CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
Griffin
Four weeks after I was reminded not to take my wife for granted, I sat with Scarlett at Amelia and Quentin’s dining table. We’d just finished dinner and were enjoying an after dinner drink. I was feeling pretty mellow actually.
Scarlett was on a high from her author reading at the library, and I was feeling far more relaxed than I had been just two weeks earlier.
One of my partners had decided to play hardball with Oliphant. He went above him at the planning office, and we'd been allocated a new planning officer who wasn't trying to extract what he could out of us to get what he wanted.
“So we have news,” Amelia said as Quentin clasped her hand at the table.
Scarlett dropped her glass with a thud. “You’re pregnant,” she guessed.
Amelia nodded, and Scarlett let out a little cry of happiness before pushing back her chair to run around the table. The two women hugged, speaking to each other so fast I couldn't keep up. Instead, I stood up to meet Quentin and held out my hand. I was glad for my friend.
He deserved everything he wanted in life.
Quentin took my hand and surprised me by pulling me in for a manly hug. I chuckled and slapped him on the shoulder before pulling back. “Congratulations, my friend.”
“Thanks.” He grinned. “I’m scared shitless.”
“As all smart men would be.”
We let go of each other so Scarlett could hug Quentin and I could embrace Amelia. When we settled back at the table, Scarlett asked Amelia how far along she was.
“Sixteen weeks.”
Our wives talked what felt like another language for a while, and Quentin and I shared bemused looks.
“So what about you two?” Amelia suddenly asked.
I tensed.
Scarlett frowned. “What about us?”
“When are you going to start trying?”
“Jesus, Amelia, way put them on the spot,” Quentin threw her a ‘be quiet’ look.
"It's fine," Scarlett assured them and then turned to me. Her expression was tender. She could make me do anything when she looked at me like that.
Blasted woman.
"We're good," she reached for my hand, and I curled mine around hers. "I think we're going to spend the next few years selfishly enjoying each other before we think about that."
Pleased as fuck, I murmured, "I'm not going to argue with that."
I wanted a family with Scarlett, but I wanted her to myself for a while longer yet.
It was good we were on the same page.
“You two are so in love it’s sickening,” Amelia wrinkled her nose at us and then at her husband, “No wonder people got tired of being around us if we’re like that.”
He just grinned at her.
Scarlett laughed.
And that was all I needed.
My wife. Beside me. Laughing.
◆◆◆
Scarlett
A few days after Amelia and Quentin told us their happy news it was my day off and I was at the club. I’d been in the kitchen discussing next week’s menu with Chef when one of the wait staff who had been sent up with the mid-morning snack I’d sent to Griff came scurrying in, pale-faced.
“Jack,” I called out. “Something wrong?”
He blanched at the sight of me. “No, Mrs. Mandeville.”
Xavier came hurrying into the kitchen. He searched the room and pinched his lips when he saw Jack. “Are you alright?”
“I’m fine.” Jack nodded.
“What’s going on?”
Xavier glanced around at the listening staff. “Mrs. Mandeville, I’d like to discuss the changes you suggested to the Hazard room.”
Changes? I hadn’t suggested any changes—Oh.
i.e. ‘we need to talk in private.'
I nodded and followed him out into the quiet foyer. “What’s going on?”
“Perhaps you would like to see to Mr. Mandeville.” He kept a straight face. “Jack, unfortunately, entered his office first without knocking while Mr. Mandeville was in the middle of an important call and then he preceded to spill soda water all over your husband’s lap.”
I covered my mouth, not knowing whether I wanted to gasp in horror or laugh. Amusement tinged my words. "Oh, poor Jack."
“Yes. Mr. Mandeville fired him.”
"Oh." I winced. "Please, you go speak to Jack and tell him he's not fired. But do remind him to knock first." I could only imagine the more private things he could walk in on if he didn't. "I'll go see to Griff."
To save time I took the elevator and not wanting my head snapped off for interrupting him, I walked into his third-floor office without knocking. His scowl cleared when he saw it was me. He was standing at his desk, talking on his cell.
“Yes, I understand,” he said on the phone. “We’ll talk later.”
He hung up and gestured to his suit pants. “Soda water. All over me.”
I bit my lip. “I know.”
Griff narrowed his eyes. “It’s not funny. The boy is incompetent.”
