In case I decided to get frisky with the guys, I had a stash of condoms in my room, courtesy of the show, but I was on birth control and we’d all been tested before filming began. If one of us had wound up having something unsavory appear on the tests, I wondered if we would have been replaced, because that would have made things a lot more complicated.

  Deciding to take my fate into my own hands, I said, “Yes, more Merlot—and while you’re at it, can you bring some butterscotch schnapps?”

  “Um…okay.”

  We took our time heading to my room, and I felt relief that none of the other guys happened to be anywhere along the way. I knew the rules were that they weren’t supposed to be anywhere near my place on this special night, but I knew I had a rule breaker in the bunch—and I also figured I had a couple of amorous suitors who were beginning to take this seriously (although that could have been my ego and self-deception).

  But our evening was pleasant, even though we had to wait a little longer for the schnapps, and we didn’t drink much anyway. I could tell Grayson seemed slightly nervous now that we were completely alone and I hoped to ease that tension. Soon, though, we were like two old friends, chatting away: about family, growing up, school—you name it.

  “You’re fucking with me!”

  “No, I swear I’m not, Claire.”

  “You were the developer behind the Evil Among Us series?”

  “Yeah, it was totally my concept. I didn’t build the whole game but the characters and storyline—even the look of the game—were all mine.”

  “Get out of here.”

  “Seriously—you can check the game credits.”

  I shook my head. That blew my mind. Evil Among Us, especially the first game in the series, was one of my all-time favorite videogames, and I was surprised we hadn’t already talked about it, because games were Gray’s favorite subject. I was also shocked that I hadn’t mentioned it was one of my favorite games ever, because it had just the right combination of mystery and adventure, with a little dash of horror thrown in for fun. “It’s brilliant. And here I am, dating the designer.”

  His cheeks turned just a little pink. The change in hue was so slight that, if I’d had one more shot, I wouldn’t have noticed. I loved that, though—he was modest. “Thank you.”

  I scooted closer to him so that our legs were touching. Grayson had been a decent enough kisser the time we’d kissed before, but he didn’t seem confident enough to make a move. Emboldened by the liquor, I grabbed his hand impetuously and set it on my thigh, exposed because the flimsy skirt wouldn’t stay put. Then I looked up at him and saw his pupils grow wide as he swallowed. He knew exactly what that meant.

  “Kiss me, Gray.”

  He complied—and we spent a while making out on the sofa. His kissing got better as we moved along, and I could tell he was feeling as impassioned as I. Why not? The producers seemed to encourage me to test-drive all the guys and, if I were to truly decide if Gray was a guy I wanted to spend my whole life with, I’d need to find out if he could satisfy me in bed.

  We were finally hot and heavy, to the point where we needed to retire to the bedroom—because that was my only true sanctuary, the only place where I could shut off the cameras for a while and enjoy my date with abandon. So at a breaking point in the kissing, I stood, holding my hand out to Gray in invitation.

  But he hesitated.

  “What’s wrong?”

  “Claire, you need to know something—something that’s embarrassing as hell.” I cocked an eyebrow and hoped I looked nonjudgmental.

  “I’m a virgin.”

  Chapter Twelve

  I DIDN’T SAY it out loud because I didn’t want Gray to feel more self-conscious than he already did—and I didn’t want to break our trust, because he was sharing a secret that made him feel vulnerable—but I wondered how the hell in this day and age did a guy get to be in his mid-twenties without having sex even once?

  I knew Gray, though—he was a little shy, awkward around me when it came to courting, and afraid of putting himself out there. I imagined he’d maybe gotten up the nerve in his youth and asked a girl or two, only to experience rejection, and so he’d buried himself in his work, telling himself he didn’t need a woman.

  But he wanted that—otherwise, he wouldn’t have applied to be on the show.

  “That’s okay, Gray. Come with me.”

  The look in his green eyes said it all and a slight smile crept up on his lips as he took my hand and stood, a willing participant.

  Once we were in my room, door closed, I asked, “Have you ever done anything with a woman before?”

  “Yes.”

  “Is there a way you want to start—knowing you’re safe here—or would you rather I lead the way?”

  A shy smile appeared on his face. “If you’ll let me, I’d like to try.”

  I nodded my head but, poor guy, just as soon as he got near me, I thrust my index finger in the air and then turned to walk toward my nightstand…where there was a little red button I’d only pressed once before, just to see if it worked. I could have used it for changing clothes, but I’d instead gotten in the habit of putting my underwear on in the bathroom and then putting everything else on in my room and, frankly, I didn’t give a shit if they saw me in my underwear. It covered more than the bikini I’d worn to the beach with Thomas.

  “What are you doing?”

  “This little button here—it controls the cameras in the room.” I pointed to the upper corners in the vaulted ceiling where the not-so-subtle cameras stuck out, much like the ones I’d seen the last time I’d stepped foot in a bank. “When I push this button, see how it lights up? It’ll stay lit up, letting me know the cameras are off, and it gives us two hours.”

  Frowning, he watched me press the button and saw how it became illuminated. “How can you be sure?”

  I could feel a grimace contorting my face. “You really think they’ll want to make a porno with you and me?”

