Chapter 8
Griffin
Dinner turned into drinks by the fire...
Which turned into Lucy straddling my lap in my armchair, kissing me like she wanted to crawl inside my soul.
"Wait," I managed between kisses. "We should talk."
She sat back, her blue eyes dancing. "The grumpy mountain man wants to talk about feelings? Now I know I'm special."
"You are."
The words slipped out before I could stop them. But the way her face lit up made me glad they had.
"That’s what scares me,” I said.
She ran her fingers through my beard. "Talk to me, Griffin. What are you afraid of?"
"Losing you."
I caught her hand and pressed a kiss to her palm.
"Getting used to this... to you... and then watching you realize you deserve better."
"Better than a sexy, intelligent man who cooks like a chef and kisses like sin?" She shook her head. "I think you’re confused about what better means."
"I’m serious, Lucy."
"So am I,” she said.
She shifted in my lap, making me groan.
"I know what I want. Do you?" she asked.
"Yes,” I replied.
I slid my hands under her sweater, tracing the warm skin at her waist.
"You. Here. Always,” I told her.
She pulled back slightly, searching my face and asked, "Always?"
"Too much?" I questioned.
"No." She smiled...bright and beautiful. "Perfect amount."
Then she was kissing me again, and all talk became secondary to the feel of her in my arms.
When she started unbuttoning my shirt, I stood and lifted her with me.
"Bed," I growled against her neck.
"Yes, please."
This time was different from our first night.
Slower. Deeper. More deliberate.
I took my time undressing her, kissing every inch of skin I revealed. She returned the favor, her hands moving over my body like she was learning a language only I spoke.
"Beautiful," she whispered, tracing an old scar on my shoulder.
"That’s my line,” I said.
I laid her back on the bed, hovering above her, taking in the sight.
"You’re incredible, Lucy. Every inch of you."
I slid my hands down her bare legs...slow, deliberate strokes that made her squirm.
“You gonna work your way back up eventually?” she asked, breathless and smiling.
“In a minute,” I murmured. “I’m appreciating the view.”
Her toes curled as I traced the arch of her foot with my fingertips. She caught my eye, something wicked flickering behind her grin.
“You’ve got a thing, don’t you?”
I hesitated. “What thing?”
“Oh, don’t play innocent.”
I didn’t answer. Just kissed the top of her foot like I’d been fantasizing about for days.
She let out a breathy laugh. “So you do have a foot fetish.”
“It’s not a fetish,” I muttered. “It’s more like... an appreciation.”
“Mmm.” She stretched her leg out and wiggled her toes near my mouth. “Well, far be it from me to stand in the way of a man appreciating me properly.”
That did it.
I took her foot in my hands, kissing each toe, sucking one into my mouth just to hear the way her breath caught.
“Jesus, Griffin...”
“You like it?”
“I fucking love it,” she panted. “And it’s really fucking hot that you’re into it.”
My cock was as hard as a pine tree.
I dragged my tongue slowly along the sole of her foot, firm and teasing. Her whole body twitched, thighs pressing together like she was trying to hold back the wave building inside her.
She must’ve seen the pre-cum leaking from my cock because her eyes widened. “Don’t you dare come from that,” she gasped. “When you’re done with my toes in your mouth, I want your cock in mine.”
“No promises,” I growled, nipping at her ankle before crawling up her body. “I’ve been thinking about this for days, Lucy.”
“Thinking about my feet?”
“Thinking about you. Naked. Moaning. Coming hard and loud.”
Her lips parted, her breath shaky, and when I slid my fingers between her thighs, I found her soaked.
“Fuck,” I whispered. “You really did like it.”
“Shut up and...”
I cut her off with a kiss, one hand still teasing her, the other cradling her face. She was fire and honey, wit and warmth, and I wanted her like I’d never wanted anything.
I took my time. Worshipped her like she was mine...and I was finally allowed to prove it. And when I slid inside her, she gasped like she’d been holding that breath all damn day.
We moved together like we’d done it a hundred times in our dreams. Her legs wrapped tight around me, dragging me deeper, her hips rising to meet every thrust. I didn’t want it to end, but when she shattered beneath me, calling my name like it meant something...
“I’m close,” I groaned. “Gonna...”
But she surprised the hell out of me...slipping out from under me, eyes wild with need.
“I want to taste you,” she said, and before I could even respond, her mouth was on me...hot and wet.
I came seconds later, groaning her name as she swallowed every last drop, greedy and gorgeous.
Afterward, I held her tight. Like if I let go, she might disappear.
“You’re hot and weird,” she murmured into my neck, still breathless. “You know that, right?”
“Yeah,” I said, kissing the top of her head. “But I’m your weird.”
She sighed, content and glowing. “Damn right you are.”
She curled against my chest, drawing soft patterns on my skin.
"So..." she murmured.
"So?"
"Does this mean I can stay?"
I tightened my arms around her. "Do you want to?"
"Well, it’s cheaper than the room rate they’re charging me at Snowberry Inn,” she said.
“Seriously? You’re staying at Snowberry Inn?”
“Mm-hmm.”
“That place is a dump and Rueben is a grumpy bastard.”
She chuckled. “Seems to go with the territory,” she said.
“Yeah, but seriously. Rueben really is a grump. Ever since his woman ran off with that hedge fund prick from Aspen, he’s been sourer than month-old buttermilk,” I said.
“And you’re not?” she asked.
“Not any longer,” I said.
“Really?”
“Who knows, but I’ll try,” I promised.
She propped herself up to look at me. "I work remotely anyway... so...”
Hope bloomed in my chest like a wildfire.
"Are you saying what I think you’re saying?" I was almost too afraid to ask.
"That depends." She kissed my jaw. "Is there room in this cabin for my stuff? And maybe a home office?"
"There’s room,” I said. “And if you need more I’m a fucking good builder too.”
I rolled us over so she was beneath me again.
“I don’t need much room,” she said.
“There will be enough for anything you want. Everything you want."
"Even if I want to paint the kitchen?" she asked.
"Don’t push it."
She laughed, the sound filling every empty space in my heart.
"Fine. But I’m definitely getting some throw pillows for this bed."
"Throw pillows?"
"Mm-hmm. And maybe some curtains. Oh! And..."
I kissed her mid-sentence.
"Whatever you want, sunshine. Just stay."
Her expression softened.
"Sunshine?"
"Well, you did melt this grumpy mountain man’s frozen heart."
"That was terrible." But she was beaming. "I love it. And I love..."
She stopped herself, biting her lip.
"Say it," I whispered, my heart pounding.
"I love you."
I kissed her deeply, pouring everything I felt into her mouth like she’d never doubt it again.
When we broke apart, I rested my forehead against hers.
“And I love Lucy,” I said.
“The TV Show?” she asked.
“Yeah the TV Show,” I said, but before she could reply, I added, “But I love you more. God help me, but I do."
"Good."
She snuggled closer, her head tucked under my chin.
"Because you’re stuck with me now,” she said.
Looking down at her, I couldn’t help but smile.
"Promise?"
"Promise."