Almost in Love (27 page)

He got in Griffin's face. “You got a problem with teachers? Because in case you hadn't noticed, Steph and I are both teachers.”

“I don't got a problem with teachers,” Griffin shot back. He put his hands on Dave's chest and gave him a shove. “I got a problem with a guy horning in on my woman.”

Dave shoved back, but Griffin didn't budge.
Dammit
. He vowed to begin lifting weights this weekend. “Then there's no problem because she's not your woman.”

“Maybe we should take this outside,” Griffin said, challenge in his eyes.

Steph stepped between them. “Enough! Griff, you've met Dave, so now you can sign the papers. I won't ask for a cent from you.”

Griffin eyed Dave. “I’m not losing my wife to a geek like you.”

“She deserves better than a player like you,” Dave spat.

He’d seen Griffin on plenty of tabloid covers at the supermarket with models in bikinis. Steph was more beautiful than any of them. And he’d been lucky enough to see her in her underwear, so he knew. This guy was a complete and total moron not to see what he’d had in Steph. Plus she was smart and nice, which was also important to a guy seeking a partner, not just a fuck buddy, though he still wanted to be both to Steph. Badly.
Dammit.
Why did Griffin have to show up before Dave had managed to get Steph into bed? Him and his stupid morals. What kind of chance did he stand against a famous rock star? Rock stars could do whatever the hell they wanted and get away with it.

He was still mentally berating himself when Griffin snapped his fingers right in Dave’s face. Dave met his eyes and scowled.

Griffin crossed his arms. “I said,” he drawled, “game on,
geek
.”

Dave's hackles rose. He was very competitive and always won the online chess and scrabble games he played with the best players the Internet had to offer. “Game fucking on!”

“Dave!” Steph exclaimed.

Dave glanced at her and went back to staring down his opponent. “I'm not afraid of a little competition.” Bluffing was very important in one-on-one male confrontations. He lifted his chin to look down at the enemy. “I was a mathlete in high school.”

Griffin burst out laughing.

Dave shoved him. Caught off guard, Griffin stumbled back.

“You’ll pay for that,” Griffin said, charging toward Dave.

Dave quickly took refuge behind the sofa. Griffin leaped over it, grabbed him, and they hit the floor with a thud.

“Griff!” Steph shouted. “Get off him this minute!”

“Ahh,” Griffin moaned, grabbing one of Steph’s hands. She had both her hands in his long hair and was pulling pretty hard if his eyelids lifting into weird, curving slits was any indication. He got off Dave, assisted by Steph’s grip on his hair.

“Both of you get out,” Steph said, hustling them toward the door. “There's a ridiculous amount of testosterone in here. I can't believe two grown men are acting this way.”

Griffin grabbed his jacket. “This isn't over,” he told Steph before walking out the door.

After the door shut behind Griffin, Dave turned to Steph to explain his manly display. “I can't let him treat you that way.”

Steph shook her head. “Just go.”

“I’m not giving up,” Dave said fiercely. “He doesn’t deserve you.” He would fight for the woman he loved. And he would win.

“Bye, Dave.” She pushed him through the doorway and shut the door in his face.

He stood there for a minute, calculating his chances of getting back into her apartment, decided they weren't good, and headed downstairs. Thankfully, the limo was already pulling away. He needed time to formulate a plan. The most romantic sweep-her-off-her-feet plan that didn't involve money or rock-star sex appeal.

That should come easily, he didn't have either.

Want to read the rest?
Almost Married
is out now!

The Clover Park Series

THE OPPOSITE OF WILD
(Book 1)

DAISY DOES IT ALL
(Book 2)

BAD TASTE IN MEN
(Book 3)

KISSING SANTA
(Book 4)

RESTLESS HARMONY
(Book 5)

NOT MY ROMEO
(Book 6)

REV ME UP
(Book 7)

AN AMBITIOUS ENGAGEMENT
(Book 8)

The Clover Park STUDS Series

ALMOST IN LOVE
(Book 1)

ALMOST MARRIED
(Book 2)

ALMOST OVER IT
(Book 3)

ALMOST ROMANCE
(Book 4)

Thanks to Big Guy, who told me I had to have a fro-yo guy way back in
Bad Taste in Men
. I’m so glad Barry came to life! Thanks to my hubby and Little Guy for giving me time to write and cheering me on. Thanks to Tessa, Pauline, Mimi, Shannon, Kim, Maura, and Jenn for all you do. Special thanks and virtual hugs to my readers. I couldn’t do any of this without you!

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, brands, media, and incidents are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. The author acknowledges the trademarked status and trademark owners of various products referenced in this work of fiction, which have been used without permission. The publication/use of these trademarks are not authorized, associated with, or sponsored by the trademark owners. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, or persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.

Almost Dating: © 2014 by Kylie Gilmore

Almost in Love: © 2015 by Kylie Gilmore

Excerpt from
Almost Married
© 2015 by Kylie Gilmore

Digital Edition 1.7

Cover design by Rogenna Brewer

Published by: Extra Fancy Books

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the writer, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law.

ISBN-10:
1942238002

ISBN-13:
978-1-942238-00-3

Kylie Gilmore is the
USA Today
bestselling romance author of the Clover Park series and the Clover Park STUDS series. She writes quirky, tender romance with a solid dose of humor.

Kylie lives in New York with her family, two cats, and a nutso dog. When she’s not writing, wrangling kids, or dutifully taking notes at writing conferences, you can find her flexing her muscles all the way to the high cabinet for her secret chocolate stash.

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. Contact Kylie at
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