Chapter 16
sixteen
QUYNH
H er stomach was in knots. Quynh knew she would need to go downstairs and face the music eventually. One-night stands just weren’t her style. This was a whole new experience.
Sure, she’d gone on a few promising dates in the past. At least a handful of times, there was at least an intellectual connection to them.
After going on several dates, it typically led to the bedroom.
Though she was curious to test their physical compatibility, the experience had always been… disappointing. Lackluster.
Despite having relatively low expectations, she was always unnerved by the experience.
It probably took her longer to get undressed than it did for the entire ordeal to be over.
Orgasms were always one-sided, and sometimes it hurts.
She knew it wasn’t normal to be in pain during intercourse, but whenever she suggested more foreplay or the use of lubrication, it made her feel inadequate.
She'd bolted to avoid the humiliating situation as soon as the awkward cleanup was done. She’d rush home and take a long, hot shower to scrub the scent of them off her.
She ignored the uncomfortable sensation of having another person inside of her. Even if it was for a few minutes. It never felt like a welcomed intrusion. She blamed it on her low libido and older age.
Do women my age still have sex regularly?
If she had friends, she’d ask them, but her only friend was Meg, who was too busy with her thriving business to be in a relationship.
Last night, though…Heat crept through her as thoughts of how effortlessly Griffin reduced her to a writhing mess.
It was like a whole new level she’d unlocked. One she did not know she was capable of.
Being around Griffin was akin to her first teenage crush.
Her feelings were intense and off-putting.
Any time she thought of Griffin, her gut would bubble with what she assumed was akin to butterflies.
Though it was more like nervousness churning and swirling inside of her whenever she thought about his handsome face.
Like a raging tempest ready to ravage her sanity and make her act on her impulsive thoughts.
Quynh should celebrate how she was actually able to orgasm with another person. This has never happened to her before. Until last night, she didn’t even know she could reach the precipice.
Griffin didn’t just take her to the cliff’s edge. He shoved her into the dark abyss; one she went over willingly when she finally relaxed under his touch. What a glorious way to go.
Is this what it feels like to let someone else have complete control over my body?
After her initial bouts of vulnerability, she’d been so at ease and safe under Griffin’s touch. He paid attention to what she liked and noticed when she wasn’t comfortable. Griffin toed the line of pushing her boundaries while making her feel safe enough to shatter so completely.
Never in her life had she come so hard she thought she might have blacked out.
The second orgasm was almost torturous, pushing her past the brink of her comfort zone.
She was so blissed out, she’d nearly passed out.
Griffin cleaned her up gently and tucked her into the bed where she’d succumbed to sleep.
The walk of shame was definitely a new experience, though.
Pickles gave her the side eye when she’d finally crawled into bed. No doubt he was upset she’d got under the covers he’d spread himself all over. He’d huffed and stomped off the bed when she’d climbed under the sheets. When she woke up again, he was curled up on her hip .
Guess she was forgiven for abandoning him most of the night.
It was still early. She had plenty of time to grab a cup of coffee and breakfast at Sip Happens before her day started. Hopefully, she wouldn’t run into Griffin before she’d at least fortified herself with some caffeine.
It was quickly becoming a favorite part of her new routine.
The cafe was always comforting and cozy.
The energy was both soothing and stimulating with the scent of freshly ground coffee beans.
She didn’t have time before the shop opened today to go to the nearby bookstore, but maybe this weekend, she’d see if there were any new romance books that came in.
She’d been dying to read the latest romantic fantasy that had left the book world in a frenzy.
Something involving dragons and a girl with a disability.
It sounded so unique. She was excited to read it.
Maybe she could call the bookstore and request a copy so she could pick it up for this weekend.
She wasn’t sure how much longer it would take for Griffin to repair her car. Last she knew, he was still waiting for the parts to be delivered. Unfortunately, there was a manufacturing shortage. So what would normally be here in a few days could end up taking a few extra weeks.
The thought of being stuck in Willowbrook longer than she planned didn’t send her into a panic frenzy like she thought it would.
She didn’t have a job to rush back to. In reality, Quynh welcomed the extra time in town.
The delay worked out in her favor. She could use the extra time with her father while waiting for her car to be repaired, though it was probably annoying for Griffin to be her chauffeur.
He seemed like he was always so busy at the shop.
She’d have to look into alternative options for rides. Maybe Julio or Sean could give her a ride on their way home. Or, she supposed she could call Cindy and ask if she could send a car to get her.
By the time she mustered up the courage to head downstairs, Griffin was nowhere in sight.
She experienced a mixture of relief and disappointment at not seeing her grumpy mechanic.
Her walk to and from the coffee shop was uneventful, other than the thoughts swirling inside her mind about her conflicting feelings about Griffin.
By the time she came back, the garage doors were wide open, music pumping through the speakers, and voices drifted through to the parking lot.
She shouted a hello in greeting as she quickly made her way into the office, careful to avoid making eye contact with an especially grumpy pair of eyes peeking out from under the hood of the car at her.
She settled in to begin the workday. While most of the tasks were administrative: checking on orders, sending invoices, checking emails, answering the phones, and organizing around the office, she found she quite enjoyed the work.
Sure, she wasn’t seeing patients, prescribing medications, making medical diagnoses, or fighting with insurance companies, but it was still fulfilling to check off a task once it was completed.
Ironically, the administrative tasks were always something she dreaded at her last job.
Not that she didn’t enjoy the work, obviously, but there just never seemed to be enough hours in her day to be both the provider, prescriber, and her own secretary.
The staff were always willing to help, but quite often, the patients would refuse to discuss anything with anyone but her.
It made her job more difficult when she was doing the work of multiple people.
A few days away from work made her realize how intensely burned out she was. It did no one any good because her mental exhaustion left her too drained to care for herself. In a way, working for Griffin had a therapeutic effect on her.
In her mind, she pictured her mental and social batteries recharging like a phone that was blinking red and was finally plugged into the charger.
By the time she got to Willowbrook, her battery levels were critically low.
She probably should have recognized the signs earlier, but she didn’t see the signs when things were at their worst.
It was only after the devastating loss of her job and, pretty soon, her father, that she realized how unhappy she was with her life.