Page 95 of Playboy Billionaire

Her voice wavered as she greeted him, “Hello, Griffin.”

“Penelope, long time no see. Did you miss me?”

Dolly ran up and hugged him. “I missed you.”

“Glad someone did,” Griffin said, his smile not reaching his eyes. He turned back to Penelope and their eyes locked.

“Got a minute?”

“Stew wants us to have some photos taken together before we go into the theatre.”

“We can take a minute after that.”

“Okay.”

There were at least twenty photographers snapping away as they posed and changed positions for a variety of shots. There were lots of stars and directors here as well as producers and crew.

“Let’s cut out for a minute. Ty, I’ll be right back. Wait for me here.”

Tyler glanced at him briefly already in a discussion with an up-and-coming young actor.

Penelope’s legs were so shaky she wasn’t sure they’d hold her up.

Griffin crooked his elbow, and she slipped her hand through his arm. Even though there were hundreds of people milling around it could have just been the two of them. He pulled her into an alcove and turned his back to the room, effectively blocking her from anyone’s view.

He put his hands against the wall on either side of her, then leaned in close, “Got something you’d like to share with me?”

Clearing her throat, she said, “Griffin…I…I tried calling you when I first found out I was pregnant…”

“So, it is mine?”

She looked up into his vivid blue eyes and nodded.

He blew out a long breath. “Wow.”

“Yeah,” she said, her lips turning up at the corners. She had tried to imagine this moment a thousand times, what she would say, what he’d say, now here it was, and she was speechless.

“Do we know what we’re having yet?”

Her heart leapt in her chest as she absorbed that statement. “A girl.”

He closed his eyes tightly. “A girl…I like that.”

Penelope reached up and stroked his hair away from his brow and he frowned. “Pen, when were you going to tell me? Or maybe you weren’t.”

“Griffin, I was scared to tell you. During our last fight, you told me you didn’t want anyone to need you…I didn’t want you pinned down…can you understand?”

“I’m not sure. I know I should have called you back, but I guess I was trying too hard to forget. You could have tried a little harder to reach me.” There was so much emotion behind those simple words.

Memories came flooding back. Their lovemaking, their adventures, the intimacy, the friendship. Why had she been such a coward. What had she thought she was protecting?

“I’m sorry,” she said.

“I know,” he said gruffly. “I’m sorry too.”

Dolly approached and said, “Hurry you guys. They’re ready for you to introduce the film.”

Griffin nodded, without breaking eye contact with Penelope, he said, “We’ll be right there, Dolly. Thanks.”

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