Crazy Stupid Love (Crazy Love #1)(30)

Pulling the key back, I turn to see him jogging towards me, stopping just feet from the bottom step.

“I’m sorry. I don’t know how to do this.” His words come out labored through his rapid breathing.

“You don’t have to do anything, Decklan. I get it,” I say, shrugging. “I know what this is.”

“But you don’t. You don’t at all,” he says, taking the stairs two at a time before coming to stand directly in front of me.

His hands close around my cheeks as he forces my face upwards.

“I’m not good for you, Kimber. You should turn around and walk away from me right now.” He sighs. “But for the f*cking life of me, I can’t let you do it.”

“Then I won’t.” I don’t need to consider my response.

I know what I want.

I want him...

“There’s no future with me.” His words carry a heavy punch yet somehow don’t seem to deter me in the least.

“Then I’ll take the present.” I hold his gaze, the deep gray ocean of his eyes drawing me into their depths until I feel like I can’t breathe.

He hits me with an almost pained expression before his mouth closes down on mine, his kiss drowning out everything into the background. It’s terrifying how much I want this man. Terrifying, yet something I know I could never fight against.

He may not be able to promise me anything but one fact remains true...

This man will change my life.

This man is already changing my life.

****

“Do you need anything before I head out, Jane?” I walk behind the bar, sliding my credit cards receipt into my daily folder for management.

“No hon, I think we’re good. Has Donna got her station covered?” she asks, sliding a drink across the bar to one of the customers before turning back to me, tucking her highlighted brown bob behind her ears.

“She does,” I confirm, grabbing my jacket and bag from under the bar before sliding them on.

“Then I’ll see you Thursday.” She nods, giving me a small wave as I step out from behind the bar.

I no more than step outside before my cell phone buzzes to life in my hand, Garrett’s name flashing across the screen for the third time today. Letting out a deep exhale, I know I’m going to have to answer it or he will just keep calling.

“What, Garrett?” I snap the moment I press the phone to my ear.

“Everything okay?” His voice bleeds with kindness which is so clearly forced.

“Everything is fine. What do you need?” I sigh, doing very little in the way of hiding my annoyance.

“I miss you. I just wanted to hear your voice.”

“Garrett, we’ve already talked about this. You can’t keep calling me. We aren’t together anymore.”

“That doesn’t mean I don’t care about you,” he interjects.

“No, but it does mean that you don’t have any right to continue to harass me.” I stop next to a grassy area just a few yards from the restaurant, dropping my book bag onto the ground next to me.

“Is that how you see it?” His tone turns clipped.

“How do you see it? You call me constantly, text me at least once a day, usually multiple times, and for God’s sake, Garrett, you flew across the country to see me without so much as a phone call to let me know beforehand.”

“We’re worried about you.” He seethes, his voice going up at least three notches.

“We?” I spit, my frustration mounting.

“As in myself, Dan, and Pat.”

“I should have known. Of course, this has to involve my parents’.”

“What’s that supposed to mean? We all care about you, Kimber.”

“Yeah, I can tell. You care about me so much that not one of you can support the decisions I’ve made or respect what I ask of you. Sounds to me like you care about the fact that I am no longer able to be controlled.”

“No one is trying to control you, Kim.”

“It’s Kimber,” I yell, jumping in surprise when I feel the phone pulled out of my hand, turning just in time to see Decklan press it to his ear.

“Stop calling her, *, or you’re gonna have me to f*cking deal with,” he threatens, immediately hitting the end button before extending the phone back towards me.

“There. That should get him off your back for a while.” He smiles.

“What...what are you doing here?” I gape at him, completely caught off guard by not only his appearance but also by what he just did.

“I was in the area. Thought I’d say hi.” He snakes his arm around my waist and pulls me into him, dropping a kiss on my lips before pulling back. “Let me guess, the ex who has no idea how to pleasure a woman.” He hovers just inches from my face, a slow smirk pulling up the corner of his mouth.

“Garrett, yes.” I sigh, sliding my phone into the back pocket of my jeans before raising my hands to rest on his chest. “My parents’ put him up to it, no doubt. They can’t stand the fact that for once in my life I am doing what I want and not what they expect me to do.”

“Hey.” He tips my face upwards, nudging me under the chin. “Fuck them.” I can’t help but smile at his words.

“Just like that huh?” I laugh.