Page 49 of What If I See You

Because I kind of really want to.

Does she want to kiss me?

Because I kind of wish she would.

Part of me thinks I could wrap my arm around her waist and pull her against me even in this leaning pose and kiss the hell out of her and she wouldn’t fight me. She’d kiss me back. But the skeptic in me thinks I’m not the kind of guy she wants. She wants the normal guy with the normal job and the normal amount of time to spend with her. She wants the hearts and the flowers and the lovey dovey stuff.

She deserves all that and more.

And I don’t know if I can be that guy because I’ve never tried before. I travel so damn much I don’t see how it would be fair to anyone I’m with to make them be exclusive. Hockey life is a busy life.

But Layken?

Fuck. Because of her, I’ve been thinking about it more often than I ever have.

“Griffin?” Her sweet voice brings me back to reality.

“We need to take some pretend wedding pictures for my mom,” I tell her. “I kind of told her we took some and that I would show her.”

The grin that spreads across her face instantly puts me at ease. “Easy enough. I can grab a bouquet of flowers and put the same dress on. If we find a neutral background she’ll never know the difference.”

“Yeah.” I nod. “Good idea.”

“When should we do this?”

“Uh…before Thursday. You free?”

“I’m a girl without a job, remember? Of course I’m free.”

“Well, I know you’re writing and I don’t want to take your time away from you but I was kind of hoping maybe I could take my wife out for dinner Thursday evening,” I tell her, smoothing my thumb across her cheek. “Do you like lasagna?”

“I love it,” she answers.

“Good. It’s a date then?”

The corners of her mouth lift and internally I sigh in relief.

“Alright. Do I dress up or is it casual?”

“Casual.”

“So, pajama pants it is?” she asks with a cute as fuck little smirk.

“Pajama pants would not be frowned upon, but…” I rake my eyes down her body and then bravely answer, “For you? Leggings. You look great in leggings.”

She smiles. “Leggings it is then.” She reaches her palm to my cheek and then lifts up on her toes and kisses my other cheek. “Thank you for the help Griffin.”

And then just like that she’s walking away from me, back down the hallway to her laptop. Back to her work.

My body finally deflates and I stand against the doorway for a minute getting my bearings and wondering what the hell just happened between us.

Whatever it was…it felt fucking good.

CHAPTER TEN

LAYKEN

“Iuh…” Griffin hands me one of his folded hoodies. “I brought this for you. In case you get cold while we’re out. It’s supposed to be chilly later tonight and…well, you know. I mean you don’t have to wear it. I was…just in case.”

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