5. Griffin
It’s already eleven by the time we take the exit for Stillwater. I decided to take Kenna to lunch at Tilly’s, a little malt shop my mom used to love. I haven’t been there in years, but their burgers and shakes have always been my favorite.
I find a parking spot and turn off the engine. “Wait here,” I say to Kenna before I hop out and round the hood to open her door for her.
“Wow, you’re really taking the chivalry thing seriously,” she teases me as I help her out of the Jeep.
“I’m trying to hook you, Sunshine. I’ve got to pull out all the tricks. Ever been to Tilly’s?”
“No, but Katie told me about it the last time we were here. The line was down the block, so we ended up going somewhere else.”
“They’ve got the best burgers and shakes around, so that’s not surprising.”
I grab Kenna’s hand as we walk toward the restaurant, loving the way her hand fits in mine. We stop on the curb, waiting for the walk signal, and turn to take her in. She’s so effortlessly stunning in her jean shorts and white tank top, and her blonde hair flows down her back in loose waves that I can’t get enough of.
Kenna looks over at me, catching me ogling her. She quirks her brow and asks, “Why are you looking at me like that?”
“Like what?” I feign innocence.
“Like, I don’t know”—she waves her hand up and down—“like that.”
“I’m just trying to figure out how I managed to get you to go out with me. You’re so clearly out of my league, Kenna.”
The words barely leave my lips before Kenna’s cheeks darken with a deep blush.
“Now I know you must be starving. You’re delirious, G.”
“I’m not. I mean, starving, yes. Delirious, no.” The light changes, and we cross the street.
“Do you want to eat inside or out on the patio?” I ask her as we approach the restaurant that sits on the corner of the block.
“I’ve never been inside, and I love that it’s a retro diner. Can we eat inside?”
“Of course.” I smile down at her as she claps her hands together in excitement. I love how expressive she is; she wears her feelings on her sleeve.
We walk inside and take a seat at one of the booths. I watch Kenna as she takes in all the old-fashioned paraphernalia that lines the walls.
“This place is great, I can see why you guys love it so much.”
Just then the waitress walks up and asks if she can get us started with any drinks. I don’t need to look at the menu, I get the same thing every time I’m here.
Kenna peeks up from her menu at me and says, “Can I take a guess at what you’re going to order?”
“Sure, but there’s no way you’ll get it right.”
“Challenge accepted.” She looks up at the waitress with a huge grin and says, “He’ll take an Oreo shake, please, and can we add peanut butter?”
“We?”
“Well, yeah. It looks like the shakes are meant to share.”
“What little faith you have in me,” I say as I grab my chest, feigning offense.
“Well, I didn’t hear any arguments about what I ordered, so I assume I chose correctly.”
I turn to look at the waitress and add, “And she will take a strawberry shake. Can we add peanut butter to that too, please?”
“Coming right up,” the waitress says as she walks away.
A slow smile spreads over Kenna’s face. “You remembered. I haven’t had a strawberry peanut butter shake in forever.”
I reach across the table and take her hand in mine, intertwining our fingers. I rub my thumb in circles along her wrist.
The waitress comes back with our shakes and I take my hand from hers. Kenna does the pouty frown again, and it’s so cute the way she’s unaware of her body’s subconscious need for ours to touch.
Kenna puts her straw in her shake and moans when the shake hits her lips. Every noise she makes does me in.
I turn to the waitress and order our burgers and fries. Then I start on my own shake. When the Oreo and peanut butter hit my tongue, I let out a low groan. Looking up, I find Kenna slack-jawed and staring back at me.
“What? Did I get some on my chin?” I grab a napkin to wipe my face, but there’s nothing there.
Kenna’s still staring at me, and I can’t help but laugh. “Did I break you, Sunshine?”
That seems to bring her out of her stupor.
“Har har,” she deadpans. “You’ll have to do far more than let out a guttural groan while sucking down a shake to break me.”
“Noted,” I respond as I wiggle my eyebrows up and down. “Just preparing you for the noises you’ll hear when I sink my teeth into that bubble butt of yours.”
Her cheeks stain the same color as her strawberry shake, and I can’t help but bask in the contentment I feel whenever I’m with Kenna. It’s so effortless. I can just be myself. I don’t have the anxiety that comes with always needing to be on like I do when I’m on campus.
“Can I have a taste of yours?” she asks.
“You don’t ever have to ask, Kenna,” I say as I slide my shake toward her. I grab hers and slide it toward me, and we each take a sip of the others’ shake.
“Mmmmm. You’re right. The Oreo and peanut butter pair perfectly together.”
“If you think the shakes are good, just wait until you taste the burger and fries.”
She mumbles something to herself under her breath that sounds a lot like she can imagine a few things she’d like to taste. That gets me smirking at the way she’s thinking.
Oh, Sunshine. The things I’m going to do to you. Just you wait.
We worked off our lunch as we walked along the river. Then I took Kenna to some of my mom and Katie’s favorite shops that line the historic downtown shopping area. I guide her into one little store with my hand on the small of her back, and pride strikes my chest at getting the chance to be this way with her.
