23. Julie #2
I open my mouth but before I can say anything he rushes to correct himself.
“Not a mistake! We established that. But I wish the first time I tasted your lips were in broad daylight and clear mind.” His eyes zero in on the said mouth and the pads of his fingers lightly slide across my lips as my breaths grow more and more labored.
“I wish the first time I touched your body was after I deserved it, after I broke every last rule and promise and declared you as mine.” His fingers leave my lips to trail down my neck, brushing over my collar bone as a hoard of goose bumps takes off across the expanse of my skin until it travels lower, down the curve of my breast and pebbled nipples.
“I wish the first time I woke up in bed with you, I’d spend the whole morning counting each and every freckle on your skin. With my lips and tongue.” His heated gaze pierces through mine and I can no longer feel my own heartbeat.
It's too wild, too fast to keep track of.
“So, no, I don’t think we’ve had the talk yet, Julie. Do you mind if we do it now?” Griffin asks and a small squeak leaves my throat.
There’s more?
He arches one of his eyebrows in question, but I’ve lost my ability to form words. For the first time in my life, I don’t feel the need to say the first thing that comes to my mind because it’s utterly, devastatingly blank.
So I nod.
Or stumble-nod.
Is that a thing? It should be.
“I like you, Julie Lovinski. I should’ve led with that last night. I like you very, very much and I’d like to beg you for a second chance.”
“A second chance?”
He nods. “Yes, a second chance to have our first date. To do it right. To treat you like you deserve to be treated.”
“Griffin,” I whisper as the tears start anew. Griffin likes me, and oh, sweet daisies, my heart is about to explode.
“I’ll, um, I’ll understand if that’s not what you want.” He swallows hard, suddenly looking just as terrified as he was last night but now, I know the reason behind it.
It’s me. I’m the reason. And this reason is speechless.
I’ve lived nearly twenty years in fervent dreams to hear him say he likes me. Nearly twenty years and all it took was one blind date…
“But I’m begging you, give me this one chance.
One opportunity to make it right. You mean more than I am capable of explaining right now.
So, I’m begging you just one try to do it all over again.
” All of a sudden, Griffin is on his knees in front of me, his eyes looking up pleadingly as the palms of his hands are splayed over my thighs, holding me tight, as if terrified I’ll try to leave again.
My heart finally explodes, every hopeless dream, tear, and question leaking out of it. Making room for something new. Something bigger. Something so bright it’s quickly taking over.
Love.
So much love and hope I can’t contain it. So, I simply drop to my knees, next to Griffin, shaking my head.
“No?” His voice is full of broken desperation as I keep shaking my head. “Little J—”
“No, I don’t want to give you another chance. I don’t want to make it right.”
“Jul—” I quiet him with a kiss, molding my lips to his.
“I don’t want a second chance because the first one was already perfect. Maybe not traditional, but…” I shrug. “It’s me we are talking about. I’m all for non-traditional.”
“What are you saying?” Griffin searches my eyes, his hands caressing my face and it’s my turn to take a deep breath.
“I’m saying I don’t want another first date.
I’d like a second and a third. And I don’t think I’d mind too much if they ended the way this one did.
” I bite my lower lip as color splashes over my cheeks at my blatant admission but now that we’re here, I don’t want to hide anything.
And based on the heated look that coats Griffin’s brown eyes, he feels the same.
“Are you saying I’m now dating my best friend’s little sister?” There he goes with that sheepish, cheeky smile I love so much, and I find myself giggling.
“I don’t know, you didn’t ask her yet.”
“Callum will most likely kill me, but what a way to go. Julie Birdy Lovinski, will you be my girl?”
Despite all that he’s said so far, this is what breaks me completely and with a small whimper I jump into his arms, sending us both down to the floor.
His girl . That’s all I ever wanted to be.
Griffin laughs as I fall on top of him, his fingers sneaking underneath the baggy shirt. “So?”
“There’s nothing I’d like more.” I smile and then we are a mess of lips and limbs, trying to get as close as possible to each other.
“And to think you were about to flee to work.” He smiles through the kiss, drawing me closer, his hands roaming over my back, my neck and get lost in my wild mane of hair.
“I was scared you’d break my heart.” I don’t add the word again . I’ll tell him one day. I’ll bare my secrets for him but not yet.
“Never,” Griffin says reverently before he pushes up, standing up with me in his arms and carries us back to the bed. He lays me down and we just stay like that, staring, as if seeing one another for the first time.
I have many questions, but for once I don’t feel the urge to blurt them all out.
“I don’t know if you remember but I think we attempted to make babies last night,” Griff says. “Many, many babies.” His lips twitch with amusement.
“Oh, I remember.” I blush, as the ache inside me sends a sweet reminder of all the attempts we had. “But don’t worry, I take this tonic Willa makes, I won’t get pregnant.”
“Willa, you say?” he asks, his brows crinkling with skepticism so deep, I chuckle.
