Chapter Fourteen
Griffin had never been more turned on in his life. Toby tasted like vanilla and something Griffin couldn’t name, something unique to Toby. It drove Griffin crazy with lust.
Many things about Toby drove Griffin crazy. Some of it wasn’t great to experience. For instance, Toby’s propensity for secrets. But the rest of Toby heated Griffin’s blood.
Griffin trailed his lips along Toby’s jawline.
Toby clung to him, moaning and wiggling his hips until his clothing became uncomfortable. “Please, Griffin.”
“What else can you call me?” Griffin had no idea why he asked that question.
It just sort of slipped out of his mouth as if the words had a life of their own, but he went with it.
It was too late to take them back now, and besides that, if Griffin didn’t slow them down, they’d both rocket to the moon and probably bond out of instinct.
Griffin wouldn’t bond for any reason except for love, and they weren’t there yet.
“What?” Toby clearly didn’t want Griffin to stop. He tilted his head when Griffin trailed kisses down his neck. He squirmed, shifting his hips again, and moaned Griffin’s name.
“What else do you call me?” Griffin had dated a guy in high school who had a daddy fetish. Every time they made out, that was what he’d ask. They didn’t even last until senior prom.
“I have no idea.” It seemed he didn’t care either. But his tone was a little apprehensive.
“If you want my wand, you’ll have to call me Mr. Wizard.” Griffin grinned and held Toby just a little tighter. Not knowing what his reaction would be, he didn’t know if Toby even had a sense of humor. They really didn’t know each other that well.
But Toby dissolved into laughter, clinging to Griffin. “You’re insane.”
He probably was, but he’d made Toby laugh for the first time since meeting him. It was the best sound in the world. Toby must not have laughed very much in his life, because it sounded as though he had rust in his throat. If he laughed more, maybe the rust would break loose and wash away.
“I was getting a little too carried away. My hand itches like crazy, and I want to put my palm on you. But we’ll need to have a lot of conversations before that happens.” Griffin’s instinct warred with his good sense.
Toby wrapped his legs around Griffin. His hold tightened. “I want to bond. Whenever you’re ready, of course. But I want you. I just don’t want you to get hurt because of me.”
“It wouldn’t be because of you, would it?”
Toby rested his forehead on Griffin’s chest. “I’d never do anything to hurt you. Not on purpose. Believe me when I say that.” Toby fisted Griffin’s shirt.
Griffin rubbed Toby’s back, trying to soothe him. “I believe you, baby. And whatever’s going on, we’re in it together.”
Toby growled. It would have been cute if they'd been talking about anything else, but the letter carried weight, and so did Frank being on the roof. The situation was bigger than what had happened that night. “No, Griffin. Stay out of it.”
It felt like Toby was pushing him away. Griffin had no choice but to either back off or keep pushing back. And Griffin didn’t intend to walk away from the situation. He didn’t care how Toby felt about that, but he didn’t want to fight about it either.
“I didn’t put myself in it, did I? They won’t let me just walk away.” Griffin knew enough about how wolf shifter packs worked to know whoever wanted power would use everyone and everything to get it.
“They would if we stopped seeing each other.” Even as Toby said those words, his hold tightened even more.
“Do you want to break up, Toby?” They’d barely gotten started, and already they were having the breakup conversation.
“I don’t want you to get hurt. That’s all.”
“You’re not answering the question.”
“If it means you stay safe, then it might be best if we backed off a little. For now.”
Griffin’s heart sank. The pain in his chest built until he could feel tears in his throat. It would leak out of his eyes soon, and he didn’t want Toby there to see it.
Griffin tried to pull away, but Toby clung. “Let me go.”
“I don’t want to.” Toby buried his face in Griffin’s chest.
The muscles in Griffin’s jaw ticked. He didn’t get angry very often, but Toby’s wishy-washy rollercoaster pissed him off.
Griffin wanted to get off the ride. “You don’t get to say you want to bond one minute and then tell me you want to break it off a second later. So let me go, right fucking now, Toby.”
“Whoa.” Toby released Griffin, raising his hands in the air as if he were under arrest.
Tension made the silence between them unbearable. Toby put his hands down, but he didn’t jump down from the counter right away.
It wasn’t until Griffin walked out of the kitchen that Toby moved.
“You can spend the night. I have a spare room.” He pointed toward the hall.
“It’s the second door on the right. The guest bath is across the hall.
Make yourself at home in my kitchen, not that I have a lot of food, but eat whatever you want.
Coffee is in that cupboard there. I’ll see you in the morning. ”
“Griffin.” The pleading almost made Griffin lose his resolve.
Griffin stopped and swallowed his emotions. “Good night.”
Griffin had known all along he wasn’t destined to have a mate.