Him & I

Shot Clock

I'm just saying
Boy you playing
You gon' let it wind down
You got twenty four seconds and it's starting right now
Shot clock, like don't sleep, don't sleep
You're gon' miss your opportunity
——Shot Clock, Ella Mai

Grayson quickly hopped up to see his fiancée standing in the doorway.  "Cait?" he gasped.

Mariah had looked up now and saw the absolute fire in the eyes of the woman across the room.  "You should really get the fuck out of here," Cait said lowly. 

"No, no, no," Grayson stuttered.  "It's not what you think."

She turned those flaming emerald orbs toward him and he recognized the set of her jaw and the expression on her face. 

"I want this piece of trash off my floor and out of my house," Cait said again.  "I'll deal with you after that happens."

"Maybe I should go," Mariah whispered.

"You think?" Cait hissed.  "Jesus, Allen, couldn't you at least pick a smart one?"

"Cait, sweetheart, please calm down," Grayson begged.  "This is all a big misunderstanding.  It's not what you're thinking."

"Grayson, I just walked into my house to find a woman on her knees in front of you calling you 'Gray' and swearing that she'll do anything for you.  I don't know how many other explanations there can be for that.  But regardless, I want this bitch OUT OF MY HOUSE."  Her voice went up at the end of the statement. Significantly.

"Please just calm down," Grayson tried, causing her to once again, turn her glare to him.

"You've got about twenty four seconds, Allen," she snapped. "If she's not gone, I will be."

"Mariah, you need to leave," Grayson said quietly. "Now."

"But my research," she started. But then she saw the look that he was giving her.  "Will you at least-" she tried.  But Grayson cut her off.

"Get out," he sighed pointing to the door.

She nodded and walked past Cait, who had her arms crossed.  If looks could kill, poor Mariah would have been a goner.  And she suddenly seemed to realize exactly what was going on. 

"Oh, no wait, this was academic," she said quickly.  "I mean, after I tried to pick him up at the party, I realized that I needed to have him. For my research."

Cait looked like she was about to explode at that statement.  "Get her out of here, Grayson," she ground out at him.  "The clock is ticking."

"Mariah, please?" Grayson opened the door and held it for her. 

Once she left, Grayson took a deep breath and turned around with his hands up.  "Caitlin, please let me explain," he said immediately.  "It's not at all what you think."

But Cait was exhausted. And stressed. And it was just the wrong side of enough. "In our house, Grayson?" she snapped at him. "Really? You brought another woman in our house?"

"She's not another woman," he started, causing Cait to look at him as though he'd lost his mind.

"She sure as hell looked like one," she hissed.