Page 19 of Captive Lies

My brows cinched together in confusion. “Okay,what?”

“It seems all that’s preventing us from being together is your aversion to crowds,” he explained, resting both his hands on my shoulders. “I’ll never force you into a publicsituation.”

“Wait. Back up,” I exclaimed. “Together? Did I misssomething?”

“Keep up, baby,” he smiled. “Last night changed everything. Don’t fucking deny it. If you think after you’ve given me a taste of you that I’m giving you up, that’s your firstmistake.”

“Oh, enlighten me. There’s a second?” I invited withsarcasm.

“I don’t have a lot of quit in me, Blaire,” his nostrils flared. “Your second mistake was thinking if you ran, I wouldn’t come after you. If you hadn’t come back tonight, I’d have set my entire investigative division on yourass.”

Ohshit.

I felt my face blanch. Grant’s expression turnedconcerned.

“Blaire … fuck … that sounded psycho, didn’tit?”

I just nodded, but my mind was racing. “But all those parties,” I lowered my eyes, thinking of other excuses why I shouldn’t be with him. “I’ve looked you up, you know. You’re always with someone. You need dates for thoseevents.”

“And that’s all they ever were,” he replied. “Eighty percent of the time, if I’m not in a relationship, those dates end when the event ends. They go home, that’sit.”

“And the other twenty percent?” Iwhispered.

“Not lying,” Grant said shortly. “I’m no saint, Blaire. I’ve had one-nightstands.”

That stung. It shouldn’t, but it did. “You need to be with someone who’ll be there to support youin—”

“Trophy girlfriend? No thanks.” He tipped my face up. “Listen to me, Blaire. I’m not going to force you to go with me to a party or fundraiser. But I need you with me.” He took a deep breath. “I need for you to move to the eastcoast.”

I was already shaking my head. “That’simpossible.”

“I can’t manage the company long-term from Vail. Thorne Industries headquarters is in New York, but I prefer Boston living and stay there most days, including the weekends. Think about your art, you’ll have lots of inspiration. You can paint anywhere,right?”

“Yes, but,Grant—”

“Hear me out,” he interrupted gruffly. “I don’t want a long-distance relationship. Never tried it and never will. But this thing between us? I’m willing to do whatever it takes to give it a chance, even stay in Colorado longer if I haveto.”

“But you don’t wantto.”

“Not lying, Angel, it’s beenchallenging.”

I frowned, noticing evasion in his eyes. “Is your, er, company introuble?”

A slight grimace crossed his face but he schooled his features quickly. “It doesn’tmatter.”

“Grant—”

“Getting off topic, baby,” he cut in. His company was obviously a sore topic. “I have a brownstone in Boston and another property outside the city if you prefer wide open spaces,” he shrugged. “We could live thereinstead.”

My head was spinning with how fast he was moving. “I need time tothink.”

“Blaire,” he crooned. “Say yes,baby.”

I wanted so much to say yes andyet…

“I need time,” Iwhispered.

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