I lifted my hand up to his face, placing it on his cheek, touching him for the first time since that crazy scene on the hood of his truck. The action felt so much better than what I'd anticipated. "I gotta know that you don't really think all of those things about me. All of those nasty, mean things that you've said…"

  His face turned into my palm, his eyes closing briefly as the stubble from his jaw slid across my skin. He stood up straight, grabbing my hips and aligning my body with his. Now, towering above me, I saw something in his eyes that I'd never seen, something I'd only hoped for before. He wanted me just as badly as I did him.

  "I want to believe them, Kennedy," he said softly, his nose coming down to touch mine, "because it would make things a hell of a lot easier for me. But I don’t." My heart leapt, happy with the knowledge that he had said those things out of passion and not hatred. "I hate the idea of-" he stopped short.

  "Of what?"

  "Of him touching you," he whispered, his hand coming up to brush the hair off of my shoulder before it rested gently on the base of my neck. "Of him seeing you in a way that I want to…naked and waiting and willing."

  He lifted my feet off of the ground, directing my legs around his waist as he spun me towards the island, placing me onto the granite. When his mouth slid over mine - softly at first before quickly turning urgent - all of the pent up anger, the frustrating emotions, finally found their release.

  He grabbed my thighs, guiding my legs apart as he sought to step between them, allowing our bodies better access. I tore off his baseball cap, flinging it somewhere behind us as my hands dove into his thick hair.

  He groaned into my mouth, his hands sliding from my thighs to my hips then snaking their way upwards. His fingers ran underneath the hem of my tank-top, doing a delicious dance across my skin that produced goose bumps.

  "Griff," I said urgently, the heat intensifying between my thighs.

  "Say my name like that again," he growled, his tongue and teeth feasting on my shoulder and neck. "Say it," he demanded, clamping his canines down over my shoulder.

  I nearly yelped at the delicious pain, grabbing his shoulders for balance. "Griff," I managed, my chest heaving up and down. "Griff," I repeated, bringing his face to mine. I couldn't get enough of him - his lips, his hands, his face.

  He released a growl of approval, his tongue finding my earlobe. My body had longed for this moment for much longer than was healthy. My arms looped around his neck, pulling him forward, expressing my desire for him.

  He brought his head around to my chest, flicking his tongue across the skin as he made a path towards the dip between my breasts. He pulled his head back to look at me intently. His hands slid slowly up over my ribs, his thumbs settling on and skimming over both of my nipples. I gasped, pushing myself forward into his palms. His fingers turned downright greedy, touching, teasing me through the thin material.

  "I want to get a better look at these," he mumbled, his gaze still glued hotly to my face. His fingers pushed the fabric aside, my breasts tumbling forward into his hands. Only then did he divert his eyes from my face as he glanced down to have a look. "I've wanted to do this since the day I met you. Ever since I saw them through that damned silk robe," he grumbled.

  I thought I'd die with need if he didn't put his mouth on me soon. He dipped his head forward, as if he knew I wouldn't be able to take much more, running his tongue over my right breast. He gripped the material of my tank top in his hand, bending his arm to pull me forward. The action pushed me farther into his mouth, his tongue greedily swirling over my nipple.

  "Griff, I know you're in there. I saw your truck pass the front of the bar," Felicia yelled through the door. "And I know you're with her. Open this fucking door right this minute!"

  Chapter Ten

  He tensed, settling his forehead onto my chest as a disapproving groan slid softly from his lips. There was a series of sharp knocks at the door, followed by name calling that consisted of a lot of profanity. He finally, reluctantly, lifted his face, a frown punctuating his look of apology. My heart soared. He wanted me, not her. Even if we hadn't defined it, even if it was merely the both of us giving in to lust, he was reluctant to let me go for her.

  The realization shouldn't have been so gratifying, but it was.

