Page 74 of Tangled Kisses
I fumble with my keys, eyes darting down. “Careful, cowboy, the last thing you need isanotherwoman falling for you. You already have enough of that in your line of work.”
As soon as the words leave my mouth, my stomach plummets.
Shit. Did I just admit I’m falling for him? Out loud?
His hand is gentle but insistent as he tips my chin, forcing me to meet his gaze. “Didn’t you hear me earlier? I’m done with that part of my life.”
I blink at him, disbelieving. “I thought… I thought you just said that to get rid of her.”
“No.” His voice is steady, certain. “I left about a month ago.”
“But what about this weekend?”
Griffin tips his hat back on his head. “Lauren is a friend. She needed someone to keep the vultures at bay. Smile for the cameras, fetch her a drink, make sure she wasn’t cornered. That’s it. But I also gave her my business proposal, so hopefully, I have an investor soon.”
My keys bite into my palm as I stand frozen, unsure what to do with the rush of relief flooding me.
He wasn’t lying about the trip.
The world tilts as he leans closer, his voice a husky whisper. “So if you’re falling, Reese, fall. I’m right here.”
Before I can respond, he brushes his mouth over mine. “Tomorrow, I’m taking you out. We’re going to get to know each other—a whole lot better.”
I part my lips to speak, but he doesn’t let me, his tone dipping filthier. “And when I make this up to you, I’m going to take my time. Draw it out. Make you feel every second until you’re begging me to let you come, and maybe I won’t. Not until I’ve wrung every drop of pleasure out of you.”
My breath falters, heat coiling low again.
“I hope you want to fall with me, Reese,” he adds quietly, “because God knows I want that with you.”
If this is an act, it’s an Oscar-worthy performance, because everything about the man seems so damn real.
Through the glass, Piper waves at me, and the moment shatters.
Griffin glances her way and sighs. “As much as I hate leaving you like this, you’ve got to take care of your sister. Do you want me to come with you to the hospital?”
“No, go home and sleep. Sleep for the both of us. We’ll be fine.”
“Goodnight, beautiful.”
I watch him cross the lot to his truck, every step of him radiating heat I can still feel in my skin.
As we pull out, I glance out the window—just in time to see Griffin tip his chin at me, the ghost of a smile tugging at his mouth.
Maybe… maybe he does mean it.
Chapter Seventeen
Griffin
It’s ten o’clock and I can’t wait any longer.
I’ve been pacing this damn cabin since sunrise, wearing a track in the floor, replaying last night on a loop. Every breathy sound she made. Every second I had her pressed against me before Piper came crashing in with her circus act.
Sadly, it’s not the first time Piper has attempted drunken acrobatics at the pub. But it is the first time her ass wound up on the floor.
And yeah, I plan to rag on her big time for screwing up my moment.
Because Reese was there. Teetering on the edge. Ready to tumble into me if I’d just pushed a little harder. We were going to burn through every stupid preconceived notion she’s ever carried about her body and her sensuality—one orgasm at a time.