This store is filled with handcrafted jewelry, crystals, and other knickknacks. I watch Kenna as she looks around the store, taking it all in. When I see a piece of jewelry catch her eye, I know I can’t leave this store without getting it for her. The turquoise ring is oval and fits her finger perfectly.
“We’ll take this one, please,” I say to the woman working the register. She looks up with kind eyes and smiles when she sees what I’ve pointed to.
“Oh, what? No. I was just trying it on,” Kenna starts, but I don’t let her finish.
“It looks perfect on you, Sunshine. The color kind of reminds me of your eyes when we’re by the lake.”
“You’re too sweet, but really, I don’t need it.”
Ignoring her, I turn to the woman and pay for the ring.
“Afraid to put my ring on your finger, Kenna?” I tease as I pull her in and kiss her forehead. I can’t say it doesn’t fill me with satisfaction to see Kenna with my ring on her finger.
She flashes me her hand with the ring on her right pointer finger. “Wrong finger, wrong hand, Mr. Territorial.”
Wrapping my arms around her waist and bringing her even closer I respond, “Oh, I’ll be territorial if that’s what you want, Sunshine. Isn’t that what all of yours and Katie’s favorite book boyfriends are?”
“Wait, how do you know what a book boyfriend is?”
“Katie’s mood completely changes based on what kind of book she’s reading. She’s happiest when the book boyfriend is a caramel roll or something like that.”
“Oh my gosh, it’s a cinnamon roll. And you’re right, she loves a good ‘he falls first’ trope,” she gushes.
“What exactly is a trope?”
“It can be a storyline, theme, or character trait in the book. Most books have several tropes and micro-tropes in them.”
“Okay, now I’m curious. What would ours be?”
“Well, obviously best friend’s brother romance,” she ticks off her fingers as she continues, “sports romance since we’re both athletes, friends to lovers, and secret pining.”
“I think you forgot one more,” I say as I grab her hand and lead her out of the store.
“Oh, yeah, age gap,” she says as she gives me a teasing hip check.
“Not at all what I was going to say. Shouldn’t the age gap be more than two years?”
“You’re right. Your sister loves to read books with a ten to fifteen-year age gap,” she teases.
I heave out a long sigh. “I did not want to know that tidbit. I was going to suggest you add the boy next door to your tropes list.”
“Oh, yes! I used to seek out young adult novels where the boy would fall for the girl next door, just hoping that one day you’d think of me that way,” she says bashfully.
Tipping her chin up to look at me, I tell her, “One day is now, Kenna.”
We get back to my house just as darkness creeps over the sky. Today has been one of the most romantic days of my life. After we left the downtown area, we stopped at Griff’s uncle Adam’s house. He wasn’t home, but Adam called Griff and told him to take me out for a boat ride before we headed back. So we packed up some sandwiches and snacks and had dinner on the river.
His uncle was absolutely insane for letting us take out his boat, which was really more like a small yacht.
Once we were anchored down, we ate a picnic-style dinner. Griff played music on the boat’s speakers and asked me to dance with him. He said we needed to find “our song.” He searched his playlists for a few moments before an acoustic version of “You Are My Sunshine” wafted through the speakers. His deep voice serenaded me as we danced on the bow of the boat.
He wrapped me in his arms and held me like he’d never let me go. I rested my head on the crook of his neck and kissed his collarbone as I soaked it all in. The way his warm body felt pressed against mine. The way his sun-soaked skin smelled of sunscreen and cedar—a lethal combination I didn’t know I’d love so much. It was a surreal moment and one I know I’ll never forget.
Now that we’re back, I was expecting him to walk me to my house, but instead, he leads me to his backyard. Once he opens the gate, he flips a switch at the back of the house. I let out a small gasp as strings of Eddison lights illuminate the backyard. Taking in the space, I notice there’s an outdoor projector screen and a bed of what looks like dozens of blankets and pillows in front of it.
“Griff, what is all of this?” I ask, bewildered.
“Katie helped me set this up before we left this morning. I thought we could extend the day just a little bit longer and watch a movie together. Or if you’d prefer to look at the stars, I can turn off the lights.”
“No, this is perfect. I can’t believe you did all this for me.” I shake my head in amazement.
“I’d do anything to keep that smile on your face, Sunshine. Come on, let me show you what your snack options are,” he says as he moves over to the makeshift bed. It looks like he took two air mattresses and put about all the blankets and pillows they could find around the house on top. Next to the bed, there’s a basket of movie snacks.
“Alright, so I’ve got kettle corn because I know you like it sweet and salty.” He wiggles his eyebrows at me. “Then I’ve got peanut butter MMs, chocolate-covered cookie dough bites, and sour gummy worms. Oh, and I’ve got Cherry Coke in the fridge. Give me a sec, I’ll be right back,” he says as he’s about to jog over to the outdoor fridge. But I stop him when I throw my hands around him.
He lifts me up and splays his hands under my butt as I wrap my legs around his waist. I touch my nose and forehead to his.
