Page 31 of No Going Back
Dianna smiled softly at his attempt to avoid continuing. It’s one she might have made herself not too long ago. “You know what I mean.” She reached out to touch Griffin’s shoulder, doing it without really thinking, but the second her fingers rested against him his eyes snapped to the point of contact.
Yeah, they definitely needed to have this conversation.
Dianna pulled her hand away, fisting it tight before letting it sit across her lap. “I’m not looking for a relationship right now, Griffin. That’s why I said what happened in the bakery was a mistake and that’s why I acted the way I did that day in the kitchen.” She paused, giving him the opportunity to reply. When he didn’t, she continued on. “My marriage broke me in ways I don’t know how to fix. And until I figure that out, I have to focus on myself. I can’t do that if I’m in a relationship.”
She was already struggling to accomplish it not in a relationship.
Griffin’s eyes held hers for a minute before drifting across the room. He sat quietly, but didn’t seem as ready to run as he had a few minutes ago.
His jaw clenched, lips pressing tight. Finally he sucked in a deep breath. “I don’t have the best track record with relationships either.”
His eyes came her way, lingering a minute before moving back across the room. “I’m sure you’ve heard what happened with Troy’s mother.”
Knowing about Griffin’s past suddenly felt invasive, even though it wasn’t meant to be. Amelie had explained how terrible Troy’s mother was over lunch one day. Explaining to her, and the rest of the group, that up until two weeks before he showed up on Troy’s doorstep, Griffin had no clue his son existed. Troy’s mom didn’t feel the need to share that with him until she decided she wanted retroactive child support.
Which thankfully, she wasn’t entitled to.
“I’m sorry that happened. It was very selfish of her not to tell you she was pregnant.” Technically she had, she just also told Griffin she had an abortion, choosing to keep his son from him as one last bit of revenge when he broke up with her.
“Part of me wishes I’d known about him sooner, but part of me wonders if maybe it’s better I didn’t.” Griffin’s gaze dropped to where his hands were clasped in front of him. “My personal life has always been a mess, and I’m not sure I would’ve been smart enough to shield him from seeing that.”
Dianna swallowed hard, reacting to the pain and remorse Griffin was still clearly wrestling with. “I bet you would have.” She reached for him again, unable to stop herself as she slid her fingers along his. “You’re working hard to be a good dad. Everyone can see that.”
He’d uprooted his entire life to move closer to the adult son he’d only recently learned about. Restructured his business to make that possible. There probably weren’t many people who would go to that extent.
But Griffin had. It showed just how committed he was to being there for Troy. How important it was that he know his son.
Griffin chuckled, the sound bitter as he shook his head. “I’m not sure that’s true.” His eyes slowly found hers. “If it was, I’d have a much easier time staying away from you.”
Guilt welled up, pressing against her lungs. “I don’t want to steal your attention from Troy.” She’d been so focused on her own reasons for needing to keep Griffin at arm’s length it hadn’t occurred to her he had reasons of his own. “I’m sorry. I didn’t—”
Griffin clasped her hand in his, holding it tight as he turned toward her. “You don’t have anything to be sorry for. I’m the problem.” His free hand lifted, the tips of his fingers tracing along her cheek. “I’ve missed out on so much with Troy. I’ve got so much to make up for. It should be easy for me to concentrate on that.” He barely shook his head as his touch skimmed across her lips. “But instead all I want to think about is you.” His eyes dipped to her mouth. “That’s why I’ve been staying away. I can’t trust myself around you.”
Dianna struggled to breathe as Griffin traced a line down the column of her neck. “But now you don’t have to stay away from me since you know I’m not interested in being in the way.”
“That’s good to know.” Griffin’s eyes followed the path of his fingers as they moved across her skin, teasing along the neckline of her robe. “I don’t want to get in your way either.”
“Then it sounds like we’ve worked it out.” She swallowed as he traced the upper swell of her breast. “We won’t get in each other’s way.”
“Perfect.” Griffin’s touch skimmed lower, following the line of her cleavage. “Now we can stop avoiding each other.”
Dianna nodded, struggling to breathe as his fingers inched toward her nipple. “Perfect.”
Griffin’s nostrils barely flared as he brushed across the already tightening peek. “Definitely perfect.”
She sucked in a breath as he leaned closer, lips skating down her neck as his fingers teased her nipple to an aching point. “I’m glad we’re on the same page.”
“So am I.” Griffin gripped the edge of her robe, peeling it back, snagging the low neckline of her nightgown as he went. With a flick of his wrist her breast was free, bared to the heat of his gaze. “I was going crazy staying away from you.” His head dipped and a second later his mouth closed around her, hot and wet. As his tongue flicked against her skin, his hand traveled up the line where her thighs pressed together. When he reached her pussy he growled, the sound muffled by the substantial swell pressed against his face. He pulled his mouth free, sucking until the last possible second. “No fucking panties.”
“I already told you I don’t wear panties to bed.” Her whole body jerked as Griffin pressed deeper, his touch skating across her clit.
“Oh, I remember, but I’ve been working real fucking hard to forget.” He braced one foot against her coffee table, shoving it back in a move that sloshed coffee onto the surface and sent it running dangerously close to the edge.
But she couldn’t make herself care because Griffin immediately dropped to his knees, spreading her legs before burying his face between her thighs.
Her fingers dug into the cushions of the couch, clawing at the upholstery as he tongued her within an inch of her life.
It was an act she hadn’t been afforded the opportunity to enjoy often since the men she’d allowed into her bed in the past were as selfish between the sheets as they were outside of them, so in this moment she made another promise to herself. Not only was she a fucking goddess, but she was also now a fucking goddess who didn’t settle for men who couldn’t get her off.
