Griffin smiled and brought her right hand to his lips, placing a kiss on her inner palm and eliciting a slight tremble from her, a sign that she wanted him, too. “You were the one that finally got that little bastard to admit he lied. We made a great team back then.” He pulled her closer to him, wrapping his arms around her waist.
“M-more like research and lab partners that became friends,” Felicia stammered.
Griffin gifted her with a wide smile before looking over his shoulders at Alyia.
“Well, we’re a team now, aren’t we?”
“I guess so,” Felicia acknowledged.
“Tell me the rest.”
“You sure?” Felicia asked, shaking in his embrace.
“Might as well get it over with. Rip the Band-Aid off, so to speak.”
Felicia laughed out loud but quickly pulled her right hand free and captured the sound with it.
“What?”
“That’s what Farrah said we should have done about telling you the truth.”
Griffin grinned. “Not sure how well that would’ve worked, either. What changed Valerie’s mind about the adoption and finally telling the truth?”
* * *
Felicia pulled free and stepped away from Griffin to get her bearings. Running her hand up and down Griffin’s muscled back to keep him calm, then him holding and kissing her hand, was wreaking havoc on her emotions, not to mention her body. Griffin was awakening both familiar and unfamiliar desires that she had to keep under control. They couldn’t deal with an attraction right now. But she had to give him credit that he was a lot more accepting than he had initially been.
“The way John explained it, she simply ran out of time.” Felicia and Griffin returned to their seats just as Griffin’s phone beeped. He checked the message and returned it to his jacket pocket.
“Everything okay? You need to deal with that?”
“No,” he replied. “If she was going to throw our child to the wind, how did we finally make the cut?” Griffin inquired, leaning back in his chair.
“It seems none of the couples she was considering were actually good enough. John reminded Valerie of her initial thoughts on me being the best caregiver. He was finally able to convince her that I was the best alternative.”
“So we...” Griffin used his index finger to point between himself and Felicia. “In her mind, we’re Alyia’s best alternative, her biological father and one of the best women I know.”
Felicia smiled and nodded at the compliment. “That’s when John reached out to find me, which wasn’t easy since I was working on the other side of the world.”
“Ms. Ellen had been taking care of her all this time?” Griffin scratched his neatly trimmed beard. “I mean, before they reached out to you?”
“Yes, but you don’t have to worry about Ms. Ellen. She’s amazing with Alyia. She was just as surprised and appalled about what Valerie had done and was planning to do. Ms. Ellen raised three children of her own and she’s enjoying helping out. That is, until she gets grandbabies of her own,” Felicia said with a chuckle.
Griffin nodded slowly. “She really seems to love her.”
“She does.”
“Look—”
Griffin was interrupted by Alyia making her presence known with a loud whimper. Felicia and Griffin stood, but before they could act Ms. Ellen had made it through the door and was standing next to the playpen with a bottle in hand. “Nanny’s here,” she said, reaching into the playpen, picking up Alyia while Griffin and Felicia stood back and watched in awe at how quickly and easily the experienced woman handled the situation.
Felicia felt a shock of warmth in her hand but didn’t look down to identify the source.
“Oh, I’m sorry.” Ms. Ellen showed them Alyia’s bottle. “Would you—?”
“No,” they answered simultaneously.
Ms. Ellen’s eyes swept over the couple and the corner of her mouth lifted. “Let’s go get you changed,” she said to Alyia who held her bottle as Ms. Ellen carried her from the room. Alyia popped it out just long enough to coo and gurgle at Felicia before putting it right back in.
“I still can’t get used to the sound of her crying and that feeling of helplessness that comes with it,” Felicia confessed.
“I can understand that,” he said as Felicia noticed they were standing with their hands intertwined again.
Felicia looked up into Griffin’s eyes and their gray tint had become slightly darker. He held her gaze then took the back of his free hand and ran it slowly down the side of her face. Felicia shivered and suddenly found it hard to inhale.
“Breathe, Felicia,” he whispered.
She released a breath that she hadn’t realized she had been holding. She pulled her hand free and took a step back.
“What is it that you need from me?” Griffin’s voice had taken on a husky edge and he placed his hands in his pockets.
Felicia blinked twice before saying, “Excuse me?”
He gave her a slight grin. “At the party...you said you didn’t want anything from me but you needed something. What was that?”
Felicia felt a sense of shame come over her. She had made the same assumption about Griffin that Valerie had made about them both. “Oh, that...”
Felicia took a moment to compose herself, but before she could give him her answer the door to the suite swung open.
“You still here?” Farrah said in a dry tone as she entered the suite.
Both Felicia and Griffin turned toward Farrah.
Griffin released an audible sigh of frustration and Farrah smiled.
Griffin returned his attention to Felicia and asked, “Have dinner with me tonight? We can finish talking then.”
She hesitated only a split second before saying, “Yes, of course.”
Griffin gifted Felicia with a wide smile. “How’s eight?”
“Eight’s fine.”
“See you then,” he said before slowly sliding his lips across her cheek, stopping at her lips where he gave her two soft but quick kisses. “One of those is for Alyia. See you in a few hours.”
