Chapter 12
CHAPTER TWELVE
GRIFFIN
S he’s a mom. Fuck. Raven is a mother. She had sex, got pregnant, and made a whole fucking human in her body.
Why does the thought of her having sex with another man make my blood boil? I have no claim over her, and I’m not a caveman.
When I stumbled upon a car on the side of the road with its hazard lights blinking, I didn’t think I’d find Raven. Not to mention the fact that she’s wearing a pair of jeans that look like they were tailor-made to show off her ass in a way that makes me want to get my hands on it.
Noah puffs his chest up at my gesture, wanting to meet my sign of respect with robustness. He puts his hand in mine and replies, “I’m Noah.” He studies me further. “You look like my friend.”
“Who’s your friend?” I ask.
“Knox.”
When did that happen?
My eyes catch on the scar lining the side of his face again, and I feel the same pang I felt before cut through my chest.
“Knox is my twin brother,” I inform him with a smile. “That’s why we look alike.”
“When did you meet Knox?” Raven questions Noah with a frown.
“He taught me how to throw a football.” Noah smiles proudly.
When did that happen?
Raven must be thinking the same thing because her frown deepens. But Noah speaks before she can ask more questions. “I’m in first grade.”
I exaggerate with my response. “Wow! First grade? That’s practically a grown-up. That makes you the man of the house, doesn’t it?”
Is it bad that I’m hopeful his father isn’t in the picture? I don’t think Raven would have flirted with me the way she did if she had a partner, but you never know with these things.
Noah scrunches his brow, mulling over my words.
I can see the moment he decides that I’m right as resolve takes over his expression.
“Yeah.” He nods to himself. “Yeah, I am.” He looks me straight in the eye, letting me know he’s made of tougher stuff than most. Much tougher than any other six-year-old should have to be.
“You know what that means, right? It means you need to protect your mom and take care of her.”
“I can do that,” Noah assures me.
“Good man.” I smile at him again. Out of the corner of my eye, I see Raven pursing her lips together. Her eyes are shining brightly with unshed tears, and her lips tremble.
“Thank you,” she whispers to me.
I don’t answer her but instead turn back to Noah. “How about you and your mom hop in my truck so we can get you and your car home.”
Noah crowds my personal space as he leans his head out the window to get a good look at my truck. He makes a great effort to keep his face composed, but his eyes widen for a moment. “Yeah, I guess we can do that,” Noah says nonchalantly and gathers his books, placing them in his backpack.
“Sounds good, my man,” I say with an amused smile. This little boy is something else.
I lead Raven and Noah to my truck and get Noah situated and buckled in the back seat.
Raven plants her feet firmly on the ground beside the open passenger door. Hands on her hips, she offers her help. “What can I do?”
“Get your pretty little a—” My attention flashes to Noah, who is watching our interaction closely. “ Behind . Get your pretty little behind in the truck. It’ll go by faster if I can just get this done.”
She holds strong. “I’m not some princess waiting for a knight in shining armor to rescue her. I don’t sit on the side while shi—” She looks back at Noah as well. “ Things need to get done.”
“You can’t say ‘shit,’ Mom,” Noah reminds her.
The deadlock between me and Raven dissolves as we both fail to hold in our laughter. I never thought hearing a child swear would make me laugh so hard that my abs hurt.
Once I’ve caught my breath, my attention snags on the beautiful smile on Raven’s face.
I’ve seen her flirt, I’ve seen her smirk, and I’ve seen her angry.
But I’ve never seen her smile like this.
Her smile is one that men would go to war for.
Raven’s eyes sparkle with humor, and the light air that surrounds her is one that I know I would follow anywhere.
I swear all the blood in my body rushes to my cock, and I curse myself for getting a boner in front of a child.
Spinning on my heel, I stalk to the back of my truck to busy myself.
A door slams shut, and I hear footsteps follow me.
Raven doesn’t even give me a chance to refuse her help as she holds up a hand to silence me before I can ask her to get in the cab.
Folding this round, I get back to grabbing what I need.
Her keen observation of my movements is almost unsettling, but I quickly realize that she’s watching so she can learn.
“Your dad ever teach you how to change a tire?”
