Chapter 22
Savannah
“Let’s go.” Griffin helps me out of his truck, his hands wrapping around my enormous belly as I slide to the ground in front of him. The move is now a familiar one between us, yet my heart races every time he touches me.
“Tonight was nice.” I look up at him, grateful for his suggestion of going to the bar.
We weren’t there for long, but it was long enough for me to chat to the girls, get to know them all a little more.
Solidify those relationships to the point where they’re now inviting me to places and offering to help in the bakery or with the baby when it arrives.
“You looked like you had a good time.” Griffin walks us into the bakery, the space dark and quiet, a little spooky without the lights on. His hand slips into mine, where it feels like it’s right where it’s meant to be.
“They’re nice people. I’m so glad you introduced me. I haven’t had a lot of genuine friends before.”
“What do you mean?” He frowns as we step inside.
“Well… I worked, went to church, helped with the young adult group. I didn’t have many friends, and none outside of church.” I tell him as he locks the door, his eyes doing a sweep of the space as we make our way through to the kitchen.
“Your last boyfriend never took you out?”
“No. At the time, I thought it was nice him wanting to talk with me. Take me to secluded places in the car to chat. But I was naive. He was keeping me hidden. Keeping us hidden. I can’t believe I thought he was a decent man.
” I shake my head at my stupidity. I look down at my belly, feeling a little remorse from my actions of nine months ago.
Having sex in the back of a car without protection.
Wanting to please him after he was really pushing for it.
Acting like a silly fifteen-year-old, not the grown woman I am. I thought it was love.
“You deserve better,” he grumbles, pulling me along to the stairs, the familiar journey to my apartment one we’re taking together tonight.
“I know that now,” I admit, because even though I’m pregnant with a very real outcome from that time in my life, I’ve grown so much in this past year that I don’t recognize myself anymore.
“I was thinking I would start your baby nook tomorrow.” He turns to look at me, where we now stand in my small apartment. Toe to toe, he gazes down on me.
“Do you have time?” The baby's foot thumps into what feels like my spleen, and I wince again.
“I have time. You alright?” Griffin's concern is immediate. He steps forward, looking too large and looming in my small apartment as his hand connects with my stomach, trying to ease my pain.
“Yeah. Just the little one pushing about. Daisy offered to teach me some yoga poses tomorrow, to help give the baby more room and to ease the pressure on my internal organs. She thinks it could help put the baby into position, maybe help bring on labor.” I look at Griffin and give him a small smile, and I swear I physically see his shoulders lower.
“Hudson suggested something else to me tonight.”
“Oh? What?” My curiosity is genuine, considering I thought Hudson already told me everything I could do.
“He said sex could help…” Griffin swallows as his hand runs around my side and rests on my lower back. I still as a shiver travels through me. My mouth dries and my heart thuds.
We do this—touch, hug, kiss. It feels nice, but I’d be lying if I said I didn’t want more. I tilt my head and look at Griffin, wondering for a moment if he’s teasing or serious. My cheeks flame as I understand he’s serious.
“You want to have sex?” I blurt out, surprised.
“With this?” I’m looking at him like he’s crazy as I make a show of moving my hands up and down my body so he can see exactly what I look like.
I’m big, clearly not in my peak physical condition.
My ex told me how my flabby bits weren’t to his liking and that was before I was even pregnant.
Now, I can’t even tell what I look like from behind, but I’m sure it isn’t sexy.
“Yeah, sweetness… I do…” His voice is a low rumble that has my smile wiped as he steps even closer to me, like he’s daring me. His eyes are blazing with a hunger I haven’t seen from him before.
“You do?” I whisper, already breathless at the mere thought. My skin tingles in anticipation.
“Yeah… I want you on top of me, showing me what you need… and letting me be the man who gives it to you.” He leans down, his lips claiming mine, and I’m a goner.
I’m falling, falling hard for this man, who’s there for me even when he’s physically on the other side of the country.
All these kind words, soft touches, this mammoth of a man walking around my bakery, eating my food, dancing with me, building and buying me baby things.
It’s been like slow-building foreplay that’s lasted months now, and like a pot boiling on the stove, I’m overflowing.
“Yes…” I say on an exhale so he knows I’m all in, but my words are muffled as our kiss deepens.
