Greyson

Chapter Two

"Wow." I gasped looking at myself in the mirror, "I look different." I scrunched my nose at my look, maybe this was too much. 

"Inside voices Ems...you look hot." Kate replied fixing a few last curls in my hair. 

I went shopping with Kate, I picked sensible she picked risky. When it came to trying the dresses on, risky won the battle and so did Kate. 

I was currently wearing a navy blue minidress, it hugged every curve with spaghetti straps and made my chest look much fuller, maybe too fuller. My long brown curls cascaded down and landed just below my chest, my dark eyeshadow with a glitter of blue making my brown eyes pop. 

Naturally, I was quite lucky as my skin held a beautiful golden olive tan and my legs in the dress seemed to go on forever before reaching my gold heels. My heels were beautiful, something I could agree on with Kate. They had a bar over my toes then  fastened with a wrap around strap at my ankles. 

They were expensive but a good investment. 

"I feel overdressed." I told her with a sigh causing her to roll her eyes at me. 

"This has to be the biggest party of the year and you feel overdressed?" She quizzed, "your a natural beauty, stop rubbing it in my face and own it." She gave me a playful nudge before heading to the mirror I was just standing at to apply her red lipstick. 

She was a liar, Kate was very pretty. She had straightened her blonde hair tonight, it rested just above her shoulders in a razor cut bob. Her emerald green jumpsuit, held a sparkly belt around the waist showcasing her slim frame. She was already tall, the legs of a runway model but her strappy silver heels displayed this more. She wore as much make up as me, smokey around her midnight blue eyes and light everywhere else. She applied some red lipstick as a final touch while I went nude with a little gloss. 

"Girls are you ready?!" Jase shouted from downstairs causing a feeling of anxiousness to erupt in my stomach. 

"Yeah we're coming!" I called back before taking one last look at myself in the mirror. 

I have to admit, I did look hot and I do like showcasing my curves but tonight I didn't feel that way and I have no idea why. 

Grey. 

Will he even remember me? How embarrassing would it be if he didn't. 

"Let's go sexy mama!" Kate squealed grabbing my wrist and pulling me to the door causing me to erupt with laughter. 

We arrived at Greyson's house and I was in awe of the beauty of it. It's the first time I've been here, his money and fame showed and this place was very secure. Security lined up everywhere. It was nothing like the house he grew up in which was next door to us, his mum had to intention of moving from our street this was her home. According to Jase, Grey compromised and built her a lavish secure home at the end of the block. Tall fences surrounded it and it was extremely private. 

After saying our names at the door, we were kindly invited in by a member of security. I wonder if this is the same security that he has at his concerts? 

"Let's get a drink!" Kate said excitedly pulling me through the house and beside the pool in the massive back garden to an awaiting bar. 

There's lots of people but my eyes still hadn't landed on Grey. 

"Girls grab a drink, I'm going to find Grey. I'll be right back." Jase told me, quickly leaning over and placing a kiss on my cheek before heading off in his own direction. 

"What can I get you ladies?" The bartender asked looking at both myself and Kate. 

"What do you recommend?" Kate asked leaning forward against the bar, her eyes grooming over the different bottles of alcohol. 

"A lightning cocktail." He smiled back, "Our speciality drink for tonight." Kate nodded ecstatic. 

Lightning Cocktail...How fitting. 

On the plus side, it tasted dangerously good. It was one of those drinks that you could easily forget about the alcohol and drink plenty before curling around the toilet. I lifted the beverage to my lips again walking nearer to the pool, the taste of the liquid dancing over my tastebuds gloriously. I need this recipe for taking back to New York with me. I moaned in gratification. 

"It tastes that good huh?" I froze and my eyes widened, heart beat racing. 

My lips were still attached to the cocktail glass and I took my final sip before lifting the delightful liquid away from me. I took in the sight before me, remembering to breathe. A voice in my head screaming at me telling me I'm not 11 years old anymore but goodness me, the magazines didn't do justice. 

Standing before me in the flesh was Grey, looking way to hot for me to act responsible while drinking alcohol. I quickly gave him a once over, looking from his black converse, black ripped jeans which hugged his legs tightly and then onto his black top and leather jacket. Inklings of his tattoos evident from his neckline and sleeves. The ultimate rockstar style. 

