by Nia Arthurs
At last, Griffin concludes the meeting and then he says, “Ms. Simmons.”
“Hm?” My head whips up.
“Before you leave, we’ll head down to the lab. Doc wants to present the final product.”
“Yeah. Sure.”
I pass Todd who stares forlornly at me and walk beside Griffin to the elevator.
Neither of us speaks, but I can’t help the way my gaze keeps flitting to him. I have no idea what Jenna meant about his face because it’s just as angled and beautiful as I remember.
But there is a difference about him, something beyond his appearance, which is mostly the same rock-star-heartthrob-meets-tortured-soap-opera-star quality.
There’s a shift in his vibe.
Griffin’s always been on the cocky side. His swagger’s still there, but it’s accompanied with a smoothness, a lightheartedness, that I haven’t seen in him before.
The elevator opens.
We climb on and watch the doors swoop closed.
Griffin presses the button to take us to Doc’s floor. His scent wafts over me and I have to hold myself in so I don’t sniff around like a crazy woman.
He shifts and the back of his sleeve touches my bare arm.
I slink away, my heart pounding so loudly I’m sure he can hear.
Griffin’s staring straight ahead so when he speaks I’m not quite sure he’s talking to me. “How have you been?”
“Uh,” I lick the corner of my mouth, trying to wet my lips, “fine.”
“I heard you were sick.” This time, he looks at me.
Those brown eyes are burning into my soul and I don’t have the strength to resist them. “Me? When?”
His eyebrow creases in confusion. “Isn’t that what you told the office? Last week?”
Shoot. “Yeah, right. I’m better now.”
The elevator doors open, rescuing me from this awkwardly stilted conversation.
Griffin and I walk stiffly to the lab.
He opens the door for me.
I thank him quietly.
“Ms. Simmons!” Doc greets me with a smile.
I wave and try to smile back.
He excitedly shows me to a small white table, lit up brightly and fixed with shelves. On the shelves are bottles of my mom’s conditioner, although they look beefed up and fancier than anything she could have imagined.
Doc lists all the improvements to the formula and then wags a finger. “And guess the best part. We managed to keep the retail price low to fit in with the mid-range conditioners. So these should be accessible to all women, no matter their budget.”
His excitement starts to rub off on me.
I smile brightly, genuinely. “Thank you, Doc.”
“What can I say? I’m a genius.” He laughs.
“You did good.” Griffin squeezes the older man’s arm. “Marketing will take it from here. We’ll get as many eyeballs on this launch as we can.”
“Perfect.”
I nod.
Silence fills the room as we all struggle for something else to say.
“Ah, you know what?” Doc checks his watch. “I just remembered I have an appointment. You two stay here and finish looking these over. I’ll, uh, be anywhere else.” He skates out of the lab so fast he leaves smoke in his trail.
I look at Griffin.
He looks back at me.
We start laughing.
I clutch my stomach and stammer, “He was so scared.”
“Pretty sure there’s no appointment.” Griffin agrees.
The laughter dies.
As he starts to get serious, I go quiet and search for something to focus on other than the brooding hunk standing next to me.
“Cobie,” the way he says my name, so softly, so tenderly… I can’t breathe.
“What?”
He turns to face me. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have lied to you about who I really was. If I could go back, I wouldn’t have waited so long to tell you the truth.”
“I’m…” I rock back on my heels, “not going to pretend that I didn’t make mistakes too. I judged you back in high school and assumed things about you without really knowing who you were. And,” I clutch my purse strap, “I’m sorry for calling you gross.”
“It’s okay. I was a pretty weird kid.”
“Weird is cool now, didn’t you hear?”
He chuckles and my body fills with warmth. “I wasn’t that kind of weird.” He rubs his jaw. “Lately, I keep wondering what things would have been like if I wasn’t so insecure and closed-off.”
“Maybe you would have talked to me sooner instead of waiting ten years.”
“Yeah. Maybe.” He smiles.
I smile back. “You want to know a secret?”
“Hm?”
“The Griffin from before was a little too perfect.” I duck my head and confess, “But I like this new Griffin.”
He gently takes my hand and squeezes it. “I like you too.”
30 Griffin
Cobie said the three words I’ve been longing to hear since I first laid eyes on her at Lakaster High. ‘I like you’.
I wanted to kiss her, right there and then, but I didn’t.
I’m trying to be cautious. There’s still a lot I need to work on when it comes to loving who I am, flaws and all, before I can properly love another person.
And more than anything, I want to love Cobie Simmons the way she deserves.
So I’ve been keeping our relationship laid-back. Apart from our frequent phone calls and a few coffee dates where we meet up and talk for hours, I haven’t pushed for more.
To be honest, I wasn’t sure Cobie would accept what I’m willing to offer given how forward she is about her feelings, but she’s been taking my cues and waiting for me to make the first move.
I appreciate that.
More than she knows.
The passion is still there though and, as I watch her glide into Chandra’s bakery, I wonder how I’ve been able to keep my hands off her these past few weeks.
She’s wearing a simple, sleeveless white tunic-dress.
But the way it clings to her body is the opposite of ‘simple’.
My eyes trace the dip and curves of her waist and her plump backside that’s perfectly outlined in the slinky material.
