“Smart, too. She was determined to come down here and say hello.”
“Of course.” The man reached down to stroke Daisy’s soft fur. Then he winked at Griffin. “I give her soup bones.”
“I see. So she has ulterior motives.”
The little man gazed at him. “Don’t we all?”
Griffin had to smile at that. “I suppose. I thought I’d get Lily some flowers, and my ulterior motive is to impress her with my thoughtfulness.” He had a sudden inspiration. “Maybe I should buy her lilies.”
“No, not lilies. Buy her these daisies.” The owner plucked a bouquet of red gerberas from the display.
Griffin congratulated himself on knowing they were gerberas. He’d always liked that flower, too, and a few weeks ago he’d finally taken the time to look it up. “Maybe I should buy lilies and daisies.”
“No, go with these. She goes nuts over these, and I just got a fresh batch today. She always liked them before, but when her new dog turned out to be named Daisy, she decided this was the flower for her.”
“Sold.” Griffin reached in his hip pocket for his wallet. “I wasn’t sure where to tie Daisy so I could come in the store.”
“Tie her?” The man blew out a breath. “She can come with you. Daisy never bothers anything in my store. She’s a good dog.” He turned and started back inside. “I’ll get her soup bone.”
“Okay.” Griffin had never taken a dog in a grocery store, but Daisy seemed to be the exception to most dog rules he’d ever known about. Nevertheless, he tightened his grip on her leash. “Behave,” he said.
Daisy snorted as if he’d just insulted her. Maybe he had, because she walked carefully through the store without bumping a single display or sweeping anything off a shelf with her tail. Even when the owner handed Griffin the soup bone in a paper bag, Daisy kept her tail wagging to a minimum. But she was smiling to beat the band.
“Thanks so much,” Griffin said as he pocketed his change and picked up the flowers and the bag containing the bone.
“Now both your girls will be happy.”
“Uh, right.” Griffin was taken aback by the assumption that Daisy and Lily were his girls. That implied a deeper connection than he was comfortable with. But, after all, he was walking Lily’s dog and buying Lily flowers. The guy had a right to make assumptions.
“See you around,” the store owner said. “My name’s Bruce.”
“Nice to meet you, Bruce. I’m Griffin.”
Bruce nodded. “It’s a good name. Lily and Griffin. Sounds good together.”
Griffin had no idea what to say to that, so he simply nodded. For a man who was just in this for the sex, he sure was getting chummy with the neighbors.
Chapter 10
All the way home on the bus Lily thought about Griffin in her apartment, waiting for her. She’d never encouraged a man to hang out in her space, but the idea of coming home to a warm bed and a hot man was appealing. Anica had been pretty negative about this spell, but Lily thought it had a positive side. Griffin was a little overeager, but she was managing that so far.
She had no key, so she had to buzz the intercom when she reached the front door.
His voice drifted through the speaker, soft and intimate. “Hi.”
She went up in flames. “Hi, yourself. Think you could let me in?”
The lock buzzed and she walked into the foyer. Without her keys she couldn’t check the mail, but she was more interested in the male upstairs. Of course, he could be propped in front of her TV with a beer, watching whatever sports were on at this hour. He might already have strewn some of his belongings around, the way men tend to do.
She didn’t know Griffin well enough to be familiar with his habits, and he’d had a couple of hours to settle in, make himself at home. She was curious as to what that would look like. That was another perk of this spell. She could find out whether Griffin was easy to be around or a royal pain in the ass.
Carrying her backpack by the shoulder strap, she tested the apartment door and discovered he’d unlocked that for her, too. Daisy was there to greet her, as always, but the dog seemed calmer than usual. That made sense if Griffin had taken her to the dog park. Besides, Daisy was a social dog. She’d probably enjoyed having Griffin around for a few hours.
Griffin wasn’t in the living room. One of her lamps was turned on low, but the TV was off. Points to him for not being sprawled in front of it. Most guys would have been.
