Fighting to Survive (Guarded Hearts Book 3) Read Free Page A

We sit in silence as we look over our menus. Honestly, I have no idea what to say to him. After we place our order, I know I need to break the silence somehow.
    “I’m sorry for tonight—” we both say in unison, and then look at each other in confusion.
    “Wait, Christen, I know why I’m sorry, but what the hell are you apologizing for?”
    Why is he sorry? I’m the one who barged in on him. “I shouldn’t have followed you back there. I know you probably needed your space after the fight, and I caught you at a weird time. I’m sorry for just busting in.”
    He shakes his head and laughs. “I appreciate that you came back ‘cause you wanted to see if I was okay. You didn’t do anything wrong, and you’re right, I was upset. I hate doing that all the time, but it’s an unavoidable necessity right now. I’m sorry I took advantage of you and then stormed out afterward. I’m normally not like that, and I don’t want you to think I was just using you. I never should have done what I did—you didn’t deserve it.”
    I don’t regret the kiss at all, and it hurts me that he does. I have no idea what to say to him right now.
    “Listen, I didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable. I just want you to know things are still going to be the same as they were before.”
    I look up at him and he’s playing with his fork. “What if I don’t want them to be?” My voice is so quiet, I’m surprised he even hears it.
    He lifts his head and his eyes meet mine. “What do you mean?”
    “Maybe I don’t want to forget it happened.” I can’t believe I’m sitting here and saying this to him. I’m never this forward with guys.
    “It’s been a really long night, and I’m exhausted. What are you saying? Please clarify because I really don’t want to make a wrong assumption.”
    I take a deep breath. “I don’t want to pretend like it never happened. I didn’t go back there to try to hit on you, but I definitely don’t regret it. I’ve had a crush on you since last year, and when you kissed me tonight it was amazing. I hope I’m not making an idiot of myself right now, but I would like to see where this thing goes.”
    He looks at me for what feels like forever, until the waitress brings out our food. We sit in silence the entire time while we eat, and by we, I mean him. I can barely touch my food because of the growing pit in my stomach. After he’s done eating, he pays the bill and we walk back out to the car. He still hasn’t said anything and I can feel the growing need to curl up in a ball of shame and cry.
    I practically jump out of the car and run to the door when we pull up to the house. Just as I’m about to turn the knob, I feel a set of hands grab my hips and I let out a shriek. I turn my head to the side and Shawn’s face is only an inch from mine. My heartbeat immediately speeds up, having him this close to me with his hands where they are is torture.
    “What if we give this a try and it doesn’t work?” he whispers in my ear, his hot breath giving me goose bumps all over.
    “What if we give it a try and it does?” His fingers dig into my hipbones in response. I turn to face him, wrapping my arms around his neck.
    He walks me backward, presses me against the door, and kisses me. His lips are so soft and his tongue immediately finds its way into my mouth. He completely dominates me the same way he had earlier. When he pulls away, I can barely catch my breath.
    “Okay, let’s give it a try.”
    When I look into his eyes, he gives me a smile and then walks back to his truck. I stand there like an idiot until he pulls away and turns the corner. Before I can even reach the handle of the door, it flies open and Holly is standing there.
    “Holy shit, that was hot.”
    She grabs my hand and pulls me into the house. When we get to the living room, I see Nicole is home, too, and has just as big of a smile on her face. Privacy is so not something you can have when you live with your best