  "Don't answer it," I urged softly, selfishly, tugging his face close to mine. I stole an indulgent kiss from his lips. He pulled away a few seconds later, grabbing both sides of my face, staring at me closely. I wasn't prepared for the look in his eyes. Good thing I was seated. Hooded lids rested over blue eyes, equal amounts of lust and reluctance in their depths. Those damned eyes would be my undoing. There wasn't a single thing I'd ever wanted more - not a man, not designer fashions…nothing - and it scared the shit out of me.

  "I have to. This has got to stop. Now." He sighed, his head tipping towards the door as he spoke. "Better put these away," he mused, taking his time as he settled both of my breasts back into the built in bra, making sure to rub a thumb across both nipples just beforehand.

  "Kiss me again," I requested urgently, because something inside me wanted to make sure that I tasted him again. Just in case he changed his mind after opening that door. "Please, I'll never ask you for another thing, I swear."

  "Griff!" Felicia yelled from the other side of the door.

  "Don't make that promise."

  "What? Why?"

  "Because goddammit! I couldn't function if I thought I'd never be kissed like that again - by you - and I'd hate you for it. And I'm so damned tired of hating you," he admitted. "If you're asking because of Felicia, because you're unsure of what I'm about to say to her-"

  "I'm not," I lied.

  "Good. Because this," he said, his thumb forcefully sliding over my lips, pinning them closed, "you and me," he added, "is far from over. I'm not nearly done with you yet."

  I felt my insides tug in opposite directions. He wanted me, lusted for me like I did him, but there was the latter half of his comment left to digest, to dwell on. Not nearly done with you yet. The thought left me feeling more than a little uneasy.

  I double-checked myself again, making sure that all body parts meant to be hidden were clothed. Satisfied, I slid off of the counter and headed towards the other side of the room, Griff heading in the opposite direction towards the door.

  Our eyes connected from across the room, a few more moments of stolen time between us before he opened the door to a sour-faced Felicia. She carried that face around with her like Griff had his anger…right up until I'd kissed it away. I smiled an inward, smug smile, my fingers coming up to rest on my lips.

  "Felicia, nice of you to join us," Griff murmured indifferently. He gestured for her to come inside, closing the door behind her.

  "Sharing a nightcap I see," she noted, her eyes roaming over the one glass that sat on the center of the island. The lights reflected off the glass, the golden liquor winking at us, hiding our secret.

  "Actually, I was having one. Kennedy declined," he corrected. He picked the glass up off of the table and emptied the contents as if to further prove his statement.

  Her lips puckered into a displeased ring. I guess I couldn't blame her. If Griff was mine to lose and someone was interfering, I'd have a few choice looks for them too.

  Her stare zeroed in on me, turning from Griff and his demonstration. "If you think for one second that you're going to get my boyfriend to sleep with you, then you've got another thing coming," she said. "Mick may sleep with anyone that walks, but Griff will not be seduced by some two-bit tramp who weasels her way into his life by-"

  "Whoa, now hold on a minute," Griff said, slamming his glass down, rounding the corner and grabbing her wrist to halt forward progress.

  It was probably a good thing that he'd stepped in. Over the past month, I'd been called one too many derogatory things and considering my distaste for Felicia, it would be the perfect opportunity to unleash my frustrations.

  "Don't tell me you're going to stand here and defend her," she whined, turning her attention towards Griff's hostile tone. For eyes that normally burned a beautiful blue, they'd turned steely gray in an instant.

  "I wouldn't have to defend her if you weren't way out of line," he deadpanned, unwilling to cut her any slack. "We are not a couple. You've known that from the beginning." He dismissed her as simply as Mick had Mel. She jerked her wrist from his hand, bringing hesitant fingers up to her bleached blonde hair. The look on her face signified that she did know that they weren't a couple, but she hadn't appreciated being reminded of it in front of me. His public admission had clearly left her a little more than deflated. "And she's not trying to get into my pants, it's the other way around."

  I was fairly certain that the sharp sound that erupted in the room was both of us gasping, Felicia from being verbally slapped and me from utter shock. I was paralyzed with emotions - shock, fear, excitement…lust.

