Page 22 of Instant Heat
Griffin's lips lifted into a playful smile that didn't quite make it to his eyes."You'll just have to introduce me to your strange midnight snack some other time," he said. His voice was so serious, I could only stare at him as he binned the melted dairy and started scavenging the cupboards.
"This will have to do," he said, producing a bag of Doritos and a packet of gummy sweets. After grabbing two bottles of water from the fridge, he slid onto the stool opposite me.
I took the offered water, downed half of it, and put a decent dent in the packet of chips before I blurted out,"My brother seems to think I have a bad habit of falling too fast."
When my word-vomit was met with a raised eyebrow, I took a breath."A little over a year ago I'd met someone and despite everyone's warnings, I started a relationship with him. It got serious really fast—for me at least."
My gaze dropped to my folded hands resting on the countertop. I started fidgeting with my fingers as memories of my stupidity assaulted me. Before they sucked me in though, the warmth of Griffin's palm against my arm registered.
When I looked up, the expression in his was so gentle it almost made my heart ache."I don't have to know the rest."
I stopped fidgeting and placed my hand on his."While I'd been dreaming of a big wedding, Rob had been scheming up a way to take what little savings I'd had." My eyes skittered to the door before they connected with Griffin's again."That wasn't the worst of it, though."
A few curses fell from his lips in his mother tongue, which I found oddly endearing.
"My friends and I wanted to try out a new burger place one night. We'd just grabbed our drinks when I'd spotted Rob sitting in one of the booths lining the back wall." I could still feel a small sting of betrayal at the memory.
"Of course I walked over to say hi… Only he wasn't alone. His wife of almost six years was sitting with him. His heavily pregnant wife, I might add."
"What?" He sounded completely mortified.
I let out a nervous giggle."Yeah, turned out while his wife lived a few towns over; he'd pretended to work for a financial company here in West Kirksin. The closest he came to working with money was when he'd cleverly syphoned away some of my savings. Which I didn't know about until much later."
Griffin's eyes turned a scary shade of almost black."What happened at the burger joint?"
The heat creeping into my cheeks couldn't be helped. It was equal amounts anger and embarrassment."When I… uh… walked up to the table, he pretended he didn't know me. Swore to his wife I was some crazy girl trying to hook up with him."
"Cic maith se tóin atá dlíth air."
I blinked and blinked again."What does that mean?"
He shook his head, frustration pulling his brows together."He needs a kick up the arse." Griffin jerked his chin in my direction."What happened then?"
"My milkshake landed in his lap while Lacy and Brie dunked theirs over his head. He was arrested for fraud not long after this happened—which was how I found out about my savings." I lifted my shoulders."And as far as I know, his wife left him and moved away."
His nostrils flared with the deep drag of air he took to his lungs. I thought he was going to say something, but he ended up emptying his bottle of water.
I chewed on the inside of my cheek, searching for the right words to adequately express myself."You can understand why I'm having a hard time trusting my own judgment right now," I finally said.
"Aye."
He removed his hand from my arm to rake his fingers through his hair. I also noticed that he avoided making eye contact with me. Suddenly sharing my stupid story seemed like the worst idea ever. I slid off the stool and pushed the feeling of disappointment as far away as I could manage.
"I should go."
Immediately his gaze snapped to mine, confusion creasing his forehead."You want to leave?"
No, I didn't."It's late."
His eyebrow arched again."So?"
"I'm sure you have to get up early for work. I know I do." I actually had the day off; he didn't need to know that, though.
He pushed to his feet, that intense look in his eyes again."You running away, Rae?"What the hell?I opened my mouth to ask him just that, but he silenced me with a shake of his head."I get it; you've been hurt."
He stalked toward me with slow determined strides until we were toe to toe. Gripping my chin between his fingers, he guided my gaze to his."I'm not asking for your trust. All I want is an opportunity to earn it."
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