Page 2 of Until I Found You
Damn, he looks good though. I used to love running my hand over his pecs down to his abs. He always worked out, but when he was younger, he was lean despite years of football and lifting weights. He’s filled out more and it pains me to say it, but time was so good to him.
It makes me even more angry to think about all the women he’s attracted since then.
“I know you better than you know yourself, Halle. Don’t be fooled. I don’t understand why the hell you’d open the door and let someone in, not realizing who’s on the other side. It’s not safe. I could’ve been anyone.”
“First of all, it’s been five years. You knew who I was then, but I’m not that girl anymore, Graham. You don’t know me at all. Second, if you weren’t paying attention when I answered the door, I thought you were my friend, Brea. I didn’t think you were just anyone.”
His eyebrows raise higher and I realize then if he hadn’t felt guilty before, he does now. Maybe even a little shocked too.
“You always were a pain in my ass,” he mutters to himself, running a hand over his face and down over his jaw.
In doing so, I watch as he stares back at me and for the first time since walking into my apartment, he lets his eyes roam over my face to my neck and down over the rest of my body. When he finds his way back up, I meet his stare with my eyes narrowed into slits. His stare is so blatant, his eyes burning into every inch of me.
“You used to love that about me,” I retort.
A small smile curves at his lips. The mention of the past and what we used to be stings, like a zap to the heart. I had closed all roads to my heart where Graham was concerned a long time ago.
I’m not going down this same road with him again. Not anymore. He had his chance.
“Well, listen, this little reunion has been fun and all, but I have to get going. My friend is gonna be here any minute. So, if you don’t mind telling me what the hell you’re doing here, that’d be great. That way I can send you back on your way.”
The curve of Graham’s smile grows, and I want to roll my eyes and demand him to leave. “Mm, there’s the fire,” he smirks.
I kid you not, the fucker has the gall to smirk at me. He always loved getting me riled up. I want to smack him upside the head, he makes me so angry.
“Tick, tock. I don’t have all day.”
“Are you talking back to me right now, Halle?”
“Yes, Graham, that’s how conversations with me work. Now get to the point.”
Chuckling, he crosses his arms, which leaves me momentarily distracted as my eyes roam over him, taking in the way his muscles bulge when he flexes.
“Kinsley sent me here. Something about helping her roommate load up some things for her for Callum and Ellie’s wedding. Do you know anything about that?”
“Kinsley.” I pause, feeling the edge of irritation seep into my tone. “I’m sorry, you said Kinsley sent you over here?”
Of course, she did. If there’s anyone in my life who hoped Graham and I would end up together, it was Kinsley. In fact, she had our whole wedding planned out for us, knowing exactly every detail we’d want for our big day.
She really missed her calling as an event planner because I swear, the woman is as organized as she is frustrating right now.
“Yeah, I was down at the salon a little bit ago. She helped get me in for a haircut under short notice, so I was doing her this favor in return.”
I want to ask him what he’s even doing here. Why he’s in Arbor Creek when he made it clear when he left that he was never going to return, at least not this soon. As much as it’s killing me to ask, I leave it alone.
It’s a dead end road and, quite frankly, I don’t have it in me to care anymore.
“That’s funny, considering Kinsley helped me load everything up last night,” I deadpan, looking at Graham unamused.
“Is that right?” He laughs, just as my phone pings with a text message.
Turning on my heel, I continue down the hallway toward my bedroom to grab my phone.
Brea:I’m stuck in traffic on the highway. I’m sorry, I’ll have to meet you there.
Ugh!Locking my phone, I toss it absentmindedly somewhere on my bed. Opening my drawer to my dresser, I grab my black lace bra and matching panties. Dropping my towel, I make quick work of putting them on while sauntering across my room toward my closet to figure out what to wear.
Looking in the corner mirror, I see Graham eyeing me from where he still stands rooted in place in our entryway. There’s a fire in his gaze, one that’s been a long time since I’ve seen, but remember from all those years ago.