Raven’s shoulders stiffen for half a second before she forces herself to relax. “No. He didn’t,” she grits out.
Oops. Dad is not a good topic of conversation.
I continue the small talk, attempting to dig myself out of this hole. “Where are you from?”
Raven quirks a brow in my direction. “What is this? Twenty questions?”
I chuckle and turn toward her, resting my hip on the open tailgate of my truck. “Just trying to get to know you, Sunshine.”
Her nose wrinkles in a way that can only be described as adorable, and she refuses to look at me. “That’s not necessary.”
“Come on,” I implore. “How about this, a question for a question.”
I want to know more about this woman with the long legs, round hips, and a smile that would melt hearts all around the country. I’m playing with fire, but I can’t help myself.
Raven tilts her head slightly as she studies me. I see the moment she decides that she’s just as curious as I am. “Okay, but I get five passes.” She mirrors my stance and crosses her arms right under her round tits, unknowingly emphasizing them.
“One.”
She narrows her eyes. “Two.”
“Done,” I accept. Before she can take it back, I reach my hand out to seal the deal. But when she places her hand in mine, I feel the calluses on her palm, and something primal beats in my chest.
Acting on instinct, I grip her hand and pull her close. Our bodies are perfectly aligned, not an inch of space between us. No doubt she can feel the effect she has on me. Her eyes widen, and her chest rises and falls with shocked breaths, but she doesn’t pull away.
Pushing my luck further, I raise my free hand and tuck a lock of hair behind her ear. “Where did you live before New York?”
“Pass.”
An amused smirk turns my lips upward. “That was an easy one. Are you sure you want to waste a pass?”
“Yep.” Her face is confident in her decision.
Tracing her plump lips with my finger, I push again. “Tell me a secret, Sunshine. Tell me something no one else knows about you.”
She bites her lip again, and I can’t help but be jealous that it’s not my mouth nibbling on her plump, rosy lip.
“I named Noah after my brother,” she admits in a whisper.
“I don’t understand how that’s a secret. Wouldn’t your brother…” I trail off, feeling like I’ve dug myself into another hole.
Raven’s eyes grow sad, but she’s brave as she keeps her gaze locked with mine. “He’s dead,” she reveals.
Shit.
My brows scrunch together in confusion. “But your parents?—”
A muscle in Raven’s jaw ticks, and she interrupts me, “They’re dead too.”
Throughout the entire process of getting Raven’s car hitched to my truck, she continues to insist on being an active participant. Once the SUV is loaded up, Raven and I get into the cab and find Noah content in the back seat.
“Address, Sunshine.”
My request seems to snap her out of the daze our discussion put her in. “What? Why?” she asks incredulously.
“I need your address so I can take you home,” I explain slowly and point to the GPS screen.
Noah chimes in, rambling off their address, and I smile to myself, realizing how Knox and Noah met. Raven moves to enter it in, but I cover her hand with mine. “No need. I know where we’re going.”
Understanding dawns on her face. “Oh. Right. Small town.”
Little does she know…
I let Raven choose the music on the radio for the short drive to her house, curious to see what she’ll choose. She flips through a few stations and lands on one playing AC/DC.
This little spitfire never ceases to surprise me.
Watching her out of the corner of my eye, I find her mouthing the words and subtly dancing in her seat. In my rearview mirror, Noah is bobbing his head and doing the same. Something settles in the center of my chest.
Happiness.
I rub my sternum. I never thought myself un happy, and I definitely never thought I’d want to date a single mom.
One of my rules in life has been to never involve kids. It’s not that I hate them, but in my experience, when kids are involved in things like relationships, things can get messier. No one wants to hurt the kids, but they always end up being the collateral damage.
But Raven is a woman wrapped in mystery, and I’ve never been so intrigued by a woman like this.
Turning down the correct street, I maneuver my truck and her SUV to back into her driveway.
Whistling with a smile on my face, I hop out of my truck and circle the front end to open Raven’s door. Noah is out and waiting for his mom when I make it to the other side.
Opening the passenger door with a dramatic flourish, I grab Raven’s purse and guide her out of the car with my other hand. “Here we are, Sunshine,” I say to her with a wink.
“Thank you, Griff,” she says genuinely.
