Page 91 of Getting Down to Business

“You’re right. Do you want to ditch?” He was giving her an out, which was one of the reasons she wanted to do this for him more than anything. Because he never expected anything from her.

“No.” She shook her head and looked out the window. The truth was she wanted to meet his family. She wanted to meet the parents that had raised a guy who was so secure with who he was and what he wanted. She wondered if nurturing dripped off them.

Gray leaned down in his seat so he could kiss her cheek and speak softly into her ear.

“I would never ask you to lie, but I’m just saying it might be easier to let my mother assume whatever it is she wants rather than trying to explain it.”

“You’re probably right. Especially since, after adequate research, I’m still unable to find a suitable label.”

“Me either. What’s up with that?” He pulled away a little to look at her.

“I don’t know. Apparently, we are the only two people on the planet who have ever been content to enjoy friendship and sex without forcing it to be more.”

He nodded as he looked at the seat in front of him.

“I do worry I’m the weakest link. I’ve never done anything like this before. I’ve always ended up in a committed relationship. I had good role models in that department, which you’ll see this weekend. My parents have always been happy together. I always assumed it was easy because they made it seem that way. I thought I’d get married and have a family—complete with the dog. I didn’t even consider another way. Not until you. I’m happy with you, Liss. I’m trying my best not to mess up what we have because it’s better than any of the actual relationships I’ve ever had. Even though we refuse to call it a relationship.”

“I think awareness is the key.” As it is for most things. “I’m nervous about meeting your family, even though I’ve been pretending it’s not a big deal. I want them to like me.” The truth just blurted out of her mouth.

“No pressure from me.”

“I know, but I still want them to like me. And if I were being honest, part of it is because I don’t want to make things difficult for you.”

“I appreciate that. My concern is more about them liking you more than me. Then at some point, when I show up alone or with someone else, I’ll be lectured for letting you get away.”

“Should I not be lovable?” She grinned at him innocently.

“Do you think you could manage that?” He looked down at her and laughed.

“Probably not. I’m afraid it’s not something I can control.”

“Just be yourself and I’ll deal with the fallout if it ever comes to that.”

“If?” Her brows creased.

“We have a pretty good thing going here, Liss. Haven’t you ever considered the possibility that we could just continue on indefinitely, growing old in this arrangement?”

“I guess I never thought about long term. That was kind of the whole point. That there was no pressure to make it work.”

“What do you think now?” he asked, his tone turning extremely serious.

“I assumed at some point, one of us would want more, and would move on in search of someone who could give them that.”

“Did you assume the person who would be moving on would be me?”

“Yeah.”

“Because you’re not able to heal?” he asked quietly. She nodded without looking at him. “I hope that’s not true. I can’t imagine how it was for you. I think about Jade, my last girlfriend, and I try to think of how it would feel to find out she’d committed some heinous crime. Even my girlfriend and best friend fooling around behind my back for years was not on that level of betrayal. I wish I could help.”

“Believe it or not, you are. You haven’t tried to push me into more than I was willing to give. It was the main reason I was reluctant to move in. But it’s working. At least it is for me.” She glanced up at him asking a silent question. Maybe this wasn’t working for him.

“I’m not looking to make any changes. I know it’s weird, but I feel safer with you than anyone else I’ve been in an official committed relationship with. Maybe it’s like you said, there’s no pressure in having to keep it together.” He laughed as if surprised by this information. Alyssa felt herself relax. He wasn’t holding out hope that she’d wake up and ask him to go steady.

“Then there’s nothing to worry about,” she said with a little snort. Ever since that icy afternoon when the cops shoved Donnie up against the cruiser and cuffed him, she had done nothing but worry. She hadn’t realized it had gone on so long.

“Nothing at all.”

They spent the rest of the trip sharing ear buds and listening to Alyssa’s iPod. Occasionally, Gray would sing to her, making her giggle. She smacked him in the shoulder to make him quiet down before the other passengers complained.