All's Fair in Love and Las Vegas

Chapter Forty-Nine

        As soon as Grayson had dried my hair (and topped off the job with a short kiss to my scalp), the construction on the fort began. We dragged out all the pillows and blankets from our bed, then all the pillows and blankets he kept in storage. We borrowed the dining room chairs and strategically placed them around the room.

        "You seem to be an expert at this," he noted as we stretched out a blanket for the roof.

        "My mom and I used to make forts a lot," I explained. "Like even when I was a teenager. We usually did it after she had a long day at work." 

        "It really relaxes you then?" Grayson asked. He almost sounded desperate. Like he needed to relax soon before he exploded. I'd also noticed that in the past few days he'd developed a consistent divot between his eyebrows. Even when he was happy, he appeared stressed.

        "It does," I promised. "And I need to pay you back for the bath. Maybe a back rub?"

        He raised an eyebrow. "Do you mean a back rub, or a 'back rub?'"

        "Well I meant just the regular kind, but if you're going to make it weird," I mumbled, my face burning. 

        "No, no, I was hoping for the regular kind," he said quickly. "Just checking."

        I swatted him with a pillow. "Then why'd you bring it up?" I complained.

        He laughed at my feeble attempt to hit him. "I don't know, I felt like I had to ask!"

        I took another swat. "Get your mind out of the gutter, Grayson Answell," I laughed.

        "I'm trying, Jackie Langford!" He was giggling too, trying to take a swing with his own pillow.

        "Oh, it's Langford now?" I asked. Time to be mean. I tickled his ribs, making him shriek and topple to the blanketed floor. 

        "JACKIE!" he howled in laughter, convulsing as I cackled. "St-stahhh! No! I—" he stopped to giggle/shriek. "Jackie! I'm tick-ticklish!"

        "Apparently," I agreed. It only got worse for poor Grayson. He tried struggling, wiggling out of reach, but I only got crueler. 

        Maybe some part of me liked his laughter. Liked the way his mouth curled into a smile. As I came to this conclusion, I slowly stopped, granting him his freedom. Out of breath, he laid flat on the floor, dropping his head into a pillow. Fighting against Grayson, who was much stronger and larger than I, had left me tired. So I stared down at him in mild wonderment, straddling his stomach.

        His hazel eyes found mine. "What's that look mean?" he asked softly.

        "What look?" I murmured, trying not to let myself fall into his eyes.

        "I don't know...it's just different."

        My heart dropped. "Bad different?" 

        "No. Very good different," he said, finally catching his breath.

        I shouldn't be looking at him this way. Feeling the feelings I'm having. I shouldn't be reluctant to move. It was so bad that I ended up biting my own tongue to make me jolt awake. I crawled off him and helped him up (like a true lady). 

        "Let's um, let me go grab some lights," I said, embarrassed for my actions. I shuffled into the living room, where Tay had left the massive pine tree and Grayson had left out boxes of ornaments and lights. Grabbing a strand of white bulbs, I headed back to the bedroom and wordlessly strung them throughout the various furnishings.