CHAPTER THIRTEEN
The movement of the bed beneath me roused me from sleep but when I tried to open my eyes they stayed firmly shut.
Ugh, I wasn’t ready to wake up yet.
I heard the rustling of clothes, however, and it threw me right back into last night. Just like that I could feel the aches in my body from my night with Griff.
Griff.
I forced my eyes open, blinking blearily against the light. When I turned in bed I found him standing beside it, dressed in his shoes and pants, buttoning up his shirt. Wariness held me still as he stared down at me.
Last night had been a marathon of sex the likes of which I’d never experienced. It was as if we were never quite satisfied by the last outstanding orgasm, always chasing the next.
Did he regret it?
Griff looked around the room before returning his attention to me. “This room suits you better.”
I smiled at that, pushing myself up into a sitting position. The duvet slipped and I hurried to cover my naked body.
He gave me a knowing look. “No need to hide, Scarlett. I’ve already seen everything.”
“Yes, well,” I gestured to the light blazing in from the French window, “I just wasn’t sure if everything would look different in the light of day.”
Understanding, he walked around the bed and braced his hands on either side of me, forcing me back against the pillow. He gazed deep into my eyes, his expression unreadable until I saw the sparkle of wickedness light them. Reaching for the duvet cover he pulled it down my body, baring my breasts. Those dark eyes of his dipped. My nipples peaked under his study.
Griff’s eyes moved back to mine. “Don’t hide from me. I’m not done looking my fill.”
The words held meaning and I realized he meant for us to continue our physical relationship after all.
I smoothed a hand down his chest. “Why are you dressed then?”
He grimaced and pushed up off the bed. “Because unfortunately Pete sent Xavier with a message that he needs to speak with me immediately. I’ve ordered breakfast to be served in the dining room in an hour. Join me?”
We hadn’t dined together in the apartment for a while. Trying not to feel too pleased about it, I nodded. “Sure.”
Like he couldn’t help himself he leaned down and kissed me. I tangled my tongue with his and moaned into his mouth. He broke the kiss with a curse, his dark brown eyes glittering. “God, you make me hornier than a fucking school boy.”
My lips twisted in smugness and to my delight it made Griff laugh. I grinned and shrugged. “If it makes you feel any better I feel the same.”
“Like a horny school girl?”
I bit my lip, considering it. “I was never really a horny school girl.”
“I don’t believe that for a second. You’re insatiable.” He threw me a smile as he walked back around the bed to grab up his suit jacket. His hair was tousled and there was something different about him. Like the tension he usually carried around with him was gone.
He seemed… relaxed.
“No, really. I remember clearly what sparked my… awakening sexuality for lack of a better phrase.”
Just like that the air around him chilled. “I better get going.”
I frowned, wondering at the change in his demeanor. “It was a book. When I was nineteen. The first historical romance I ever read.”
Griff raised an eyebrow, the chill disappearing as quickly as it arrived. “A book? Nineteen?”
“I was a late bloomer.”
“I’ll say.”
“It’s not that I didn’t have… urges,” I blushed. “Of course I did. When I was fourteen Mel snuck a copy of the movie 300 into the house. I’m not going to lie… it was hot.”
Laughing, he shook his head. “I can just imagine you, blushing from head to toe at all those oiled up abs.”
I snickered. “Yup, that was me.”
“So you were really fourteen then when your sexuality was awakened.”
“Not fully.” I shook my head. “I hadn’t ever…” I thought about last night and how Griff had explored every part of my body. It was liberating. There was really no longer any reason to be insecure or embarrassed about sex around him. “Eric and I had obviously… you know… but I hadn’t ever masturbated until I read that book.”
His breath stuttered and he wrapped a hand around one of the bed posts. He suddenly smoldered. I squeezed my thighs together.
“Do you know how many times I’ve wanked off thinking about you touching yourself that night at the beach house? Until last night it was the sexiest fucking thing I’ve ever seen.” He pushed off the post, his expression suddenly business-like. His words were not. “Tonight I’m going to walk into the penthouse office at ten o’ clock. You’ll be there. Naked. Sitting on my desk with your legs spread. And you’re going to make yourself come for my entertainment.”