I can’t help it. I haven’t felt the touch of a man like this in a long time.
I haven’t wanted a touch from a man like this ever.
Any man I’ve known before felt simply like an obligation.
Is this what it feels like to be truly wanted?
His hands wrap around me, pulling me to him tight. He’s so wide and my belly so big that I can barely get my hands around him, but I feel his palms lower, slowly moving over the curve of my lower back, grabbing on to my ass and squeezing. I almost buckle.
My hormones are raging. His touch feels so warm, his hands so big they feel like they cover all of me.
“You tell me if anything’s too much,” he says between kisses.
“I will,” I pant as my hands fall to his chest, and I unbutton his shirt. “You tell me if you… don’t like it…” My self-doubt kicks in again, and he pauses.
“I’m telling you right now, I can’t wait to get you naked, kiss your beautiful body, and have you rocking on me, using me how you need.
Fuck, I’m so hard just thinking about it.
” He growls the last bit, and I can barely swallow as my hands glide down his torso, feeling the small bumps of his abs, the softness of his tanned skin with the sprinkle of salt-and-pepper hair scattered down his chest. He looks even better than I imagined. One hundred percent man.
Our eyes remain on each other as my hands hit his belt.
He’s waiting, watching, letting me lead us into our deep swirl of desire.
I lick my lips as I pull at his belt, opening it quickly before I undo his button and lower his zipper.
He wasn’t lying. I can feel how tight his jeans are on his body.
He throws his shirt off and stands before me, half-naked, his jeans open.
His body is incredible, so strong and sexy.
“You alright?” he asks, and my eyes flick back to his.
“Just taking it all in…” I’m honest, because he’s a lot.
I’ve never seen a man like him. He’s the kind of guy if you came across him in a dark alley, you would probably turn and run away.
Solid, tall, grumpy, and angry-looking. Yet as his hand comes to my jaw, and he cups my cheek, he guides my face to meet his and kisses me in equal parts sweet and demanding.
It’s a complete contradiction, one I can’t get enough of.
“My turn, sweetness…” he mumbles across my lips as I feel his fingers grab the straps of my dress and pull them off my shoulders and down my arms. I move them out, allowing the dress to fall, my naked torso now on display as he pulls the dress lower, over my bump, and it flutters to the floor.
I’m not wearing a bra. My breasts are so big it’s more comfortable without one most days, as my dresses have supporting fabrics to hold everything in place.
I swallow, feeling exposed as Griffin kisses down my cheek and across my jaw while his fingers trail up my arm and across my chest.
My skin prickles in the wake of his touch, my nipples hardening, and I wait breathlessly as his featherlight touch skirts across my hardened nipple, making me shudder.
“Mmmmmm.” I moan a little, which makes him kiss back up my neck.
“Let’s get you lying down…” He holds me tight, walking me to the bed, where I lie on the mattress and he pulls his jeans off.
“Wow.” I didn’t mean to say that out loud.
He looks like any girl's dream man. His eyes hook on mine as his thumbs grip on to the waistband of his boxers and he lowers them until he’s completely naked.
Standing tall and proud right in front of me.
And my Lord, he should be. I swallow, my eyes wide, as I look him up and down.
My mouth is watering, and I’m a hot mess already.
“Are you real?” I whisper as he steps toward me, his hand palming his cock, which is what he said, hard and ready and looking bigger than I’ve ever seen.
“I am, sweetness. Are you?” He looks at me in awe, like I’m Aphrodite or something. I mean, I’m plump and round, naked, with my hair draped over my shoulders, lying before him like I’m offering myself up to him for a meal. But that’s probably where the similarities end.
He kneels on the bed, the mattress dipping with his weight as his hands come to my underwear.
“Can I?” Oh my… he's asking me. He could rip them right off, and I wouldn’t care.
“Yes.” I nod eagerly and swallow as he pulls them down, leaving us both naked now. His hand rubs my ankles, massaging my calves, his touch feeling so good, before he glides them upward.
“Relax,” he says, voice deep and soothing, and I close my eyes. “Let me take care of you…”
My breath hitches as I feel him spread my legs wider. Then I feel it. His lips touch my thigh, and I almost sag with relief. Relief to have his touch, relief to have my desires met, relief that a man like Griffin is manhandling me so delicately yet is so completely in control. It has me dizzy.