Chapter 22
Chapter Twenty-Two
Griffin
T he knock barely fades before the door swings open. Piper stands there, eyes sparkling, a knowing smile tugging at her lips. She gives my arm a light punch. “It’s about damn time you got here.”
“Sorry,” I murmur, tugging at my hat brim. “Had a couple of things to take care of.”
She steps aside, motioning me in. Reese stands on the far side of the room, looking like a dream I’ll never stop chasing.
“I’m going to go,” Piper says, already reaching for her jacket.
Reese shakes her head, taking a step toward her sister. “You don’t have to?—”
“Thank you, Piper.” My hand closes around the door, shutting off any argument. “Have a good night.”
The latch clicks behind her, and suddenly it’s just us.
Finally.
Reese looks at me, her dark eyes wide, the rim of the water glass trembling faintly between her fingers.
She’s still in her dress from earlier, the fluid fabric clinging to every curve, and I can’t stop the slow grin spreading across my face.
She’s everything. More than everything. Every empty night I spent with strangers couldn’t touch what I feel right now, looking at her.
She catches me smiling and tries to cover her nerves with a joke. “I guess it was good news.”
“Yeah,” I say, voice low. And I move closer, steady, deliberate. A predator who already knows his prey is willing.
Her throat bobs as she swallows. “So, what did you two decide?”
I take the glass from her hand and set it aside. She stares up at me like she’s waiting for the ground to give way beneath her. I lean down, press my mouth to hers in a kiss that’s more command than question.
Without pulling back, I murmur against her lips, “We’re not talking about Lauren right now.”
Her brow furrows. “Don’t you think?—”
“The only thing I’m thinking about is you,” I cut in, my voice gruff with emotion, “and how much I need you.”
“But—”
I claim her mouth again, deeper this time, pouring every ounce of want into the kiss until she’s gasping against me. “I promise I’ll tell you everything. But right now, all I need is you. I need you to fall. Can you do that for me?”
I tip her chin up, forcing her to meet my gaze.
Silence stretches, and I see the war behind her eyes, the gears turning, the unanswered questions. The fear. The desire. Above it all, the love.
“Please fall, baby,” I repeat, my lips ghosting over hers as my hands splay around her waist. “I swear I’ll catch you.”
Tears brighten her eyes as a soft smile upturns the corners of her mouth. Finally, she gives the tiniest nod.
Her voice is a whisper as she motions toward the bathroom. “I was going to take a shower?—”
“Perfect.” I peel off my shirt in one motion, tossing it to the floor. “Let’s do that.”
Her eyes go wide. “You—you want to go first?”
“Hell no.” A wicked grin spreads across my face. “I’m going with you.”
“Wait a second.” Reese plants her hands on her hips, a flicker of sass breaking through her nerves. “What if you hog all the hot water? You’re like a foot taller than me.”
“How about I promise to keep your mind otherwise occupied?”
Her laugh is soft, uncertain. She tucks a piece of hair behind her ear, shifting her weight from one foot to the other like she’s not sure whether to stay rooted in place or bolt.
I know her tells—the lip-biting, the nervous laughter, the way she avoids my gaze when she’s out of her depth.
And I swear to God, it’s the most adorable thing I’ve ever seen.
“Are you nervous?” I ask, voice low.
Her eyes drop, but I see the flush racing up her throat. She nods once.
“First time showering?” I tease.
That earns me a giggle, light and breathy, breaking the tension between us. “No. I’m an old pro at that.”
“Oh, yeah?” I step in close, so close I can feel her breath feather against my jaw. My fingers slide to the buttons of her dress, one by one slipping free until the fabric parts over warm skin. Her shoulders, her chest—she’s unfolding for me, and I can’t look away.
“This,” I murmur, eyes tracing every inch of her, “I’ve got to see.”
Her hands lift, hesitant, and come to rest against my chest, so soft I barely feel the pressure. Yet that small touch undoes me.
The truth of this moment, the reality of her choosing me. We’re finally here.
The emotion slams into me so hard I have to stop, forehead lowering to hers. Her heartbeat pounds against me, fast and frantic, like it’s trying to sync with mine.
“Hi, beautiful.” My voice breaks on the words.
Her lips curve, but it falters when she whispers, “You’re shivering. Are you cold?”
I blink, realizing she’s right. My fingers twitch against her skin. Not from the chill, but from the weight of what this means. “No, baby. I’m nervous, too.”
Her brows knit. “You? Why?”
