Page 26 of The Curveball

I smile and pretend to guard the numbers with my life. He’s giving me a great deal of power knowing his code, and I’m not sure I’ve ever felt safer with someone outside my own family.

“Done,” I say once the keypad flashes in neon green and chirps.

Griffin turns around, a soft grin on his face. “Perfect. Now you’ll keep the slob on this side out of your business.”

I study my hands for a few breaths. “One, nine, nine, six.”

Those honey-colored eyes brighten like polished gold. “Did you just give me your code? I’m touched.”

“Don’t make me regret it, Marks.”

“Not a chance. That’s a lot of trust. I’m good with trust, Birdie. Promise. Thanks for the code. I swear, I won’t abuse it, only if I need sugar, or if I need to raid your fridge because I forgot to go grocery shopping, or if—”

I silence him with a bold, outlandish, slightly insane move. I press my fingers to his lips. They’re warm and soft but for the stubble around his upper lip and chin. Griffin’s hand curls around my wrist. I drag my fingers down his bottom lip too slowly, so it pulls a little, and I get a glimpse of his white teeth, his tongue dancing behind, and all at once I’m thinking too hard about his mouth.

I force a smile to hide the havoc in my belly. “I’m so going to regret giving you my code, aren’t I?”

Griffin snaps out of his own stun straightaway. “Are you kidding? I cross my heart, I’m the best neighbor. I don’t blast music, and when the guys come over for our weekly cauliflower pizza nights, I’ll always invite you. If you don’t come and have a problem with the noise, it’ll really be your fault because you opted to stay home knowing there is something loud going on next door.”

I’ve never allowed myself to sit and talk more than a few moments with Griffin before. He rambles and talks with such enthusiasm, I have to fight a giddy smile almost every time he goes off. “Cauliflower pizza?”

“Blame freaking Dax. He’s gluten free.”

“So, get one gluten free pizza.”

Griffin puffs out his lips. “Birdie, I wouldn’t do my guy wrong like that. Since he was put on his diet, pizza is what he misses most, so we all convinced him to try cauliflower by saying we loved it. Honestly, it’s not bad. But he doesn’t miss pizza as much anymore.”

Such a simple story shouldn’t squeeze my heart like a stress ball, but here we are.

Loyal. Thoughtful. A ball of energetic sunshine. That is Griffin Marks. And he’s my temporary roommate.

CHAPTER10

GRIFFIN

A team meetingto go over the death of our season is the last thing I want to do. I’m unsettled enough about the loss. The mourning period has officially begun. But the funny thing is I’m more anxious about leaving Wren. Naturally, the need to look after her, to shield her from any ounce of pain took hold, and I did what was best.

Of course, only Wren would see my act of kindness as a twelve-inch knife deep in her back.

I called Alice to watch over her while I’m gone.

I’m positive there has never been a moment in the history of women where one has so fluently cursed a man for treating her like a damsel locked in a high tower as there has been today. Wren Fox has a deep,deepissue with the notion any blip of her independence might be slipping.

Made worse when I gave her a wink and told her to be nice to the nanny before I left.

I still can’t decide if I’m going home to find my shirts in a burning pile in the front yard, or the entire house burned to the ground from the heat blazing from her eyes before the door closed.

She’ll survive.

To not look out for her has become an impossible thing. Not twenty-four hours ago, I’d determined to give Wren space. She wasn’t interested in anything more than a comfortable, cordial relationship with me. I can easily say my entire plan went up in a ball of flames the second I had her wrapped in my arms, her head on my chest all night.

Wren laughs in her sleep. Soft, breathy, but the most beautiful sound I think I’ve ever heard.

There is a guarded sadness about the woman during the day. She walks around like a villain is about to jump her around every corner. I take a bit of pleasure knowing she snaps back and forth with me. Rare to see, and in truth, I’m not sure I’ve seen it with anyone else. Sure, Wren laughs and chats with Skye and Alice, but with the guys, she’s shy and reserved.

In truth, I love that her smart mouth and sharp tongue belong to me alone.

To have the opportunity to witness her peaceful moments was a new addiction I never saw coming. To go on and pretend like she doesn’t split my heart in two at every inch she gives that brings me closer to hers is impossible.

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