And they would have Grayson… The very thought of spending every day with him, having him act as a father to Simone, sleeping next to him every night and making sweet, sexy love with him whenever she wanted… Even after knowing him less than a week, she already knew she’d do anything to make that fantasy a reality.

But when she thought about her dad, alone in the city while both his daughters were six hours away, her fantasy crashed back to earth. She couldn’t leave him. She wouldn’t leave him. It would break his heart not to be able to see Simone any time he wanted and vice versa. Emma couldn’t do that to either of them.

Her heart ached as the fantasy slipped out of reach. Not only did she have her dad to consider, but her job and the benefits it provided that gave her peace of mind, the support network that had taken years to cultivate… The life that had been lonely at times but mostly satisfying didn’t look quite so satisfying post-Grayson Coleman.

She couldn’t let that happen. She couldn’t allow a few days with a sexy, wonderful man to color her perception of the life she’d worked so hard to build for herself and Simone.

Emma tossed and turned and tried to find a position that was anywhere near as comfortable as she’d been sleeping in Grayson’s arms. At some point, she must’ve dozed off, because she woke to sunlight streaming through the window and realized she’d forgotten to draw the blinds during her early morning sneak-in. Tears pooled in her eyes that couldn’t be blamed entirely on the ruthless glare of the sun.

Today they had to leave this magical place where they’d had such a wonderful Christmas break. Tomorrow, she had to go to work. The dentists she worked for held Saturday hours that were always booked solid. Simone had her friend’s birthday party. They had to pick up a gift for the party, and she needed to hit the grocery store, too.

Reality had a nasty way of intruding on a lovely fantasy, reminding her that no matter how wonderful the visit to Vermont had been, it was time to go home.

Chapter 17

‘Tis better to have loved and lost

than never to have loved at all.

—Alfred Lord Tennyson

After returning to the apartment, Grayson didn’t sleep for shit. His brain was a muddled mess of dilemmas, including Emma and Simone’s pending departure, embarking on a long-distance relationship with Emma—at least for now—and the request his father had made of Grayson and his siblings.