Shades of Gray by Brooke McKinley

Author:Brooke McKinley [McKinley, Brooke]
Language: eng
Format: epub, pdf
Publisher: ePub Bud (www.epubbud.com)
Published: 2013-05-13T00:00:00+00:00

Shades of Gray | 161

“DANNY… Danny?”

“Hmmm, what?” Danny barely glanced up from his plate. His mind was a million miles away, but if pressed, he wouldn’t be able to name a single thought inside his head.

“I was thinking, when my supervised release is over next year, maybe we could get a place together.”

Danny’s head bobbed up to find Griff observing him with neutral eyes. Someone who didn’t know him would think he didn’t care at all about Danny’s answer. But Danny knew better. He caught the little muscle jumping at the corner of Griff’s mouth, the way it always did when he was nervous. Danny had seen that particular twitch more than a few times in the months they’d spent behind bars, when trouble came at them from all directions.

“Well, what do you think?” Griff prodded, when Danny failed to respond.

“I’m married.”

Griff snorted out a laugh. “Since when? Last I heard, you were separated. You honestly think you and Amanda are going to try again?”

“No,” Danny admitted.

“Then what’s the problem?”

“What about you? You really willing to give up all the women 162 | Brooke McKinley

you haven’t slept with yet?”

“Don’t make this about me,” Griff said, his voice gone quiet. A sure sign he was getting pissed. “I’m ready to give up women, and the rest of the men too. What are you ready for, Danny?” Danny had known this conversation was coming, ever since Griff had gotten out of Leavenworth six months ago. They’d been seeing a lot of each other, even though it was a violation of their terms of supervised release. Having Griff around was comforting to Danny, made him feel less alone in the wake of Amanda’s leaving, taking herself and all her familiar habits to a new apartment across the city.

But comforting was one thing… and making a life together was something else entirely.

“It’s too dangerous,” Danny said. “I don’t want you to get involved in my work.”

Griff leaned back, tossing his hair out of his eye. “Why don’t you give me a reason that isn’t complete bullshit? How about that?”

“It’s not bullshit!”

“Danny, you know the life I’ve had. You know the crap I’ve been mixed up in. There’s nothing you can put in my way that I haven’t seen before. I can handle it.”

“I just—” Danny cut his eyes away, watching two girls at the bar smooth on lipstick, giggling to each other behind their cupped hands.

“I just don’t think we’re right for each other. I don’t think we have what it takes. Not in the long run.”

Danny would always be grateful to Griff for being his friend, for watching his back in Leavenworth, for never judging him. But he couldn’t tell Griff that without risking a fist in the face. Those were words no man in love wanted to hear—no matter how heartfelt, those sentiments would only sound like pity.

Griff finished his cigarette, eyes on the table. Danny twirled his now-cold pasta around and around his fork without taking a single bite.

“Okay,” Griff said. “You want to end this, then?” Shades of Gray | 163

“Not the friendship.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.