The Arrangement (unenhanced Edition) by AnnaRCase (books to read now .txt) 📖

Grayson reluctantly pulled away from the kiss with a groan. He was certainly eyeing the bed behind them regretfully.  But he muttered fuck again and slipped his t-shirt over his head as he headed for the door. He paused long enough to tell Amberleigh to have a good day and he’d see her later.  More progress for fucking sure. And for once that thought of seeing the pretty boy later actually filled her with happy thoughts.

                Amberleigh jumped into a scalding shower afterwards to wash the billionaires smell from her skin. As the water steamed down her body from the waterfall showerhead, she debated how to talk to Leo about what he’d stumbled into this morning. There was no use trying to pretend it hadn’t happened. Trying to pretend that things hadn’t changed between her and Grayson. But Leo was the last person she wanted to fucking hurt.

                By the time she made it to the kitchen, Grayson was already gone, and the chef was scrubbing at a pan with a scouring pad. It seemed he was washing the cookware rather aggressively. A mouthwatering omelet was already waiting for her on the counter, along with some freshly squeezed juice, and bowl of fruit. She slipped into the barstool and grabbed her fork gleefully. Last night, she had worked up quite the appetite and suddenly found herself ravenous.

                “This looks and smells fantastic Leo.”

                “It probably tasted better when I first made it,” he said.

Okay. He was mad or upset. He continued to scrub at the pot without looking at her. She hadn’t heard any shouting, but perhaps the talk with Grayson hadn’t gone well. Or maybe Leo’s anger had been more slow to stew and shimmer.  She shoveled a large forkful in her mouth regardless. Devine as always. She chased it with the pineapple mango juice.

                “It tastes delicious even now, thanks.”

                Leo seemed very focused on getting that pot cleaned, so she left him to it while she polished off every morsel of her omelet. She was spearing a strawberry with her fork when the chef finally set the pot in the drying rack and dried his hands on a towel.

                “So things are going well with you and Grayson. I’m happy for you both,” he said finally.

                “Bullshit,” slipped out her mouth before she could stop it.

                But Leo laughed, “You have no filter do you? But that’s what I love about you Amber.”

                What else do you love about me, she asked. Though that was a question which would remain inside her head. No need to complicate things further. She could name the things she loved about Leo, but again, it would remain in her head also. It didn’t matter now anyway.

                “I’m sorry you found out that way Leo. It just kind of happened. But I’m glad it did.”

                He exhaled sharply and leaned towards her on the island, “Please just promise me you’ll be careful Amber. I don’t want to see you get hurt. I’m afraid you may have too high of expectations.”

                She snorted, “I’m not expecting him to put a ring on it Leo. Or a destination wedding or some shit. I understand perfectly how this will end. But what’s wrong with having some fun with this in the meantime. Living in the moment.”

                “That’s the problem. This is all just like a game to Grayson. He’s been down this road before and it ended badly. He won’t make the same mistake again Amber. At some point, and especially if you do get pregnant, Grayson will shut you out again. It’s inevitable.”

                She suddenly wasn’t feeling so hungry anymore and pushed away her bowl of fruit. But there was some truth in Leo’s words. The billionaire would no longer need her around when she popped him out a crotch goblin. She wasn’t the type of girl he would propose to or spend his life with.  She was a mule, not a fuckin thoroughbred. Perhaps, he was just saying and doing what he needed to keep her happy until he got what he wanted from her.

                “Thanks I appreciate your concern Leo. But I can take care of myself. I’ve been doing it my whole fuckin life.”

                “I don’t doubt that. I just don’t want to see either of you get hurt. Grayson’s been through a lot also. Not just with that surrogate thing last year. Courtney also fucked him up pretty badly. I don’t believe he’s in any state of mind to have a real relationship with anyone at the moment.”

                “Thanks for the warning Leo. That’s what friends are for after all. I’ll keep that in mind.”

                Amberleigh picked up her dirty dishes to take to the sink.  Leo intercepted them and insisted on washing them himself. It wasn’t lost on her the dejected look on his face when she’d said the words friends.

 She again thanked the chef for the meal and excused herself from the kitchen. And she couldn’t help but wonder if Leo hadn’t only been talking about his friend not  being ready to be in a real relationship, because the chef could’ve have just easily substituted himself in that same statement.