“I seriously don’t think you’ll ever be able to top this day. No one has ever done anything like this for me. Thank you so much, G. I’ll never forget this day for as long as I live. It’s perfect. You’re perfect.”
“Just know, it’s only going to get better from here, Sunshine. I’m not perfect by any means. But I want to be my best for you. I want to give you everything if you’ll let me.”
“Griffin Turner, are you trying to make me fall head over heels for you at record speed?”
He flashes those dimples that do me in and asks, “Is it working?”
Instead of answering him, I take his handsome face in my hands and press my lips to his, letting my kisses translate all the things that are far too early to declare.
He walks me backward until the back of my knees touch the mattress. Scooting back to the middle of the mattress, he climbs on top of me, kissing me again with an intensity that I match. I wrap my legs around his waist and pull his chest down until it meets mine. He rocks his hips into me, causing heat to flood my panties.
Griffin sits back on his heels and takes me in. It feels like he’s undressed me with just his gaze. I let out a whimper as he slowly drags his finger from my bottom lip, down the column of my throat, between the valley of my breasts, along the middle of my stomach, and to the edge of my jean shorts.
My impatience with him must be written all over my face, because he asks, “Is my girl feeling needy?”
“Yes. Touch me, Griff. Please,” I beg.
“I am touching you, love.”
“More. I need more.”
“Do you like it when I kiss you . . . here?” he asks as he kisses the pulse point on my neck.
“Yes,” I moan in answer.
“What about here?” he asks as he licks the valley between my breasts, then lifts my tank as he trails open-mouth kisses down my stomach to the top of my shorts again.
“Please, don’t stop,” I gasp.
He shakes his head and places his arms on either side of my head, bracing his weight on his forearms as he hovers above me.
“There’s plenty of time for that. But for now, we’re going to live out one of my teenage fantasies.”
“Oh yeah, and what’s that?” I ask in a breathy voice.
“You’re going to dry hump my cock until you come like the desperate girl I know you are.”
Oh, god.
Griff rocks his hips into my center, making my pussy throb. The friction of his length through the fabric of my jean shorts has my clit pulsing within seconds.
He kisses me as he continues to grind into me. I’m breathless; my heart pounds like I’ve just completed an intense rally on the court. Griff kisses down my jaw, sucking and biting on my neck, making me moan louder now that his mouth isn’t on mine.
I can tell he is big. Like gloriously big.
Our hips meet thrust for thrust over and over again, pushing me over the brink. His tongue drowns the moans and whimpers as I come the hardest I’ve ever come in my life. White light flashes behind my eyelids as I continue to ride out my orgasm. Griff kisses down my jaw, my neck, to behind my ear, then groans as he rocks into me one last time.
“Jesus, Kenna. You just made me come in my pants for the first time in my fucking life.”
“If dry humping you made me come that hard,” I pant, trying to catch my breath, “then I can’t wait until you actually fill me up.”
“You and me both, Sunshine,” he says as he trails kisses along my cheeks and forehead.
“I’m going to change quickly. Want to wear a pair of my sweats and a shirt?” he asks.
“Yeah, that’d be great,” I say, my voice sounding sleepy. I can’t tell you the amount of times I’ve dreamed about wearing one of Griff’s shirts.
“Alright, come here,” he says as he helps me up off the mattress.
Griff picks me up and swings me over his shoulder, making me yelp at him that I’m too heavy.
He swats my butt. “I can bench press twice your weight, Kenna. Stop insulting me and enjoy the ride. I know I am.” And he punctuates that with another swat before he smooths his hand over my cheek.
Griff takes me upstairs to his room and hands me some clothes to change into.
“I’m just going to get cleaned up quickly,” he says, pointing over his shoulder to the bathroom.
“Alright.” I giggle at the slight blush on his cheeks. I made Griffin Turner come in his pants. I made a teenage fantasy of his come true.
“Hey, Griff?”
“Yeah?”
“You said that was your teenage fantasy. Am I supposed to believe you’ve never dry-humped someone before?”
“That was never my teenage fantasy, Kenna. The fantasy was watching you come undone beneath me without me so much as using my hands, mouth, or having my cock buried inside you,” he answers with a cocky smirk.
“Oh. So, coming in your pants wasn’t the fantasy,” I tease.
“No, that was more so what I would do when you were in the room next to me, sleeping over, as I ran through all of the dirty things I wanted to do to you.”
I’m stunned speechless. I was sure that all those years I had lusted after the boy next door, my best friend’s older brother, that my feelings were one-sided.
He kisses me softly, taking his time as he molds his tongue with mine. I feel everything from that one kiss. Slowly pulling away, he sighs with his eyes still closed, shaking his head to himself.
“What is it?” I ask.
Opening his eyes, he looks down at me. “I never thought it could be like this. I didn’t think anything besides hockey could consume my thoughts. But here I am, with you still in my arms, thinking about the next date I’m taking you on, and all of the ways I want to watch you unravel.”
My heart expands in my chest, making my next breaths shutter in and out of me.
I’m falling for the boy next door. But, then, I have been for years, so what does that tell you?
I’ve already fallen.
I just hope the place I land is as soft as the way his lips feel on mine.