Page 104 of Fish out of Water
Grant tipped his head in a barely-perceptible nod. “I thought we were together.” His lips flattened to a thin line. “But we weren’t.”
His desire to make the parameters of our relationship clear made a lot more sense now. “That sucks.”
“It did.” He raked one hand through his hair as he went to sit on the wide sofa set in the middle of the room. “She thought we were just having fun.”
He didn’t look like he’d had much fun.
Grant sucked in a long breath. “She said I was just her friend. That I wasn’t the kind of guy she would ever really want to be with.”
I was a little upset at first, but now I sort of felt bad for the girl.
Life must be hard when you’re stupid.
“Was she the kind of girl you would ever really want to be with?”
Grant stared at me for a second, an odd expression on his face. Finally he shook his head. “No.”
In some ways I got lucky. I had years to decide who I wanted to be when I could finally break free of the boundaries and ideals someone else tried to put on me.
By the time I stepped out of that bubble I was so grateful to be free that I didn’t waste time on people who didn’t like me.
I wasn’t changing who I was for anyone, ever.
But it didn’t take long to realize most peoplediddo that.
Even someone as perfect as Grant Servantes.
“Then why does it still matter?”
He huffed out a little breath. “I ask myself that question all the time.”
I slid the cake onto the counter and went to sit beside him. “Do you wish you were with her now?”
“No.” His answer was just as confident as it was the first time.
“Then learn from it and move on.” I’d lost the most important people in my life. I could spend every day being upset because of it. Sad.
Angry.
But that wasn’t the life I wanted to live.
I couldn’t control them. I could only control myself.
“I thought I did.” His eyes moved over my face. “Then I met you.” He leaned closer. “You’re fucking my life up and I’m not even mad about it.”
“You’re welcome?”
Grant’s hand came to my face, fingers sliding over my skin. “I only want you to see me, Jules.” His thumb stroked against my cheek. “I can’t do this unless I have that.”
I could tell him he didn’t have to worry. No other man could stack up next to him.
And I probably would.
Tomorrow.
Right now all I could focus on was the heat of his other hand curving against my knee as it eased toward my thigh. “Okay.”
He leaned closer. “Only me, Jules.” His lips brushed mine. “Say I’m the only one.”