  "What in the hell do you mean?" she demanded, as if feigning confusion would somehow reverse the words that he'd said. Judging by the way my heart was still pounding in my ears, it hadn't.

  Griff took a hesitant step forward, laying a sympathetic hand onto her shoulder. She shrank away from him, her overreaction a direct result of the embarrassment that she was feeling. She waited for him to respond, emitting a strong façade. I almost didn't want to watch. It was painful, even if it was happening to someone well deserving.

  "You've known that this day would come, Felicia. Please don't make this more difficult than it is." Her eyes widened and this time, she allowed his hand to land reassuringly on her shoulder. My gut wrenched, not liking it one bit. Maybe I didn't feel so bad for her after all. Not if it meant that Griff would have to touch her. "I've always been very honest about what we were. Just sex. No strings, no attachments. Remember?" he questioned.

  "Things were fine until she showed up," she pointed out. Her shock and embarrassment were furiously morphing into anger, the intended target being me. I felt compelled to dodge the angry looks that she shot me, certain that they'd inflict bodily harm if I didn't. Her hands curled into tight fists at her sides. "You just met my parents for Christ sakes! You…we…" she stuttered, her anger striking her ability to speak.

  I tried to will my brain not to focus on the admission of the familial introduction, knowing jealousy wasn't something that I was comfortable with. But I wanted this man and, apparently, I wanted more than just his penis.

  "We what?" Griff questioned, his comforting hand leaving her shoulder. I was able to release a breath that I'd been unintentionally holding. "You followed me here, proving to me that you've made this into more than just friends, which signifies that we need to put an end to this. Right here, right now."

  "You can't possibly be serious," she gasped. "After all of the time I've put into this? After everything, you're going to let some girl that slept with your brother waltz into your life and after one month…ONE MONTH!" she screamed, holding a single finger into the air, "you're willing to throw it all away. You don't even know her," she spat, turning that finger towards me.

  "I know that I want her more after one month than I've ever wanted you," he said, his voice was cool, calm…concise. My stomach constricted, my chest tightening. Had I just heard him correctly? He couldn't be serious, could he? I was left questioning whether his statements were the truth or just ammunition that he was using to term their…friendship. "I know that I want her beyond the physical, want her near me, next to me when she's not. And I can honestly say, I've never been there with you. I'm sorry for that."

  "You don't mean it-"

  "Yes, Felicia, I do," Griff said, visibly biting down on his anger. He attacked his next statement with much more care. "Maybe I let this go on for longer than it should've. Maybe, in dragging this thing out, I led you to believe that it was more than what it was."

  "Maybe? MAYBE?!?!" she seethed.

  "I'm sorry. I really am," Griff attempted to reassure her. "But this is over. We are finished."

  "You're going to regret this," she said, her eyes, her face, her voice a mixture of fury and rage and hate. "You," she added, turning towards me. "You think the public hates you now because of your little fuck session with Mick? Just wait until they know that you're fooling around with his brother."

  "I," I began, unsuccessful in finding the right words. "We're not," I mumbled, failing at my attempts to lie.

  "Tell that lie to someone who actually believes you, Tramp."

  She crossed the distance between the two of us in a flash, an angry hand connecting with the side of my face. I brought a hand up to my cheek to protect the assaulted area, stunned. Well, that's a first. Griff came across the living room with the quickness of an Olympic athlete, grabbing Felicia's shoulder and pushing her towards the door.

  She spun at the threshold, her eyes narrowing. "His dick will grow tired of you too," she yelled before turning her attentions to Griff. "And you…I always knew you had a thing for Mick's sloppy seconds."

  Ouch. I tried not to let her words sting too badly, turning instead towards the window, my hand still rested over my cheek. When I heard the door slam behind me, I closed my eyes, relieved. Contemplating Felicia's words, I realized the probability of their truth, the likelihood that Griff would grow tired of me. And what would I do then? Judging by the fact that I'd wanted to pounce by the mere act of him touching someone else, someone who he'd been breaking up with, convincing myself I wouldn't care was out of the question. Because I would care, much more than I wanted to admit, and I had absolutely no way of knowing how to navigate these uncharted waters.

