by Parks, AL
“Hey, baby. I know we had plans to stay in tonight, but I totally spaced that I have dinner with Gram on Monday night.”
“Oh, well, that’s okay. Can you stop by after dinner? Or do you want to take a night off?”
“No, I don’t want to stop by after dinner, and I definitely don’t want to take a night off. I want you to come with me to dinner.”
“Are you sure? I don’t want to intrude on your time with your grandmother.”
“I’m sure. I’ll pick you up in a couple of hours.” He hung up the phone, and went out into the shop.
Neal was working on the engine of a new bike. He lifted his head as Griff approached and nodded at him. “Hey, boss man. What’s got you so happy lately?”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Griff could feel the grin slide across his face.
Neal stopped what he was doing and stared at Griff. “Wait, don’t tell me you and the newest business partner have been getting busy? Did you tap that?”
“Crude, and don’t talk about her that way. She’s not some girl I’m just casually fucking.” A huge knot twisted in his gut. What was going on with him? He never had a problem with the colorful language Neal used to describe all sorts of situations. He knew Neal didn’t mean any disrespect. So why was it bothering him so much that he would make that statement about Riss?
“Well,” Neal said, leaning into him. He pointed the wrench he was holding in Griff’s face. “If she is that special that you’re going to jump my shit for making a joke, then you better not fuck this up. The only times I have ever seen you this serious about anything is when it comes to this shop. It means everything to you. I’m guessing this girl might be in the same category, so don’t let your head get in the way of your heart. Sometimes matters of the heart don’t have no rhyme or reason, so you can’t make sense of them with your head. Don’t even try. Just let it happen. Got it?” He thrust the wrench closer to Griff’s nose, forcing him to jerk away.
“Got it.” Griff snickered at the man. “Who would have thought you were such an old softy?” Griff’s voice softened as if he was speaking to a child.
“Don’t call me old and watch who you’re calling soft, you little shit.” He turned away from Griff and concentrated on the engine again.
Griff slapped him on the back. “I’m going to take off. I’ve got to get Rissa before I go to Gram’s. Lock up when your done, and I’ll see you in the morning.”
“If you’re any good, I don’t expect to see you before noon, lover boy.”
Griff chuckled and shot him the bird as he strolled out the door.
***
Clarissa heard the door lock disengage and lifted her head just as Griff walked in the door. She had given him a key to her room so he could stop by whenever he wanted. She hated the formality of him having to knock and wait outside until she answered the door. She wanted him to feel like this was as much his place as hers. Was it a one-hundred-and-eighty-degree flip from where she was seventy-two hours ago? Yes. Did she want to overanalyze the sudden change in behavior? No. Not even a little bit.
This felt good and right. She had spent so much of her life feeling as if she was bad, as if she had done something wrong. Her parents failed at marriage. Her father had proven time and time again that he had no capacity to love. But the monster had made sure that she never felt right or good again. At least, until now. Until Griff found what was buried so deep she thought it had died.
Even in the darkest cave, there is still some light. It may be indiscernible to the naked eye, but it’s there. And Griff had not only found it, he made it grow into the shining sun it was now. There was no way she was going to overthink what was going on between them when she was happy for the first time in a very, very long time.
He walked over to where she sat on the bed with her laptop resting on her thighs. He leaned over, grasping her head in his hands. The tip of his tongue lazed along the seam of her lips until she parted them slightly. He slipped inside her mouth, tipping her head back to deepen the kiss. Her hands went under his shirt, her fingers tracing the edge of his waistband.
Without breaking their kiss, he closed the laptop and managed to set it on the bedside table. One arm wrapped around her waist, lifting her slightly and moving her to the middle of the bed. He moved his lips to her neck, kissing their way to that one spot that sent sparks of heat to her core. God, the man had the most sensual lips.
He pushed her shirt up, exposing her lace bra. Pulling her nipple between his teeth, it hardened and rubbed against the material. He moved to the other nipple, causing the same reaction. The roughness of the material against the sensitized nipple caused her sex to clench. God, this was so erotic. She wanted more. But more importantly, she wasn’t afraid of “more.” She trusted Griff, and wanted to experience so many things with a man that actually cared about her, cared about her feelings and her satisfaction. One that would never go where she wasn’t ready to go.
And that was the sexiest part about him.
His tongue trailed down her body, over her abdomen until he reached the waistband of her jeans. He released the button and lowered the zipper. Pulling her jeans and panties off and tossing them on the floor, he pushed her knees apart. He kissed her knee before licking up her inner thigh. She lifted her head, needing to see him - see that it was him - ensuring she would not be hurt.