She saw a note on the coffee table and picked it up. Lock up and come to bed. I’m waiting. Griff.
Short and sweet. To the point. Lust swirled through her as she let her backpack slide to the floor. The bedroom door was closed. Daisy’s water dish was filled.
Lily secured the front door and switched off the lamp he’d left burning for her. She could get used to this. What was Anica so worried about? Maybe she was jealous, especially now that she had Jasper agonizing over how his parents were going to react to the engagement party. Anica might want to slip him a little something. Life with a man under the influence of an adoration elixir could be wonderful.
Lily started to open the bedroom door and paused. She could imagine the scene that awaited her, and she might want to step into it without being encumbered by her boots. Unzipping them, she slipped them off and left them in the hall.
Then she wondered why she should leave on her slacks and her top. She wasn’t quite ready to walk in there naked, but her underwear was black and sexy. She could make an entrance in that.
Piling her clothes next to her boots, she slipped off her watch and her bracelet, setting them on top of the pile. She was left with her lace underwire and a pair of black lace bikini briefs. She opened the bedroom door.
Griffin was propped up on her bed reading, but he’d only taken off his shoes and socks. At first she felt foolish standing there in her underwear, but as his gaze swept over her and his chest heaved in anticipation, she felt less foolish.
The bedroom looked fabulous. He’d set candles on every available surface, and he’d bought her favorite flowers and found a vase in her cupboard. Between the flowers on one of her bedside tables and an open bottle of wine on the other, she felt a romantic interlude coming on.
She wondered what he’d found to read. She had a brief glimpse of the title before he laid the book on the floor beside the bed. Modern Magic. Dear goddess, was he suspicious?
“I see you’ve discovered my hobby.” She hated lying to him, but he wasn’t ready for the truth. He might never be. “I’m an amateur magician.”
“Do you perform at parties and stuff like that?” He swung his jeans-clad legs to the floor.
“Not usually. But I might do a couple of tricks for the engagement party on Sunday.”
He grinned. “Are you gonna show me how it’s done?”
She decided to deflect the conversation by giving him a suggestive smile. “Are we talking about magic or . . . something else?”
His gaze smoldered. “I’d love to talk about something else. I really like your outfit.”
So he wasn’t terribly curious about her interest in magic. That was fine with her. Trying to field questions from a practicing attorney who had probably studied debate in college would only get her in trouble.
She glanced at his jeans and sweatshirt. “I, uh, thought you might be wearing a similar outfit.”
His smile was endearingly modest. “Maybe I don’t have your confidence.”
The picture of him standing in her shower was permanently burned into her brain. “You should.”
“Thank you.”
“I love the candles, the wine and the flowers. The only touch needed to complete this bedroom scene is a naked Griffin Taylor as the centerpiece.”
“You know, I never did have an eye for decorating.” He reached behind his back and pulled his sweatshirt over his head, tossing it on the floor. “I can tell from the way you’ve done the apartment that you have a gift for it. Any tips?”
“Well, you need a m
ajor accent, something that gives the whole thing oomph.” She eyed his jeans. “Taking those off would be a good start in that direction.”
“If you say so.” He unfastened the metal button at his waistband and slowly unzipped his jeans.
It was a wonder the zipper hadn’t stuck, considering the sizable bulge Griffin had to work around before he could ease the zipper all the way down.
Lily’s chest tightened in anticipation as her gaze locked on that bulge. “That’s what I’m talkin’ about.”
“Waiting for you has been a special kind of torture.”
“I can tell.” She glanced into his eyes, a devilish urge prodding her to tease him. “I’m surprised you didn’t resort to . . . alternative methods of satisfaction while you waited for me to get home.”
“I thought about it, but I realized it was pointless.”
“Really? Why?”
“I can’t imagine being satisfied by sexual pleasure without you.”
She gulped. That was the effect of the elixir binding him to her. “Does that seem . . . strange to you?”