  I felt his hand rest on the small of my back, soft and warm and comforting. My body reacted, my senses becoming acutely aware of his touch, of the gentle way that his fingers skimmed across me. "Turn around. Let me see," he urged softly.

  I turned to him slowly, my head a mixture of confusion, disappointment and longing. He removed my hand from the side of my face, replacing it with his own, running warm fingers across the smooth skin. I leaned into his hand, using his action as a way to soothe my fears. I couldn’t remember the last time I’d let a man touch me intimately like this. Kissing, groping and sex were one thing, but this…This was always off limits before.

  I sighed, not wanting to admit what I was about to. "God, Griff, I have no idea what I'm doing."

  I looked back up at him reluctantly, afraid of what I’d find. His gaze was undecipherable. "Me either," he finally said.

  "I can't slow down long enough to figure out how I went from being on tour to being here with you. Hell, it stems back farther than that," I added, thinking about how proud I'd been to announce my record deal to Kole less than a year ago. I admitted aloud what I'd been thinking. "I went from a record deal that regressed to a development deal to singing backup. I can't quite pinpoint where it all spun out of control, but it has."

  "Sometimes things happen that are out of our control," Griff whispered.

  He was giving me a line of credit that I didn't qualify for. "But it's my fault…all of it," I acknowledged. He lifted questioning eyebrows. "Because I made the decisions that put me here. I got onto that bus with Mick, something that I knew I had no business doing. I knew it was wrong, but I'd wanted to piss Mel off and-"

  He released a frustrated growl, stirring me from my admissions of guilt. "Can we not talk about your time with Mick?"

  "Why?" I questioned. It was a knee jerk reaction, one that I should've taken more time to think through judging by the look on his face.

  His eyes opened wide, a touch of fury licking at their edges. "Oh you think I want to think about his lips on you? Or his hands? You think I want to think about his di-"

  "Griff, please," I said, cutting him off.

  He ran a frustrated hand over his face. "This is insane. This whole damned thing," he mumbled.

  "I agree," I said, stepping around him and heading towards the couch. I sat down, curling my legs tightly beneath me. My thoughts drifted back to that dreaded night where my troubles began. Because of a stupid aspiration to put Mel in her place, I had wound up here. Sure, I had lusted over Mick in the beginning. What red-blooded female hadn't? But I had never intended to drink from the forbidden cup. And I'd done that and then some. Hadn't I? The truth was, I didn't know - might never know.

  I tried desperately to sort through the blurry details. I could recall everything up until I couldn't. It was like a puff of suffocating black smoke enveloped my thoughts immediately following the realization that I'd been duped into an overnight. "I remember so little of that night," I acknowledged.

  "What do you mean?" he questioned, his eyebrows gathering towards the center.

  I sighed, licking my lips before pursing them into a frustrated, thin line. "I've said this before and, trust me, I can see where it'd be hard for you to believe me, but I don't remember."

  I patted the cushion on the couch next to mine, wanting him close. I sensed his hesitation, not blaming him one bit. Something ultimately trumped his reservations as he eliminated the distance between us.

  "It started as a way to piss off this girl named Mel, another one of the back-up singers who, at the time, was a recent bedmate of Mick’s. She'd said something offensive to Jewels, someone I'd begun to consider a friend, and I didn't like it. He stumbled upon our conversation and showed some interest in me. I could tell it bugged her, so I went with it," I explained. "I had absolutely no intentions of it going beyond a stroll down the hall, but somehow I let him talk me into a nightcap."

  He shifted uncomfortably. I rested a reassuring hand on his knee before continuing. "We had a few shots too many. I remember him getting a little close, remember feeling the alcohol beginning to take control and I knew that I had to get out of there. I tried to, but Mick stopped me. He pulled me back towards him, the motor coach jolted and I remember him telling me that I was stuck with him. This big menacing grin taking over his face. That's it," I pointed out. "That's the last thing I remembered.”