Page 33 of Lie for a Lie

He lingers on it as I feel his fingers slightly trace mine at my side. I haven’t realized he was so close, as I somehow get a hint of his scent in my nostrils, and a heat burns my skin under his touch. His eyes focus on where our skin is touching before his eyes roll back up my body with what looks like desire roaring in the ocean blue of them.

“It’s two in the morning, and you are at the gym alone. Instead of Seth being on his knees, worshiping you.”

The longing I feel rolling off of him makes my knees feel weak, and I hate that I have to fight the urge not to pull this man to the locker room and understand his definition of worship.

“That’s none of your business,” I whine, more flustered than I intend.

Graham chuckles softly, and I feel the heat in my cheeks. He notices, lifting his hand from mine and brushing a stray hair behind my ear. He knows I am full of shit, and I can’t help the flutter of my lashes at the contact, and he clears his throat, dropping his hand.

“Well, I just got off work and need to burn off some energy myself. I saw you running like something was chasing you, so I wanted to check on you.”

He seems slightly distracted now. I can feel the need to want to comfort him, and I decide to focus on the free weights instead.

“I need to finish my workout.”

I don’t know what else to say. He smiles and nods before taking one last look at me and heading to the other side of the gym. I put back in my AirPods and try to focus on the burning in my thighs instead of the burning between them, which is rather difficult with a man who has the body of a Greek god less than fifteen feet away. The same man who keeps looking in my direction. I know this because we keep making heavy eye contact.

I almost lose myself in his sexy smiles and lingering eyes. Have to roll my shoulders in frustration. This time, I realize I have forgotten two essential parts of this equation. Seth and Katherine.

Before heading to the locker room, I focus on the remainder of my workout, which lasts only about ten minutes. By the time I reach the front door, I notice Graham stops at his truck, seeming not to want to leave until I am in my car and pull out of the parking lot.

I am so frustrated because the gym is usually my safe space. It has become a different kind of frustrating pleasure. I have run into Graham twice now, and I don’t know how long I can keep resisting him unsupervised. When I pull into my parking spot at the condo, I immediately pull out my phone and send a quick text to him. I’m not sure why I feel the need to send it.

Me: Made it home safe.

I let out a slight whine after hitting send and gathering my stuff. I am surprised to receive a reply when I open the front door. I can’t bring myself to look at it until I am alone in my room.

I sit on the bed and open the message chain to see Graham loved my message. I fall back onto my bed, frustrated with my phone on my chest because I want to talk to him more.

“He is practically married, Paige.”

I groaned loudly, annoyed with myself. I focus on something besides the dimpled god, picking back up my phone and texting Seth.

Me: I had a great time tonight. Maybe we can do it again sometime?

Chapter 18

Paige

Weekly family dinners at Chris’s dad’s house quickly became one of my sister’s new favorite nights when she started dating Chris. And this week, I came along for the first time. The small single-story house is in a suburb about twenty minutes from our condo, and it seems so normal.

The house is a cookie-cutter home in a well-maintained neighborhood with a perfectly manicured lawn. It is complete with the American flag on the front patio and two trucks in the driveway. I recognize the black one as Graham’s. When we park, an older gentleman comes out of the home, offering me a small wave and the same beaming smile as Chris. I recognize him from somewhere else but can’t quite place it.

I know only a few things about Clint. First, he has been a single dad since Chris was about eight. Clint had been a fireman in the military but has since retired, moving here when both the boys ended up stationed in Austin for their residencies.

Once inside, I can’t help but smile at how homey the space is. Just through the front door is a large living room with a hallway off to the left.

“Kitchen is just straight ahead,” I hear Clint say softly as he grabs the lasagnas I am holding before heading towards the back of the house. I can see what looks like a kitchen and dining table just over a half wall. I look around the house as Bre and Clint unpack the few things we brought. Pictures of Chris at varying ages are everywhere, and I can’t help but smile.

Then I notice the picture Graham has as the lock screen on his phone sitting on a bookcase. The older man was Chris’s father. A few more pictures of all three men in uniform at some graduation ceremony, and Clint is pinning something to the lapel of Graham’s uniform while he salutes.

I walk further down the hall, noticing not one but two spare rooms made up for two people. A new kind of confusion sinks in, and I can’t help wanting to snoop. The first one looks like it belongs to Chris, with all the video game posters and a massive movie collection. I even notice a pile of clothes in the corner and can’t help but laugh because I have noticed those piles starting to appear around our place when Bre isn’t home. A throat clears behind me, and I let out a startled yelp.

Chris has a shit-eating grin on his face.

“Jesus Christ!”

“All my underwear is at your sister’s. I sleep here on my on call nights. Closer to base,” he says in a smart-ass tone.

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