redeeming cupid 01 - struck by eros by jenn windrow Read Free Book Online

affection.
    I looked up and Len’s matching red arrow floated over a woman in black-lycra, running pants and a sports bra. The sweat on her six-pack abs only made her look sexier. She tucked her stylishly short, blonde hair behind her ear and adjusted her ear buds while waiting in line.
    My heart flip-flopped and landed in a puddle of despair.
    I quickly glanced at Len to see if he noticed, but he had his nose buried in his phone, checking emails. When he finished, he tweaked the tip of my nose. “I’ll be right back.” He left in the direction of the bathrooms and the opposite direction of his soul mate.
    “Are you all right?” Grayson leaned across the table and placed his hand on mine. His usual cocky grin replaced with a pity-filled frown.
    The shake of my head started out slow, as if I was unsure, but picked up speed when I finally realized I wasn’t all right. Not even a little bit. Not even at all.
    “Maybe you should go home. It’ll be an easy set up, I can handle it on my own.”
    If I left now, Grayson would push Len in Little-Miss-Lycra’s direction and then I would lose the man I loved. Could I handle life without Len? Life without Len meant putting my heart out there. Opening myself up to more hurt. Len wouldn’t hurt me. He was safe and secure and comfortable and uncomplicated. That’s why I wasn’t leaving.
    “I’m fine.” I spun the ice in my drink faster and faster to conceal how un-fine I actually was.
    Grayson studied Len’s matching arrow while she waited for her order. “At least she’s pretty.”
    “So am I.”
    “She’s available. You’re not.”
    “You don’t know that,” I interrupted, looking for any reason why she wasn’t the better woman for Len. “And even if she is available, Len’s engaged to me.” I pointed to Len’s intended with my spoon. “Cupid made a mistake putting you and me together, maybe she’s a mistake, too.”
    Grayson’s finger inched closer to mine, but I put my hands in my lap before we touched. He pulled his hand back and let out an almost silent laugh, but not silent enough that I didn’t notice his amusement. “So, typical Scenario Eight. I follow her when she leaves and stall her. You bring Len out. We make sure they bump into each other and pow .” He clapped his hands together. “They’re connected.”
    I had no interest in making sure they were connected. No interest in watching Len walk out of my life hand-in-hand with another woman. No interest in having my heart shattered into a trillion pieces. Again. But vocalizing my feelings would get me placed on the sideline, while Grayson hooked Len up with his supposed soul mate.
    I should have fought against Cupid when all this soul mate nonsense started. The moment that gold arrow struck me in the behind. The moment I first saw Grayson sitting on that green park bench and felt the undeniable attraction to him. Damn it, I wasn’t going to allow Cupid to screw me anymore.
    Not today. Not tomorrow. Not ever.
    Here’s hoping I had a big enough set of cojones to go against Cupid’s plans.
    Len returned to the table and we all stood. “Ready for that lunch?” He checked his watch. “I don’t have another class for over an hour. What did you have in mind?”
    Sneaking you out the back door and hiding you away from your perfect match. “That little Greek place around the corner.”
    Len’s match grabbed her coffee and headed out the door. Grayson extended his hand to Len. “Nice to meet you. Good luck with the marriage.” He laid his hand on my shoulder. I shrugged it off. “Get the job done.”
    The smile I gave him was faker than our relationship. “This job is more complicated.”
    “It’s rather simple for someone with your particular skill set.” Grayson turned his back on us and followed Len’s intended out the door.
    It would be simple if I had any intention of following the rules.
    “Is he always that demanding?”
    I hooked my arm through Len’s. “He likes to think