Page 65 of Built to Fall
And itshouldn’t.
Because what happens if I fall asleep beside him again? What happens if I start to feel safe in a space that isn’t mine? What happens if history repeats itself?
“I’m not a stray cat, Grant. I don’t need to be taken in.” I’m also not willing to risk another Savannah Sinclair run-in. If she wants to be the one in Grant’s bed, I’m not going to stand in her way.
“Didn’t say you did. But if you’re not sleeping anyway…”
I shake my head, picking at the wrapper on my breakfast. “I’ll think about it.”
“Okay.” His voice is low and non-pushy. “It’s just an offer.”
Even without looking up, I can feel him watching me, like he’s trying not to press his luck. He stands slowly, chair scraping back against the tile. I think he’s going to leave it at that, but then his voice cuts through the air again.
“And for the record,” he says, stuffing his hands in his pockets, “I consider you a friend, Lina. Not, like… acapital Fkind of friend, but still.”
“Oh, I’m just friend enough for you to beg me to sleep in your bed?”
He flashes that crooked grin that always seems about one smirk away from getting him punched. “What can I say? I must have a soft spot for bitchy insomniacs.”
Okay, I do have to hold back my laugh at that before replying, “Gee. Thanks.”
“Just wanted to clear that up before you go writing in your diary about how I’m in love with you or something.”
I roll my eyes. “Trust me, I’m not worried.”
“Good,” he says. “Sleep on it.”
“If I couldsleep on it,there would be nothing to decide.”
Grant backs away with a wink, and then he’s gone.
Sauntering out like he didn’t just drag my entire past into the present with a single conversation.
And I sit there, heart racing because I know what I want.
I want to sleep again. I want to believe thatthistime, the person next to me won’t get up and wreck me while I’m dreaming.
But that’s the problem with wanting.
It makes you hope.
And hoping is just another form of sleep.
Soft, sweet, and one breath away from being broken.
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
GRANT
“What’s going on with you and Lina?” Savannah asks, plopping down in my desk chair.
I pound my fingers harder against the keys of my laptop. “Nothing.”
She scoffs, faking annoyance. “That didn’t look likenothingat the union this morning.”
“You spying on me now?”
“No,” she says, dragging out the word with a roll of her eyes. “But Delaney saw you two talking, and word gets around. Don’t act like it’s some big secret.”
