Page 30 of Grumpy Spring Sunshine
And like last time, Caleb wasn’t having it.
I really did hate that he was the voice of reason from time to time.
It was annoying.
“Why can’t you just let me whine, huh? Why do you always have to be this way?”
“It’s my charm. It’s also why we get along. You’re too bubbly, but you are so rash.”
I took a sip of my drink, glaring at him.
“Don’t make me disown you, I can still do that.”
He chuckled, taking his own drink, which stopped halfway to his mouth. I frowned, watching him before having someone grab me by my arm and haul me out of the chair.
The hand was rough, but the tingle that raced from it told me exactly who it was.
And if that wasn’t the case, the kiss planted on my lips and the hand holding the back of my hair told me all I needed to know.
And while I didn’t want to melt into him or this kiss, that’s exactly what I did. I groaned, holding onto his waist as I kissed him back like a man starving.
Moments later, after a few cat calls, he pulled away, his head resting against my forehead.
“I’m sorry, I am so fucking sorry.”
Man, those words, that tone…was all my undoing and I wanted to cave, wanted to give in. But a voice clearing behind me told me I couldn’t do that either.
“So, what, Keith? You think some kisses and an apology is going to make me forgive you?”
“Hell no, not by a long shot. But I’m hoping it opens the door to let you hear me out.”
“Okay, that was a good line, I’ll hear you out.”
“I’m scared, sunshine. You turn my life upside down. I thought I wanted to be a grump, I still do, but not with you. I want to laugh, to smile, to be happy. And I want you to do that. Fuck, you’re the only one who can do that.
“No one gets me like you and no one ever will. You talked about me possibly finding someone who would capture my heart. Well, sunshine, you did. And you haven’t let it go. I wanted to keep it, to hold onto it because I thought it was fragile. But the truth is, the day I saw you down the street with that big smile on our face and your blonde hair pulled back, I was done for. It was all you. You took my heart that day.
“And you’ve had it ever since. I don’t deserve you. I’m far from perfect. I can be loud and arrogant and a fool ten times over. But what I won’t do is run anymore. I won’t push you away when things get tough or questionable. Because without you by my side, my heart doesn’t beat. And that’s never good for any man.
“I’m begging you, sunshine, to give me one more shot. One more shot to hold your big, beautiful heart in my hands and show you how precious it is. Because I love you, so fucking much, and I don’t want to let you go. Now or ever.
“And if it means I have to fight your date to win you back and spend the rest of my life making it up to you, I will.”
“Damnit, Keith,” I muttered, wrapping my arms around him and kissing him again.
He moaned, lifting me up and I giggled against his lips.
“Is that a ‘you’ll forgive me’?”
“That’s a ‘you got a lot of making up to do and we’ll see if I forgive you’.”
He sat me back down, his finger tapping his cheek and he nodded.
“I can work with that, because it’s not a no. I really am sorry, sunshine. I screwed this up.”
“You bet your ass you did,” Caleb said, standing behind me. “I don’t take kindly to seeing my best friend hurt. Screw up again, Keith, and you’re answering to me.”
“As if you’re going to do anything about it. You’re all talk anyway.” I turned to the woman coming up next to Keith, her arms crossed.
