Read Online Nerds on Fire by D.R. Grady - Free Book Online Page B

early.” A note in her tone suggested he was a little
off his rocker.
    “ I’ve been thinking, and I
wanted this out in the open.”
    She stepped aside so he could enter
the house. The sound of the shutting door made him stiffen. At
least after the next few unpleasant minutes he would be
free.
    The scent of an expensive men’s
cologne filtered subtly through the air. If he was a betting man
and went looking through the house, Rylan would bet the man was
still here.
    So Chrissy was dangling at least one
man on the side. This knowledge wasn’t the surprise it should have
been. Another wave of utter relief washed over him.
    Her face softened as her eyes met his.
Through the soft look, he now clearly saw the hardness, the
constant calculating beneath it. That he had ever fallen for this
woman in the first place appalled him. It was evident he had been
taken in by a professional, but now that he saw her for what she
was, he couldn’t not see those traits. To add credence to this, the
other man’s cologne continued to swirl around them, further
reminding him of his idiocy.
    “ I have discovered I don’t
love you, Chrissy.”
    She stiffened.
“ What? ”
    “ I don’t love you so there
is no reason why we should marry.” It was easier to just blurt his
thoughts out.
    “ You came here to end our
engagement?” The tears started next. As per Chrissy, they were a
delicate, feminine assault. They didn’t smudge her makeup and there
weren’t many but she was even lovelier with those unshed tears
brimming her eyes.
    “ I came here to end
our relationship .”
    “ I can’t believe you would
do this to me.” She did look stunned, like this had never happened
before.
    “ It’s not right for two
people to marry who don’t love each other.” His eyes swept her
face. “ We don’t
love each other.”
    Rage flashed through her eyes so he
wasn’t surprised when she yanked off his ring and flung it at him
in a fit of temper. More of her attractive facade peeled away to
reveal her true self. He snatched the diamond out of the air before
it hit him. As he dropped the heavy ring into his pocket, Rylan was
again reassured he had made the right decision.
    There was nothing she could say or do,
and they both knew it. Especially in light of the other man she was
entertaining. It explained why she hadn’t wanted Rylan to come to
her house at this time of day. Perhaps Chrissy entertained men all
day long, he didn’t actually know.
    “ Goodbye Chrissy. I’m sorry
it had to end this way.”
    Her nod was stiff, but she had
recovered herself. Although she continued to look shocked as he
turned away.
    Another surge of absolute relief
nearly sent him to his knees.
    With restraint he didn’t feel, he let
himself out of the house, freer than he had been in months. Not
since becoming ensnared in her net. The good thing was now he knew
firsthand how women like Chrissy worked and he was thankful to
leave unscathed.
    It would have been much harder if he
had to go through a divorce lawyer to retain his company. He would
have never married Chrissy without a tight prenuptial agreement,
but it still would have been a nightmare.
    With what felt like a new lease on
life, he hurried to his car and then backed out of her driveway. He
pointed the car toward home and arrived a moment before
Trixi.
    She cocked a brow at him and he spread
his hands as they entered the house together. “It’s over. I’m no
longer in a relationship with Chrissy.”
    “ Congratulations.” She
hugged him tight. “I’m so happy for you.”
    “ Unbelievably, so am I .”
    She laughed as they hung their jackets
then turned to the kitchen. “Gran called. She wants us to come
Friday evening for supper.”
    “ Miriam and Johnny are
still there?”
    “ Yes. Although it sounded
like they found a house and are just waiting to close on
it.”
    He nodded. “Good. I’m glad they’re
here to stay.”
    “ Me too. We have to let
Gran know if we can come or not.”
    “