  “No, but what would stop them from getting their jollies?”

  “Really?”

  He walked over to one corner and examined the camera. Then he looked around for a chair.

  I said, “Look.” I turned the button back off. “This is off.” Then I pressed the button again. “And this is on.”

  “Hmm.” After a second, he said, “Do that again.” When I did, he said, “Okay.”

  “Nothing to worry about?”

  “I didn’t say that, but it looks like the power’s shut off to the cameras.”

  “So are we good to go?”

  “Yeah, I guess so.”

  “I thought you guys had a red button in your rooms.”

  “Nope. But I’m glad you do.”

  He walked back over to the side of the bed where I stood and I said, “I’m all yours, Gray.”

  Once more, a boyish grin lit up his entire face, and I realized how much more relaxed I felt with the cameras off. Apparently, they’d been causing a little stress, even though I hadn’t noticed the effect they were having on me, being under scrutiny all day long for days on end. And I knew relaxation was key to enjoying sex—for me, at any rate.

  “Do you care if I undress you?”

  I almost giggled like a school girl. “No. Please do.”

  He looked me over like a sandwich…then like a science project, his brows furrowed. “Do I just pull it up over your head or—”

  “There’s a zipper in the back.” Hard to see, but it was there. I turned around and pulled my hair over my shoulder, leaning my head forward. All I could feel on my neck was the cool draft from the air conditioner as I anticipated his warm fingers grabbing the zipper pull…but, for some reason, he was hesitating. I wanted to help him—or even just ask if everything was okay—but I decided to be patient. Maybe other girls and women in his past hadn’t and that was why he hadn’t had the special encounter of losing his virginity.

  Finally, when his fingers brushed against my neck, I almost let out a sigh of relief. He pulled the zipper down as far as it went, almost to my waist, and then he pulled both sides apart a little.

  What shocked me—in a good way, of course—was his hot lips on the nape of my neck. I felt chills shoot through every nerve in my body and I bit my lower lip, thinking this could be a great time after all—and not just for Grayson. He moved his hands so that he was holding me at the waist and he continued kissing, but he started moving down my spine. When he got to my bra, he paused and then unfastened it before continuing with his trail of kisses. By the time he met the fabric near my lower back, I was taut from head to toe.

  His hands returned to the top of my dress and then he first pushed the straps down, followed by sliding it down my arms. Still behind me, he turned his head and kissed my neck on the side cleared of hair. On instinct, I tilted my head so that he had more exposure.

  This guy might have been a virgin, but his foreplay so far was amazing.

  Goosebumps covered my arms while my nipples tightened and my toes curled. He nibbled my ear lobe while sliding his hands over my waist, this time under the dress, gliding the fabric over my hips until it dropped to the floor.

  Grayson’s hands left my body, but he moved to stand in front of me. The look in his eyes resembled a starving man in front of a buffet, as if he couldn’t decide where to start. He held out his hands, inviting me to take them, and he had me step out of the dress completely. So there I stood in heels, panties, and a loose bra—and he couldn’t have been more pleased. As he brought his lips to mine, I half expected a sloppy, overly eager union of our mouths, but it was as if he had the patience of Job at that point. He grazed my lips and I felt my pulse quicken until he finally consumed my mouth with his. Pulling me close, he held me at the waist before allowing his hands to cup my ass cheeks, all while assaulting me with his kiss that grew more passionate and expert by the moment.

  Grayson, so far, was turning out to be a hell of a lover. He had foreplay down already.

  Methodically, he pulled my bra down my arms and moved away from me so it could fall, and my nipples grew more rigid. Hunching over, he drew one nipple into his mouth while his finger and thumb fondled the other one, and a small moan escaped my mouth. In seconds, though, he left them alone to kiss down my tummy, and the cool air hit my wet nipple, causing my pussy to clench in response.

  His fingers wound around my panties on both sides and eased them down my thighs while his lips kissed around and down a leg, but as he let my undies drop to the floor, he snuck a hand between my legs and pressed up against my underside.

  I was wet, so I had no doubt he could feel that.

  “Sit on the bed, Claire.”

  A willing participant now, I obeyed as my body begged to find out what would happen next. As if he were Cinderella’s prince, he lifted my leg, but instead of fitting the shoe on my foot, he delicately took it off. Even the way his fingers brushed against my foot sent chills charging through my entire body. Once both shoes were removed, he said, “Would you stand for just a minute?”

  I did. I would have thought I’d feel self-conscious standing in front of him, completely nude while he examined my body. When auditioning for a role years earlier, I’d had to do the very same thing in a completely clinical but intimidating way. This was different, perhaps because I was the object of his desire and I was helping him grow into his full sexuality.

  My fucking body was on fire.

  “You’re beautiful, Claire.”

  “Thank you.” After another few seconds, I wasn’t uncomfortable but I was needy. “Touch me, Gray.”

  “I will. Just a minute.” His jacket long gone, he loosened his tie and pulled it off, folding it and setting it carefully on the nightstand. “Would you lie down?”

  Without a word, I got on the bed and lay on my side, my head propped on my elbow, watching him. He sat on the bed and leaned over, taking off his shoes and socks. Then he undid the top buttons on his shirt before turning around.

