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I finally shake it off, pushing my emotions back into the little box I keep them locked in. “What are you doing here?”
“I was a few blocks away for lunch with my parents. I thought I’d stop by before I go back to work.”
“Oh,” the significance of his words from earlier sink in, “you told him you’re my boyfriend.”
“I did.”
“What if Con finds out?”
“Maybe he should know.”
“He’ll be angry.”
“Definitely.”
“Are you not afraid?”
“Afraid of Con? No,” he says confidently. “He’ll be mad, but he’ll come around.”
I look at him for a minute, really taking in how incredible he looks. He’s wearing a classic combination of black suit and tie with a white shirt, but it’s a slim European cut. His hair is perfectly styled, but he has a bit of beard growth showing. He has his glasses on which means he’s been working hard, probably on my problems and not his actual job.
It hits me then, that this beautiful, intelligent, and loyal man is ready to throw it all away for me. He’s willing to burn bridges to be with me. It’s exhilarating and terrifying but most of all, heartbreaking because I can’t accept his devotion.
The hard truth is that I have nothing to offer him. A failing, baren body that will never give him children. A love with an expiration date. A life with someone whose body will deteriorate slowly until I completely rely on the people around me. I don’t have the personality for that life on a good day. No one deserves that future.
I should break it off right now. Tell him I’m good. That I appreciate him so much for what he’s done and is doing but that we can’t be together. Every day that we keep doing this is one more day of betrayal that Con will feel.
But right now, having just realized that I love this man, I can’t end it yet. I just need a few more days. A little while longer to bask in his presence and pretend that I could have a happily ever after.
“Tell me what you’re thinking,” Griff says as he steps into my space.
“Nothing in particular,” I lie.
“Liar.” He smiles softly at me. “Give me your thoughts, Claire. I want everything. I want your feelings. I want your dreams. I want your fears. I want all of it, Tsarina.”
“Seriously, my mind is just swimming with everything that’s going on. I wasn’t thinking anything in particular.” I wrap my arms around him and breathe him in. “I have an appointment at the spa with Friday, so I better get going.”
He leans down and kisses me, a lingering and sweet tease of a kiss. “Come to my place tonight,” he commands.
“We’ll see,” I say with a haughty tone. Can’t let him think he’s completely in charge.
The look he gives me over his shoulder says that he knows I’m all talk.
I’m packing up my bag when Friday walks back into the studio.
“That man makes me happy I swing both ways like a barn door.” She grins when I shoot a glare at her. “Are you ever going to tell me about what’s going on with you two? He’s your brother’s best friend, right?”
“Yeah, he is.” Should I tell her or not, the question volleys back and forth in my mind. “We’re kind of dating, I guess.”
“No DTR talk yet?”
“DTR?”
“Define the relationship.”
“Ah, no. It’s casual.” I stand up and start walking for the door. “Nothing to define.”
“Right, that’s why he swept you away from the club that night. And why he looks at you like a starving man in front of a buffet. Super casual.”
“Exactly. Super casual.”
She grunts in disbelief but lets it go.