Felicia smiled and nodded.
Griffin headed for the door, stopping long enough to acknowledge her sister. “Farrah.”
“Griffin,” she replied as she held the door for him to exit.
“Well, damn. What did I miss?” Farrah asked, taking her sister’s hand and dragging her to the sofa. “Sit... Spill.”
“What? There’s nothing to tell...not really.”
“That kiss didn’t look like nothing.” Farrah smirked. “It actually looked kind of sweet.”
The back of Felicia’s hand found its way to her cheek on its own. “Yes, it was.”
“Did you get his medical history? We don’t want my wonderful niece to have to deal with some unexpected illnesses. Did you discuss any form of custody? Not that he has any legal rights to Alyia. Is he engaged?”
Farrah was hitting Felicia with rapid-fire questions and it was making her head spin. “No. We hadn’t gotten to any of that yet.”
“Well, what did you get to?” Farrah asked, her eyes narrowing.
“I just brought him up to speed on everything...how all this came about. I’m sure custody will be a topic of discussion this evening.” Especially if he didn’t donate his sperm and has more rights than we initially thought. That was a bit of information Felicia wasn’t willing to share with Farrah in the moment.
“And the engagement?”
Felicia shrugged. “Who knows? That’s not really my concern,” she said with as much conviction as she could muster. For reasons she didn’t want to explore, the very thought that he would soon be unavailable made her chest hurt.
“Sure, it’s not,” she taunted. “Do you need—?”
“I’m a big girl and we’re both adults. I’m sure we’ll be able to figure out what’s best for our daughter.”
“Our daughter...” Farrah echoed with one eyebrow raised. “Oh, now she’s our daughter.”
“Yes, she’s our daughter, and I’m going to do what’s best for her and I need your support.”
Farrah glared at her sister in silence for several moments before pushing out a deep breath. “Fine, whatever you need, you know I’ll do.”
“Even if that means cutting Griffin a little slack?”
“If I must,” she said, rising from the sofa. “But if he crosses the line even once—”
“I know. You will hurt him in ways he didn’t even know was possible.”
Farrah laughed. “This sibling mind-reading thing really does come in handy at times. Seriously, how much are you prepared to give?”
“I really don’t know. I’m just taking things one step at a time.”
“So I assume you’re not leaving just yet.” Farrah started removing the pins holding up her hair, dropping them on the table as she went.
“No. I have to work things out with Griffin before I go back home.”
“Well, I can’t stay, but I can come back in a day or two if you need me,” she said, running her hands through her hair.
“Don’t be ridiculous. I’m sure we’ll have things wrapped up here in a few days and I’ll be home before you know it. If I run into any problems, I’ll call you, and you can bring in that heavy-hitter family lawyer you know.”
Farrah sighed. “All right, but if you need me, I’m only a plane ride away.”
“Seriously, you do know how old I am, right? Oh, wait...of course you do because we’re the same age,” she said, her sarcasm clear.
“Fine, I’ll back off. Now, for the really important stuff.” Farrah took her sister’s hand and pulled her up off the sofa and down the hall toward the nursery. “First, we get my beautiful niece and her favorite sidekick ready, and then we’re going shopping.”
“Shopping?”
“Yes, I’m thinking a little Dior, Chanel and Vera Wang. Definitely Vera, her daily-wear line is amazing. You’re in desperate need of a serious wardrobe adjustment.”
Felicia stopped short of the bedroom door. “My wardrobe is just fine, thank you very much.”
“Yeah, for the lab or some remote hospital in Timbuktu.”
Felicia threw her head back and laughed. “I guess jeans and a nice blouse won’t cut it tonight?”
Farrah shuddered.
“I guess we’re going shopping.” Felicia reluctantly agreed.
Chapter 14
Griffin entered his three-story mansion and took the marble stairs two at a time, heading to the second-floor living area, when he heard a familiar sound coming from his kitchen. He dropped his head and gave it is a slow shake before heading back downstairs. He passed his formal living room and entered his massive gourmet kitchen. The black-and-white Italian marble and stainless-steel industrial appliances would make any chef smile. Griffin walked in to find his mother and Jia sitting at the eight-person island sharing a bottle of wine.
“There you are, son. Where have you been?” his mother asked, offering her cheek for his usual greeting.
“You know that spare key I gave you is for emergencies, right?” Griffin kissed both his mother and Jia on the cheek before saying, “I went to visit an old friend.”
His mother’s eyes narrowed and she waved off his complaint. “Anyone I know?”
“As a matter fact, yes. Do you remember my old classmate from medical school, Felicia Blake? Well, it’s Dr. Felicia Blake now.”
Lin Kaile offered Griffin a tight smile, cutting her eyes to Jia before returning them to her son. “Yes, of course. How is she?”
“Beautiful,” he whispered as he reached for a glass to pour himself some wine from the bottle of Merlot they were sharing. “She’s doing great...exceptionally, in fact.”
