Page 30 of Grant’s Blaze

“What did you just say, Blaze?”

The woman never backed down from a challenge, and this time was no different. I was fully counting on it—and then reveled in it as she met my hungry stare with her ferocious one.

“You heard me.”

I pressed my lips to hers. Once. Twice. On the third time, I swept in to deepen the connection by twirling and twisting my tongue with hers in the way that had become so wonderfully familiar and fiery for us.

When I finally pulled back, I asked her, “Do you still want to go to the store? Today, I mean?”

“No. It can wait until tomorrow,” she replied, her tone draped in the same dreamy tint as her gaze. “Unless you’re still hungry?”

I shook my head, conveying my instant disapproval of her venturing far from where she was. “I’m good, my love. The oatmeal hit the spot.”

“Okay,” she said, stroking my bottom lip with the same tender intent. “I can go in the morning, as soon as I wake up. And what time did you say your appointment was? Well, not to me, of course. But what time did you tell Sebastian?”

I narrowed my eyes, already letting her know I caught the dig. Her sassy mouth enraged my mind yet engorged my cock, and she was playing in dangerous territory with both now.

“I don’t know,” I finally said. Just as quickly, I halted her impending rant before it started. “I’m not being evasive,” I defended. “I really don’t know. I have to text Banks about what time the appointment is. He was trying to get me in with a buddy of his who’s a neurologist.”

“At Cedars-Sinai?”

“I don’t even know,” I admitted. “Elijah said he would handle the details. I think he’s overreacting, honestly.”

“Why?” she returned. “I’m asking honestly and openly. Why does Elijah think this is necessary? And why aren’t you pressing him more about that? Will you share at least that with me?”

As her voice changed from challenging to desperate, so did her demeanor. Her posture went from defiant and confident to her rounding both shoulders and resigning herself to one hopeful question.

Instantly, I felt like a giant dick. Well, bigger than the one I’d apparently already been. “Rio,” I sighed out. “Baby, I didn’t tell you because I simply don’t want you to worry.” I swept her hands into mine and kissed her knuckles, one by one by one, while she looked on. “You’ve got to believe me. I just know there’s so much on your plate already, and I don’t want to burden you with this bullshit.”

“Which isn’t bullshit to me, okay? Don’t you realize a lot of this by now? That by keeping me in the dark, my mind just fills in the blanks with all kinds of fantastical stories?”

She knocked at the side of her head, and icy fingers ran up my spine. I fucking hated when she did that, so I grabbed her hands again. I knew she didn’t like when I restrained her in any sort of way, but God, the self-harm habits were the worst thing I had to bear witness to.

“Please don’t do that to yourself. I’m begging you.”

“You’re missing the point,” she snapped. “Damn it, Grant, it’s a runaway train in here.” She managed to yank one hand free and used it to knock her skull again. Thankfully, it was more of a tap this time. “And none of the tracks connect. They all careen over mountainsides.” She waited for me to find her gaze again. “All of them,” she emphasized.

In a decisive sweep, I stood up. It was a relief when I held my hand out and Rio unquestioningly gave me hers. After easily tugging my little pixie to her kelly-green Converse-clad feet, I looked down into the lush angles of her beautiful face.

“Thank you for coming for me today at Elijah’s.” I couldn’t hold back a grin from escaping. “I will never forget hearing you giving him hell like that for the rest of my living days.”

“I needed to be with you,” she murmured. “I mean, knowing you were home, right in this town…yeah, I just couldn’t sit still. And I was getting more and more pissed at Banks and his high-handedness.”

“Whoa now, slow your roll—”

She was ready with a firm hand in the center of my chest. “I’m just stating my truth, not prepping to go set off a five-alarm at his obnoxious mansion. I just seriously don’t appreciate how he assumes he knows what’s best for you. For us.”

“Just out of curiosity, how did you figure out I was there? At his ‘obnoxious mansion’ in Malibu, I mean?”

“Whatever app you were using to text me last night didn’t have the location service turned off. Your daddy didn’t think to check all those things before he gave you that phone to use, apparently. So I took a chance and checked if you were broadcasting your whereabouts.” She smirked. “What do you know? Bingo.”

“Very resourceful, Ms. Gibson.”

She shrugged, but a devilish little grin played with her lips. “I do what I have to do.” But then her pride faded. “I’d been there a few days before that, as well. I’m not sure if he told you that. He’s not always the most forthcoming person.”

“No, he told me. He was pretty clear about it the day he picked me up. What made you go see him that first time?”

Oh shit. Shit. I should’ve never let that slip. She would never let it go now. Well, maybe for five seconds, tops.