“Yep.”
“That does not sound as reassuring as you think.”
“Shh.” I press the palm of my hand to his lips. “If she hears you doubting her powers, she’ll spike your drink,” I whisper and then yelp as Griffin sinks his teeth into my hand, biting me playfully.
“Let her try.” He rolls us over and I start laughing as he proceeds to bite me some more.
Down my neck, my collar bone, and I’m laughing, pushing him off but he’s too strong and too relentless. Griffin pins my arms at the top of my head and then the laugher is replaced by a long moan when his teeth close around my hard nipple and he bites through the material of my shirt. Hard.
“Ah,” I gasp, but not from pain. I gasp from the jolt of arousal and pleasure it sends down to my core.
The look he gives me is a knowing one. He knows I like it. Just as I liked my sex with a slight side of pain last night.
I’ve never told anyone about it. Not one soul knew about my sexual preferences and honestly, even if I did, I highly doubt they’d believe that sweet, innocent Julie likes it rough. I couldn’t believe it myself when I discovered it.
But I told Griffin. No, not just told. I begged him for it.
“You like that, don’t you, baby?” In a matter of seconds, I’m winded and breathless as Griff still has my wrists pinned and my body up for his taking. But I nod, sinking my teeth in my lower lip and his eyes fill with dark lust.
Oh my God, I’ve never seen this Griffin. I’ve never seen any of these sides of Griffin. They all lived solely in the land of my impossible dreams and now it’s almost too much to take in. Almost too much to believe.
He must sense where my thoughts go and releases my hands, instead cradling my face like he did last night and shifts us so we are lying on our sides, facing each other, our feet twined.
“Is this too much for you?”
“No,” I tell him honestly. “But I still don’t understand how we got here.”
Griffin smiles, drawing one of his fingers over the ridge of my nose. “I do.”
“You do?” My eyebrows arch in question but he just nods and gives me his charming smile.
“You were always meant to be mine.” He presses his lips to my forehead.
“But…but you never liked me before. You thought I was weird.”
“What?” His brows furrow. “Who told you that?”
“You did.” Griffin gets up, propping himself up on his elbow as he peers down at me.
“I’d never say that to you, Julie. Because I never once thought so.” His voice sounds honest, but I know it can’t be. I nibble on the inside of my cheek, deciding if I want to go there right now, but I don't want to start this relationship with questions.
“Well, technically, you didn’t say it to me. You said it to Kimmy, and I overheard it.”
Honesty is replaced with true remorse as the memories must come back to him. “Remember when I just said I was an idiot when we were kids?” I nod. “It’s a horrible excuse and I’m not using it here because there’s more to it. A lot more.”
“Like?” I swallow hard, the memories of that day still fresh in my mind even if I don’t let them hurt me anymore.
“I promise we’ll get to all the answers later. But for now, do you think we could take this one day at a time?”
The raw vulnerability in his voice calls out to me. I know there are still skeletons in his closet. Know there is more he’s battling on the inside, and I want to be there for him. No matter what.
“One day at a time sounds great to me.” I smile softly, brushing my hand against his messy beard and he catches it, bringing it to his lips and kisses my palm, dragging his lips over each one of my fingers, my wrist, my shoulder, my collar bone.
Gently and sweet like he has all the time in the world when his eyes scream need and want and now.
“Griffin,” I moan, my eyes closing when he keeps laying those tender kisses all over my body.
“Shh, I want to take all the time in the world to seal the deal.”
“Sounds more like a torture,” I whine and feel his lips twitch against my skin.
“Sounds like I know what you like already.”
And he does, sweet daisies, does he ever…
Love Hive:
Zizilovingsoul: Does anyone have any news? I’ve been on pins and needles ever since last night.
Ninasunshine: Honey, step off those needles for a bit. Too much of a good thing can be bad.
Zizilovingsoul: I can’t, it keeps my nerves in check. Did it work?
Infullbloom: I went in Sip of Love this morning and Julie wasn’t there. Lia had no idea where she was. So, maybe that’s a good sign?
Toughtolove: Hm, yes, it could be.
Zizilovingsoul: Oh, thank rainbows. My feet are dying already.
Toughtolove: Or it could also be because they killed each other when they woke up.
Zizilovingsoul: I’m getting back on the needles.
Toughtolove: Someone needs to go check on them. Tootsie roll @therunawaybride?
Therunawaybride: I’m squeamish when it comes to blood.
Tinyhousebigheart: What have you all done and why wasn’t I in on it?
Toughtolove: Viking, go see if the wedding night didn’t end in bloodshed.
Joydon’tpissmeofflevine: You all need so much help. I just saw Griffin walking out of Julie’s apartment.
Joydon’tpissmeofflevine: Before you ask, yes, he was in one piece.
Zizilovingsoul: So, it worked? Can someone finally put me out of my misery?
PheonixG: It worked.
*Love Hive goes down due to an overwhelming number of messages.