The Reluctant Romantics Box Set (The Fall, The Mind, The Heart)

“I was happy you were jealous. It’s wrong, I know, but it felt so good after wondering for so long if you still harbored any feelings for me.”

I smiled at that.

“You know I could have done without all the theatrics, Dean. You could have just told me the truth a long time ago.”

“You call it theatrics, I call it passionate wooing.” He chuckled.

“Don’t hide behind your Spanish roots, buddy,” I scolded.

“Necesito que me perdones por ser tan idiota, mi amor. Necesito escucharte decir esas palabras, me estáis matando.” He breathed heavily.

“God, that sounded sexy,” I breathed back suddenly hot with need for him.

His groan gave him away before he spoke his next words. “Should I come and take you away? Make love to you all night and show you just how much I’ve missed you?”

“No,” I said, opening the fridge and taking out the leftover turkey, ignoring my vagina as she waved an angry fist in the air.

“You’re still angry?” He seemed surprised and I shook my head, slamming the Tupperware full of turkey on the counter.

“No…yes.” I paused trying to keep the emoti

on out of my voice. “You weren’t just my boyfriend, Dean, you were my best friend, too. You knew me better than anyone else and you took that away from me. I needed you. You can’t take that back. Just let me figure out where to put all this.”

“Okay,” he said, sounding defeated.

“I’ll call you tomorrow?”

“Okay,” he said softly.

“Goodnight, Dean.” I hung up without waiting for his response and jumped when the kitchen light flipped on.

“Grant,” I said, smiling.

“Oh, woman, you read my mind. Nothing quite as good as a leftover turkey sandwich,” he chuckled joining me. “Do you mind?”

“Of course not. Mayo? Lettuce?”

“I’ll make my own,” he offered.

“No way. This one is on me.” I smiled as he took a seat at the bar stool behind the counter.

“Make it two then.” He winked. “So okay, without sounding like a total prying jerk, I did hear the ass end of your conversation. Was that Dean?”

“Why would you assume it was Dean?” I asked, knowing Rose had probably blabbed our history to him already.

“Honestly, I saw how far gone you were for him at the engagement party, and of course there is Rose.” He chuckled. “She coined the phrase TMI.”

“Don’t I know it,” I said, starting his second sandwich.

“She’s been really worried about you lately. So do you want to talk about it?”

“Taking this brother thing seriously, are you?” I teased and he smiled. It nearly took my breath away. Grant was…beautiful with his shoulder length dark hair and kind eyes. His size contradicted the air about him. The easiest way to describe him would be a gentle giant.

“Honestly, it takes a sucker in love to see one. I really wouldn’t be so damn interested if I wasn’t on a high of my own. And yes, I want to help.” His smile was sincere as I cut his sandwiches in half then stuck his plate in front of him, following it with a glass of milk. He looked adorable and a little childlike as he smiled in thank you. A dimple made an appearance right before he took a big bite of sandwich.

“If you were in love with a woman, and you broke up with her, realized it was a mistake, would it take you seven years to go back and fight for her?”

“Wow,” he said quickly.