It had to be that way, because this was the first time a man had gone down on her since the monster. It was his favorite way to start their abusive encounters. Clarissa had vowed that no man would ever do this to her again. But like everything with Griff, she was allowing him to do things to her she couldn’t have imagined even a week earlier. He was taking the fear and shame out of sex, and introducing her to intimacy and trust.
The tip of his tongue licked up between the folds of skin, pressing at the top of her sex. Her muscles clenched. Digging her fingers into his hair, she pushed him against her clit. She thrust her hips against his mouth, desperate for friction. When he slipped two fingers inside of her, it was her undoing. She felt every muscle contract as she continued to buck against his tongue. When her release finally spilled out of her, he pulled out his fingers and sucked the juices at her opening.
Standing, he quickly unfastened his belt, button and zipper, yanking his jeans down his legs. His eyes never left hers. They were dark and stormy and filled with lust. Nothing was more important to her than making sure she satisfied him. She had never once wanted that, but now couldn’t imagine anything less than giving him everything.
He grabbed a condom from the bedside table. His other hand was firmly pressed against her sex, keeping her aroused, and hot, and wanting him inside of her.
“Put the condom on me, baby.” His voice was rough and deep, breathing heavy. She grabbed the condom from him and tore open the packet. His hand went to his erection, fisting it at the base. She placed the condom on the tip and rolled it down his long, thick shaft. When she reached the base, she pushed his hand away. She wrapped one hand around his hard shaft, slowly moving it up and down. Her other hand cupped his balls, squeezing gently. A low rumble moved through his body until a deep groan came from him.
She sat up halfway, guiding him towards her wet opening. “Griff, I want you inside me.”
Crawling onto the bed, he wrapped his arm around her waist. He was on his knees, lifting her hips up. She released her hold on him and placed her hands on the bed to steady herself while wrapping her legs around him. He placed the tip of his erection at her opening and thrust deep into her. She felt him hit the top of her cervix, pressing against a spot that made her body contract.
“Oh, God, please…don’t…stop.” She was gasping for air. All her thoughts were of Griff and how he made her feel like a woman. A desirable woman. Someone to be cherished and respected. This was the way it was supposed to be. Two people sharing in the intense pleasure and passion. It was not about control. It was not selfish. It was everything she had hoped and dreamed it would be, and she couldn’t
imagine wanting this intimacy with anyone besides Griff.
“Riss…I’m gonna…oh, baby…I…I…” With a final grunt, Griff’s body jerked, pushing deep inside her before he lowered his head to her chest. His thumb pressed against her clit, and she came so fiercely she thought she might pass out. She was lightheaded and a little dizzy.
“God, woman,” Griff said between gasps for air, “you’re amazing.”
She shook her head, feeling the emotions welling up inside her. “No, you are,” she whispered.
“Amazing together, then. Agreed?” He placed his hand against her cheek and looked deep into her soul. He saw everything, she knew it. He saw how much he meant to her, how happy she was despite the tears that threatened. She could only nod in answer to his question. He leaned in and kissed her so softly it felt as if an angel was whispering against her lips, telling her everything was going to be okay. She had closed a chapter in her painful past, and was writing the first line on a clean page.
***
Clarissa embraced Griff tightly as they pulled into his Gram’s driveway. They had ridden the bike over, taking advantage of the warmer fall weather. Soon, it would be too cold to ride the bike. Not that Clarissa expected to be here when the first snow started flying. She just didn’t know exactly where she was going to be.
The subject of her departure hadn’t come up in the short time their relationship shifted into romantic, sexual overdrive. It was coming, though. It was inevitable, and most likely sooner rather than later. Griff was going to want to know what she was planning on doing. She had no idea what she was going to tell him.
She wanted to stay with him, see where the relationship could go. Staying in Newport was not an option. She would never be able to live here again. It was a constant emotional strain on her as it was, and she doubted it would ever get better. There were too many reminders of the monster in this town, and of the evil he brought into her life.
For the present is was manageable because she could stay in her villa and pretend she was somewhere else - anywhere else - but there. One the occasions she did go out, it was usually to the shop. The places around town that she visited with Griff were always accompanied by memories of her childhood. Or visions of spending time with the monster doing the same sorts of activities, pretending to be what they were not. Normal. Normal people enjoying normal activities. But they were far from normal.
Staying in Newport was not an option. Griff had his business and his Gram here. Leaving was out of the question for him. It was a stalemate that led to one simple conclusion. Neither of them was going to win in this relationship.
Griff extended his hand and helped her off the bike. He had a smile on his face but squished his eyebrows together when he glanced at her expression. She smiled quickly, hoping he wouldn’t press her for what was bothering her. Of course, he didn’t. That wasn’t the way he dealt with her. She gave him information when she felt comfortable and he accepted it.
