Page 71 of The One You Want

“No. I didn’t even bother to tell him I was coming back tonight.”

“Maybe Maggie did. He’s in town, too. He and Maggie are meeting up at the hotel to talk.”

“I hope he comes clean about everything the way you did.”

“He’s probably mad that I told her.”

“It would have come out eventually. And he’d have been the one to blow it. He can’t keep his mouth shut about you. He liked having a secret with you. I wouldn’t have been surprised if he used it against you.”

“What do you mean?”

“That’s just how Marc is. If he wants something, he’ll use whatever means necessary to get it. Somewhere down the road, he’d have used your relationship with him to get you to do something for him.”

“First, we did not have a relationship.”

“I know. Sorry. Bad choice of words.”

“And there’s no way I’d let him blackmail me.”

“Now he can’t. I know. Maggie knows. So unless there’s something else you’re holding back, you’re clear.”

“You know everything.”

“Then all he has to do is convince Maggie he lied to spare her feelings and not because of something else so she can accept it happened and it’s over and move on.”

“You do believe me, right? I’m not holding anything more back from you.”

Gray stopped at a red light and looked at her. “Yes. Of course I believe you. As far as I’m concerned, you and I are together and Marc isn’t a part of that at all.”

“Okay.” She let all her tense muscles loose and sank back into the seat. “My hope is that now that it’s out in the open, Marc will stop all the nonsense and focus on his relationship with Maggie and be sensitive to her feelings.”

And if Marc couldn’t do that, then maybe Maggie was making a mistake.

Gray scoffed under his breath. “When it comes to being sensitive, Marc is sorely lacking. You might be hoping for too much from him. Look how he’s been subtly taunting me about you.”

Rose wished the wedding wasn’t just days away. Then she could tell Maggie to take some time to let this whole matter settle. “I have a bad feeling this isn’t going to go well.” Her stomach knotted.

“If Marc really wants to hold on to Maggie, he’ll do the right thing.” Gray pulled into the parking lot at the nicest steakhouse in town. “Let’s give them some space and not eat at the hotel.”

“Fine by me. This place is really good. And it has a bar.”

“I don’t need a drink. You make me feel a little drunk sometimes.”

She smiled. “Yeah? That’s sweet. But I could use a glass of wine.”

Gray leaned over and kissed her again, sliding his tonguealong hers, letting the heat build and the moment stretch before he broke the kiss and stared at her. “See what I mean.”

“Yep.” She popped the P on her kiss-swollen lips. “I feel it.”

He chuckled and slid out of the car, walking around the front to get her door for her.

“Thank you.”

He put his hand to her back and nudged her toward the entrance. “My pleasure, sweetheart.”

“No. The pleasure is definitely mutual.”

“And it always will be, sweetheart.”