Grinch (Cerberus MC)

I close out of the app, annoyed that it worked so quickly. Dating is too damn easy these days. What happened to flirting or buying someone a drink at the bar? What happened to shy guys approaching you in the produce section of the grocery store to strike up a conversation about grapes or lettuce because they were too shy at first?

Less than ten minutes on the app, and half the guys are starting conversations with a dick pic, like women on the receiving end get turned on by stuff like that. How about a hello first, guys?

“Seriously,” I snap when I toss my phone to the bed.

Despite my earlier struggles, I manage to finally fall asleep, taking a two-hour nap before waking up completely disoriented, much the same way I was when I woke in this room the first time. I didn’t feel out of place or a little frightened when I woke up this morning in Trenton’s bed because the familiar scent of his body surrounded me even though he wasn’t in the room.

I climb out of bed, change so I can take his clothes back to him, and head in that direction.

I plan to make it impossible for the man to ignore me. He may get annoyed and tell me to kick bricks, but at least then I’ll have an answer.

Chapter 27

Grinch

I stayed away from the clubhouse as long as I could, but there’s only so much sitting at the park a man can do before he starts to look like a creep. It doesn’t matter that I was there long before any families showed up willing to suffer in the cold for kids that wanted to play.

After leaving the park, I drove around town until the SUV alerted me to get gas, and since that’s wasteful, I filled up and headed back, spending several more hours alone in the garage because everyone else who would normally come out was inside either resting or bitching about the hangovers they gave themselves.

The sun is down by the time I walk back inside, and the party crew must’ve really overdone it because there isn’t a soul in the living room. The kitchen is dark and empty as well.

I pause at the entrance to the hallway, first looking left toward my bedroom and then to the right at the back door that leads to where Grace is probably already in bed.

Avoiding her is really a childish thing to do, but I see no other way. Spending any length of time with her brings so much stuff back, and if it were only the good times infiltrating my head, I wouldn’t mind as much. The bad times, the ones that had the power to change who I am as a person, always have the ability to sink in as well, and I’m trying to avoid that shit as much as possible.

With a sigh, I turn left and go into my room, feeling my way to the bathroom for a shower. The first thing I notice is the pile of clothes I watched Grace strip out of last night. When I turn my head, I notice that the woman isn’t at Shadow’s house sleeping. She’s naked in my bed, the length of her back facing me.

I quickly step inside the bathroom and shut the door. I came in here instead of going there because avoiding her is the direction I decided to go. Now she’s here?

My cock is thrilled, and if I’m not careful, every other part of me will be too.

I strip, jumping in the shower and refusing to be derailed. I make as much noise as possible, dropping the shampoo bottle and the bar of soap more than once with the hopes that she’ll wake up, get dressed, and leave my room. Lord knows I don’t have the strength to tell her myself.

How many times have I dreamed of walking into a room to find her sprawled out on my bed waiting for me? The number is too high to count. I wish I could say those fantasies started to dwindle with time, and maybe they did a little, but they never disappeared completely. I always felt like a dick when I’d walk into a room, ready to fuck a woman only to be disappointed that it wasn’t Grace that was waiting for me. That happened numerous times as well.

Facing her right now with all of this swimming inside of me feels impossible, so I make a plan to quietly get dressed and leave again. I can sleep on the couch in the living room since crawling in bed with her seems like something I just can’t handle right now.

As I towel off, I try not to think about why it affects me so much, but I can’t acknowledge those feelings. I can tell myself that it’s only carnal attraction that is fueling me, but I know better. I knew the second I laid eyes on her that I never got over that girl. It’s why I’m going to take the steps necessary to make sure it finally happens. I just can’t do it tonight.