really loves her. I betrayed him, my bro. But I’m trying to make it
right. Okay, I betrayed other people too—innocent girls. I’m sorry. No
one knew about the sight. Only me. It was all me—well, me and innocent
people. I’m sorry.”
Then he adds, “But Brandy, I’ve
never seen Garrett like this about a girl before. Ever. He loves you. Please
forgive him. It’s all my fault. The dude loves you. Like—really, really
loves you.”
CHAPTER 40
Phoenix texts me, “Did
you see Blake on the news?”
I quickly text back, “Yeah.”
Phoenix: “I believe him. About
both—that Garrett didn’t know about the website, and that he loves you.”
When I just stare at his words but
don’t text back, because my eyes are welling with tears, he types, “Brandy,
he fought you off. You took off your clothes and begged him for sex, but he was
all gentle with you and made you get into the bed—and he stayed in a
chair. All night. He had you all covered up and he was like, guarding you. So
no one could come in and take advantage of you.”
After a long moment he types, “Brandy,
the guy loves you.”
CHAPTER 41
Right after Phoenix’s heart
wrenching text, I get another.
When I see it, my heart pounds and
my breath catches.
“Are you in the house alone?”
I stare at it a long time before I
finally answer.
Sucking in my breath I type: “Yes.”
“Can I come over to talk to you? ”
I squeeze my eyes shut, then type, “Yes.”
“I’m right outside.”
My heart explodes.
“Do you want me to come in?”
I swallow, then type: “Yes.”
I meet him downstairs and we sit on
the couch. “My mom’s at work.”
“I know,” he says.
Yeah, of course. He used to live
here. He knows our schedule. Knows everything about us. (My mom is a nurse. She
works nights.)
He glances guardedly into my eyes.
“Did you see Blake on the news?”
I nod, unable to speak.
He glances around the house, trying
to deflate some of the tension in the air. “It’s weird to be here again,” he
says. “I used to watch you at that table with your boyfriend.” He grins
sheepishly, “Seeing you with your boyfriend—it made me want to be your boyfriend.”
I whisper, “Maybe you can.”
His eyes light up. “Really?”
I shrug, playfully playing chill. “Maybe.”
His hands come on either side of my
face. He makes me stare up into his gleaming eyes. (Holy smokes!! He has dreamy
eyes! I practically swoon just looking into them.) He draws out a ragged
breath, “What do I have to do, Brandy?”
“For starters, kiss me.”
A slow grin spreads on his lips. “I
could do that.”
I nod. “I know. Maybe you
should—right now.”
His mouth crashes on mine and he
kisses me like there’s no tomorrow. He murmurs in my mouth, “How am I doing?”
“Keep going,” I tell him
breathlessly.
I feel him smile against my lips.
We kiss and kiss, his talented
mouth making fireworks explode through my body. When we finally pull away,
flushed and out of breath, he rests his forehead against mine. “So, do I get
the job?”
“I don’t know. That was pretty good.”
He breathes out a soft laugh and
ruffles my hair. “I can do more if you want.” He gently smirks. “I’m The Giver,
remember?”
My cheeks ignite. “Yeah,” I mumble,
my whole body suddenly on fire. “I remember.”
He murmurs in my ear, “I’m sorry I
have a reputation.”
I swallow, my throat going tight
with emotion.
He gently tucks an errant curl behind my ear. “Brandy,
I’m so sorry about so many things. If you give me a chance, I’ll make it up to
you, I swear.”
I bite my lip. “You can start by
another kiss.”
He raises his eyebrows. “I’ll kiss
you for the rest of my life.”
“Okay, then,” I smile.
“—sold! You get the job.”
He smiles. “I’m so going to rock
it,” he promises.
I actually have no doubt he will.
And I have just the thing to get him started.
I grin at him
right. Okay, I betrayed other people too—innocent girls. I’m sorry. No
one knew about the sight. Only me. It was all me—well, me and innocent
people. I’m sorry.”
Then he adds, “But Brandy, I’ve
never seen Garrett like this about a girl before. Ever. He loves you. Please
forgive him. It’s all my fault. The dude loves you. Like—really, really
loves you.”
CHAPTER 40
Phoenix texts me, “Did
you see Blake on the news?”
I quickly text back, “Yeah.”
Phoenix: “I believe him. About
both—that Garrett didn’t know about the website, and that he loves you.”
When I just stare at his words but
don’t text back, because my eyes are welling with tears, he types, “Brandy,
he fought you off. You took off your clothes and begged him for sex, but he was
all gentle with you and made you get into the bed—and he stayed in a
chair. All night. He had you all covered up and he was like, guarding you. So
no one could come in and take advantage of you.”
After a long moment he types, “Brandy,
the guy loves you.”
CHAPTER 41
Right after Phoenix’s heart
wrenching text, I get another.
When I see it, my heart pounds and
my breath catches.
“Are you in the house alone?”
I stare at it a long time before I
finally answer.
Sucking in my breath I type: “Yes.”
“Can I come over to talk to you? ”
I squeeze my eyes shut, then type, “Yes.”
“I’m right outside.”
My heart explodes.
“Do you want me to come in?”
I swallow, then type: “Yes.”
I meet him downstairs and we sit on
the couch. “My mom’s at work.”
“I know,” he says.
Yeah, of course. He used to live
here. He knows our schedule. Knows everything about us. (My mom is a nurse. She
works nights.)
He glances guardedly into my eyes.
“Did you see Blake on the news?”
I nod, unable to speak.
He glances around the house, trying
to deflate some of the tension in the air. “It’s weird to be here again,” he
says. “I used to watch you at that table with your boyfriend.” He grins
sheepishly, “Seeing you with your boyfriend—it made me want to be your boyfriend.”
I whisper, “Maybe you can.”
His eyes light up. “Really?”
I shrug, playfully playing chill. “Maybe.”
His hands come on either side of my
face. He makes me stare up into his gleaming eyes. (Holy smokes!! He has dreamy
eyes! I practically swoon just looking into them.) He draws out a ragged
breath, “What do I have to do, Brandy?”
“For starters, kiss me.”
A slow grin spreads on his lips. “I
could do that.”
I nod. “I know. Maybe you
should—right now.”
His mouth crashes on mine and he
kisses me like there’s no tomorrow. He murmurs in my mouth, “How am I doing?”
“Keep going,” I tell him
breathlessly.
I feel him smile against my lips.
We kiss and kiss, his talented
mouth making fireworks explode through my body. When we finally pull away,
flushed and out of breath, he rests his forehead against mine. “So, do I get
the job?”
“I don’t know. That was pretty good.”
He breathes out a soft laugh and
ruffles my hair. “I can do more if you want.” He gently smirks. “I’m The Giver,
remember?”
My cheeks ignite. “Yeah,” I mumble,
my whole body suddenly on fire. “I remember.”
He murmurs in my ear, “I’m sorry I
have a reputation.”
I swallow, my throat going tight
with emotion.
He gently tucks an errant curl behind my ear. “Brandy,
I’m so sorry about so many things. If you give me a chance, I’ll make it up to
you, I swear.”
I bite my lip. “You can start by
another kiss.”
He raises his eyebrows. “I’ll kiss
you for the rest of my life.”
“Okay, then,” I smile.
“—sold! You get the job.”
He smiles. “I’m so going to rock
it,” he promises.
I actually have no doubt he will.
And I have just the thing to get him started.
I grin at him
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