Page 18 of Knocked up By the Minotaur

And suddenly my anger is back, and I push out of Oli’s hold.

I’m sorry? Is that how twisted Brad’s manipulations have gotten me after all these years, that my gut instinct is to apologize?

I shove that instinct away, burning it in an imaginary bonfire as I throw daggers at my ex with my gaze.

“I told you to leave,” I say instead. “Who are you to judge what I do with my partner, after what you did to me while we were still together?”

“I can’t believe how low you’d stoop just to get back at me,” Brad spits back.“You’re heading down a slippery slope we might never be able to return from.”

For a second all I can do is gape at him. Is he really this delusional?

“I suggest you think long and hard about what you’ve just done,” he continues, holding an old shopping bag he hadn’t come in with, as he stares down his nose at me and heads for the door. His eyes briefly flick towards the huge minotaur behind me, who’s slipped his arm back around my waist and is holding me protectively from behind now, but he otherwise ignores Oli’s presence entirely. “We’ll talk about this later.”

And then he slams the door behind him with a flounce.

Olistaire huffs angrily, ruffling the hair on top of my head.

I scowl, still glaring at the door. “I hate him.”

“Mm-hmm,” he replies darkly.

I sigh mightily and let that familiar wave of exhaustion overwhelm me, giving myself a moment of guilty pleasure to sink back against Oli’s embrace. His chest is broad and hard at my back as he supports my weight, and the heat of his body does wonders to relax my tense muscles.

“I never realized how desperate I was to be away from him,” I whisper, barely paying attention to my own words as my brain experiences another shutdown, this one from pure mental fatigue. “Our relationship has been like this for so long now, one mental battle after another, and I just…”

Olistaire shifts, curling his body around me further, and another knot of tension leaves me at the sensation of being cradled, supported. “Call me any time, any day, Grace. I’ll come.”

His words puff out by my ear, and I look down at the thick forearm still wrapped around me. Crisp white shirt peeking out from a stylish blue blazer, in turn covered by my own arm. I hadn’t even realized, but I’m gripping his forearm against me like it’s a lifeline, my fingers wrapped around his short-furred wrist, and my heart tugs in my chest as his words wash over me.

When was the last time I felt this safe? Protected? Relaxed in the presence of a guy, instead of constantly on guard against pretty words hiding shitty intent?

Then again, Olistaire has some pretty words of his own.

Despite the thumping of my heart, which tries to tell me to stay right where I am, I tighten my fingers around his wrist and move it away, so I can step out of his hold. Giving in to my instincts has constantly led me towards handsome, charming men who cheat, and although Oli has proven to be nothing but a flirty gentleman so far, a cat’s a cat no matter what angle you look at it. You can have a great relationship with a cat, so long as you don’t forget yourself and start thinking it’s a dog.

“Grace…” he says quietly as I unwind from his hold, but before he can say anything else, I notice a little tuft of fur fall from his inner wrist and I grab his hand again to inspect it.

“Oh god, I scratched you!” I take a step, turning his hand to the light. “Look, a little bit of your skin is showing. I scratched right through your fur, I’m so sorry!”

“Relax, beautiful,” he chuckles, extricating his hand and tipping my face up with two fingers against my jaw. “You didn’t hurt me. It’s fine.”

My heart does a little flutter. “No more kissing,” I blurt.

He blinks, and with his fingers still at my chin, his gaze immediately drops to my lips.

“I know I’m the one who initiated,” I say, taking a big step back from him and plastering on a smile. “You didn’t do anything wrong. But no more kissing, no touching, no hugging me with your big, strong arms… None of that, okay?” He looks down at his arms, then back to me, and a hint of humor bleeds across his expression. “I mean, except for when we’re around our exes, I guess,” I amend. “Otherwise, we wouldn’t be very convincing.”

“You like my arms, huh?” His eyes twinkle, and mine immediately roll.

“Well…yes, they’re very nice arms.” I take another step back, but I feel my smile turn a little more natural. “Quit fishing for compliments.”

He shows me his palms in surrender. “I’ll only offer them. Scout’s honor.”

I roll my eyes again, but don’t correct that statement. No harm in a few compliments, after all…

“What about you?” I ask instead. “Got any rules for our absolutely ridiculous plan that I’m still skeptical about, by the way?”

His big, charming grin returns full force. “Can I make a rule that says you haveto kiss me?”

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