I cradle her face in my hands, forcing her to see the truth in my eyes. “Because it’s you. And I want this to be perfect for you. So perfect you can’t remember a time when you weren’t adored.” My throat tightens. “Can I make love to you, Reese? Show you what it’s supposed to feel like?”
Something breaks inside her then, the last of her walls crumbling into dust at our feet.
“Please.” She rises on her toes and kisses me, and I taste every ounce of her surrender, her hunger, her hope.
And that’s all it takes to set the firestorm loose.
The second her mouth meets mine, the dam breaks. I strip her dress in a fever, shedding my own clothes until nothing separates us. She gasps when I lift her, her legs locking around my waist.
By the time we reach the bathroom, we’re both shaking with nerves and want. I press her against the tiled wall, fumbling for the knob until the spray hits us. Ice-cold.
She squeals, jerking against me. I grin, my back catching most of the water. “I’ll let you know when it gets warm.”
A shaky laugh bubbles out of her throat. “I can tell from your face it’s not.”
“Then take my mind off it.”
Her hands frame my jaw, her lips crashing into mine, and I forget about the water entirely. All I can feel is her—soft, trembling, giving herself to me. She’s so beautiful it undoes me.
The sting of cold disappears under the heat of her body, the press of her skin against mine. I drag my palms down her spine, soaping her gently, worshiping her inch by inch. She mirrors me, sliding her hands over my body—every touch sparking fire under my skin.
Steam curls around us, but it’s nothing compared to the fire blazing in my chest. I kiss her until we’re both breathless, until I can’t tell where she ends and I begin.
I shut off the water, snag a towel, and start drying her off before she can protest. Water beads along the ends of her hair, dark strands plastered to her cheeks, her skin glowing from the warmth. Her lips are swollen from kissing, but God help me, I want more.
“Feel better?” she whispers.
I drag the towel slowly over her curves, savoring the shiver that runs through her. “Better? Baby, nothing’s ever felt this good.”
I carry her from the shower, naked and trembling in my arms, and lay her gently on the bed. For a second, I just watch the soft rise and fall of her chest, the shivers reverberating through her slight frame.
I kneel at the edge of the mattress, my hand gliding from the curve of her foot up the smooth line of her calf. I press kisses along her ankle, her shin, slow and reverent, committing every curve to memory.
She shifts and grabs the edge of the sheet before reaching down to tug me higher. “Just come here. Don’t worry about any of that.”
My eyes snap to hers, my hand pausing against her thigh. A rough laugh rumbles from my chest. “ This is my favorite part.”
I crawl up over her, bracing my forearms on either side of her head, my voice dropping to a rasp. “Reese, I need this. I’ve dreamed of this for weeks. I’m desperate for you. And you’re going to let me love every inch of you.”
Her fingers brush tentatively over my cheek. “I just don’t want you to feel obligated.”
“Obligated?” I claim her mouth, kissing her slow and deep until she’s gasping against me. I drag my lips to her ear, my voice raw. “Baby, I’m starving for you. I want you more than anything in this world.”
But the fear lingers in her eyes—that gnawing insecurity whispering she’s too much work, too frigid, too broken. That she’s only ever been thrown scraps and told it was a feast.
Not tonight. Not with me.
I rest my forehead to hers, holding her gaze. “Fall, beautiful. No rushing, no pretending. Just us.”
I peel the sheet away, baring her fully, and my breath hitches like I’ve been sucker punched. My hands tremble as I trace her body, every curve a map I’ll never stop memorizing.
“You’re so fucking gorgeous. Skin like silk. The most perfect body I’ve ever seen.”
Her flush spreads, blooming down her chest. Her hands twitch like she wants to cover herself, to hide from me—like all those years of Vander’s indifference and infidelity left her convinced she wasn’t worth this kind of hunger.
Never again.
I bend, tasting her, circling one nipple with my tongue. She shudders, the soap mingling with the faint salt of her skin. God, she tastes better than anything I’ve ever put in my mouth. Her fingers curl into my scalp, no pressure, just a plea—silent, trembling.
A client would have demanded. Reese doesn’t even know she’s allowed.
But I’ll teach her.
I kiss lower, inhaling her, dragging my hands down over the flat of her stomach. The skin there is soft, impossibly soft, like satin under my palms. My mouth waters for more, but I want her trembling for me, begging for me.
When my hand slips lower, between her thighs, she gasps and grabs my wrist.
I freeze, meeting her wide eyes. My voice is gravel, my chest tight. “I would never hurt you, belleza. But I’m not rushing this moment. And I won’t let you rush, either. I’m going to take my time, and I’m going to adore every inch of you.”
Her throat works on a swallow. Slowly, her grip loosens.