Page 45 of Narrow Margins
“You want me to be your boyfriend?” He gasps, his hand reaching up to his chest.
“What did you think we were doing? Is this still a testing ground for you? Shit, Griff! Where did you see this going?”
“I want it all, Corrigan, I just didn’t know if you did, or if you are still learning to trust me? Hell, I’ll put a notice in all the damn bike papers if you want.” As his eyes rake over my body, there is no escaping his thoughts: arousal lights up his eyes and his mouth slackens as his tongue slides over his bottom lip. “It’s your call now, baby, are you ready to be my boyfriend?”
I straighten and stand a few inches taller than him; I carry so much more weight and muscle mass but he doesn’t seem to be smaller than me. His posture and confidence build him up as our stand-off continues.
“Griff, sweetheart, I was ready to be your boyfriend from the moment you led me to your bed.” I sigh as my hand scrubs through my tousled hair.
“Really?”
“Yeah, fucking really. I hated leaving you but I didn’t want to have you all embarrassed, but, when we swapped numbers, I left feeling hopeful.” I sigh as the pain of his dismissal wracks through my body.
“But I fucked up.” I grimace at my memory and see painful desolation cover his face.
“Yeah, you fucked up.” I lift my eyes to him and see he has moved back to leaning against the counter top. “But, maybe, we wouldn’t have worked anyway. Maybe we needed the time apart to learn what we wanted when we had the chance the second time.”
“Oh, for fucks sake. Don’t talk such bullshit. We should have been together from the beginning. I’m such a fucking dick!”
“So, what’s going to happen now? Because, from where I’ve been standing, you don’t do well when it all goes to shit!” I know this is a shitty thing to say but I’m not going full on if he’s going to flunk at first base. Am I expecting a home run? Yeah, if I’m honest, I am.
“Fuck, Corr! That’s a low shot!” Griff looks at me and he’s furious.
“Yeah? I think I deserve my trepidations. Maybe even more so since last night.” Griff’s back stiffens and his skin prickles at my come back.
“I know. I know I fucked up. I know I’m going to keep fucking up. I’ve never done this before and I don’t mean being with a man; I mean being in a relationship, being someone’s boyfriend.” Taking a deep breath in, I see the quiver in Griff’s throat before he speaks again. “Getting this right between you and me is more important than racing.”
“Really?” I want to believe him, fuck it. I want him.
“Yes, really. I promise, Corrigan. I want this with you.” Griff sighs and pushes himself away from the counter and steps towards me.
As he nears me, both our cellphones ring, mine is my brother.
“Hey, dude, what’s up?” I ask
“You and lover-boy are in the news!” Raff spits out angrily.
“What the fuck are you talking about?” I look up at Griff who is white as a sheet.