Meet Me Halfway(70)

His eyes flared as he approached me again, brushing his lips across my cheek. “I promise not to catch feelings if you don’t.”

I shuddered, goosebumps covering my neck and arms. My body had never reacted like this to someone before, and the thought of this man touching me had me wanting to climb to the rooftop and agree at the top of my lungs.

I cleared my throat, then swallowed. I opened my mouth to say something I’d probably regret, only for a light, rhythmic tapping on my bedroom door to pull me back to the present.

Jamie. My kid was here. This is why dating was off limits for me. I couldn’t be thinking about Garrett’s chest, and thighs, and the hardness I’d felt, and fuck. I was in so much trouble. I put a large amount of space between our bodies, turning toward the sound.

“You need something, bud?”

“I woke up on the couch and you were gone.”

I shrank in on myself. And the most self-centered parenting award goes to? “I’m sorry if I worried you, I was going to let you sleep while I took a shower.” Which was kind of true, at least.

“Okay.”

It was silent for a moment, and then I heard the sound of his door. I sighed, pinching the bridge of my nose. When I looked up, Garrett was smiling down at me, his dimples on full display, like he knew exactly what I’d been about to say before the interruption.

“All right, you go jump in the shower and get ready. I’ll make coffee and find some breakfast for J-man.”

A large finger pressed on my lips, stopping the reply from exiting my mouth. Taking his time pulling it back, he pointed to the bathroom. “Shower. I’ll whip something up for you too.”

Satisfied with my silence, he ripped back the covers and wrapped those bulky arms around my miniature dachshund, cuddling her to his chest, and left.

I watched him amble out and pressed a hand to my chest, wondering how much this dream would hurt when it crumbled all around me.





Chapter Twenty





It was Saturday. Another game day. Jamie jogged out of his room in his uniform, cleats hanging from his hands. I looked over his thin, short-sleeve top and blew out my cheeks.

“Dude, you can’t go in that, you’ll freeze. Go get the long-sleeve undershirt I bought you.”

He groaned, throwing his head back and wiggling his body around like an inflatable tube man. But he listened, dropping his cleats to the floor, and trudging off.

I shook my head, turning to the two people standing by the door. Jamie had asked both Garrett and Layla to go today, so we were all piling in and heading there together.

I’d legitimately feared for Aaron’s life when I’d told Layla what had happened that night. She’d nearly clawed my arm off in her haste to snatch my phone and call him. I’d had to tackle her and threaten to give her a wet willy before she conceded defeat. The woman was crazy, but I loved her for it.

She was now leaned over, talking nonsense and rubbing Sadie’s back. My lips tipped up at the sight but faltered when I glanced at Garrett to find him looking at me. It’d been a few days since I’d woken up next to him, and in that time, he’d had dinner with us twice.

One night I’d cooked, and the next time he’d brought over Chinese. His proposal hovered over us like an elephant in the room—an overly large elephant wearing stilettos. Every time he said my name or brushed a little too close to me, the urge to say yes would whisper in my ear.

He didn’t bring it up again and neither did I, but every time he looked at me, I felt like he was undressing me. My body would tighten, my heart pounding in its cage while the air around us thickened to an unbearable degree. It was exactly what was happening now, and it was maddening.

“Ya’ll are making me wish I was headed to Rick’s rather than a soccer game.” Layla had straightened up, and she was fanning herself, looking back and forth between us. “Holy secret tension.”

“Oh, it’s not a secret. She knows.”

If I could have been a turtle, I’d have popped my head right into my shell. They were both looking at me, Garrett with self-satisfied humor, and Layla in wicked delight.

“I’m going to warm up the Jeep,” I muttered, slipping past. I could barely handle Garrett’s persuasion, but if Layla jumped on the bus—which she would—I wouldn’t stand a chance.

About five minutes later, the remainder of the group climbed in with me, Garrett up front and the other two in back. From the sounds of it, Layla was mid-way through an aggressive pep talk.

I rolled my eyes, backing out of the drive once everyone was buckled. The woman was incredibly competitive. Jamie would be lucky if she didn’t end up shooting to her feet, yelling, throughout the game.

Hearing Layla finally wrap up her speech, I glanced in my rearview mirror. “You get all that, bud?”

“I guess.”

I held a thumbs up behind my head, “Cool. Now chuck it all out the window and pretend you didn’t hear it because if you take any of her advice, you’re bound to get kicked out.”

Next to me, Garrett chuckled. “Maybe take a little bit.”

I stuck my tongue out at him, and he winked. Of course, he’d agree with her. Glancing back again, I saw Jamie eyeing all of us like we were a band of unruly marsupials.

“Can I just have fun?”