“Griffin, what’s really going on with you two? Because buying a car for your roommate isn’t normal.”
I squirm as my friend’s dark brown eyes bore a hole in my head. The dude is trying to see into my soul and learn all my secrets, and as much as I want to be honest about my relationship with Mira, she’s not ready for that. So I shrug and try to play it off.
“She’s become my best friend. Can’t best friends look out for each other? Especially if one has more money than he knows what to do with? I worry she’s going to break down somewhere dangerous in the middle of the night with a dead phone and be stuck, you know? Like, it’s actually kept me up at night a few times. And I surprised her because you know how stubborn the Graves siblings are. She never would have agreed to let me buy it. Better to ask for forgiveness, and all that.”
“Holy shit,” Bash says on an exhalation. “You’re in love with her.”
“What?” The word comes out in a high-pitched squeak that sounds more like the sound a ten-year-old girl would make than a guy in his thirties. “I’m n— No, I… Psh.” I wave my hand wildly. “Don’t be ridiculous.”
“Oh my god. You are. I knew there was something going on with you two.” Our goalie takes a step closer to me, so there’s only a couple of inches of space between us and looks me dead in the eyes. “Are you two dating?”
I snort. “No.”
We’re married.
Bash’s thick eyebrows pull together and his eyes go all squinty as he studies me. “Are you fucking?”
“What? Dude, no. I have never fucked Mira.”With my dick, I add in my head. Because I’ve definitely fucked her with myfingers and my tongue. And I’ve woken up to her grinding against my thigh once when she was having a sexy dream, but I’m not sure that counts. Still, I know I must be doing a shit job of keeping a smirk off my face, because Bash groans.
“Wright, do you have a death wish? Because I truly believe he’d get over it if you two are serious about each other, but Madds will kill you if he finds out you’re messing around with his sister.” There’s genuine concern written into every frown line on my friend’s face, so I drop the stupid act with a sigh.
“I’m not messing around with her,” I say seriously. “Things between us are…complicated. I can’t really tell you more than that without breaking her trust, and that’s one thing I will never do. But I’m fucking crazy about her, man. Like, totally gone for her. I wouldneverdo anything to hurt Mira, and that includes messing up her relationship with Maddox.”
It’s why, despite hating every second of keeping our marriage a secret, I’ve complied with her wishes. I know she’s worried about how this will affect her relationship with her brother, and I know she’s worried about how it will affect my friendship with him. The problem is, I’m unsure if she’s worried that he’ll be mad at her for marrying someone who’s not good enough for her, or if she’s worried he’ll be mad that she married his best friend.
My concern lies with the former. I’m not good enough for her, and I know it. There’s no chance her brother won’t know it too. The guy has been around for all my one-night stands, my flirtations, and what I now realize he sees as my general instability. If he didn’t believe I was unstable, wouldn’t he have considered me as a possibility for his sister and not some asshole marketing bro he’s never even met?
Sebastian watches me. He takes in the frown lines between my eyebrows, the thin set of my lips, and even though he’s notactually a mind reader, some ridiculous part of me worries he’ll figure it out. “Then, are things serious with you two?”
“I…” There’s no point in trying to deny thatsomethingis going on between Mira and me. He already suspects. I just can’t tell him the extent of what’s going on. Scrubbing a hand through my hair, I nod slowly. “Yeah, man. They kind of are.”
I expect Bash to punch me in the arm or tell me I’m an idiot with a death wish again, but he doesn’t. He simply nods a few times as a smile twitches at the corners of his lips.
“Then you need to tell Maddox.”
Blowing out a breath, I try to tamp down the growing unease churning in my gut. “It’s not my call, man, it’s hers. I promised her I’d let her take the lead about when we tell people we’re—” I cut myself off with a shake of my head. Almost let it slip. “When we tell people about us. If it was up to me, everyone would already know.”
Sebastian settles a hand on my shoulder and gives it a squeeze. “All right, man. Just be careful, okay? I don’t want to see you get hurt.”
The words surprise me, and I jolt back. “You’re not going to threaten me and tell me not to hurt Mira or screw things up with Madds?”
My friend offers me a patient smile. “Wright, you’d never hurt her if you could help it. And Madds has been your best friend since college. Whatever this is, you’ll work things out with him if you have to. But I know you. You don’t do things by halves. And if things with Mira are serious, then I’m sure your heart is already on the line. Just… Just make sure she’s as invested as you are, okay? Because you deserve to have someone who’s all in for you.”
My chest feels tight, and there’s a lump in my throat I can’t seem to dislodge, even after clearing it a few times. “Thanks, bro. I really appreciate that.”
Sebastian grins. “Of course. Now, let’s get you home so Mira can kick your ass for buying her a new car.”
She won’t kick my ass. She’ll be thrilled.
twenty-three
GRIFFIN
Mira is not thrilled.
When Bash drops me off, she’s leaning against her new car, arms crossed over her chest—which makes her tits look amazing—and a furious scowl on her face. Bash just laughs, the bastard, gives Mira a little wave, which she returns with a sharp nod and a fake smile, and tells me to quit being a pussy when it’s clear I’m taking my sweet time getting out of the car and retrieving my gear from his trunk.
My wife keeps a scary-looking fake smile on her face until Sebastian drives away, then she whirls around, throws her hands out to her sides, and shouts, “What the hell, Wright?”
