Page 6 of Holding Out

They observed a reverent moment of silence, remembering Jondalar’s skill.Or Becca did, anyway.She suspected that Alia’s mind had roamed elsewhere, probably to Nate.

The front door opened, and Griff came into the kitchen, brown bag in hand.“Hello, ladies,” he said,Princess Bride–style.

“Hello, Fezzik,” Becca said.

“You got my reference,” he said, pleased.

“It’s my favorite movie.”

“Who’s your favorite character?”

“Inigo Montoya,” she said without hesitation.

“Good answer.”He grinned at her.

Maybe because she’d written him off as a sexual partner, Griff was one of those guys who she found attractive but not intimidating.He had rumpled brown hair and gray eyes, and a kick-ass body that rocked his usual uniform of T-shirt and battered jeans.He came across calm.Steady.Easygoing.

Although she thought she’d caught something else in his eyes right after the Taboo blushing fiasco.Something she would have called predatory.

It had made heat flush all over her body.

She was still feeling self-conscious about falling apart over the word floppy.Shehatedhow easily she blushed.And unfortunately, even New Becca couldn’t control that reaction.

She peeked in Griff’s direction, but his attention was on the paper bag in his hands.He pulled out a six pack of beer and opened the fridge.

“You want this in here in the cardboard?Or I can put the bottles in individually.”

“Either way.”Alia shrugged.“I seriously cannot bring myself to care about shit like that since Robbie was born.Thanks for getting more beer, though.That’s something I can firmly stand behind.”

He loaded the six pack into the fridge and closed the door.“I should head out.This was really fun.”He hugged Alia.“Thanks for loaning me Robbie.”

“You big softie.”She turned to Becca.“Wasn’t that the cutest stinkin’ thing?”

“It was pretty damn cute,” Becca said, figuring if she owned it, it wouldn’t seem like she was crushing on him.

“Yeah.So.I’m outta here,” Griff said, grinning.He hesitated, and there was an awkward moment when Becca wasn’t sure if he was going to hug her or not.Then he said, “Hug it out, sister,” and drew her into his arms.

It was a different kind of hug than the awkward A-frame one he’d greeted her with.He feltah-mazing.Like no kidding.He was head-to-toe muscle, not a soft spot on this guy.Also, he smelledgood.Like ...she tried to figure it out.Something musky.Something leathery.Something piney.Had some deodorant manufacturer actually managed to cram every appealing male scent into one stick that dispensedGriff?

She realized she was still hugging him and stepped back.

“Yeah.Um.Bye, guys,” he said.

She watched him go, thinking,That is a guy who can make going look as good as coming.Those jeans were the universe’s gift to women everywhere.

Too bad Griff didn’t offer a First Rites of Pleasure service.

An idea formed itself in the back of her mind, and then she squashed it dead, dead, dead.The door shut behind him, sealing out the dangerous notion.

Alia leaned on the counter.

“How’s the job search coming?”

“It’s coming.”

The salon where Becca worked was closing soon, and she had been on the hunt for a new gig.She tried not to talk to Alia about stuff like that too much, though, because Alia got way up in her business about it.

“If you need help with anything—”

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