The use of my nickname draws my eyes to her lips, and my mind conjures up the image of how they would look wrapped around my cock.
Not now, little Griffin. This is not the time or the place.
“Mom, it’s hot,” Noah informs Raven as he pulls on his shirt, trying to cool himself off.
“Sorry, li—Noah. Here.” She pulls out her keys and hands them to Noah. “Go on inside.” He snags the keys from her hand and runs up their lawn. Barely pausing to unlock the door, he hurries inside.
Raven fans herself as she watches. A drop of sweat slides down her neck and disappears beneath her shirt.
Is it the time and place yet?
I gulp, swallowing down the saliva that has formed in my mouth from just looking at her. “Why don’t you go ahead and go inside. I’ll get your car unloaded.”
She waves her hand. “No, no. I’ll help.”
“Alright then,” I comment.
I don’t know if I’m going to be able to keep little Griffin under control if she keeps sweating like that. Like a damn goddess.
Thankfully, we get her car unloaded without Raven noticing the boner in my jeans. I swear my cock is hard enough to pound nails.
After we’re done, I pluck her purse up from the hot concrete and walk her to her front door. I may sleep around a bit, but I’m still a gentleman.
I hand over her purse and slide my hands into my pockets, attempting to keep my mitts to myself.
She turns and leans against the door. “Thanks for rescuing us today. Noah isn’t used to this heat,” she says with a small chuckle.
“And you are?” I tilt my head to the side.
“I am what?”
“Used to the heat.”
“Oh. Umm…” Breaking eye contact with me, she takes a deep breath. Her mouth goes tight, and a crease forms between her brows as she thinks something over. Coming to a solution, she nods her head and says, “I’ve acclimated.”
I don’t understand why that would be a difficult thing to admit to, but I don’t let my confusion show. “Did you live anywhere else besides New York?”
“I’ve lived various places.” A cloud very briefly passes through her eyes.
I know what secrets look like. I shouldn’t push and pry, but I want to know everything about Raven. I need to know. I can’t accept anything less than consuming her from the inside out.
Caging her body with my own, I place my forearm above her head and lean in. Our eyes connect, and I feel myself drowning in her like I did the first time we met. Her chest rises and falls in quick succession as her breathing picks up. I smirk, noticing the effect I have on her.
I hold myself still, even though I’m dying to get a taste. Again, I’m a gentleman—a damn consent king.
Raven’s consent comes when she places her hands on my stomach. My muscles contract on their own as she slides her hands up over my abs and pecs. She grips my neck and pulls.
She couldn’t have made her intention clearer if she tried, and in all honesty, neither could I.
I dip my head but keep my movements slow, drawing out the anticipation. Raven pulls harder, but she’s a small thing. I have more muscle in my right pinky.
When our lips meet, I swear it’s like a damn romance novel. I get that feeling in my chest again. A feeling that seems to only happen with her.
Our lips move together in a progressive rhythm. I’m desperate to touch her, to feel the way her tits would bounce when I thrust into her. But I know that if I were to touch her now, I wouldn’t stop, and her son is inside.
Instead, I put my other forearm on the door, allowing me to lean in further. But I keep a minuscule amount of air between my body and hers. I can’t rush this. I don’t want to rush it. So, I bask in the moment. I relish the soft feel of her lips and the passion behind them.
Breaking our connection, I rest my forehead on hers. My breaths are coming out faster now, matching hers.
We don’t say anything. No regrets and no embarrassment. Just two people savoring the spark between them.
When I finally get my faculties under control, I lean my head back far enough to see her deep blues. “Welcome to the neighborhood…neighbor,” I say with a smirk.
Her mouth gapes wide. She lives in the corner house, so it’s not hard to figure out which house is mine.
“So, you live there,” she deduces and points. “And I live here.” She points to her own house.
“That’s right.”
Raven’s lips round as she says, “Oh.”
I finally pull back all the way, spin on my heel, and aim straight for my truck. It feels ridiculous starting my car only to drive over one house. But I can’t block her car in her driveway.
Turning off the engine, my eyes wander to Raven’s front door. She’s still there, but she’s staring right at me. Her eyes impossibly wide and her hand over her mouth.
That’s right, Sunshine. You’re not gonna get rid of me that easily.