Page 27

The heat in Grayson's gym room suddenly flared, scorching my cheeks. He was a goddamn sculpture, all glistening muscles and smirking arrogance. Why was he doing this? This… dance of unspoken desires, this torment of tantalizing nearness?

And the roses. The damned blue roses that haunted my dreams and now, my waking thoughts. "The roses," I managed, my voice a strangled whisper.

His grin widened, a predatory glint lighting his eyes. He closed the distance between us, each step a deliberate torment. The scent of him, sweat mingled with some intoxicating cologne, filled my senses.

He lowered his head, his breath feathering against my ear. "They're a secret," he rasped, his voice a low rumble that vibrated through me. "A little something special for my little rose."

My skin prickled with goosebumps. He reached out, his fingers tracing the curve of my waist, sending shivers down my spine. Oh god, it felt good. Too good. This was wrong. We barely knew each other. He was my boss, for Christ's sake!

"I- I can't," I stammered, pushing against his chest. This wasn't me. I wasn't this… reactive. It was just sexual tension, right? A potent, overwhelming, terrifyingly good sexual tension.

He leaned closer, his lips hovering just above mine. "Tell me what you want, little rose," he whispered. "What is it you desire?"

My breath hitched. "G-Grayson," I breathed, my voice barely audible.

He tilted my chin, forcing me to meet his gaze. "Yes?"

And then… nothing.

I gasped, jolting upright in my bed. My heart hammered against my ribs, my skin flushed, my body aching with a phantom sensation. It was all a dream. A ridiculously explicit, mind-blowingly intense dream.

Oh god. I dreamed about a stranger. A… sigh… a beautiful, infuriating stranger.

I buried my face in my hands. What the hell was happening to me? Was I even at a bar? Was I at Grayson house? WHAT?

I dragged myself out of bed, the remnants of the dream clinging to me like a second skin. A long, hot shower barely washed away the lingering feeling of his touch.

I spent the rest of the day in my pajamas, a cocoon of pizza boxes and empty snack wrappers surrounding me. I binged movies, desperately trying to banish Grayson's image from my mind.

Finally, the familiar ringtone signaled our annual sibling FaceTime call. I took a deep breath and answered.

Everest, my oldest brother, filled the screen first. His usually stern face was softened by the warm light of his luxury hotel room. "Scarlett! Finally! We thought you ditched us for some Hollywood party."

"Sorry, Everest," I chuckled. "Just been busy with… stuff."

Next came Nevada, his red hair a vibrant splash of color against his gaming headset. He was sprawled on his gaming chair, controller in hand. "Yo, Scar! What up? You miss me slaying noobs?"

"Always, Nevada," I grinned. "Especially when you rage quit. That's my favorite."

Savannah, my twin, popped into view, her face framed by the starched white collar of her doctor's coat. "Someone say rage quit? That's Nevada every time he plays against me." She rolled her eyes playfully. "Hi, sis! How's the acting thing going?"

"Good! Actually, really good," I said, hoping my enthusiasm sounded genuine. Talking about the carnival was going to be tough.

"Hey, Scarlett what's new?" Savannah asked looking deep into my soul.

"Nothing much. Just the same ol' things y'know. We'll imma head out, let you two catch up."

The next hour was a whirlwind of laughter, teasing, and updates. Everest was expanding his hotel chain, Nevada was racking up subscribers on his gaming channel, and Savannah was saving lives and dating a new guy.

"So," Nevada said, wiggling his eyebrows, "anything interesting happening in your love life, little sis? I heard there was this new guy, he is the tech guy."

"Oh shut up," I blushed as the screen flashed back to my dream. "I don't know the guy."

"Oh come on, Scarlett. You haven't been on any dates for a while. Plus you're playing a scary game that is your whole life." Savannah added with a playful smirk.

"I'm not even the same person anymore. I don't have time for that. I'm busy." I sighed and rolled my eyes.

"Whatever you say." Everest retorted back

"That is a can of worms that I am not opening." I stated. "Let's just wait until the end of the season. Maybe then."

We kept talking for another hour, when it was time to end things. "Love you guys! I'll see you all soon!" I said as I ended the call.

I yawned, stretching my arms above my head. I flipped off the lights and slid under the covers, the lingering warmth of the sibling call soothing my frayed nerves. But as I drifted off to sleep, the image of Grayson's eyes, that knowing smirk, invaded my thoughts.

Was that dream real? Was it just a hallucination? What the fuck is happening to me?