Shutting his door, I strode over to him. "It sounds like you were annoyed before he spilled water on your lap."
He shook his head, throwing the cell on his desk. “Remind me never to take on two construction projects at once. Just when I think one is going smoothly, the other derails.”
I frowned. “What’s happening?”
“Nothing.” He waved off my concern. “It’s fixable. Just a pain in the arse.”
“Well.” I stepped into him and reached for the top button on his pants. “I know a way to get you out of these wet pants and relax you.”
He slid his hands over my hips and ass, his lids lowering over his eyes. “Oh really.”
I nodded and deliberately yanked down the zip next.
His cock thickened.
Squirming with want, I lowered to my knees as I pulled his pants and boxers down to his ankles.
“Fuck, Scarlett, what are you doing?” he stroked my hair as his erection bobbed above me.
“Stress reliever,” I replied. And then I slid his hot, throbbing erection into my mouth.
“Jesus,” he groaned, his hands threading tightly through my hair for leverage as he began to fuck my mouth.
I devoured him. Sucking hard. Licking the throbbing vein on the underside. He was too big to fit in my mouth entirely so I licked and sucked as much as I could while using my hand to pump the base and massage his balls.
“Fuck, look at you,” his chest heaved. “Look at you take me.”
I looked up at him as I sucked him and felt him swell even more as our eyes connected.
“I love you,” Griff’s hips moved faster. “Goddammit, I love you.”
So lost in each other we never heard the knock.
“Oh my God!” a feminine voice shrieked.
“Christ!” Griff tried unsuccessfully to cover me as he popped out of my mouth.
Evangeline Pierce stood in the doorway, looking horrified.
“Oh my God,” she repeated before slapping a hand over her eyes and stumbling out of the room. Xavier’s arm appeared—just his arm—and the door slammed closed.
My cheeks were flushed, but I had to admit I wasn't embarrassed.
Female possessiveness swept through me.
Griff gave me an apologetic look. “I forgot I had an appointment with her today.”
“She can wait.” I slid his cock back into my mouth.
"You can't be serious… shit, you're serio—fuck, Scarlett," he groaned and just like that he was back to fucking my mouth. Broadway star forgotten.
After he came and tried his best to clean up with some tissue, he gave me a faintly admonishing look as I got up off my knees. Zipping his pants back up he sighed. “You kept going deliberately.”
“Of course I did.” I pressed a kiss to his mouth. “If she’s still out there I wanted her to hear me make you come.”
He smirked, enjoying my possessiveness. “Darling, she saw you giving me a blowjob. I think that whatever point you ever wanted to make to her, that probably did it.”
I laughed and nodded. “Yeah, you’re probably right.”
“Our appointment today was to discuss her closing her membership before the year is over. She hasn’t gotten much use out of it.”
"Meaning," I helped him set himself to rights, "She didn't get what she wanted. You."
“I don’t know that.”
“I do.”
“Hmm.” He kissed my nose. “I need to clean up and change my clothes. Will you see to our guest while I change?”
"Oh, that's mean," I huffed.
“What happened to your earlier bravado?” he teased.
I rolled my eyes. "Fine. Change. I'll see to Ms. Pierce."
Thankfully, however, I was informed by Xavier Ms. Pierce had left and would call to arrange another appointment.
“I tried to ask her to wait for Mr. Mandeville’s response before entering the office, Mrs. Mandeville, but she barged past me.”
"Well, that's what she gets for being rude."
"Yes, Mrs. Mandeville. And I'd like to assure I didn't see anything."
I patted him on the shoulder. "And for that, we're all grateful."
“Yes, indeed, Mrs. Mandeville.”
Griff returned to his office, and I told him Evangeline Pierce had left. I also told him her bursting in wasn't Xavier's fault.
“People need to learn to knock,” he muttered.
“And I need to learn to lock your door when I plan on going down on you in your office.”
“Dirty girl,” he threw me a wicked smile before settling in his chair.
“I’ll let you get on with work. Do you feel more relaxed?”
“You know it. Thank you.”
I gave him a pleased smile and headed toward his door.
“I’ll repay the favor this evening,” Griff said quietly.
Glancing over my shoulder at him I nodded. “You always do.”
His expression softened. “I love you.”
Warmth, joy, bliss, all the good stuff, suffused me. “I love you, too.”