Worth Waiting For Read Online Free PDF Page B

you in your wild college days.”
    “I’m not saying I’ve never done it,” she said with another laugh. “I’m just saying it’s not good sleep hygiene.”
    “What? Sleep hygiene. Holy shit. You’ve gotten way too smart for me, baby.”
    “Oh, please, Mr. Genius IQ. At least you’ve learned to use your brain for good and not for evil. Although, I really shouldn’t say that, given I’ve never actually seen any of these games you’ve designed. Please tell me that one about car theft is not yours.”
    Now he laughed. “Nope. Can’t take the credit for that. Or the money, unfortunately. I will confess to some minor violence in my games, but never killing, stealing or raping.”
    She gaped. “Rape? There are games where there’s rape? That’s…disgusting.”
    “Oh, yeah, but I have my standards. Jesus, it’s kids playing these things. Well, and some big kids like me.”
    “I’m glad to hear that,” she murmured, experiencing a strange sensation, almost as if she were falling. She set her feet on the floor to make sure she was firmly on the ground.
    He put his mug on the table and turned to her, one elbow on the back of the couch propping up his head. His gaze was intent, hot and he was too close to her. “So you still don’t like video games?”
    “They’re just not my thing. I’d still rather read a book any day.”
    “What else do you do? In your spare time.”
    “I work pretty long hours. My house has become my new hobby. I like to go antiquing, and there are lots of concerts and art shows here.”
    “Who do you go with?”
    “With Abby. She still lives here. And her husband. She’s married now. I don’t think you know him…Jeff Nash?” He shook his head. “And Matthew, of course.”
    “Matthew is the boyfriend?” His voice roughened.
    She nodded and met his eyes. “Yes.”
    “How long have you two been together?”
    “About two years. I met him at the hospital when I was interning.”
    “So he’s a doctor too, hmm?” He looked thoughtful. “Is he a nice guy?”
    She smiled. “Of course he’s a nice guy. Would I go out with someone who’s not nice? Oh, wait. Yes, I would.”
    He scowled. “Hey. I thought we were over that. And I am a nice guy.”
    “No,” she said slowly. “I would not describe you as nice.”
    His scowl deepened. “Why not?”
    “Griff, you were charming, bouncing-off-the-wall energetic, crazy, you did things on purpose to hurt me, and then, when you wanted to break up, you didn’t even tell me. You just disappeared.” She shook her head, her eyes still on his over the edge of her mug. “That is not what I’d call nice.”
    “I didn’t do things to hurt you,” he protested. “You misunderstood that.”
    “What are you talking about?” Her brows drew together. “You said you went and saw other girls to make me think you were cheating on me. What would you call that?”
    He shook his head violently, shifting closer. “No, no. I didn’t do it to hurt you. I did it to make you mad at me, to make you hate me. I was trying to save you from me.”
    She was stunned silent momentarily. Then she snorted. “That is such bullshit.”
    He shrugged. “It’s the truth.”
    “Well, thanks so much for your kind consideration of my feelings. But it kind of didn’t work that way. You couldn’t possibly have been that stupid.”
    He paused. “Uh…yeah, I could. Look, I wasn’t the best at all that emotional stuff. I felt a little panicked, sometimes, like I was… Never mind.”
    “Say it.”
    He waited a few heartbeats, then said in a low voice, “Suffocated. I felt suffocated.”
    The hurt was sharp and swift. He’d felt suffocated? Thoughts and feelings started swirling around in her mind, leaving her speechless. She drew back from him, staring at him.
     

CHAPTER 5
     
    Griff couldn’t stand the look in her eyes. He knew he’d hurt her and he felt like crap.
    He shifted closer still and removed the mug from her hands, sliding it carelessly