My breasts swelled and my nipples pebbled with excitement at the demand. He didn’t miss my reaction and murmured a thick, aroused, “I’ll take that to mean you’ll do just that.”
I nodded and then had to clear my throat to speak, “You better go.”
“Yes, I suppose I must. See you at breakfast.”
As soon as he was out of the room I slumped back on the bed and slid my hand down my stomach to the throb between my legs. I couldn’t believe after last night I could still be this needy.
Suddenly the bedroom door flew open and Griff strode in, looking determined. He slammed it shut behind him before advancing toward me. “I knew you’d do that as soon as I left.” He dragged the duvet off my body and I gasped with the thrill. “And I can’t fucking concentrate thinking about it.”
“But your meeting—ah!” I cried out as he pulled me down the bed and then forced my legs apart.
“Pete can wait.”
And then he buried his head between my thighs, his stubble scratching my skin as his mouth devoured my pussy. That’s how I thought about it now. I couldn’t think of it as anything but my pussy, my cunt. Words Griff had growled and grunted throughout the night, telling me he couldn’t get enough of mine.
“Oh God.” My head flew back against the pillow as my fingers tangled in his hair, pushing him into me, urging him to fuck me with his tongue.
He played me beautifully, circling my clit as he plunged his fingers in and out of my swollen pussy. My cries filled the room as the delicious tension coiled inside me near breaking point.
And then he sucked my clit. Hard.
I screamed, coming so hard I wasn’t aware of anything until the pleasure burn of him pushing inside me sizzled down my spine. My eyes flew open to find him braced over me, his teeth bared in need as he fucked me.
“Fuck, how I can want you this much already after last night?” He groaned, grabbing my wrists and pinning them to the bed.
Shockingly, his thrusts sparked the beginnings of another orgasm. I tried to move, to grasp his ass and pull him deeper but he held me down and took what he wanted.
The fierceness of it, and of his need, was such a turn on.
I blew apart around his driving cock and he made a deep, growling sound before he pulled out. “Scarlett! Fuck!” his cock throbbed and then he shuddered as he came. I felt the warmth of his cum and looked down to see it all over my stomach and breasts.
I looked up at Griff and his chest was rising and falling fast as he tried to catch his breath. His hair fell over his gleaming forehead and he pushed it back.
“I’ll definitely need to shower now,” I teased.
Griff didn’t say anything, his gaze travelling over my body.
“What?”
He tucked his cock back into his pants and zipped up. “Just taking a mental snapshot.”
“You’re filthy.”
“You love it.” He swung off me.
And I did.
***
Breakfast with Griff was fun.
That wasn’t a word I’d normally associate with him unless we were actually having sex but that day he was as relaxed and flirtatious as he had been in the bedroom. We discussed the online article in Elite about our wedding and how we’d probably receive a few invites to different events on the fall social calendar so people could get a good look at us.
“Will we be saying yes to those?”
“Some, yes.” He’d leaned his elbows on the table, having finished a full English breakfast. I guess he had worked up an appetite. “I’ve heard back from my father’s lawyers. They’re sending representatives to interview us in two weeks’ time.”
“What kind of questions will they ask?”
“Likes, dislikes, habits. I’m having my lawyer draw up a list of questions he thinks will be included in the interview and we’ll make sure we know the answers. Otherwise, they’ll be looking for a sense of intimacy between us…” That sensual mouth of his had curled up at the corner. “I’m sure we can manage that.”
Even so, I couldn’t wait for the interviews to be over. It was bad enough lying to people at a distance, but to be straight up asked a question and then lie… I’d inwardly shuddered. I wasn’t looking forward to it at all.