“Yes, but everything about this compulsion seems strange. I guess I waited too long to give in to the attraction. Now I’m dealing with a fixation. It’s not your fault, so don’t worry about it. I’ll figure it out.”
“I’m sure you will.” Yes, it was completely her fault. The elixir had made him dependent on her for sexual gratification, and she’d known that would happen.
But now that it had, she didn’t feel comfortable with that kind of responsibility. She couldn’t guarantee she’d be available, for one thing. She didn’t like to think of him in a constant state of arousal because she wasn’t around to take care of that for him.
He shucked his jeans. “For tonight it’s not a problem. You’re here.”
She was so there, taking in the sight of him clad only in his briefs. Maybe she’d worry about the issue of her responsibility later.
He hooked his thumbs in the elastic waistband in preparation for taking them off.
“Wait.” She stepped forward. “Allow me.”
He paused and let his hands fall to his sides. “I’m all yours.”
And that’s what she’d dreamed of when she’d created the elixir. She couldn’t change things immediately, so she might as well savor the experience and not let it be ruined by guilt. Sliding her fingers under the elastic, she lowered herself slowly to her knees.
His sharp intake of breath told her he understood her intent. She’d been thinking about this ever since she’d seen him fresh from the shower, his pride and glory nestled in a wreath of dark, moisture-tipped curls. Now she would have him exactly where she wanted him.
She pulled the briefs down with slow deliberation, easing them past his very erect, very solid, very tempting penis. She planned to give in to temptation.
Once the briefs reached his knees, she leaned forward and placed a kiss on the tip of that jutting statement of desire.
He groaned. “If you do this, I’m not sure I’ll be able to control—”
“Sure you will.” She licked the ridged underside, running her tongue along the vein that pulsed there.
He sucked in another breath. “That . . . may not be possible.”
“It will if you concentrate.” She shoved his briefs to the floor. “We’ll have a little contest. I’ll try to make you come, and you’ll try not to. It’ll be fun.”
“God, Lily, I—”
“There are no losers in this contest.” Curling her fingers around his cock, she cupped his balls in her other hand. Yes, this was how she wanted Griffin Taylor, right in her grasp. And in her mouth.
He tasted like desire, and the more she licked and sucked, the more she wanted him. While she used her tongue and lips on his cock, she gently massaged his balls, and she was gratified to feel them tighten. She wouldn’t mind making him come. Knowing the power of his lust, he’d recover soon and give her everything she needed.
She challenged him, though, and he fought valiantly for control. His breathing grew labored and his thighs quivered. From the corner of her eye she could see that he’d clenched his hands into fists.
The contest wasn’t all one-sided. The longer she ministered to him, the greater desire teased her with the possibilities he offered. She was drenched with wanting him, aching to feel him pounding into her.
If she made him come, she’d have to wait for that sweet penetration. If she stopped now, she could have what she wanted within the short time it would take him to pull on a condom. Ah, but she’d lose the triumphant moment when he lost control. She wanted to enjoy that, wanted—
“No!” With a roar he lifted her up off her knees and pushed her unceremoniously toward the bed. It was pure caveman, and she loved it.
She fell back on the mattress, her legs dangling to the floor. She cried out for him, not caring whether she had him in her mouth or in her vagina, just knowing she needed him back, needed . . . and then he was standing over her, rolling on a condom, ripping away the panties she’d never taken off, lifting her up, up, until only her arms and shoulders rested on the bed. She wrapped her ankles around his neck and he drove into her.
They joined together in the kind of wild abandon she’d only dreamed of, their cries and groans echoing off the walls, her bed creaking with every thrust. His face was a mask of total concentration, the cords in his neck standing out, his jaw clenched. She focused with equal intensity, glorying in the powerful friction as he stroked relentlessly.
His big hands held her hips off the bed, his fingers pressing into her thighs. His voice was a hoarse croak. “Come for me!”
