Page 55 of Tempt

I sit and wait, pinching the bridge my nose doing my best to ease the tension I feel.

“I need some time, Garrett.”

“What in the hell does that even mean? Time for what?”

Leaning forward I rest my elbows on my knees and breathe in deep.

“Just time,” her voice is soft and low.

This is a bad idea; this conversation is getting me nowhere.

“Things are complicated,” she adds.

“What’s complicated?”

“Just things,” I hear a door close and imagine her sneaking off to gain some privacy.

“Is it us?” I’d waited so damn long to get her and now we arehere. I don’t like it,here.

“No,” relief rolls through me.

“Baby, then why in the hell are you avoiding me.” Fuck I want to reach through the damn phone and grab hold of her. I miss her, miss holding her and feeling her hair tickle my nose. I miss those eyes and the way she looks at me, the way it all makes me feel.”

“I’m not trying to, it's just,” she pauses. “I’ll call you tomorrow.”

Before I can say anything the call ends, and I sit there staring at the phone.

Minutes, or hell it could have been more passed and then I call Colton.

“Not now,” he says, and I hear Gretchen giggling. I can only imagine what I’ve interrupted but I don’t give a shit.

“Put Gretch on the phone.”

“I said, bad time.”

“Fuck you asshole, if it’s such a bad time then you shouldn’t have answered the phone. Now get Gretch or I’ll keep calling and when that don’t work I’ll show up at your place and use my damn key.”

“Dick,” he mumbles before I hear Gretchen.

“Hey Garrett.”

“What’s going on with her?” I can make this quick and to the point. Then they can get back to their whatever and I can have some damn peace. Or at least I hoped I could. “I know you know something Gretch, she spent the night with you the other night. She is talking to someone because she sure as hell isn’t talking to me. I wanna know what I’m up against here. Another guy? She doesn’t feel the same as me and doesn't know how to say it? What?”

“You are so far off, Garrett.” She sighs. “I’m not going to violate her trust but what I will tell you is that it has nothing to do with you or how she feels about you. That’s solid and to be honest you are probably the only thing she is sure about right now.”

I sag back on the couch, still holding the phone to my ear.

“She’s got some family stuff, and before you ask, Gran is good.”

Immediately I feel relieved with that news.

“If she asks for time, give her time. She’ll come to you; I have no doubt in my mind. But sometimes those we love the most are the ones that make us feel the most vulnerable. Right now she can’t break, she’s too stubborn and she needs to be strong.”

“So I make her feel weak?”

“No, you make her feel.” Gretchen corrects. “Just trust me, everything will be okay.”

CHAPTERTHIRTY-TWO

---