“Was there any particular reason you went to see her?” Jia asked as she sipped her wine. Her insecurities were on full display.
“She and her sister came to the party last night and we didn’t have a chance to catch up. I wanted to see her before she leaves.”
“And did you?” Jia asked, reaching for the bottle of wine to top off her glass. “Catch up, I mean.”
“When is she leaving?” his mother interjected.
Griffin looked at his mother before he turned his attention to Jia. “Somewhat, but we still have a few things to clear up.” Griffin turned to his mother. “I’m not sure how long she’ll be here.”
“She’s a doctor. I’m sure she has patients she needs to get back to,” Jia intoned, pushing her glass to the side as if she suddenly didn’t like the taste and folding her arms.
“Felicia’s not that type of doctor. She’s more of a research scientist that works for the CIA.”
“That’s all the more reason for her to get back home,” his mother declared.
Griffin knew that his mother had always had an issue with his “going nowhere crush” on Felicia, as she called it. She believed that Felicia’s ambition would always take precedence over family life. He wouldn’t be surprised if she was blocking their connection. Griffin folded his arms and leered at his mother. “Felicia said she tried to reach out to me several times. In between Carol—the assistant you chose and insisted I hire—screening my calls and emails at the office and the fact I know you’re always here trying to do the same, I’m lucky I get any non-hospital-related calls at all.”
His mother shrugged. “The important people have your private cell number,” she said, raising her glass to her red lips.
Too bad I didn’t have that number on my business cards; another one of your ideas, Mother, if I remember correctly.
“Griffin, your mother and Carol are only trying to stop the nonsense from getting through. You’re a very wealthy man and some people—I’m not saying your friend is one of them, but some—will always try to take advantage of people in your position.”
Griffin looked over at Jia. “The key word in that statement is man, and I’m more than capable of taking care of myself.” He turned to his mother. “So, Mother, did you block Felicia’s calls?”
His mother gave a nonchalant wave. “Probably, but I don’t recall. What does it matter, anyway? It clearly wasn’t professional. Otherwise, she would’ve gone through the hospital.”
Griffin took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. “Mother, I need you to stop. And I’m going to remind Carol that she works for me, and if she wants to keep working for me, she’d better stop working for you.”
“You’re overreacting just like your father. Besides, what did that woman have to say that’s so important you’re actually chastising your mother?”
A smile slowly spread across his face. Only that you have a grandchild. “You’ll know soon enough. In the meantime, can you please give me and Jia some privacy? We need to talk.”
Griffin escorted his mother to her waiting Bentley that had arrived only minutes after she’d called for it. He walked back inside to find that Jia had brought their glasses and another bottle of wine into the living room. She’d removed her shoes, had let her hair down and was seductively lying across the extra-long, light-gray-and-white sofa. From the sexy smile and the way she batted her eyes, Griffin knew where Jia thought their evening was headed.
It seemed his lack of a proposal and their discussion about them not being on the same page when it came to their dating relationship hadn’t been clear enough. Griffin knew he had to be more direct—rip the Band-Aid off. He needed to make sure his position with Jia was crystal clear and final before he could begin to approach Felicia with his plans for Alyia. He had to say the words. Tell her that their relationship was over and that his feelings were elsewhere.
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Jia handed Griffin his wineglass. “You really have to take it easy on your mother. You know how protective she can be,” she said, leaning back into the sofa.
Griffin sat on the love seat across from her. “Thanks,” he said, accepting the glass. “I know. Look, Jia, we need to talk.”
“Of course, but why are you sitting over there?” Jia patted the spot next to her. “Why don’t you join me over here?”
Griffin set his wineglass on the small, round, glass coffee table between the two seats. “I’m fine here, thanks.”
“Griffin, darling, what’s wrong?”
“Jia, we discussed this last night, but I don’t think you understood me.”
Jia reached for her glass and took a sip. “Of course I did. You’re not ready to get engaged right now. And I get that. You’re taking on a big role at the hospital and now’s not the time for another big, life-altering change.”
Too late for that. “Yes, but I also said that I didn’t think we had a future together.”
“Yes, right now,” she said, frowning as if Griffin couldn’t understand the words coming out of her mouth.
“No, Jia, not ever. I care for you, and you know that. We have a great time together, but we both agreed to keep things light.”
Jia swept her feet off the sofa and sat straighter. “Yes, but that was before.”
“Before what, exactly?”
“All the talk about marriage...developing a strong partnership,” she said, her brows coming together.
Griffin went and sat next to her on the sofa. He took her hand in his and stared into her eyes. “Have you and I ever had any such conversation?”
“N-no...but...” she stammered, her frown deepening.
“But what?” he asked, matching Jia’s confused look.
“Your mother and I have.”
“You and my mother,” he said, releasing her hand, unable to hide the disdain in his voice.
“Yes. She said it was time, you were ready, and that I needed to be sure I was ready, too,” she explained.
“But you and I have never even talked about taking our relationship any further than where we are now. Why would you talk to my mother, rather than to me, if that’s what you wanted?” he queried.
Tempting the Heiress Page 9