Page 33 of Tell Me Again
“My focus is always Grace.”
“Right,” she agreed. “Mine is, too. We’re partners on that, Trevor.”
Partners. He shouldn’t like the sound of that, but he did.
“You’re not her mother,” he said, and then immediately regretted the words when pain flashed in her blue eyes.
“I know,” was her only answer and she started to step away.
He looped his arms around her waist, bringing her closer. “What I meant to say was that I appreciate how hard you’re working to establish a relationship with her.”
“Really?” She raised an eyebrow. “That’s not how it sounded.”
“I should talk less.”
“No doubt.”
“Let’s get back to the part about us being together.”
“Temporarily,” she whispered.
“Friends with benefits,” he offered, “or whatever the kids are calling it these days.”
She only studied him. “Are we friends now? Because when you kiss me—”
“Are there benefits involved?”
That earned a smile and she tipped up her face to kiss him. It was gentle, tentative, and he was having no part of it. He deepened the kiss, exploring her mouth even as he pressed her closer. She melted into him and, while he loved the idea of being with her again and again, a sliver of doubt twisted his gut. How would a temporary arrangement with Sam ever be enough?
It had to be because he wasn’t willing to give her more. Grace was his only priority, and he wouldn’t change that.
He could sure as hell enjoy the right now. It had been a long time since he’d done anything for himself, made a choice that wasn’t about his daughter. Sam offered the perfect arrangement. He pushed away the doubts and concentrated on enjoying this moment, which wasn’t hard to do with a beautiful woman in his arms. The difficult part would come when he had to let her go.
After a few more minutes, she broke away with a frustrated groan. “I need to find my friends. They’ll think...”
“That you killed me?”
She smiled slightly. “I should go.”
He nodded but slanted her a look that clearly showed he wanted her to stay. The connection between them grew stronger in the intensity of the moment, making him forget everything but her.
“Grace has a band concert next Thursday night,” he said into the charged silence.
Sam blinked.
“Would you like to go with me?”
Nervous tension slid across his shoulders to settle at the base of his neck, like he was a kid asking a girl to the school dance.
It took a moment for Sam to answer, and when she did those same nerves stretched taut with confusion and disappointment. “Um... yes, but... I don’t know. I have plans on Thursday.”
He was a fool.
“Like a date?” he asked, even though he didn’t want to see her mouth curve with the confirmation. After what had just passed—
“Not a date, more like an appointment.”
“Am I supposed to guess what you’re talking about or do you have a secret double life?”
