Page 28 of Mocha Kisses

“We can go,” I say hurriedly, stuffing myself into my shoes after scrambling off the couch and throwing my bag across my back. I’m still in Griffin’s oversized clothing but I’ve never been one for appearances. His manuscript is shoved into my backpack a moment later as I all but race down the stairs and out the door, Griffin one step behind me.

“Luna,” he chuckles, “I didn’t mean to scare you but you know they’re going to talk about the dynamics at some point.”

“Sure, but I’ve known them for less than 24 hours so I’d rather give it a little more time. Besides, I’m here for a manuscript and I’ll lose my job if I just…” My brows crease and I slow to a standstill, trying to figure out my words. WhatamI doing? I went from being okay with a one-night-stand every now and then or a hard club fuck to enjoying the attentions of two men.

Or three—as Griffin keeps telling me.

For six years, I’ve been on alert, my head on a swivel. It only took a few hours for me to feel comfortable,safe—which makes them all dangerous. Griffin catches up and moves around me to stand in front of me. “Luna?” I can hear the next sentence without him even saying it—that everything will be alright. He wants to soothe my panic without lying to me. God, he’s so fucking precious.

“Yeah, I’m okay.” I’m not. I’m far from okay but I can’t let him see anything else. He’s already felt the scars. I don’t want him to see that I’m barely holding it together—although I’m sure he already knows. I slip my hand into his and throw him a small smile before continuing down the sidewalk with Griffin at my side. It feels like we’ve been transported back six years ago, the scent of fresh pastries from the bakery surrounding us as well as the chatter that comes with Spring Haven’s gossip.

The few hellos as we pass people I recognize but no longer remember.

“Griffin! Is that you Luna?” I tense and step just slightly behind Griffin, staring at one of my mother’s friends. Well, an ex-friend. When my mother chose alcohol over loyalty, this woman dropped her. “I knew you’d return! When’s the wedding?”

My grip on Griffin’s hand tightens as memories of our plans flit through my head. We mentioned marriage once or twice as naïve 22-year-olds but with a town like Spring Haven, everyone started running the same story. Everyone justknewwe were going to end up together with our own white picket fence and five children. It seems that six years apart didn’t dispel the rumors.

It takes me embarrassingly long to remember this woman’s name but Griffin saves me from saying anything. “We’re not getting married, Ellen. She’s here to help me with my book.”

Ellen throws her head back and laughs. “That’s quite the story. I’ll keep your secret.” She leans toward me, a deviant glint in her eyes. “Make sure he gets you a big rock. He can afford it.” Then she winks and continues on about her way. My shoulders sag as I tuck myself into Griffin’s side, ignoring both the marriage comment and the fact that Griffin can afford a really nice ring. Either his writing career has been really lucrative or something else has.

I don’t want to know.

At this point, I just want to curl up in my bed and pull the covers over my head to disappear from the world.

The rest of the walk happens in silence and it isn’t until Griffin deposits me right in front of the door to my room that he speaks again. “You going to be alright?”

“I think so,” I mumble and then tack on a smile. “Not going to kiss me?” I’m hiding my discomfort beneath a joke but Griffin doesn’t address it.

He steps closer, pressing me against the wall beside my door, not caring who else might pass us in the meantime. “Didn’t know if I could.” Griffin tucks a stray curl behind my ear, leaving his hand there, his thumb caressing my cheek. “You wanted slow, Luna. You told me that we couldn’t just jump back in. You have doubts and you think we’re on a clock.” I open my mouth but he just shakes his head as his other hand settles on my waist. “Not kissing you as I drop you off is slow. I have no restraint with you. But you asked for a kiss, so I’m giving it.”

Griffin isn’t wrong. We were always explosive together, touching in some way, by each other’s side as often as we could. The moments we spent apart were only because we had different class schedules or internships, really. The fact that he fucked me this morning just proves how little restraint we have with each other despite how many reservations I have.

“It’s just a kiss, Griffin,” I say, angling my chin up for better access.

He snorts, shaking his head. “Precious, I can’t stop thinking about the way your tight pussy squeezed my cock this morning. How fucking amazing it felt to sink inside of you and bury myself in the woman I’ve always been in love with. I know you think that starting up something might bring those men to my door but I don’t care. You’re here and I’m not letting you go like that again. No surprise goodbyes.”

His words are both a threat and a promise as his lips descend on mine, demanding my submission. I melt against his chest, my hands sliding up to grip his shoulders. Griffin takes it as a challenge as he sifts one of his legs between mine, thrusting his thigh upwards to meet the apex of my jeans. I gasp and he swallows the sound, slowly dragging his thigh back and forth.

“Grif-” His name is cut off as my head tilts back, his pace quickening. My fingers dig into his shoulders as my pussy clamps around nothing. I grind down on his leg, needing release, Griffin dipping his lips to my neck as his hand moves to flatten against the wall. “Griffin—we can’t—ungh.”

Griffin knows full well that half of my pleasure is drawn from possibly getting caught. When his teeth sink into the curve of my neck, I clamp my mouth shut, a whine fighting its way through. Pleasure shoots through me as I come, holding onto Griffin as my entire body shakes with the force of my orgasm. I’m still riding his leg as I flop against him, Griffin chuckling. He runs a hand through my unruly curls before pressing a kiss to my forehead.

“You’re so fucking beautiful when you come. See? No restraint with you. However, precious, I have no qualms about pushing you inside and finishing what we started this morning.”

My eyes widen and I place a peck on his lips before scrambling into my room and shutting the door. I want Griffin something fierce but I’m not ready to jump back in. Yet. He and Rome have made me come more in a day than I have in three months. The sudden silence is more peaceful than I want it to be, the drab, bland colors giving me a moment to breathe.

Three men? Really Luna? Fuck.

I try not to think about the implications of something like that in Spring Haven or in life, really. Dropping my bag by the edge of the bed with the glow-in-the-dark charm facing me, I spread myself on the mattress and pull out Griffin’s manuscript again. I’m eager to delve into these characters’ lives and find their reason for existing so I can truly edit this to be a masterpiece or at least a facsimile of one.

The hurt and betrayal that they go through astonishes me but the love they have for Noah mirrors the starting of a relationship I’m trying to ignore. The way they defend and protect Noah. The way they strive to make him comfortable despite his shortcomings.

Rome did that last night. He made me comfortable, picked up on my discomfort, and adjusted. Nova did that—changing out of a suit and promising to find and destroy the men after me. Sure, he didn’t put it like that but the expression plastered on his face told me everything. And Griffin, my heart and soul, telling me that we have more than two weeks, silently promising me forever.

I don’t trust my heart though. It’s the one reason I nearly stayed in Spring Haven and brought my troubles to my hometown and to Griffin’s front door.

A squeak just outside my window pulls me out of my predicament—one I shouldn’t even be having.You’ve known them for less than a day, Luna. Get over it.The squeak comes again and I climb off the bed before heading to the window. Dragging the shade up a little, I catch a figure standing a few feet off, his head angled up and facing my window. I’m not sure he can see anything with the setting sun but the eeriness of his presence terrifies me.

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