a perfectly manicured hand on her hip.
He pushed out a long breath and racked his brain for the right thing to say. What she’d said was true. He hadn’t called because he hadn’t thought he needed to. He’d been dealing with issues at his hotel and two of his other bars. He’d barely had time to sleep the past couple days. Right now he felt raw and hungry. For her. And she was going out? “You have plans?”
“Yep.”
“Dressed like that?” he practically growled.
Her head cocked to the side and a waterfall of her midnight black hair slid over one of her bare shoulders. “Like what, exactly?”
“Like sex.” The two words slipped out before he could stop himself.
She seemed pleased by his description which only infuriated him. Her full lips pulled up into a smile but just as quickly she glared at him, her green eyes narrowing. “Until you learn to pick up the damn phone and actually make plans with me, don’t expect me to be waiting around anymore. I’m not some whore for you to—”
“Talia!” He didn’t like to even hear that word on her lips. “I don’t treat you like that.”
“Well you don’t treat me like someone you’re proud of. When’s the last time we went on a date? When’s the last time you called just to talk to me? Don’t get me wrong, the sex between us is good—”
“Good?”
She rolled her eyes. “Figures you’d focus on that. Fine, it’s fantastic and we both know it. But that doesn’t change anything. I need more and I’m tired of waiting for you to pull your head out of your ass and realize that. Until you figure some things out, I’m no longer available for you .” Turning her back to him, she stepped completely outside, pulled the door shut then locked it.
He started to say more when the short burst of a horn made him glance over his shoulder. One of Talia’s girlfriends—one of his pack members—sat in a black two-door sports car. Before he could turn back to talk to Talia, she was brushing past him and striding down her walkway toward the curb. She didn’t even give him a backward glance over her shoulder.
Just slid into the passenger seat and slammed the door.
“Well, shit.” Grant scrubbed a hand over his face. Everything she’d said was true. And when she put into words exactly what kind of relationship they had, guilt bubbled up inside him. It tasted bitter and foreign and he knew if he wanted to keep her in his life, he needed to make some changes. Fast.
* * * * *
Talia fought the nerves rushing through her. She couldn’t believe what she’d just said to Grant but it felt so good. She cared for the sexy and sometimes annoyingly bossy man more than she’d admit. Didn’t mean she had to put up with his crap anymore. He definitely cared for her too. That much she knew. But it wasn’t enough. Sex when he was available just wasn’t going to cut it. Sure she saw him at the bar sometimes when she was working but the man owned a handful of other bars and a hotel and he was always so damn busy. And just seeing him wasn’t the same as going out on dates. She was tired of taking his leftover time. It was like she was an afterthought in his life.
And she was busy too. She wasn’t going to be working as a bartender forever and once she finished with the Masters program in Marine Sciences, she’d be even more strapped for time. If Grant couldn’t manage to take her out on a date, then she had no hope for any sort of future with him. Not that he’d ever mentioned a future. The man was always so horny they rarely talked.
“Uh oh, your man looks pissed.” Sarah whistled low under her breath as she pulled away from the curb.
“He’s not my man.” Talia didn’t know what he was.
“Hmm.” Her friend shook her head as she made a left turn.
“Don’t ‘hmm’ me.” Talia crossed her legs and when her knee hit the dash she cursed and adjusted the seat. “Jeez, do you have hobbits riding around with you?”
“Sorry we’re not all
He pushed out a long breath and racked his brain for the right thing to say. What she’d said was true. He hadn’t called because he hadn’t thought he needed to. He’d been dealing with issues at his hotel and two of his other bars. He’d barely had time to sleep the past couple days. Right now he felt raw and hungry. For her. And she was going out? “You have plans?”
“Yep.”
“Dressed like that?” he practically growled.
Her head cocked to the side and a waterfall of her midnight black hair slid over one of her bare shoulders. “Like what, exactly?”
“Like sex.” The two words slipped out before he could stop himself.
She seemed pleased by his description which only infuriated him. Her full lips pulled up into a smile but just as quickly she glared at him, her green eyes narrowing. “Until you learn to pick up the damn phone and actually make plans with me, don’t expect me to be waiting around anymore. I’m not some whore for you to—”
“Talia!” He didn’t like to even hear that word on her lips. “I don’t treat you like that.”
“Well you don’t treat me like someone you’re proud of. When’s the last time we went on a date? When’s the last time you called just to talk to me? Don’t get me wrong, the sex between us is good—”
“Good?”
She rolled her eyes. “Figures you’d focus on that. Fine, it’s fantastic and we both know it. But that doesn’t change anything. I need more and I’m tired of waiting for you to pull your head out of your ass and realize that. Until you figure some things out, I’m no longer available for you .” Turning her back to him, she stepped completely outside, pulled the door shut then locked it.
He started to say more when the short burst of a horn made him glance over his shoulder. One of Talia’s girlfriends—one of his pack members—sat in a black two-door sports car. Before he could turn back to talk to Talia, she was brushing past him and striding down her walkway toward the curb. She didn’t even give him a backward glance over her shoulder.
Just slid into the passenger seat and slammed the door.
“Well, shit.” Grant scrubbed a hand over his face. Everything she’d said was true. And when she put into words exactly what kind of relationship they had, guilt bubbled up inside him. It tasted bitter and foreign and he knew if he wanted to keep her in his life, he needed to make some changes. Fast.
* * * * *
Talia fought the nerves rushing through her. She couldn’t believe what she’d just said to Grant but it felt so good. She cared for the sexy and sometimes annoyingly bossy man more than she’d admit. Didn’t mean she had to put up with his crap anymore. He definitely cared for her too. That much she knew. But it wasn’t enough. Sex when he was available just wasn’t going to cut it. Sure she saw him at the bar sometimes when she was working but the man owned a handful of other bars and a hotel and he was always so damn busy. And just seeing him wasn’t the same as going out on dates. She was tired of taking his leftover time. It was like she was an afterthought in his life.
And she was busy too. She wasn’t going to be working as a bartender forever and once she finished with the Masters program in Marine Sciences, she’d be even more strapped for time. If Grant couldn’t manage to take her out on a date, then she had no hope for any sort of future with him. Not that he’d ever mentioned a future. The man was always so horny they rarely talked.
“Uh oh, your man looks pissed.” Sarah whistled low under her breath as she pulled away from the curb.
“He’s not my man.” Talia didn’t know what he was.
“Hmm.” Her friend shook her head as she made a left turn.
“Don’t ‘hmm’ me.” Talia crossed her legs and when her knee hit the dash she cursed and adjusted the seat. “Jeez, do you have hobbits riding around with you?”
“Sorry we’re not all
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