Page 42 of Stargazer

“Funny. I thought the silent treatment I was getting indicated the opposite.” His gaze fell to the bubbles again. “I just wanted to check on you,” he looked at me through dark lashes, “and apologise for attacking your friends. I’ll be on my best behaviour going forward.”

I tore my eyes from the page to bring them to his.

He looked sincere. But seeing my gaze, his own changed. That devious smirk slowly spread again. “But since you’re ‘great’ and ‘fine’, I guess there’s no need,” he said jovially, trying to lighten the mood and break the tension between us.

The face I gave him in return was anything but friendly.

He smiled wider.

I sighed. “You better be on your best behaviour. This is your first strike. Three and I’ll find a way to get your ass back to the city and figure this out without you.”

“What constitutes a strike, exactly?” He asked, feigning innocence.

“You’ll know,” I threatened. He laughed and the sound vibrated through me, lowering my guard just that little bit.

After a beat I sighed and said, “I need you to take it easy on River.”

His fingers danced across the surface of the water where the bubbles seemed to have disappeared.

“Lover boy doesn’t know I’ve been your lover boy for the last however many months?” The remark was laced with snarkiness that matched the wicked tilt to his lips.

“He does. But it doesn’t need to be rubbed in at every opportunity.”

Succumbing to my glare, he gave in. “Best behaviour,” he reiterated. Then he pulled the book from my hand, examining the cover. With a raised brow he asked, “Supernatural?”

“Fantasy,” I replied. He nodded and handed it back.

“So … any room for me in there?” His eyes danced mischievously at the inappropriate thoughts clearly running rampant in that pretty head of his.

I levelled a look at him from under my lashes.

“What?” He asked casually. Innocently. “Don’t want to play into my fantasies?” Silver flashed through his eyes at his own suggestion.

I splashed him with water. “You’re not really in my good graces right now.”

“I’m alright with being punished by you.”

“Out,” I commanded. “Before my mum catches you in here.”

He laughed and my heart warmed at the sound, cracking my icy exterior.

Nothing had actually happened this morning. No damage at least. And in the end he’d ended up winning over most of the pack. Miraculously. He’d managed to make training productive and even helped with some of the strategic details of the planning after.

He’d still made remarks, but that was just Griffin being Griffin. It was to be expected.

His hands raised up in surrender. “Alright, alright.” Standing, he turned and walked to the door but stopped short before opening it. “Maybe I’ll try my luck with Mumma Stone instead then,” he taunted.

“Griff!” I scolded, disgust coating my tone.

“I’m kidding. Geez, so jealous,” he smirked, shaking his head in mock scolding. “My attraction to your mother is purely based on the fact that she’s an older you. I’m not mad at what I can expect later.”

I looked at him with wide eyes. Whenever he implied a future with me it made my fucking fanny flutter and my traitorous heart melt. This was the guy that had never dated and always said he didn’t do the whole ‘boyfriend’ thing, yet with me he’d always thrown out casual remarks about a future together. And now he was apparently offering me just that. It was all laid on the table. Up to me to take it.

He was somehow different with me. He had been from early on and it had clearly scared him in the past. Yet now he wasn’t worried about hiding from it anymore. Was willing to face his fears and prejudices regarding relationships.

Wasn’t that what every girl wanted? For the bad, misunderstood boy to change for them?

Despite my fears—that I still definitely had—I knew in my heart that when he spoke about a future together, he really did mean the words. Or at least hoped he could stay true to them.

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