it got,” I say, wondering what the hell the big deal was. So he saw me topless, big deal. Second base is as far as he got, and I gave everything else to Grayson.

“The thought of him touching you… I want to go back and kick his ass some more,” he says, a muscle ticking furiously in his jaw.

“It’s in the past, Gray, or does that past shit only work when it’s your past we’re fighting over,” I reply, feeling annoyed.

“Babe,” he says, warning clear. He doesn’t want me to push him. Well, too fucking bad.

“Don’t you babe me. I was a stripper, or have you forgotten? Many men have seen my body, but you’re the only one who has touched it, and been inside it. You need to stop overreacting.”

He sighs drearily, relaxing his shoulders. “I need to be inside you. Right now.”

I roll my eyes at his macho bullshit. Leaning over, I run my hand across his jeans, where I can feel him already hard and straining against the material. “Wow, not kidding, huh?”

“Paris,” he says in a low hoarse voice.

“How far away from home are we?” I ask, licking my lips.

“Ten minutes,” he replies through clenched teeth. I sit back in my chair and slide my panties down as gracefully as I can muster. “Fuck.”

I undo his jeans, pulling his cock out as soon as we pull into the driveway. Just as the garage door closes behind us, I straddle him. He pushes the seat back, and then guides himself into me, lifting his hips and thrusting hard. I moan. His hands squeeze my ass, controlling my movements. Suddenly, my dress is pulled over my head, and my bra is undone. Fully bare, I ride him hard and fast.

“These are mine,” he growls as he rubs his thumbs over my nipples. He sucks one into his mouth and I grind down on him even harder. “This is mine,” he says as his hands move to my ass. “And this,” he says, lifting his hips up with one long thrust, “is mine.”

“All yours,” I tell him just before I come.

“That’s it,” he says, “come all over me.”

He joins me shortly after.

Still connected, we stare at each other. “I love you,” he says, giving me a long open-mouthed kiss.

“I love you more,” I pant out as he pulls his mouth away.

“Not possible, babe. Not possible.”

I smile against his lips.

I’m wiping down the counter at work, when Dylan walks in. Things with her have been quiet, even though we see each other around here and there. As she comes and stands in front of me, I have a feeling that’s about to change.

“So, Grayson’s leaving tonight,” she says, with a smug tilt to her lips.

“What do you want, Dylan?” I ask, putting down the cloth and staring at her.

“Just wanted to tell you that I’ll keep a good eye on him while we’re in Sydney,” she says, watching me for a reaction. Grayson is going to Sydney for a few days with his parents. He didn’t mention Dylan was going too.

I control my expression, hiding my hurt. “Desperation isn’t a good look.”

“Don’t care what you think. Three nights with Grayson. He always liked this thing I do with my…”

“Get out,” I demand, my tone icy.

“You’re worried,” she says, smiling. “Good, you should be.” With that parting shot, she leaves.

Later that night, Grayson calls me. I don’t answer. An hour later, he comes over. He has his own key, so he lets himself in and walks into my room where I’m lying on top of the sheets.

“Why didn’t you answer your phone? I was worried,” he says, storming in. “Is everything okay?”

“Besides the fact my boyfriend is going away with his ex-girlfriend and didn’t have the decency to tell me?” I snap, staring up at him with anger and hurt in my eyes.

“What are you talking about?” he asks, sitting down on the bed.

“Dylan came to my work today and said she’s going with you to Sydney and how I should be worried…”

“And you believed her?” he asks, looking hurt.

“Is she going with you?” I ask.

“I haven’t heard anything about it. If her dad is going, maybe she will tag along. But what does it matter? I would never cheat on you, and I thought you knew that,” he says, shaking his head in disbelief. Way to turn this around.

“I don’t want her going with you,” I say in a small voice.

“Babe. Fuck Dylan. I don’t care about her, and I’m never going to touch her again. You have nothing to worry about, and I wish you would believe me,” he says, laying his head on my stomach. I thread my fingers through his hair, massaging his scalp. “I asked you if you wanted to come with me. You think I want to leave your side? I don’t.”