Page 96 of The Holiday Grump
Even furious, his tone carried a strange calm. He still wouldn’t release me.
“Are you seriously manhandling me right now?” I snapped.
His face went red, and his expression shifted, as if he was suddenly sobering up. He let go of my arm. “I’m sorry. I’ve never done anything like this. You can go, if you want. I’m sorry.”
Fury stormed through me. “For fuck’s sake! You sucker punch my date and drag me outside, and now you’re going soft? Finish what you started!”
“Finish?” He glanced back at the bar door, baffled. “You want me to kill him?”
I nodded toward Main Street. “No! I want you to take me to your car. Tie me up and fuck me like you mean it. Or are you telling me I inspire just enough caveman instinct to punch the guy, but not to steal the woman?”
His eyes blazed. “Is that what you want?”
“Is that what a caveman asks?”
I saw something shift again behind his eyes. I was giving him permission. Daring him. He threw a firm arm around my shoulders, steering me down the sidewalk. People werestill watching. Whispering. But I didn’t care. His claim on me felt fierce and solid. I loved it.
We drove in silence. At first, I thought he’d dump me at the bookstore, but he kept going, turning toward his house.
My phone found reception somewhere along the way and pinged with messages.
Felicity: I think your secret’s out.
Kailee: I’ve never seen Uncle Teddy like that! That was so sick.
Lola: You have to explain this video I just saw on the town group chat. By the way, your bra is showing, but don’t worry, no nipple, and the red lace looks amazing.
I pressed the phone to my chest, mortified. “There’s already a video online. Everyone’s seen my underwear.”
“I’m sorry,” Fredrik said hoarsely. “I wasn’t fast enough.”
“It wasn’t your job to stop it.”
“I should have stopped it earlier. I should never have let you go out with him.”
“We’re just friends?—”
“No, we’re not. We’re obviously not.” His head bowed. “I can’t do this. I couldn’t even watch you with him.”
He parked in front of his house. The lone yard light painted him in silver and shadow. He looked broken.
“Okay,” I said, heart hammering. “What do you want, then? To be my possessive boyfriend?”
His head jerked up, green eyes searching mine.
“You’re loving this, aren’t you?”
“A little,” I admitted. Embarrassing, yes, but true. No onehad ever looked at me like that, like I was worth fighting for. Worth losing control over.
Once we were inside, he started a fire. We sat shoulder to shoulder on the rug, peeling bark for kindling. His voice was low and rough. “Now you know. I’m not a friends-with-benefits guy. I’m the sucker who falls hard and gets his heart broken.”
I stroked his worn jacket sleeve. “I’m falling for you too. I don’t know what it means, but we’ll figure it out. Don’t ask me to promise?—”
“Maybe we just see how it goes?” His eyes lifted, suddenly bright with hope. “Because right now, there’s no one else I’d rather be with.”
Heat swelled through me. “Same here. And if it makes any difference… you’re not a sucker. You’re brave and passionate.”
His mouth curved, gaze darkening. “Like a caveman ruled by his limbic brain?”