They walked up the driveway arm-in-arm until they got to the door. Griff took her hand and walked inside. Clarissa glanced around the interior of the small house. The kitchen had an island that consisted of a cooktop with four burners and a large eating area surrounding it. The island separated the kitchen from the living room. Through an archway was a hallway that Clarissa assumed led to the bedrooms.
“Hey, Gram. Hope we’re not late.”
Her back was to him, opening the oven door and filling the room with wonderful smells. “No, dinner’s just about ready. Did you get things fixed with Clarissa?”
Griff looked over his shoulder and smiled. “Ask her yourself.”
Clarissa felt her heart tug. The love that was in that house, between Griif and his grandmother, was palpable. And for a moment in time, she felt as much a part of it as if she had grown up there. A blush travelled up her neck and hit her cheeks. This felt like home. Griff was holding her hand and they were about to introduce themselves as a couple to his grandmother.
There was a struggle taking place inside of her, encouraging her to tell Griff she was not staying in Newport but not wanting to ruin what they were building. Her heart was begging her to stay - for dinner, for the night. Forever.
Her cell phone buzzed and she pulled it from her pocket. It was a local number she didn’t recognize and the caller ID provided a completely unhelpful “private caller.” She glanced at Griff and put up a finger, stepping away into the living room.
“Hello?”
“Clarissa, it’s Brandi. I hope you’re not busy.” Her stepmother’s voice always sounded like nails screeching down a chalkboard. It sent shivers up and down her spine.
“I am. I’m just getting ready to sit down to dinner with Griff and his grandmother. What do you need, Brandi?” There was no need to be cordial to the woman. Clarissa had never had much respect for her father’s slut second wife. To be so now would have been ridiculous.
“How lovely for you. I’ll just take a moment of your time. I need to see you. It’s about some information your father gave me that I wanted to discuss with you.”
“What information is that?” She glanced over at Griff, who had a scowl on his face. She mouthed,”Brandi,” and rolled her eyes.
“I really don’t want to get into it over the phone. Let’s meet at the house at noon tomorrow. I have a new chef. We’ll have lunch and settle this business.” She sounded so smug, so overly sweet.
Butterflies took off in a crazed dance in her stomach but were soon crushed by a huge rock that seemed to get larger and heavier with every intake of breath. Brandi was up to something. Cold flooded Clarissa’s body as an overwhelming sense of dread shrouded her.
She turned away from Griff and the deepening worry lines that creased his forehead. “Fine, noon.” She disconnected the call before Brandi had a chance to say anything else. She wheeled around to face Griff, a smile plastered on her face.
“What the hell was that all about?” He pulled her against his chest and lifted her chin with his thumb. She looked into his eyes and detected a small measure of fear. He’s worried Brandi’s going to take away his business somehow.
“Nothing important.” She tried to walk into the kitchen, but he held her firmly in place. His eyes drilled holes into her. “Griff, she wants to meet with me to discuss some information my father gave her. Who knows, maybe I was right at the will reading and there are illegitimate siblings out there, and I just had the wrong person. I’m not going to obsess over it tonight. I’m going to eat whatever it is that smells so amazing coming from your grandmother’s oven and deal with the crazy bitch step monster tomorrow.” She was finally able to walk into the kitchen and give his grandmother a hug.
Griff came up behind her and placed a hand on her lower back.”We’re having meatloaf. Have you ever had that?” he asked Clarissa, grinning at her.
“Yes, but we eat it raw with an egg in the middle and call it beef tartare. Same basic ingredients, though.” His eyebrow quirked up as the corners of his mouth dipped down. She smacked him on the arm, the sound of flesh on flesh echoing in the kitchen. “Yes, ass, I’ve eaten meatloaf.”
Gram giggled behind her. Griff mouthed “ow” as he rubbed the spot where her hand made contact. There was a large red spot that was getting brighter and darker.
“I think you may have met your match, Robbie.” Gram passed by him and set a bowl of mashed potatoes on the island. “Now, if you’re done insulting our guest, set the table so we can eat.” She walked back to the oven.
Clarissa whispered to him as she took the plates from his hands, “I got you in trouble.” She turned and he popped her on the behind. It took her by surprise, but she chuckled setting the plates around the kitchen island.
She was already going to miss this when she left. A hollowness took up a corner of her heart, and she knew it would grow as each passing day brought her closing to leaving.
CHAPTER TWENTY
At just after noon the next day, Clarissa pulled the Mercedes SUV into the circle at
her father’s house. She had never wanted to come here, and hated being summoned by a woman she hated. The woman that had been as selfish as Clarissa’s father. Who took because she wanted and never thought how it might affect other people. Her mother, Eve, had been devastated by the discovery that her husband had been cheating on her. Had been further humiliated when she showed up at social events and had to watch her friends rub the pregnant home wreckers baby belly.