Graham (Scandalous Boys Book 2) Read Online Free Page B

with Sarah?”
    My uncle Paul nods. My auntie Heather smiles. “Hello, Graham. How have you been, hon?”
    “I’ve been good.”
    Auntie Heather waves me off. “Go on, dear.”
    I glance up at Graham and push away from the table. He helps me out of my chair, which surprises me, but it also makes me melt. Just a little.
    This isn’t good for me. I will not get caught up in the game. I will not fall harder for Graham than is necessary. I need to let these feelings I have for him go. Get some closure and be done.
    He guides me out into the garden area, where blue and white flowers cascade around us and twinkly lights weave overhead. It makes me think of the perfect place to have a wedding. “It seems we’re going to keep running into each other,” Graham says in an irritated tone.
    I flinch. “I suppose so. Wait, why? Aren’t you returning to school? Oh God, is your mom sick or something?”
    Graham glares at me. “No, my mom is perfectly fine. I’m just not returning to school right now. I’ve got some things I have to take care of, which is none of your concern. Figured the decent thing to do was to warn you. So we might as well get used to this. Us seeing each other. We can pretend we don’t know one another. So I won’t say your name or hello. You can do the same.”
    I drop my gaze to my feet and sigh. “Okay. If that’s what you want I understand.”
    “Jesus, Sarah, you ripped my heart out and handed it back to me mangled. What did you expect here?”
    I shake my head. “Nothing. I know what I did was wrong. Hurting you will be one of my many big regrets, but I can’t focus on that. So, for what it’s worth, I’m sorry.” I feel the hot sting of tears sliding down my face. I will not look Graham in the eye so he can see the effect he has on me. So I swipe my hands against my cheeks and pretend I’m just brushing my own hair out of my face. Then I head off to the restroom.
    Trust me, I want to get a glance of his face the moment I confess that hurting him was a huge mistake. But I can’t. Doing so would leave me more open to his wounding words than ever. What if he said something cruel like, “Good, that’s what you get.” Believe me, I know it’s all on me, but to know that I’d ruined any shot with him forever? To confirm how much he hates me? It would probably kill me. What’s worse, I feel like he was the only one here who got closure. How the hell can I possibly move on while I feel like my heart was thrown in a blender and then served right back to me? Heart à la mode, anyone?
    I splash some cool water on my face and run a dry paper towel under my eyes. I check my appearance and then return to our table as if nothing happened.

Chapter Five
     
    Graham
     
     
    It’s been almost a week since my last run-in with Sarah. I need to stay away from her. When she talks I want to claim her mouth. When she looks at me with those cunning blue eyes I get caught up on how the light changes them, kind of like the ocean. Then part of me has this strong urge to punish her for fucking around on me. Tease the hell out of her and make her beg for me to take her against a wall.
    Snatching up a few items on my grocery list, I make my way to the checkout. Not just anyone’s—hers. Another clerk opens up a station, but I tell the people in front and behind me to go over to the lane with no line. Why? Because as much as I want to stay the hell away from Sarah I can’t. I want to see her blush, fidget, and get all worked up like she was at the restaurant.
    Besides, I don’t have to say hello. I set my things on the rotating belt and put a plastic spacer between my order and the next person’s.
    A tall dude with a red tie stalks up behind Sarah and whispers in her ear. I tighten my fists. He shouldn’t be so close. He shouldn’t have his mouth inches away from her secret, sensitive area. That’s mine. Even fuckwad Ryan didn’t have a claim to that spot. Nope. All me. Sarah nods and then flips off her