Think of something other than his sweaty body and sex. Not that there’s anything wrong with sex, but he’s here to help me out, and I don’t think he’s thinking sex. He’s made it pretty clear I’m not his type with his judgmental gaze.
“Did you, uh, sleep well?”
“Not too bad.” He drags out the words like he wants to find some fault with the quality of his sleep but can’t.
I smile with relief. Guess he slept like a baby, oblivious to the world.
For a moment, he gives me a stare so hard and piercing that the hair on the back of my neck starts to bristle. “Heard some noise, though,” he says finally.
“Noise?”
“I thought I heard somebody call my name.”
I knew I was too loud!I give him my most virginal smile. “Who was it?”
He arches an eyebrow, his knowing eyes on me.
Think of something. “Oh, that. No, I, uh, I saw a spider last night.” I generally fib better, but it’s cruel to expect someone to lie effectively when they haven’t had their first cup of coffee.
“Do you normally cry ‘Griffin’ when you see a spider?”
“‘Griffin’? Oh, no, haha, I said, ‘Snuff ’im.’ You know, to psych myself up.”
He’s not buying it. “Uh-huh.”
“It was a very impressive spider.”
“Of course. Did you take care of it?”
“Yes. It won’t be coming back.”
Hahahahaha. If my inner voice had a finger, it’d be pointing at me.
“Anyway, you want to grab breakfast? Or maybe shower first?” I add the second option fast, trying to get him out of sight, so I can quit ogling his bare chest and spouting nonsense.
“Shower. By the way, do you have somebody you can hang out with this morning? Between ten and one?”
“Uh. I guess…? Why?”
“I have a brunch I can’t cancel.” He shakes his head. “Never mind. I’ll cancel.”
“No, no.” I put my hands out. “Don’t do that. You should totally go. Do your thing. Have fun. I’ll go out with Ellie.”
“Ellie?”
“My best friend. She and I are going out,” I say, although that isn’t entirely true. Ellie and I haven’t made any plans. But I don’t want Griffin to cancel or feel forced into taking me to the brunch. It’s obvious he doesn’t want to do either. “We’re going to the mall, so we should be okay. Todd’s not going to show up drunk and confront me where there are lots of people around, even if he stalks us to the mall.” And unlike at the masquerade, my ex’s face would be fully visible. He would loathe to attract negative attention to himself so openly.
Griffin studies me to see if I’m really okay with it. I show him my most confident façade, the mask I use every time I need to look like I’m in charge when I’m really improvising.
“If you’re sure,” he says finally. “But if you need anything—”
“Don’t worry. I have your number.”