Page 63 of Griffin

I chew on my lip as he pulls into his driveway.

“What are we doing here?”

“Actions have consequences, Ivy. Come with me.”

Griffin’s gaze slides over me before he exits the truck, and my heart thunders in my chest with excitement.

He doesn’t even look back as he heads into his house, leaving me alone in the car.

I climb out, trying to tug my dress down when it catches on the door, tearing a giant hole into it.

“Shit!” I curse, yanking it away from the door with frustration.

I stride to Griffin’s door, opening it to see him waiting for me in the kitchen, his gaze resting on my ripped dress.

“What happened?” He frowns, all playfulness gone from his eyes.

“I tore my dress on your stupid car door,” I mutter, staring down at my bare thigh and panties, now evident through the tear. “I look like a tramp!”

Griffin walks toward me, stroking my face with his calloused fingers.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean for that to happen.”

“You didn’t mean for your car to tear my dress?” I arch an eyebrow at him.

“No,” he says, a smile playing on his lips. “I wanted to bring you in and bend you over my knee for being so bad.”

I stare at him, unsure if he’s serious or not.

“But since you’re here, and your dress is ripped and all … ” Griffin shrugs, moving closer to me. “You should probably stay.”

I gaze into his eyes, confusion tugging at my heart.

“You’ve asked me to babysit Melody so you can go out on a date, Griffin.” I cross my arms as he stares at me, a pissed expression on his face.

“Don’t you want me to go on the date?” Griffin asks softly, moving closer to me. “I don’t have to.”

Uh oh.

“You don’t want me, though,” I say, trembling. “You said you did in the garden, but the other night you said we can’t happen.”

Griffin tilts my chin so I’m staring into his deep brown eyes.

“I don’t want to be the reason you stay in this town.”

I gape at him as he looks at me sadly.

“What?!” I whisper, cupping his face in my hands. “You mean this is aboutmeleaving town?”

Griffin nods, his fingers stroking my arm as he does.

“Yeah, and the fact your dad will kill us both. Plus, it will confuse Melody.”

“Then we don’t tellanyone.”

Griffin looks down at me, his breathing getting heavier with every second.

“I don’t want to keep you a secret.”