Page 29 of Griz's Edge

“Why do you seem not to get this? We’re not a thing. Last night was a one-time deal. You have no right to look into me. Nor do you need to worry about what happened.” I shove against his chest and do my best to get up. I’m caught off guard that he actually allows me to do so.

Getting to my feet, I put space between us, hands on my hips, all the while glaring at Griz. However, I don’t miss the calculating glint in his gaze or the fact that he sits there lounging back. He looks like he has no cares in the world, but my sensesare screaming at me to be wary of the man sprawled out in front of me.

“You just need to leave, Griz.” I sigh, hating myself because I don’t want him to. It’s just for the best.

I take a step back, watching Griz stand, unfortunately, I didn’t calculate that he could move. Between one second and the other, I find myself not moving back from him but plastered to his front.

“I’m not leaving, Marley. You can get that thought out of your head. I want you. I want this. What we’ve got between us. I know you feel it as much as I do. We’re gonna explore it. See where it goes between us.”

“And what if I don’t want this? How do I know you aren’t going to flake on me? Hurt me? Or —”

“Fucked up with you,” he says, interrupting me. His fingers slide up into my hair, tangling in the strands. “I know I fucked up by leadin’ you on then ghostin’ you the way I did. But I’m not gonna fuck up like that again. Not with you, Marley. Can’t guarantee I won’t hurt you, though, I’d never fuckin’ hurt you on purpose. I’m an asshole, and I know it. I’m sure to say some shit that could hurt your feelings. That’s when you gotta get in my face about it. I will say, you never do that shit in front of my brothers, though. You got something to say, or I do some shit, you tell me when we’re alone.”

“So, what, you can talk to me as you want in front of your friends, and I’m just supposed to take it?”

If that’s the case, then I definitely won’t be partaking in any relationship with him.

“No, that’s not what I’m saying. If I did, my brothers would have my balls themselves. Hell, their ol’ ladies would be all up in my shit. What I’m sayin’ here is that we got a problem, I fuck up and you need to get in my face about it, you do it in private.”

I open my mouth to say something, only to close it. Griz has me totally and completely flabbergasted. I’m not sure what to say. On the one hand I can respect what he’s saying. It’s the way my own parents are. If they have problems, they handle them in private. They don’t bring it to anyone else around them. On the other hand, I don’t like being told what I should or shouldn’t do, especially if it comes to someone talking to me in a way that will piss me off.

“I see you’re struggling with the idea of you having to hold your shit back in public,” he says. The side of his lip twitching, not quite turning up into a grin.

“Well, who can blame me? I’m the type of person who lets things fly when I have to.” I shrug nonchalantly. “It’s who I am.”

“And I wouldn’t want you to be anyone else.”

Okay, that was really sweet.

Maybe more than a little sweet.

It’s majorly sweet.

And I really, really, like it.

“How about this,” he murmurs. He shifts us from where he had us, moves us to the couch, lowers me down, and comes over me. “We just see where it goes. Take it day by day. That work for you?”

I could do that. Day by day is the way I live my life. I could totally do that.

“I could do that.” I nod.

“Good. Now, talk to me about who the fuck would have broken into your house.”

Sighing, I relax underneath him. “I honestly don’t know who would break into my house. And before you ask, no, it’s not the first time someone has done something like this. I had a guy do it before. He was trying to scare me into dropping something I was working on.”

“What were you working on?”

Wasn’t that a loaded question?

Shifting slightly, I divert my gaze, focusing on his shoulder, not answering right away. Griz takes notice of this, shifts off me, and then maneuvers the both of us until we’re fully stretched out on my couch. My body between his and the back cushions. His body braced up on his elbow, his body along the back cushions. The fingers of his free hand coming up to grip my chin gently.

“Tell me, Marley.”

“You already know I’m a skip tracer and process server, both I do freelance.”

“Got that, baby,”

“Right.” Nodding, I trace my fingers on his chest. “I worked alongside some friends who had a business in the same line of work, but they were more. They’re bounty hunters, and I helped them bring in some seriously bad dudes. Unfortunately, one of them had friends who were just like them, only worse because they knew how not to get caught.”

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