  “Lie on your back, Claire.”

  Giving him control had made him feel empowered, and now he had no trouble telling me what he wanted me to do—and I had no problems giving him that power, because not only did he respect me and that position, but he was also making my body feel heavenly.

  I rolled onto my back as he requested. It was kind of strange that he still had most of his clothes on, but this was his night. He kissed me again and I closed my eyes, allowing all sensations to be tactile rather than visual—and as his tongue gently explored my mouth, his finger began tracing a path down the center of my body. He started just below my throat and had made his way past my cleavage, but then he cupped my breast with his entire hand—fondling it, playing with the nipple, teasing.

  Grayson’s lips left mine then and he started following his hand’s path. First, he kissed my neck and then made little kisses down, past my collarbone, down my cleavage to my bellybutton. My muscles tightened in response as he slowed his lips, getting closer to the one place that really needed attention. “I might be a virgin, Claire, but I know what women like.” I lifted my head from the pillow and looked in his eyes, now dark and lustful, and my pussy clenched in expectation.

  As my breathing deepened, Grayson adjusted enough so that he could fit his head between my legs. Soon, I could feel his breath against my skin as my pussy dripped in anticipation. He gently pried my lips apart before I felt the first hot lick of his tongue. Every muscle in my body responded to it, tensing up, as heady chemicals rushed through my veins. Suddenly, my fingers needed something to do to keep me from shoving my crotch in his face and begging him to hurry. One hand clenched the sheet below; the other wrapped into his thick hair, trying not to yank it out. Grayson’s arms held my thighs down so he could feast with few obstacles.

  A moan escaped my lips as he licked again and it wasn’t long before he picked up the pace. He wasn’t moving quickly—more like a boat drifting lazily down a wide, calm river. He was hitting the exact right spot and my body was responding perfectly. It wasn’t until I could feel my thighs quivering that I knew I was close to orgasm, so I took a deep breath to help me relax and that was when it hit me—and I cried aloud as my brain undulated to the rhythm of the climax. Wave after wave washed over me as Grayson continued to give my clit the attention it yearned.

  After what felt like one of the longest orgasms I’d ever had, I lay my head back and let go of the grasp I had on Grayson’s hair. I sucked in a deep breath and let it out slowly. After kissing the inside of my thigh, he asked, “Was that good?”

  I laughed then, long and loud, and raised my head up. His expression told me he thought my mirth was projected at him, so I reassured him quickly. “You couldn’t tell?” The painfully shy look on his face said it all. “It was amazing, Gray. How’d you learn to do that?”

  “I’m not telling—but let’s just say I had a lady friend who let me experiment.”

  Aw. The look on his face made me melt. “What kind of friend would let you do that without taking your virginity?” He was trying to think of an answer when I pressed my finger against his lips. “Why don’t you come up here and let’s rectify that situation right now?”

  Chapter Thirteen

  THE NEXT TWO days were supposed to be no-contact days—except for the live airing of the show we had to attend Thursday night, of course. But Cat called us all in to a group meeting on Wednesday night.

  I had no idea what was going on, but I wondered if it was because of Grayson and me—because we technically broke the rules. After popping his cherry, we’d wound up having sex twice more. He was willing and eager, and I had no qualms about enjoying each other’s bodies, napping in between each round. After all was said and done, we took a long shower together and curled up in bed for a final rest—and we both wound up sleeping past his eight AM exit time. It wasn’t until eight-thirty that one of the FBI-types knocked on the door and gave him the bum’s rush, not even allowing me to give him a sweet kiss goodbye.

  I’d been feeling uneasy all day—not just because I’d had no real human contact, but the idea that not only did these folks have me on camera, but they also could just come barging into my place with no warning…I didn’t much care for that. Now, granted, they hadn’t opened my bedroom door before knocking, but I wasn’t thinking of that as a plus.

  We met in the library located in the east wing. I hadn’t spent much time in there, so I walked around, looking at the books on the shelves, until Cat asked me to have a seat. We sat at a rectangular mahogany table with a polish so brilliant, I could almost see my reflection. Darius was at one end and Gabe at the other. Then, on one side, I sat diagonal to Darius with Thomas beside me and Grayson beside him, catty-corner to Gabe. Cat, of course, stood on the empty side of the table, but we were all mute while she and the cameramen discussed positioning of the cameras.

  Something big was happening here, but I couldn’t tell what.

  I let my eyes wander around the room, hoping for some distraction. I tried to dream of my ideal home library, looking at the fireplace and sofa at the other side, and the rich woods used to construct the huge shelves. Before I left this mansion, I’d have to explore this and the other libraries in the house, leaf through the books and find one to read—and, when I reached the end of a chapter and had to ponder the words I’d just consumed, I could look out the glass doors at the beautiful garden outside. In the upstairs library, I imagined there was an equally large window or two to peer out of. This room was one of the most beautiful in this house—and that was saying something.

  But my nerves could not be calmed. Could they just get on with this shit already? I was tired of having my emotions manipulated by the producers’ need for good TV.

  It wouldn’t have been so bad if they would have let us talk to each other.

 

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