“What’s it going to take for you to agree to be my fake girlfriend? Name it, and I’ll make it happen.” He’s quiet for a few seconds. “I can protect you, you know. You don’t have to fear anything with me,” he whispers, looking down at my arm as if he wants to ask but knows I won’t tell him.
I tell no one about my life, because it’s my battle and I have to go it alone. It’s all I know…it’s how I survive. It’s not his burden to bear, it’s mine alone. It makes me angry at myself—the life I live and how stuck I am. I lash out without thinking, turning towards him with my finger poking his rock hard chest.
“I want a lot of things. I want to go wherever the hell I want, to come and go as I please. To skate my heart out, to have a job…to live my fucking life!” I’m shouting by the end, my chest heaving and tears gathering in my eyes.
He doesn’t say anything the whole time, just calmly staring at me as I rant and shout about how unfair life is. His hand raises slowly, and I watch from the corner of my eye as he slides those strong fingers around my neck and gives a little squeeze. Then he bends down to lay his forehead against mine with his eyes staring intently at me. What is happening, oh God, what is happening? My pulse slows down, a calm washing over me as I breath in his minty breath. I know this isn’t normal, but who needs normal? My whole existence is a far cry from normal, so I’m just going to go along for the ride, take this chance to experience these feelings I’ve never felt before, and hope I don’t get burnt in the end.
“I have the answer for all of that,” he says, and I hang on to his every word, feeling it sink into my bones. “Move in with me.”
My head snaps back away from his, and I look up at the sky with laughter bursting from my mouth while snow clings to my lashes. Tears are really streaming down my face, and I can’t tell if it’s from laughing at him or because I just really need to cry.
“Oh man, that’s a good one, Captain. If you say ‘have my babies,’ I’m out of here, just letting you know.” I giggle, shaking my head, until I realize he’s not laughing with me.
I really look at him, and that’s when I notice he’s completely serious.
“You're insane. It’s not happening,” I tell him, just as I can finally see my father’s townhouse from here through the snow.
“Hear me out, Princess. You can come and go as you please like a roommate, and you don’t have to pay anything. Get a job, start living, and we’ll go from there. Oh, and be my fake girlfriend,” he says seriously, but he’s smirking at me when I glance at him.
“Nope. Nada. I barely know you. I don’t even know what your favorite color is, and you expect me to move in with you?” I stare at him like he’s crazy. Maybe he is, but I might be the crazy one, because it sounds so tempting that I can almost grasp it within my reach.
I know it’s not realistic, but it would be a dream come true to be who I want to be. I can’t do this, and even the thought of it fucking hurts my chest because it’s like something is being ripped away from me.
“Think about it, okay? And if you need me, I’m on Allen Street in the Prescott building. Just ask for my name in the lobby. Give me your phone,” he demands, and I roll my eyes but hand my phone over to him.
He bites that plump lip and plays on my phone for a second before handing it back. I watch him type something on his and hear my phone ding a second later.
“This is my stop. It was nice being your girlfriend for a little while. I can’t even imagine what type of date you would have taken me on, Captain,” I joke, and walk backwards away from him with a salute.
I’m really hoping my father isn’t around because I don’t know what he would do if he saw Granger. I’ve never brought a guy home, and never planned on it. I rush up the steps, feeling his gaze on me, and pull my phone back out to tell him to beat it. He sent me a text, and a giggle leaves me when I read it.
“My favorite color is blue.” My heart does a small flip.
“Night, Princess,” he growls deeply a few doors down. I glance over my shoulder one last time before going inside and see him checking out my ass with a pleased smirk.
I fire off a quick text to him, and just as I start to shut the door behind me, I hear him chuckle. I don’t know why I’m flirting with him. He’s an ass, a jock, bossy, an amazing kisser, and he smells good. Oh God, I’m in trouble. And he’s never getting this jacket back.
I read the message I sent him with a smile on my face, it’s at least one good memory I’ve had in a long time at this place.
“Stop staring at my ass.”
I’m just about to put my phone away to creep upstairs on silent feet when another message comes through.
“Never.”
I almost consider his offer to be his fake girlfriend…almost.
I’m lying on my stomach on my bed, hugging my pillow and staring at my butterfly drapes in
