Chapter 11
HANNAH
Iwoke slowly, the sheets tangled around my legs and the spot beside me still warm. As I blinked up at the ceiling, everything from last night crashed over me in a heated rush.
I had sex. With Griffin.
And it had been beyond amazing even though I was a virgin.
My cheeks heated as I remembered how he’d made me come first so it would be easier for him to work his thick dick inside my drenched core. The way he’d given me time to adjust before moving slow and deep. And how the pace was harder and more possessive when he took me the second time.
My body ached in the best way, a soreness between my thighs that wouldn’t let me forget what we’d done. As my legs slid together, I finally noticed the unmistakable stickiness on my skin and realized he hadn’t pulled out any of the times he’d taken me bare.
A flash of his rough voice echoed in my head. “Gonna fill you up, baby. Breed this tight little pussy until you’re carrying my baby.”
My breath caught at the memory of the filthy words he’d rasped during that second round. Or maybe it’d been the third. Everything was a blur of passion after that first time.
I should have been panicking over the risks we’d taken. Instead, a dangerous little thrill raced down my spine. I couldn’t help but wonder what it would feel like to have his baby growing inside me while Isa cooed at my belly.
I didn’t get time to worry about my surprising reaction because the bedroom door opened. Griffin walked in with Isa cradled against his bare chest like she belonged there. My ovaries practically exploded all over again.
He was in nothing but low-slung sweatpants, muscles flexing with every step while I took in the black roman numerals on his pec that I’d wanted to trace with my tongue last night.
Isa was wide awake and happy, one tiny fist in her mouth.
“Morning, sweetheart.” He sauntered over and sat on the edge of the bed, leaning down to kiss me, his tongue teasing mine until I sighed into his mouth. When he pulled back, he murmured against my lips, “Fuck, you taste good.”
I gave a little snort because I highly doubted that, considering I hadn’t even gotten out of bed yet.
He gave me another soft kiss, then his lips curved into a wicked smirk. “If our girl wasn’t awake and hungry, I’d be eating you for breakfast instead.”
Even the inferno of desire coursing through my veins didn’t stop my heart from melting over how he called Isa “our girl.”
Those pesky butterflies swirled in my belly again. I liked hearing that way more than I should after only a couple of days.
He kissed me once more. “Get your sexy little ass outta bed and come have breakfast with us.”
I grinned, feeling a little dazed. “Bossy this early too?”
“Only when it’s good for my girls.” He headed for the door with Isa tucked securely in one arm. “Coffee’s already on. Don’t make me come back and carry you.”
I laughed softly and did exactly what I was told, trying to convince myself it was only because I could use the jolt of caffeine to clear my head. But I knew it was more than that.
The next week settled into a rhythm that felt almost too perfect.
Griffin’s house was now filled with all things Isa.
Bright toys were scattered across the living room, the swing was parked in the kitchen for when we cooked meals, and duplicates of her favorite play mat were in the living room and Griffin’s home office.
Diapers and wipes were stocked in several places, and her closet was full of outfits she’d probably grow out of before she got the chance to wear them all.
We’d fallen into easy routines—me catching up on sleep while Griffin got up in the middle of the night, morning bottles while he made coffee, and dinners where Isa tried fruits for the first time. And our nights had only gotten hotter.
We couldn’t keep our hands off each other. Quick kisses in the kitchen somehow turned into me bent over the counter while Isa napped. There was even one memorable bout of sex against the hallway wall because neither of us could wait after she went down for the night.
One lazy afternoon, I sat cross-legged on the couch finishing my final CPS report on my laptop. Griffin walked by, paused, and dropped a kiss on the top of my head.
“Almost done?”
“Yeah. I recommended she stay with you permanently. Used all my vacation time so I don’t have to go back to the office yet, which didn’t make my boss very happy.” I glanced up at him. “That okay?”
His eyes softened. “More than okay, sweetheart. This is where you both belong.”
He kept saying stuff like that, and it only felt more right each time.
I wasn’t used to being treated like I mattered to someone, but I was starting to believe Griffin truly wanted me in his life.
As he continued to prove himself in ways big and small, I found myself relaxing in a way I never had before.
As the days passed, I showed Griffin a few parenting tricks. Like how to burp Isa without getting spit-up on his shirt, and the exact angle she liked her bottle. He caught on fast, sometimes anticipating what she needed before I said anything.
The walls I’d built to keep from getting hurt again were crumbling, and for the first time, I didn’t want to rebuild them. Isa and Griffin were breaking through every defense I had, and I was letting them.
Things were moving fast between us, but instead of fighting it, I started giving myself permission to just go with it. To enjoy the way he looked at me like I was already his. And savor how Isa reached for both of us with the same trusting hands.
By the end of the week, we took Isa to the diner in town for an early dinner. She sat in a high chair between us, happily banging a spoon while Griffin opened a container of pureed bananas.
“Open up, princess,” he coaxed, offering her a tiny spoonful. Her lips parted wide, and most of the fruit made it into her mouth, while the rest smeared on her chin. He chuckled and wiped her face with the burp cloth. “Good girl. You’re getting better at this.”
“Bananas are definitely her favorite so far.” I finished my last bite of burger and smiled when she made a happy humming sound on the next bite. “But she’s still going to be covered in it by the end.”
“Worth it.” He gave her another spoonful, then glanced at me. “You want dessert? They’ve got that chocolate pie.”
I shook my head, laughing when Isa reached for the spoon again. “I’m stuffed. Watching you two is sweet enough.”
Griffin’s smirk turned heated. “Careful, baby. Keep looking at me like that, and we’ll be heading straight home so I can remind you how much I like my favorite dessert.”
“Griffin,” I scolded lightly, but I was grinning as my cheeks heated.
He leaned over and pressed a quick kiss to my lips, then gave Isa another bite. “My girls get whatever they want.”
We lingered a little longer, Griffin and I talking while Isa made happy noises and tried to grab at his shirt. Being here together like a normal family felt so right.
When we finally gathered our things and headed out to the parking lot, something caught Griffin’s attention.
I felt the shift instantly. His big body went alert beside me, his blue eyes narrowing as he scanned the lot. The easy, affectionate man from dinner disappeared, replaced by someone more dangerous.
“What’s wrong?” I asked quietly, instinctively shifting closer to Isa’s carrier.
“Nothing, sweetheart.” His voice was calm, but the tone was off. It was just a shade too smooth.
He guided me to the SUV with his hand on the small of my back, opening my door before he got Isa buckled into her car seat base. Once she was secure, he slid into the driver’s seat, pulled out his phone, and sent a quick text.
His jaw was still tight, but when he glanced over at me, the corner of his mouth lifted in a small, reassuring smile. Then he started the engine and drove off like nothing had happened.
I watched him from the passenger seat, my heart beating a little faster as I wondered what he wasn’t telling me. And how much longer I could pretend I didn’t want to know every single part of his world.