His jaw tightened. “Does he know it’s your birthday?”
“That’s the magic of it all. He has no idea. We hooked up in the bathroom at The Hot Cup, and because he didn’t have a condom, he just went down on me. Said he wanted uninterrupted time with me since the team’s not playing thisweekend. He’s paying for a hotel from Friday night to Sunday. That has to mean something even in your pessimistic world.”
Grey frowned and stared straight ahead. His hands tightened on the steering wheel. We rode in tense silence for a few miles.
“You have nothing to say?”
“Nothing for me to say. You got your wish. Happy for you.” He continued to focus on the road.
“You don’t seem happy?”
“You asked me to support you, and I’m doing that.” Grey sighed and turned on the radio.
I immediately turned it off. “Support means totally, and not this passive-aggressive you are giving me.”
“Call me old-fashioned, but you were about to give it up to him in a fucking public restroom. Your first time, Darren, really?” He glanced briefly at me, his nose turned slightly up.
“I didn’t care, so why should you?”
Grey insisted, “Because you do care. You didn’t wait this long just to give it up because you’re fucking tired of being a virgin. You want love when it happens, remember?”
“Didn’t you just tell me I’m too caught up in what I want instead of what is? Well, that’s what I’m doing. I plan to tell him the truth about you and me and see what happens.”
He snorted. “I can tell you that. He’s only interested in you because he can still do whatever the fuck he wants. Once you’re free, guarantee he’s going to drop you.”
I turned to face him. “I’m fully aware of all of that. He may drop me because I lied to him, but I can’t keep the lies going.”
“Then why didn’t you tell Maddie that we’re just friends? Why didn’t you tell her that I’m single?”
My head jerked back. “You like her or something?”
“No, that’s not the point.”
“Then what is the point? I swear you’re confusing the hell out of me.”
When we approached a red light, Grey shifted in his seat to address me. “Let me make it plain, then. Drop Carter. You said you would if I wanted you to.”
“I also said if you want to giveusa chance. Your late nights out with whoever you're sexing tells me you’re not ready to be with me. So, stop all the possessive bullshit when it’s convenient for you,” I hissed.
“That’s not what I’m doing?” He protested loudly, his face reddening.
“It is exactly what you’re doing. It’s been three weeks since I’ve seen Carter, and I see you every day. Plenty of time to tell me you want to be with me, but nope, you wait until I’m excited about my birthday that I plan to spend with Carter to tell me you want me. Please, Grey. Be real. You’re so used to me being there for you that the idea that I could actually have a man who wants me scares you.” I pulled my knees up in my seat and hugged them. “Obviously, we can’t talk about Carter. You won’t hear another word from me about him. Approve or don’t approve. I’m not dropping him to be with a man who doesn’t know what the hell he wants.”
“Why are you so mad?” he replied calmly.
“Because you’re playing with me.” I rolled my neck.
“Am I?” The light turned green, and he drove down the road. “After all these years, you think I’m just playing with you about something we both take seriously.” Grey slanted a gaze at me. “You’re mad because you want me, too.”
“We already established what I was willing to dothreeweeks ago,” I emphasized the time frame. “Don’t do this to me, now. Don’t make me choose, Grey, because it may not be you this time.”
“Well, don’t come crying on my shoulder when he fucks over you,” he growled as he pulled into the parking lot of our condo. I didn’t even wait for him to stop.
"Thank you for always knowing how to hurt me." I opened the door and jumped out to his shouted protests right into the arms of Carter. Who caught me and quickly assessed me. “Are you good?”
I started to respond that I wasn’t, but the way he glowered at Grey, who parked his car, I didn’t think it was a good idea. “I’m fine. Just got into it.”
“Do you need to stay at my place? I was going out to meet some peeps for dinner, but you can stay until I return.”
