He took another step toward me. “Or maybe you’re thinking,” he raised his voice into a sultry, mocking tone, “‘I was fine before you.” He gasped. “‘I swear I was. But now? I can’t even think straight.’”
Cheeks hot, my mouth fell open. “Well.” I snapped it shut. “You’re just showing yourself today, aren’t you? That doesn’t even sound like me.”
“Oh, I think you get the picture.” He moved toward me, slow and deliberate, and I hated that I didn’t step back.
“S-stop,” I stammered, breath catching, stomach yearning for his touch. His kiss.
No kissing! my brain screamed.You have tokeep him safe!
But he wouldn’t stop. Another step. Then another. Until he was right in front of me, the heat of his body close enough that I could feel it.
“‘It’s okay, Jules,” he murmured, leaning closer. Closer. His gaze dropped to my mouth—just once—then back up. “Stalking you is my favorite pastime too.”
We stared at each other, the space between us shrinking. With each shallow, uneven breath, the single thread holding me back was fraying…
Fraying..
Fraying.
No! Cecil’s threats burst into my mind.Keep. Him. Safe!
So,forGriffin, I retreated a step.
Or I would have, if I hadn’t tripped over the back of the couch. The next thing I knew, I was tumbling headfirst, feet in the air. I hit the floor with an oof, landing on my butt, hair in my face, my eyes, and even my mouth.
As if that weren’t embarrassing enough, Griffin gasped, trying not to outright guffaw. “Ju-Jules.” He wheezed, “Are you—” he lost it for a second. “Are you all right?”
The humiliation surged through me, white-hot anger rippling from the center of my chest.
I burst to my feet, spitting out my hair. “You want pillow talk?” I snapped. “I’ll give you pillow talk.” I jerked a throw pillow off the couch and whacked him right in the face. “I don’t love you and I don’t want you here! Stay away from me, Griffin!” I shouted.
I’d done it. Wiped the smirk clean off. Stripped the confidence right out of him. Whatever else DayGlow had planned for him, I’d just beaten them to the punch.
I’d never hated myself more.
Whether to avoid his devastation or hide my shame, I didn’t know, but I jogged across the room, slammed the bedroom door shut, and locked it.
Then I fell onto my bed, a complete mess.
Chapter Twenty-Eight
GRIFFIN
Even after everything with Selene and then Maggie, I’d never felt this hollow before. Frankly, it was terrifying. I’d thought that if I fought hard enough, Jules would realize I was serious about her. About us. But her not loving me—and ordering me to stay away? Had me seriously rethinking everything.
I’d already let the Captain at my hotshot job know I wouldn’t be returning next season—so that bridge was burned. And I’d signed a contract with Honeyville. I could only let so many people down in a year—and I drew the line at groveling to get rehired, only to quit again. But how was I supposed to live in the same town—no, the samestreet—as Jules and stay away from her? As it was, it took all my restraint not to sneak into her room every night and sleep next to her.
Three evenings later, sitting with my brothers and cousins in a booth at Fourth and Goal—our favorite sports bar in Honeyville—I stared at the condensation on my glass of Dr Pepper.
“I can’t believe Charlie made us wear these stupid shirts,” James grumbled from his chair at the head of the table.
Charlie refused to let us leave until each of us had one on. They were all identical—a dark, weathered gray. The front said,
Your eyes aren’t deceiving you. I am a Dupree.
But the back said?—
Let’s save us both some time:
