Page 52 of Playboy Billionaire

“But Griffin, we both have to be on set early tomorrow morning, and I haven’t studied my lines. I have Archie to think about too.”

He turned, his eyes burning with intensity. “Won’t Dolly watch him for another night?”

He caught a flash of longing flicker across her face, “I’m not sure it’s such a good idea…this is moving too fast. I wouldn’t trade our time yesterday on the boat for anything in the world, but now it’s time to get back to reality.”

He turned in his seat to face her, then reached across and brushed his knuckles along her jaw, “Too fast for who? Not for me. I want to be with you. I want you in my bed tonight.”

“Griffin, where do you think this is all going to lead?”

“I’m not thinking about that, I’m thinking about now. I’m thinking about you curled up next to me, in my arms all night long.”

“All I can see are the reasons we should be putting on the brakes,” she admitted.

“I get that, but can we just see where this takes us? Baby come home with me, be with me, I need you tonight.”

Penelope bit her bottom lip, obviously weighing her choices. She lifted her gaze, meeting his eyes and slowly smiled, “You win. I’ll call Dolly; if she’s okay with it, I’ll come home with you.”

He grinned broadly before starting up the car. As the powerful engine roared to life, she made the call.

* * *

After dinner they decided to watch the sunset from the beach. The last sliver of the orange globe had just sunk into the sea. “That sunset was incredible, like a wildfire in the sky,” Penelope said. They had spread a blanket out on the sand to watch the spectacular show of fiery reds, oranges and yellows, as colorful as any artist’s palette.

“Let’s take a walk,” Griffin said.

He jumped up and reached down, hauling her to her feet. He didn’t release her hand, just intertwined his fingers through hers. The soft sand was still warm from the sun, and the stars emerged as night fell. It was high tide and they wandered to the edge where the waves kissed the shore.

“Griffin, where do you see yourself a year from now?”

“I have no idea. Before this film came along, I’d been restless…thinking about a change of address.”

“To where?”

“Again, not sure. I’ve thought about moving back to the South of France. I lived there for a few years after college. My mom still has family there. It’s easy since I’m fluent in French. The work I do for my nonprofits, I can do from anywhere.”

“Did you ever think of working for your dad’s company?”

“I tried. Don’t have the stomach for it. I prefer my freedom. Another strike against me with my father.”

“I’m sure he wants what’s best for you.”

“Maybe. But much to my old man’s disappointment, none of us have followed in his footsteps. No one’s interested in carrying his torch. My brother Kyle is an attorney and takes care of his legal stuff. My sister Faye and I sort of coasted along. Dad’s still on the Board of Directors. I think he’s holding out hope that one of us will change our minds someday. But the company doesn’t need us.”

“What was it like growing up with everything you could possibly need right at your fingertips?”

“Besides the fact that my father was busy running an empire, and mother was a self-centered billionaire’s wife, big into high society and the privilege it afforded her? Honestly, I didn’t know any different until I struck out on my own. I might sound bitter but I’m not, thanks to my siblings.”

She squeezed his hand. “I envy you your relationships with you brother and sister.”

“In fairness to my mom, she loved us, did the best she could considering her own childhood. Growing up, she relied on her beauty to get ahead and had a phenomenally successful modeling career. Then she met my dad and followed her heart and the money.”

“I’m afraid everyone is winging it when it comes to parenting.”

He grinned at her. “I’m her baby, so of course when I did get her attention, she spoiled me, but it was of the smothering variety.”

“I was lucky in the mom department. She was my best friend,” Penelope shared.

“In a lot of ways, Kyle served in more of a parental role than my parents. We had to stick together. We were shipped off to the finest boarding schools, weren’t exposed to any other way of life. Then I went to Columbia University. I liked that it was in New York City; I thirsted for a bigger life…more action. It was there that I got a glimpse of diversity…a look at privilege and poverty living side-by-side.”

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