I looked towards his face, his dark hair messy and piercing grey eyes haunting mines. He was supporting a beautiful tan to his skin...god everything about this man was beautiful. I'm screwed. 

"I need this recipe." I giggled nervously, well played and good save Emily. 

"I'll make sure the bartender gives it to you." He replied seriously, looking behind him to a young man in a neatly clad suit. 

"Denny." Grey greeted the man now standing beside him, "Enquire with the bartender the cocktail recipe and have him write it down. Make sure it's given to Emily before she leaves tonight." He told this man who I assume is called Denny with nothing but authority in his voice. Money and power does amazing things clearly. 

He remembered my name, he remembers me. 

"Certainly sir." Denny replied stepping back, pressing a finger against his ear and speaking away.

I looked at him amused before a giggle approached my lips causing Grey to snap his eyes back to mine with a small smirk. 

"Amused?" He asked me huskily. 

"He reminds me of something from a James Bond movie." I told him grinning at my pathetic little speculations causing Grey to laugh at me. 

"It's nice to see you Emily." He told me with a panty dropping smile, I looked to my cocktail wondering at this point what the hell was in it and what the hell was wrong with me. 

"It's nice to see you too Rockstar." I told him with a small smile, he put his hands into his pockets shaking his head. 

"Just Grey." He told me, his smile still in place and there I was again, the 11 year old girl getting lost in his eyes. 

"This house is breathtaking, it's the first I've seen it. Jase told me about it but his words don't give it justice. It's big, like really big!" I exclaimed pointing towards the house before turning back to his sparkling eyes. 

"Yeah Mum loves it and that's all that matters." He smiled looking towards the house, he was proud. He gave it away with the breath taking smile from his pearly whites. 

"How is your Mum?" I asked him taking another sip of my cocktail, I lifted my hand to my mouth quickly wiping the residue of the liquid before resulting my attention back to him. 

His eyes were locked onto mines flickering to my lips at my mouth, his grey eyes shining in the fairy lights the lit up the pool area. 

"She's good." He finally replied taking a small step back, "My aunt and her are off to a spa retreat for the week." He told me with a small nod, his eyes have never once left mine. I struggled to remember if Greyson has always been this intense, I felt intimidated. 

"It would be great to see her again, is it a local retreat?" I asked him, silently praying for Kate to come and save me and wondering how long it has took the bartender to make her drink. 

"My private island." He smirked. 

Right of course he had a private island, why wouldn't he and how stupid of me not to assume so. 

"I hope that there's sunshine for the special lady?" I asked him playfully. 

"Oh there's plenty." He replied, his voice taking a husky tone again.

"How.."

"Emily, there you are!" Kate called latching her arm through mines causing Grey to recoil and his lips to form a thin smile. "Hi Grey, how are you?" She asked  smiling from ear to ear. Grey smirked. 

"I'm doing good Kate, still best friends I see?" Greys attention diverted back to me. I was about to answer before Kate cut me off. 

"Yep always have been and always will be, I haven't seen her in four months but we always keep in touch. Don't we Emily?" I winced at the obvious dig she had at Grey, I looked from her towards him and momentarily seen his jaw clenched. He was slightly pissed at the statement, the dig understood. 

"Yeah." I awkwardly replied, lifting my alcohol back to my lips. 

"Four months, you been travelling Ems?" I snapped my head up to him. 

Travelling, I wish. 

Grey used to ask me if I can do anything when I grow up, what would I do. My answer was always the same, freelance journaling and travelling. It was my dream. Technically I work for my Dads organisation, he owns a publishing company and when he wanted to expand to New York, he needed someone to run it. Jase showed no interest at all and with me taking a degree in journalism, I didn't want to let him down. 

I owe a lot to my Dad, my love for writing came from him and we shared this in common. I should grateful an really I am but sometimes when I'm sitting in the office at New York, I look out the window and imagine myself following the stories. I try to fill the void by editing and publishing certain magazines that have journo's cover the story. They may envy my position but I envy theirs so much more. 

"I own a publishing firm in New York so my time and home is based there now." I told him with a small smile, his eyes narrowed catching my statement. 

"New York? Which company?" He asked, the intensity burning in his eyes again. 

"Yep and Theron Publications." He smiled. 

