Billionaire Best Friend [Complete]

36. Sutton

My brothers and I agreed that it was best to give Gracie the time she needed to figure out her situation with Jason before I forced my way into her life and told her how I really felt.

I knew it was the best route all along.

Underneath her habit of overthinking and putting people before herself, Gracie was strong-willed and loyal in a way I had never previously come across in a woman.

I vowed to myself last night when I was on my way home from the club that I'd put my own needs on the back burner to give her what she needed.

I just fucking hoped that by the end of it, Jason wouldn't be back in her life, draining her of all the joy she had last week. Not that I was tooting my own horn. It was a thousand percent possible for her to find another man—one who wasn't me—who'd be able to give her exactly what she needed and wanted.

Though that thought rubbed me the wrong way.

Made my stomach sick with nerves.

Made me want to throw this entire plan out the window and sweep her off her fucking feet. I'd give her all the donuts Gregory made for the rest of time. I'd take her up to Staten Island for that apple pie whenever she wanted. I'd make it my life's purpose to buy and gift her St. Thomas if it made her happy.

Truly happy.

Which was exactly the opposite of what she was right now.

I knew coming back to Philly, back to our regular lives, would cause stress for her. Her mother wasn't exactly the easiest person to deal with. And then she had Jason added into the mix.

I just didn't fucking realize how quick she'd get knocked off her feet. I had no clue a couple of words out of my mouth would be the needle in the haystack that broke the camel's back.

"Kiss you?" I questioned like a dumbass, my voice a low, hopeful grumble.

It was what she said. I heard her clearly. It was hard not to with how close we were, but we weren't on an island in the Caribbean where we enacted a fake-dating deal. We were in my office where we were back to being best friends.

I had to be sure this was what she wanted.

My lips burned from where they touched her skin a moment ago as her beautiful eyes told me just how overwhelmed she was. She was holding on for dear life, but she wanted to let go.

She wanted someone to catch her.

I licked my lips, already imagining her tongue rolling against mine again. I must have spent too much time in my head, though, because in the next breath she sighed and pushed against me.

"Nevermind. I shouldn't have said that. I don't know why I did." I allowed her space to pass me, not wanting to make her feel uncomfortable by caging her in at the wall. There was a time and place for that sort of thing. This wasn't one of those moments. She was derailing. Half on the tracks, half off.

I'd pick her back up and get her back to where she needed to be, but she had to stop running away from me, damn it.

When she made it to my desk, she pressed her palms down on the surface and hung her head between her shoulders. Her ass looked goddamn phenomenal in the tight jeans she wore.

I imagined ripping them at the seams to allow myself to fit inside of her while the rest of her legs were clad in denim.

Did she realize how fucking gone I was for her?

It didn't matter.

Not then.

I went after her again, walking up behind her and sweeping a palm down her spine. Her purse strap slid down her arm and dangled on her wrist. I carefully took it from her and sat it on the edge of the desk. My desk was big enough to be considered a small conference table. I liked it that way. It allowed space to work without it feeling so fucking cluttered that I couldn't breathe.