Page 64 of Grant’s Heat

I couldn’t hold in my giggle. Watching a six-foot-six man flounder around in discomfort over asking a woman to sit beside her was one of the most incongruous sights to behold. Even though the topic at hand was the furthest thing from humorous, observing a socially awkward Grant Twombley would top the list every day of the week.

“Tree. Just stop. Sit down and stop acting like a schoolboy about to have his first kiss.”

He let his sexy, lopsided grin spread across his full lips before saying, “At this rate, I’m never going to get to kiss you again, am I?”

“It’s not looking good, no. But that’s how this whole day started. Friendzone, remember?”

“I guess I was still holding out hope. But after this next conversation…” He trailed off, and I bolted up on the bench, sitting with my spine ramrod straight.

“What? There’s more?”

“Yeah, afraid so. And unfortunately, this isn’t good.”

Thumbing over my shoulder, I asked, “And that other shit was?”

Grant just shrugged and then rubbed his forehead between the sides of his thumb and index finger. He looked at me with tired, weary eyes and said, “I’m so fucking tired of dealing with this man’s bullshit, Rio. You have no idea.” He went back to massaging his forehead again as if he couldn’t look me in the eye after admitting that.

“I can only imagine. But you’re an adult.” I paused and put my hand on his thigh, waiting for him to raise his gaze to meet mine before continuing. “A freethinking, wildly successful adult. Unburden yourself and get away from him before he takes you down with him.”

“Can I lay my head on your lap?” His voice was so small, so pure.

I chuckled, really thinking he was joking, but the pleading look in his worn-out stare told me he was serious. I scooted to the end of the bench and patted my thighs with the invitation. Now we both had what we needed. I wasn’t trapped indoors, and he had a little TLC.

Absentmindedly, I stroked my fingers through his thick blond hair while we enjoyed the fresh night air. “Your hair has gotten so long.”

“I know. My girl is on some pilgrimage or something, and I had to schedule an extra week and a half between appointments.” He kept his eyes closed while he spoke. “She’ll be back late next week.”

In a nearby tree, an owl called out to its mate and then took flight when the return call didn’t come as quickly as he preferred.

“Did you know that owls mate for life?” I asked quietly while stroking his hair.

“No, I didn’t know that. That’s pretty cool.” He quietly enjoyed my ministrations before asking, “Wonder what nature’s answer is to a situation like yours.”

“Believe it or not, I know the answer to that too.” I sighed, my heart heavy as I thought about love, life, and all the things going on between this gorgeous man in my lap and me. “At least for owls, anyway. When I was a little girl, I was fascinated by them, so I learned all the facts I could find. I was really interested in barn owls because I loved their haunting white faces. They call this time the hooting season. The males are out looking for mates before they begin nesting. Back east, it happens in the fall, but a lot of things don’t follow the same patterns here in Southern California because the temperature stays relatively the same all year.”

We grew quiet again, listening to the owls calling to each other in the trees.

“So, what happens?” Grant pressed, looking up at me. “If an owl’s mate dies? Do they spend the rest of their life alone?”

“No,” I said solemnly, but I didn’t want to admit the rest. He would press for the information, though. I knew this man well enough to know that. “The surviving bird finds a new mate and begins breeding again.”

“Nature has a way of making it all seem so simple, doesn’t it?” he asked, turning to look up at me. “Basically, life is just about companionship and making babies.”

I gave a halfhearted smile.

If only it were that simple.

Grant sat up then, brushed off a dry leaf that clung to his sleeve, and turned to me once more. “We may have a big problem, and you need to know about it in case Sebastian keeps pressing the issue.”

“What do you mean? What’s going on? And why do we have to keep bringing up that bastard’s name?”

Grant frowned. “The night of the accident. At the Edge construction site, when I found you there, and you were—”

“Yeah, yeah, I know. What about it?” I went from serene to annoyed in record time. “Why would Sebastian even know about that? Did you tell him? Grant?” My voice went up an octave when I said his name. I gasped at the notion that he’d sold me out to that bastard best friend of his. The idea stabbed me straight through my already broken heart.

“No!” he answered firmly. “No. I didn’t tell him. I promised I would protect you, and I’m a man of my word, Rio. I may be a lot of shitty things, but if I give you my word, I honor it.” He stared at me for a few moments and then started shaking his head. “Christ, I can’t believe you would think I’d do that to you.”

“Then tell me what you’re talking about, because that’s the way my mind naturally connects dots. All I’ve ever experienced is people selling me out to protect themselves.”