Page 16 of Grey
“I’m sorry, sweetheart,” he said, reaching for her hand.
Their fingers linked, and she felt bolstered by his touch and the compassion she could see on his face. Blowing out a breath, she told him that her mother’s death revealed a family secret her mom had expertly kept hidden from her all her life—her father was a drug addict and had been systematically trying to take every penny he made and give it to the local meth dealers. Once her mom was gone, her dad took everything, including stealing from her.
“It took every ounce of creativity I had to hide the money I made from my part-time job from him. I had a checking account and he stole my debit card, so I closed the account and cashed my checks. He would search my room and steal any money he found, and if he couldn’t steal it, he would try to manipulate me into giving it to him. I knew I had to get out—out of the house, out of town—so with the help of my guidance counselor, I was able to qualify for a scholarship and I went to community college at night during the last two years of high school.”
“Shit, you were going to high school, and college,andworking part time? When did you sleep?”
She chuckled and her eyes stung. It had been a damn hard two years. Especially when her dad had managed to wipe out her meager savings not just one time, but three times. He was always sorry, always tried to make it up to her.
“I didn’t. Not until I graduated with my associate’s of library science and from high school. I moved out immediately andfound a roommate to share a place with after I got my first job in a library, and that’s where I met Ryan.”
She told him about the charming man who’d swept her off her feet and made her feel like she was important and that he cared. “That was love-bombing, I think the term is,” she said. “He was a narcissist, and after I moved in with him, I slowly realized the charming mannerisms were a façade, and then I just felt trapped. It was like once I was living with him, it was clear that onlyhemattered. He belittled me, never supported me, and made me feel like I was just the supporting character in his life.” She wasn’t sure exactly what had been the straw that broke the proverbial camel’s back, but it had taken four years for her to finally have enough of it all. A mixture perhaps, of finding women like herself on social media who’d broken away from men who didn’t value them, or the books she lost herself in to escape the awful feelings she had at the house.
“I went to see my dad to tell him that I wanted to leave Ryan. I think that I was looking for him to show me that he’d changed, that the four years we’d been radio silent had made him rethink his behavior. But all he wanted to know was if Ryan would be willing to lend him money so he didn’t get kicked out of the crappy apartment he’d had to move into after losing the house that I’d grown up in. I stayed with an acquaintance at the library where I worked for a little while after I left Ryan and looked for a new job out of state.” She looked down at hers and Grey’s linked hands and smiled. “You know what’s weird? Ryan never came looking for me. Once I blocked his number it was like he just didn’t give a damn. He didn’t come to the library or follow me to force me to talk to him. I got lucky, I know, because he could have been one of those dangerous guys who stalked and terrorized me, but regardless, I was determined to get myself free.”
She let the story of her life hang between them, feeling open and exposed in a way that she never had before. She very much wanted Grey to know about her history because he was a great guy, but she’d been burned by great guys before.
Grey cupped her face and she looked at him, meeting his pretty gray eyes and finding compassion and concern in the depths.
“Oh, sweetheart, I’m so very sorry for everything you’ve been through. You’re so strong and fierce. I can’t imagine how scared you felt to move away from everything and start over on your own, but you did it. I’m so freaking proud of you.” He leaned over and brushed his lips against hers. “Thank you for sharing your life with me.”
She brushed at the few tears that had escaped while she talked. It was freeing to share everything with him, but scary too. She’d never told anyone thewholestory. She’d always hated how long she stayed with her ex, and how destructive her dad’s behavior had been.
But she knew she was better than her past, stronger than all that. She felt free of the chains that had been wrapped around her for such a long time, and part of that freedom was knowing that Grey was the guy she wanted to be with.
The part of her that wanted to take things slow was theold her, the one who was afraid of falling into old habits or getting wrapped up with the wrong guy.
“You’re different,” she said. “I feel different with you.”
“Good different, I hope?”
She smiled. “Definitely. I feel like I can tell you anything and you won’t judge me and you never make me feel dumb for liking the legends and history of places. Heck, you didn’t even make me feel bad when you had to rescue me in the woods.”
“We all make mistakes.” He tucked a lock of hair behind her ear and she shivered at the touch. “You’re so precious to me. I feel like I know you so much better now.”
She felt entirely lost in his eyes, lost to everything around them but what was simmering in the air. Tension and passion, both seemingly waiting for the other to make the first move.
She’d never considered herself bold, but after telling him all her truths and feeling better for it—lighter and less burdened by everything—she was definitely feelingsomething.
Hot, among other things.
“Grey,” she murmured his name.
“Yeah, sweetheart?”
Her breath gusted between her parted lips. Her heart pounded in her chest.
Instead of saying anything, she leaned into him for a kiss and poured all the passion she was feeling into it.
Would he understand what she wasn’t able to articulate?
That she needed him on every level in a way she’d never needed anyone before, and that’s how she knew he was herone right guy.
The man of her dreams.
Her sexy, sexy Grey.
Grey slid his arms around Tatum and pulled her close as the kiss deepened. He could feel her need and pick up the sweet, deep scent of her arousal. He’d never been so attracted to someone in his life, so turned on by just being in her presence.
