“You drive a hard bargain.”
Her hand slipped from his neck to between his legs to find him pulsing and ready. She squeezed and gave him a wicked smile. “No, but you certainly do.” He threw back his head and laughed. “You’re a hell of a woman, Arianna.” For one brief moment, she felt the energy in the room change. An unanswered statement, a question, hung heavily in the air. She felt as if she was drowning in the dark inkiness of his eyes, pulling her downward, urging her to tell him the truth.
She was in love with him.
She was moving to Chicago.
Arianna swallowed the words and deliberately slid back a few inches, letting her hand drop from his body. Grant seemed to sense her decision and allowed his gaze to cool, allowed her to separate from him. For now.
But she knew it was a warning.
The truth would be coming soon. He’d see to it. She would tell him soon, but for a little longer, she wanted to enjoy being with him without complications. Without decisions or regret.
She just needed more time.
“I better go. You have work to do.” Grant rose and packed up the basket, kissed her good-bye and left. Arianna stared at the closed door for a long time before forcing herself back to work.
There was going to be trouble.
Arianna watched the young Missy with her lover and took a deep breath.
Over the past week, she noticed Missy getting a little too attached to Grant. After their last argument, Arianna decided to let him work it out and not interfere. She trusted him and knew his intentions were honorable. She also trusted his business instincts and felt he would make the right decision.
Except tonight was Tombstone time. High Noon. Arianna was about to stake her turf and Grant was going to have to deal with it. Their celebration dinner had been pushed back a few days due to another tight deadline. Grant had been completely supportive, so they decided to go to dinner tonight after class. She’d just joined the intermediate students and was feeling her way through the group dynamics, going deeper into her practice. Missy was one of the students. She had been deliberately cold toward Arianna, her gaze continuously roving her body as if comparing and judging her inferior. Missy was an excellent student and far in her practices. Her asanas were graceful to watch and she usually served as a model to the others.
Because of her status, she spent more time with Grant than the others. She spoke with him in low, intimate whispers and always placed a hand on his arm. Or grabbed his hand when she laughed as if she had no idea she was doing it. She watched Missy go in and out of his private office as if she had a personal key, and Arianna knew Grant allowed it because he was training her to serve as a mentor to the others.
But Arianna was going to kick her ass, so she would not be needed as a mentor.
She watched her competition from under heavily lidded eyes. The studio was cleaned up and the students had been counseled.
She respected Grant’s decision to keep their relationship a secret, and she didn’t want Missy to discover the truth. Suspecting was a whole different ball game from confirming, and Grant didn’t need any conflict right now.
The willowy blonde plastered herself to Grant’s side as she listened to him speak. She wore a skimpy halter top that emphasized her heavy breasts, and her lycra pants left nothing to the imagination. She had pulled the clip out of her hair, and Arianna spotted heavy makeup on her face, not appropriate for a workout.
Arianna shook her head. Grant was the only man to ever see her both vulnerable and unpolished. Stringy hair, wet from sweat. Make-up run off her face. Arms shaking with exertion and a trucker’s mouth when she couldn’t hold a pose. Sometimes tears when she held a posture long enough to break through some emotional barriers. Not to mention her trouble keeping up her pedicures, which were always exposed with everyone’s feet bare in class. Yet, Missy, seemed polished and manicured and perfumed and. . . ready for action.
Arianna smothered a laugh at the thought, then decided to break up the party.
She reached the couple and enjoyed the spark of warmth that lit Grant’s eyes when he spotted her. “Are you almost ready to go?” she asked casually.
“Absolutely,” he said. “Missy, I would dedicate more time to your meditation. You seem like you’re ready for a breakthrough.”
“I am. I was hoping we could discuss a few things.” Missy raised an eyebrow in her direction. “Would you mind if I stole Grant for a bit longer?” Grant opened his mouth but Arianna interrupted. “I’m sorry, Missy, we were going to catch a bite.” She smiled in apology. “I’m starving from that workout. Can you catch up with him later?”
Missy took a small side step until she was flush against Grant. “Oh, that’s so nice you’re getting something to eat. Can I join you? Would love to discuss the practices more, and maybe Arianna can learn a few more things. I know she’s new.” Silence descended.
Arianna waited for Grant to make a decision. A Mexican stand off had officially been called. If Missy joined them, it would solidify their relationship as friends, and there would be no romantic dinner. But if he did say something, Missy would know the truth and expose their secret.
Missy looked up at Grant with expectation. Arianna waited patiently for her lover to choose.
Grant smiled warmly at Missy. A mentor, a teacher, a friend. Then spoke. “I’m sorry, Missy, I’m taking Arianna out to dinner to celebrate something very special. I made reservations so we won’t be able to have you join us tonight.” He squeezed her hand in reassurance. “But I’ll see you tomorrow during morning class and we’ll have plenty of time to discuss it.” Without hesitation, Grant took Missy’s elbow and led her to the door. “Have a great night.” The blonde literally gaped at the obvious dismissal, and then Arianna spotted a disturbing mix of envy and resolve. She tossed her hair, said something else to Grant, and disappeared.
“Ready?” he asked.”Do you want to use the bathroom to change first or shall I?” She stared at him and realized he had chosen her.
“You told her.”
He waved his hand in dismissal and raked his hair back from his forehead. “Yeah, I thought it was time. She suspected anyway.”
“What if she tells the other students?” Arianna pressed. “I don’t think she was too happy knowing you were dating me.”
Grant nodded. “I know. I guess she’s going to have to get over it and so will the other students. I’m done hiding you.”
Her heart bloomed in full expansion and made a mockery out of the Grinch. Her skin felt suddenly too tight for her body. He pretended to be casual. She knew differently. She knew it took everything Grant had to trust her and their relationship, to let the truth out. Then Arianna realized she had to tell him her own truth. Tonight. She had to tell him she was leaving.
But not now.
Arianna closed the distance between them with a leap, and then she was in his arms. He murmured low and caught her hard as she launched herself through the air. She stabbed all ten fingers into his long hair and pulled his mouth down on hers. His arms snagged around her waist and held her tight as her tongue thrust between his lips and she took him on a wild ride, her fingers pushing up his shirt to caress all those carved muscles in his chest, his arms, his back.
She squeezed his buttocks and with one hard tug, his pants came down with his underwear, exposing his arousal to her hungry hands and travelling fingers.
He managed to do the same to her in a few second and then they were both naked. “No dinner?” he gasped, lifting her up so his cock pressed against her wet opening.