Page 3 of Wrecked Rose

“I— Um … you didn’t see Griff?” Her teeth sink into her lower lip and her cheeks pick up a pink flush.

High alert.I glance back toward the front hallway in time to see Griff press a pretty brunette—Stacia Kensington, if I’m not mistaken—up against the wall, duck his head down to hers, and ravage her mouth like he doesn’t care that anyone else could be watching. That particular suspicion is confirmed when he picks her up, and she wraps her legs tightly around his hips.

And, oh dear God, now they’re grinding like the world is ending and this is their last chance to be together. I try to look away, blink, do anything that would stop the image of the two of them going at it from being permanently burned into my brain.

My insides churn. Girls are always throwing themselves at Griff, so this is no surprise. There’s no way he’d ever look my way. I should put him out of my head now. Before I get hurt. But I fucking can’t.

Next to me, Daphne clutches my arm and presses her forehead to my shoulder.What the fuck is this?I set aside my own messed up thoughts in favor of figuring out what’s going on with her. “Daph?”

“Nothing. It’s dumb,” she mumbles against my sleeve.

“Since when have you not told me everything?”

She glances up into my eyes with a wince. “Ugh. Okay, okay. I’ve, um, never apologized to Griff for … you know.”

“Ah.”The kiss.I knew that’d eventually come back to haunt her.

“It always seems like there are too many people around. Or Micah.”

Why is this freaking her out? I’m pretty sure she doesn’t and hasn’t ever had any feelings for Griff. When she kissed him, it was all in the name of throwing it in Micah’s face after he walked into the homecoming dance with Alora on his arm. “Didn’t you say Micah talked to him?”

“Yeah. And I don’t want Micah to think there’s anything there.Like at all.Because there’snot.But I—” She blows out a sharp breath. “I feel like I owe him something.”

I snort-laugh. “I don’t think you owe him anything. You gave himplentyat the homecoming dance.” Oh boy. I can’t help myself. Daphne is so adorable all embarrassed like this. It’s one of the reasons why she’s my favorite. And I love to mess with her.

“Max!” She groans and smacks at my chest.

My good-natured ribbing of Daphne must catch Griff’s attention because he tears his mouth from Stacia’s, his head whipping around toward us from across the room. He cocks his head to the side, eyes pinned on me for several seconds. Then Daphne. Then me again.

I raise my hand, letting him know he can get back to his smoochfest and shake my head, groaning quietly to myself. “No. Seriously. He knows. He understands what happened, why you did what you did, and most importantly, I’m pretty sure Micah staked his claim pretty clearly. I don’t know that you need to say anything. Not unless you really feel like you have to.” I hesitate for a second, my head beginning to thump. “Wait, has he said something to you? Done something?”

“No.” She glances down, fingering the hem of her sweater. “Not really. He’s just silly and flirty with me.”

“Well hell, Daph, that’s his natural state. I’m sure everything is fine. He sure doesn’t look like he’s crying in a corner to me.”

She grits her teeth and wrinkles her nose a bit. “I told you it was dumb. I’m overthinking, as usual.”

I laugh softly. “I love your smart, complicated brain.” Wrapping my arm around her shoulders, I steer her toward the kitchen island where Beau is bartending.

He looks up with a grin. “Hey, sweetness. What can I get you?”

A few minutes later, Daphne has one of Beau’s special rum punch drinks in hand, and I have a cup with a few fingers of whiskey in it. We wander away from the kitchen, looking for Micah. When we find him downstairs, he’s shooting pool with Xander.

We watch until their game is over, then Micah hands his cue stick off to me. When I turn back to face the pool table, Griff has materialized at the other end and snatches Xander’s stick from his hand.

I grin. “What’s up, Legendary? You going to take me on?”

“Hell yeah. For sure.” He winks as he racks up the balls. “You got any game, Sutton?”

“Depends on what kind of game you’re talking about, Danbrook.”

Micah snort-laughs. “Oh, man. I’d love to stay and watch you two jokers, but I need another drink.” He pulls Daphne close, kisses her soundly, and walks from the room with her.

Xander eyes the two of us, choosing not to comment on what I can only call an odd vibe between me and Griff. “Have either of you seen Scarlett?”

I turn around as I chalk up my pool cue, nodding. “She was doing some solid tipsy dancing with Aria when we walked past the living room on our way down here.”

Xander shakes his head with a smirk playing at his lips. “This bodes well.”

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