Barely Breathing(16)

His tone was so hopeful that I reached into my purse immediately and took out my checkbook. “Sure, no problem.”

“Thanks, Viv. I’ll pay you back soon.”

“What’s going on, Grayson? Is everything okay?”

“Oh, yeah.” He waved a hand dismissively. “Just a short-term crunch is all. Made a bad investment.”

“You’re sure you’re okay?” I tore off the check and passed it across my desk to him.

“Positive. Hey, wish I could stay, but you’ve probably got work to do, and I need to get back to the office myself.”

We both stood and he came around the desk to hug me again.

“Thanks again,” he said, tucking the check into his pocket. “I’ll get you something extra nice for Christmas this year.”

I groaned skeptically. “You set the bar pretty low last year with that shirt that said ‘you can’t afford me’.”

“It’s true,” he said, turning his charming smile on me. “You’re too good for almost all the men out there.”

“I don’t know about that, but thanks for the vote of confidence.”

“I’ll call you,” he said, waving and heading for my door. It was all I could do not to run after him and pry for more information.

My afternoon wasn’t consumed by thoughts of my date with Kane, but by worry for my brother. What was this bad investment, and how much had it cost him?





Kane

THE LEMONY SMELL OF DISINFECTANT wafting into the room could only mean one thing–Joe was cleaning the gym. That meant it was early.

I cracked my eyes to check my bedside alarm clock. Seven-fifteen. I’d only been asleep for three hours. But I slept like shit most of the time anyway.

I got out of bed and went to the bathroom. Joe would be knocking on my door to clean my place in a few hours. It was a perk of living in the back room of the gym I owned.

This small space was all I needed, and it saved me a mint on New York rent costs. I’d renovated the storage room into a one-room apartment complete with a small kitchen, table and chairs, couch, TV and king-size bed. The bathroom was the only separate space. I had my own door to get outside and often didn’t even see the guy who rented the gym space and ran it.

But Joe, I liked to see. He cleaned early, before the gym was open for the day. I pulled on sweats and a t-shirt and went out to the huge open room that housed weights, workout equipment and a boxing ring. Joe was wiping down the weight benches with a wet cloth when he saw me.

“Morning, Kane.” He nodded and went back to work.

“Mornin’, Joe. What’s the good word?”

“My Yankees aren’t in the World Series,” he said, his thin shoulders sagging. “That’s all I know.”

I sat down at a weight bench and lifted the bar. “Can’t win ‘em all, man.”

He grunted his disagreement with that sentiment.

“I went out with someone Friday night,” I said, curling the bar.

“Oh yeah?” He turned my way, his thick gray brows arched with interest. “Is she pretty?”

“Beautiful. And smart. She’s got it all going on.”

“Good. You deserve someone like that.”

“I don’t know about that.” I set the bar back in its spot and stretched my arms. “And it’s not like I can bring her to my storage room apartment.”

“Why not?”

I shrugged. “It’s pretty unimpressive.”

“Any woman who turns her nose up at your home ain’t worth a shit.” Joe pointed at me. “You remember that, Kane.”

“I know. It’s not just that. She’s a lawyer. Can you imagine me with a lawyer? One who’s not representing me for something, I mean?” I laughed.

“Course I can. You’re a businessman.”

At my single note of amused laughter, he turned a serious glare my way. I sighed and got up, sitting down at another bench. Lifting weights always cleared away a shitty mood.

I was already feeling the pressure of my upcoming second date with Viv. I’d liked the first one a lot more than I’d expected to.

Dating was for pretentious f*cks; I’d always told myself that. Kinda like wine tasting and antiquing. Not my things. But having Viv across from me at a dark restaurant Friday night had been damn nice. Seeing her all dressed up and happy had made me feel like I’d done something right for once.

I still couldn’t believe I’d managed to walk away after that kiss. My control had slipped away as I tasted her and felt her soft curves pressed against me. For a second I’d considered her offer to come inside.

But that would’ve been it. I’d have pressed her against a wall and had my way with her. She was better than that.

If the guys at the club knew I’d taken a woman to dinner and left after a goodnight kiss, I’d never hear the end of it. I’d just have to make sure they never found out. Even though I’d met Viv at the club, I felt like a different man when I was with her than I did when I was at work.

She didn’t know about my past and she wasn’t trying to get anything from me. Everyone at the club wanted a piece of me, even though most of them knew better than to f*ck with me. If they didn’t know, they learned.