Page 71 of The Grump I Loathe

My pulse raced.Nothing. He wriggled his arm again, silently demanding my presence, and I slid into bed, curling up against his side, fitting myself into the grooves of his lean, muscled body. We’d been together almost every moment outside of work while Grace was at her mom’s for her August summer visit.

“That’s better,” he hummed, and my heart flip-flopped in my chest.

I snuggled closer. “Did you message Grace?”

“Yeah, when you were on one of your many snack breaks.”

I poked him in the side. “I need fuel.”

“I’m going to order us dinner and get you a proper meal. No more M&M’s.”

I grumbled.

He bussed my temple, eyes closed. “You cannot survive on chocolate alone.”

“I can try.” I kissed his shoulder. “What are Grace and Ali up to today?”

“She said they’re going to a waterpark.”

“Fun! And what about Sawyer?”

“He’s agreed to sit in a lounger and watch the towels.”

I snorted. “Gotta make sure those towels don’t walk away.” I nudged him. “But hey, that sounds like progress.”

“It’s something,” he muttered.

From the look in his eye, I could tell he was fretting over the Sawyer of it all, and I couldn’t really blame him. He was protective of Grace, and it’s not exactly like she had the option not to be around Sawyer if that’s who Ali had chosen to build her new life with.

I’d probably react with the same concern if Valentina started dating again, potentially bringing someone new into Alannah’s life. But despite all Connor’s worries, the visit with Ali was going better than anticipated. Which meant I’d gotten Connor all to myself for one perfect week—I’d even gotten my own drawer in the condo. Connor had offered me an entire dresser, but the drawer had been plenty. “What’s happening after the waterpark?”

His lips flattened into a thin line. “Some sort of wedding something. Grace sounded less excited about that.”

“Well, I guess Ali really only has what, like six weeks?” The end of September was hurtling toward us, and I only knew that because Leigh was frantically crossing days off the calendar in the conference room counting down toShadow’s release. “She’s probably getting stressed.”

Connor sighed next to me. “Organization isn’t her strong suit. Which wouldn’t be a problem if this wedding was like her first one. It was very much a quick courthouse affair with me. But this time, it’s a whole big production.”

I hugged him close. “I think planning a wedding would unravel even the best of us.” I ran my fingers over his ribs. “But speaking of the wedding…”

His head turned, his eyes narrowing slightly. “What about it?”

I propped myself up on my elbow. “So remember when I set Leigh up with my friend Aidan?”

“Yes…”

“Well, they’re doing this casual thing, and he was supposed to be her plus-one, but he’s got a family event he can’t get out of. Anyway, she’s asked me to go with her.”

Connor frowned. “As her plus-one?”

I nodded. “It started as a joke, but yeah, now she’s actually asking.” He grew still next to me, and I caught my bottom lip between my teeth. “I want to say yes…”

Connor dropped his head against his pillow, staring up at the ceiling.

“Because Leigh is my friend and I want to do her a solid. And I think it could be a good networking opportunity because Ali is really well-connected in the industry,” I hurried to explain.

“I honestly have no desire to crash your ex’s day, but it’s not like it would matter to her. She doesn’t know me from a hole in the wall.” I sucked in a heavy breath and held it. “But obviously I wanted to clear it with you first.”

Connor’s brow furrowed. He continued to stare at the ceiling, refusing to look at me. “You want to go to Ali’s wedding,” he said. It was a statement, not a question.