Griff had left to return to work but not without kissing me in a way that he knew would make me think of him for the rest of the day. Not that he needed to. I had the memories of last night. Sex in the library. Sex tied to a bed post, and then sex on the bed. I’d barely fallen asleep when he woke me during the night. I’d been on my side and Griff had pulled me into his hard body, my back to his chest. Cupping my breast, he’d taken me on my side. It wasn’t hard and rough like before. It was a gentle fucking.
It had been awesome.
Four times in one night.
And once more this morning.
Who knew?
Sitting day-dreaming when I should have been job searching, I was jolted from the memories of last night and this morning when my new cell rang. It was Amelia.
“So I heard things are going well between you and Griff,” she said.
Frowning, I wondered how the hell she knew that. “Pardon?”
Amelia tittered. “Gossip travels fast around the club, Scarlett. Quentin’s a member, remember. One of his associates was at the club last night and he passed along to Quentin that everybody could hear you and Griffin having sex in the club library.”
Oh God.
I felt my skin flush hot. I’d hoped that those who had heard would be discreet. “Shit.”
My friend laughed. “Is Griff pissed?”
“Why would he be pissed?”
“That you made him lose control in front of his members. He doesn’t like his private business being passed around as gossip.”
Pissed wasn’t the impression I’d gotten from him. “No. If anything he looked pretty pleased with himself walking out of there.” I told her what had incited his loss of control—Bryce—and how he’d wanted Bryce to hear us.
This delighted Amelia. “Ooh he’s going all territorial on you. That’s a good sign.”
“It is?”
“Of course. I have never known him to be jealous. So… are you together-together now?”
“Amelia, you know it’s not that simple. We’ve decided to give in to our attraction but Griff has made it clear it’s just physical.”
“And you’re okay with that?”
I hadn’t ever had a girlfriend to talk to about these things but I sensed I could share with Amelia. “The sex is… phenomenal. Mind blowing. That alone could tempt a woman.”
“I sense a ‘but’?”
“I’m not going to push him. I’m not going to tell myself that sex will lead to love. But we certainly won’t get anywhere at all if we keep our distance. I feel something powerful for him. I’m not sure what it is yet but I want to explore it… even if it means risking my heart.”
“There have been women in Griff’s past who have had their heart broken by him because they had no idea they were taking a risk with him. They thought they’d be the one to make him fall. But it’s pretty brave of you walking into this knowing there is a huge chance you’ll get your heart broken.”
“My heart has already been broken so many times, I know I’m strong enough to withstand one more break.”
She sighed. “I hope it doesn’t come to that.”
“Yeah. Me neither.” Thinking about last night and Griff’s jealousy reminded me of something else. “Amelia, what do you know of Pete Svenson?”
“Griff’s factotum?”
“The very one.”
“Not a lot. I know Quentin doesn’t seem to like him very much.”
“Hmm.”
“Why? What’s going on?”
“It’s just that he’s been inappropriate with me in the past. He and Griff had words about it but he made it clear to me that he didn’t want me to marry Griff and that he doesn’t want me around. He doesn’t know about our arrangement but I think he’s guessed something isn’t quite right. Maybe I’m being paranoid but I think he’s keeping an eye on me. Every time I had a chat with Bryce this week, suddenly Griff was there. That’s why he got angry in the library—he thought I was deliberately seeking out Bryce and flirting with him. When I asked how he knew where I was he said Pete told him. And not just that time. Does that sound like a coincidence to you?”
“No, that sounds like someone trying to cause trouble between you and Griff. Hmm.” She was silent a moment and then she muttered, “Why wouldn’t he want you around?”
“I don’t know. I thought maybe you might know something about him that could shed some light.”
“I don’t. But I’ll ask Quentin.”
“Oh no, don’t. I don’t want Griff to think I’m investigating his employee. Things are good between us right now.”
“I’ll be discreet with Quentin, I promise.”
“It’s not a big deal.”
“Which is why I’ll make sure I don’t make it a big deal when I talk to Quentin. Now have you seen the photo of you and Griff on Elite’s website? You look like a Hollywood couple. You both are annoyingly gorgeous.”
I laughed. I let her distract me with society gossip, talking to me about people I didn’t know and was soon to meet.