"Sounds great." He replied but I sensed sarcasm in his voice. 

"So Grey what's changed with you? Married yet?" I choked on my drink, nudging Kate with a glare. Grey however gave off a hearty laugh, the sound causing any girls thighs to tighten...including mine. 

"I can see you've never changed Kate. Inquisitive as always." He smirked causing Kate to glare at him, I however laughed because he spoke the truth much to  Kates dismay. 

"Please." Kate replied swinging her short hair over her shoulder with nothing but sass. She too giggled this time. 

"I don't think marriage suits my rockstar image do you Kate?" He asked her seriously. 

"Maybe you just haven't found the right girl yet." She replied playfully and I was taking way to much interest in this conversation. 

"Maybe." He replied with a small smile playing on my lips, "Maybe I'll find the right girl tonight, the night is only starting." He smirked crossing his muscular arms over his chest. 

I looked at his arms, his tattoos threatening to show from his sleeves. I wonder what his tattoos are of? Do they mean something or are they meaningless? I was itching to reach out and ask, maybe it was an excuse to feel his warm hard skin under mine or maybe I was losing my mind. 

A mind that I've not seen since he first showed his face beside me. There's something that's quite sexy about his rockstar ways, power and authority is definitely sexy but with Grey, something about him being near me always turned my insides to mush. I wasn't myself and I could feel myself want to be reckless, to be everything that he could ever want and need. 

Then logic steps in, he's used to women throwing themselves on him and he's probably got more notches on his bedpost than I would care to know. I've only been in his presence ten minutes and I can already feel a burning raw jealousy starting in my stomach. 

It reminded me of when I was 11 years old, longing for a boy that never wanted me back. The same boy who claimed to be my best friend before leaving and never speaking to me since. The jealously soon turned to anger, I knew I had to get away for a moment to breathe. 

"Well Allison is here tonight, you hooked up with her before didn't you?" My words came out before I could stop them, the bitterness present and this time Kate nudged me. I recoiled, shocked at myself and angry at my outburst. 

"I haven't seen her." He told me. The reply should have been more simple than that but looking into his eyes, I could tell his statement meant more. "You shouldn't always believe the things you read Ems, your a publisher aren't you? You should know that." I could tell by the storm brewing his grey orbs that he was irked, rightfully so. His personal life should be no interest to me, maybe I overstepped the line. 

"Meaning?" I asked back before I could stop myself again. 

"Meaning," he took a step closer to me, to close for my liking and by this point I don't even know if I was breathing but I must have been because the smell of mints, cigarettes and aftershave hit my senses like a flying bolt to my core. I was way too attracted to this man for my liking, if Kate wasn't beside me, I wouldn't trust my actions. "People like yourself publish lies to fill their pockets, gullible people read those lies and suddenly it's the victims life. They think they know you so well after seeing one picture and a story of lies." 

"Well I think.."

"Oh this is my favourite song, Emily let's go have a dance!" Kate squealed from beside me, saving me again before I went all guns blazing. 

Emily hauled me back through the house, grabbing two more cocktails from the passing bartender and placing one in my hand. 

"Drink." She told me with raised brows and a nod. 

"Kate I was fine, he was..."

"You weren't fine, clearly you have pent up anger and obviously Allison has bothered you more than you have let on. There's only one solution for a situation like this." I rolled my eyes at her. 

"What?" I asked. 

"Alcohol and staying clear of Grey." I shuddered at the sound of his name. 

God how old am I? He told the truth, people like myself approve speculations and lies to be printed and to the public it appears to be the truth. I cringed at my work. It wasn't something I was proud of, however needs must. 

I shouldn't have said anything about Alison to Grey, god now I just feel like a b***h. I should be happy to see him, happy that he has achieved so much in a short time. I never even asked how he was after his Dad passed, I need to apologise. 

"I need to apologise Kate," I sighed feeling the warmth of alcohol spread through me, "I shouldn't have said what I did." I told her frowning at my drink. 

"No." She lifted my chin up, "You smile and drink, you can apologise later." She told me firmly, she was right. 

Clear my head then I'll apologise, a responsible approach. 

"Let's dance!" She squealed pulling me into a room filled with hot dancing bodies, once I heard the beat and the music wrapping around me. I lost myself.