“I will,” she promised, her body already trembling, her breathing a series of quick gasps.
“Yes, you will.” Panting, he adjusted his grip just enough that his thumb reached her clit. He pushed down hard.
The spasms hit with unbelievable force as he kept pushing down and thrusting, thrusting, thrusting once more. Her cries became sobs of pleasure. Nothing had ever felt that amazing.
And then he climaxed, great shudders racking his body as he groaned and cried out her name. Dazed as she was by the tumult surging through her, she heard that precious sound, the sound of her name on his lips. Emotion spilled like warm honey, flooding through her.
And then she knew the depth of her problem. She wanted him to want her. Oh yes, definitely that. But more than merely wanting, she wanted him to love her. But because of the elixir, she would never know for sure if he did.
Griffin no longer had to worry whether he was taking enough risks in his personal life. Spending time with Lily was like being on a thrill ride. His adrenaline level spiked on a regular basis, and he felt more alive than he had in years.
Once they’d taken the edge off their lust, they’d sampled the wine he’d brought. Griffin had never sipped on wine naked or in bed, for that matter. He realized that the women he’d dated had been too conservative to think of it.
“Great wine. Thanks for bringing it.” She set her empty goblet on the bedside table and turned her head on the pillow she’d propped lengthwise against the headboard so she could sit up. “And the flowers are my favorite kind. How did you know?”
“Daisy told me.”
“I can almost believe that.”
“It’s almost true.” The vase of flowers sat on the bedside table next to him. He reached out and plucked one up, letting the water from the stem drip back on the remaining flowers. “When I took Daisy out for a walk, she led me to the corner grocery to see her friend Bruce.”
“Let me guess. He gave her a soup bone.”
“Yep. The remains are somewhere in the kitchen.” He twirled the daisy between his thumb and forefinger. “Bruce told me you like these.”
“I do. They’re so cheerful and full of life. Like my dog, actually.”
“And like you.”
She smiled at him. “That’s a nice thing to say. Especially considering you must be exhausted. It’s nearly two in the morning. Want t
o get some sleep?”
Griffin’s gaze swept over her, from her tousled hair to her bright red toenails. “I can’t say I feel sleepy.” Neither did his dick.
She laughed. “We could put out all the candles so we can’t see each other. That might help.”
“I doubt it. I’d just use my imagination.” His imagination had been getting a workout in the past twenty-four hours, and he was grateful for every sexual idea that had come to him. “Do you want to go to sleep?”
Her dark eyes glowed with a secret fire. “Maybe not, but I’m used to this schedule. You’re not.”
As if he could resist that sparkle in her eyes. He turned so that he could trail the flower over her breasts. “Then I need to get in shape for it.”
“That tickles.”
“Are you ticklish?” He suddenly wanted to know every little detail of her ticklish places.
“Certain places.”
Sitting upright, he moved so that he could brush the flower over the soles of her feet. “Here?”
“No.”
Circling her ankle with his fingers, he lifted her leg so he could get at the back of her knee. “Here?”
She giggled and twisted until she was flat on the bed as she tried to get away from him. “Yes.”
“Score one for me.” Moving quickly, he straddled her thighs and twirled the daisy over her navel. “Here?”
“Nope.”
“Here?” He ran the flower up and down her side, and she erupted with laughter as she tried to move him off her.
“Ah, I have you in my power.” He tickled her other side.
Tears of laughter streamed down her cheeks. “Stop it! No fair! I—Oh, what have we here?” She took a firm hold on his penis, which had reacted predictably to her wiggling around between his knees. “You’d better stop tickling me, or I’ll . . .”
“You’ll what?” He grinned. “Damaging that particular piece of equipment wouldn’t be in your best interests.”
She moved her hand up and down in a steady rhythm. “Who said anything about damaging you?”
“I get your point.” He’d completely lost interest in tickling her. But when he came again, he didn’t want it to be like this. The decorating discussion had suggested a visual that he craved to make happen.
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