“I can’t do that.”
“You don’t have a choice!” she screams, and I dive up from the bed in panic. I lock the door and turn to her.
“Meli, she’s happy. I can’t crush her like that. None of this was supposed to happen, but it has, and I can’t risk everything for something that was a one-off.”
“It was not a one-off, and I got pregnant!”
“But you’re not now, are you, so it’s over and done with. Why would I bring it up with Hadley when she’s so happy?”
“We’ve been over this so many times. You have to be honest because if this comes out later, she’ll hate us even more.”
“We’re not telling her, Amelia. I can’t lose her, I’m sorry.”
“So, you really like her?” she asks, and I nod. “I hate you for putting me in this situation.”
“Trust me, I hate myself right now. If I could take it back, I would.”
“This can’t ever get out, Grim. If this is the decision, then we stick to it no matter what.”
I nod eagerly, hardly daring to believe she’s agreeing to this. “Thank you.”
“I’m not doing this for you. It’s for her. I know how much she likes you. Don’t fucking hurt her, Grim, or I’ll get Rosey to kill you.”
I smile. “Promise.”
It’s like a weight is lifted. I shower and dress and change Hadley’s wet sheets. When I go to find her, as usual, she’s under the oak tree. “Let’s go out for dinner.”
She looks up. “You want to take me for dinner?”
I laugh, taking her hands and pulling her to stand. “Yes. I want us to eat dinner in a nice place like normal couples. But you’ll have to drive.”
We find a restaurant that lets us in with no problems, mainly because I’ve removed my kutte for the evening. Usually, owners of places like this can be uptight about who they let in. We get a window seat and are handed our menus.
“Good sleep?” Hadley asks.
The waitress puts a jug of water on the table. “Yeah. I missed waking up next to you, though.”
“Some of us can’t lie around in bed all day,” she jokes. “Tomorrow, I have to go to work. No distracting me.”
“Scout’s honour,” I promise.
“I spoke with Mav today,” she says, avoiding eye contact, which immediately makes me suspicious. “He’s worried about you.”
“There’s no need to be. I’m fine.”
“I’m worried too.”
I pour us each a glass of water, trying to remain calm. “Like I said, I’m all good.”
“He thinks you’re running from something.” I grind my teeth to avoid snapping at her. “But I think you might have something medically wrong.” When I stare at her blankly, she continues. “I was looking up mental health and bi-polar came up. Have you heard of it?”
“I’m not bi-polar, Hadley.”
“It’s quite common and nothing to be ashamed of.”
“I’m not bi-polar.”
“The erratic behaviour, the highs and lows—”
“Hadley,” I snap, and she stops talking. I glance around to make sure no one is looking at us. “There’s nothing wrong. I was worried about something, but I’m not now. I’ve sorted it, so I’m fine.”
“Worried about what?”
“It’s not important now. What’s important is we’re happy, we’re together, and I want the world to know. So, let’s enjoy dinner, go and have a drink, and be a normal couple.”
She smiles, relaxing back in her chair. “Okay.”
“Okay.”
We’re tucking into our food when she leans closer and says accusingly, “You told the guys about us.”
“How do you know that?”
“Mav told me.”
“Then he would have also said it was him who told the brothers and not me.”
She grins. “What did they say?”
“They were happy for us. But you seem a lot calmer than I thought you’d be. Didn’t you want to keep it quiet because of Meli?”
At the mention of her sister’s name, she almost chokes on her food and takes a mouthful of water. “About that . . . I told her already.”
“Really?” I ask, acting surprised. “What did she say?”
“She was fine . . . in the end.”
“Good, because we’re together no matter what and no one is coming between us.”
HADLEY
I feel happier. Grim seems to be like his old self again and it’s a relief to see. He makes jokes and fools around. Stopping every few steps to kiss me. He grips my hand like it’s a lifeline, and I want to pinch myself to check it’s not a dream. I never thought the day would come when Grim would like me back, and not only like me, but act like he’s obsessed. He can’t stop touching me, and when I go to the bathroom in the bar, he waits right outside.
I’m washing my hands when he steps in and locks the door. “What are you doing?” I ask, laughing as he wraps his arms around me.
“Wanna try something?”
“Depends.”
“Take off your underwear.”
“No! What if my skirt rides up?”
“That’s part of the excitement.” I can’t resist the cheeky smile he gives me, so I allow him to reach under my skirt and remove my knickers. He sticks them in his pocket and takes me by the hand, unlocks the door, and leads me back to the booth we’d already claimed.
We have a couple more drinks as he tells me tales of when he and Mav were kids and the stuff they got up to. “Do you want kids?” I ask, and his smile falters slightly.
“I don’t know. It’s not something I’ve ever thought I wanted, but since you . . .” He leaves the sentence open, and I can’t hide my grin. He laughs and pulls me in for a kiss. I feel his hand slide up my thigh and gasp when his finger brushes my opening. “Don’t give the game away, Hads,” he whispers against my lips. As he rubs circles over my clit, I bite my lip, concentrating on keeping my face neutral. The booth is pretty dark, the music is pumping, and everyone around us is shouting to be heard, so I doubt anyone is paying attention to us. He suddenly lifts me, sitting me on his lap. “Lift slightly,” he instructs and unfastens his trousers. “Now, sit down real slow.”
He holds his erection at my entrance, and I slowly slide down, gripping the table edge for support. “Good girl,” he whispers, moving my hair to one side and nibbling my neck. I feel full and turned on, and we’re not even moving. His hand moves under my skirt and goes back to rubbing me. Occasionally, I twitch or fidget and I hear his groan. “Lean forward, rest your elbow on the table.” I do as he says, lifting off him slightly, which gives him the space to slowly move. If anyone were to watch us closely, it would be obvious, but looking around, everyone is still minding their own business.
I feel the warmth of my pending orgasm and move my hands to his knees. He pulls me to sit back on him and grabs my hips, slightly rocking me back and forth. We’re hardly moving at all, but it doesn’t stop the mind-blowing orgasm ripping through me. I jerk, unable to control it, and hear him gasping as he reaches his own orgasm.