Her hair is big and curly and two thick earrings dangle from her small ears. She’s wearing other accessories, but nothing is as heart-stopping as her smile that is wide and filled with affection when she looks across the room at me.
I’m glad when she doesn’t come right over and stops to say hello to her other friends instead because I’m currently incapable of coherency.
A voice whispers nearby. “Might want to close that mouth before a fly jumps in there.”
I clear my throat. “Chandra.”
Cobie’s best friend looks me over with knowing eyes. “Why are you sitting here drooling over her when you both love each other?”
“We’re friends.”
“Friends my black backside. You two are so damn annoying. It’s not rocket science. Just grab her, kiss her and say ‘you’re mine now’. Done.”
I chuckle. “That sounds like sexual assault.”
“As much as I appreciate your immense respect for women, I know—in this particular case—that Cobie is waiting for you to get over yourself. How much longer are you going to torture the poor girl?”
I turn to look at Cobie again. She’s got a drink in her hand now and is laughing with Ollie who’s been camped out at the dessert table since we got here.
“She’s an impatient person and this kind of restraint is out of character for her, so don’t freeze for too long.” Chandra tips her champagne glass back. “Unless the reason you’re stalling is because you’re having a secret, illicit affair with Ms. Shirley, then I understand.”
I bark out a laugh.
Her dark eyes sparkle with humor.
I snag a brownie from the counter to keep from answering. “This is good. You and Zan
ia wouldn’t be interested in catering Winthrop’s product launch, would you?”
“Call on Monday. We’ll talk business then.” She winks. “And way to change the subject.” Chandra glances up and a sly smile stretches across her cheeks. “I’d stick around and torture you more, but your future awaits.” She juts her chin forward, indicating Cobie who is strutting towards us.
“Hey,” she says, giving Chandra a scolding look. “What foolishness was she telling you?”
“Only truth, Babe. I’ll let you two talk.” Chandra wanders away.
Cobie slides gracefully into the seat beside mine. “I was afraid you wouldn’t make it. You’ve been so busy lately.”
“This was important… and Chandra threatened me.”
“Sounds like her. She insisted on throwing this party even though the conditioners won’t launch until next year. She just likes any excuse to drink.”
I catch a glimpse of Chandra talking to Ollie and chuckle. “Sounds like the opposite of Ollie.”
“You never know.” Cobie nudges me in the side with her elbow. “Opposites attract.”
I let my gaze slowly devour her, allowing my admiration to shine in my eyes. “Nice dress.”
“Thank you.” She leans close. “You’re not so bad yourself.”
My heart thuds.
She’s calling to me with those eyes.
Music starts blasting.
Across the room, Chandra pulls a reluctant Ollie to dance. Others join her and the sound of laughter, chatter and thudding feet reverberates in the room.
“You want to get out of here?” I ask.
Brown eyes shimmer. “Oh yeah.”
Offering my hand, I steal the woman of the hour away, knowing that Chandra will notice but probably won’t care.
When we get to my car, I let Cobie go to open the door for her, but as soon as I’m inside, I take her hand again and interlock our fingers.
She rubs her thumb against the back of my hand. “What does this mean?”
“This,” I squeeze her hand, “is my way of saying you look gorgeous.”
“Hm.” Her lips quirk up. “I’d say it differently.” Cobie lifts my hand and kisses my finger. “This means gorgeous.” Another finger. “This means hot.” Another. “Beautiful.” She clicks out of her seatbelt, reaches over and kisses the soft shell of my ear. Softly, she whispers, “That one means sexy.”
I tighten my fingers on the steering wheel as I start to drive.
My voice husky, I warn, “You better slow down before we get into a wreck.”
Her smile is tinged with mischief. “Just keep your eyes on the road, Mr. Bech.”
Thankfully, she pulls back and I, somehow, manage to make it to my apartment.
We stroll past the foyer and into the elevator.
The doors barely close before my mouth hungrily attacks hers.
Cobie responds with equal fervency.
Before I know it, she’s got her hands on the buttons of my shirt and my back against the wall.
We separate, both of us breathing hard.
“A little aggressive, are we?” I tease.
She undoes another button. “Shut up. I’ve been waiting so long for this.”
Our lips collide again.
The doors open and, over Cobie’s head, I see my neighbors staring at us. A woman covers the eyes of her child.
Cobie seems indifferent to the audience, but I have to live with these people.
Driving her away, I try to gather enough spit in my mouth to say, “Mrs. Coleman.”
Cobie smiles and waves at the kid whose eyes are still covered. “Isn’t he cute?”
No one laughs.
I clutch the flapping fabric of my shirt and take Cobie’s hand, leading her forward.
We stagger inside my apartment, our arms tangling around each other almost immediately.
I kick the door closed behind me.
Listen as the familiar beep plays in the background.
My hands graze her waist, settling on top of that beautiful rear.
I squeeze gently.
She’s my entire world.
I have the entire world in my arms and I’m never letting go.
“I love you.” I kiss her neck, her cheeks, her lips. Pull her closer. Rasp my jaw against her chin. “I’ve loved you all my life.”
“Ten years isn’t your entire life,” she says breathlessly, yanking the sleeve of her dress down and shimmying her arm through it.
I back her up against the wall and punish her with a hard kiss.
Pulling back, I whisper, “You’ve always got to argue, don’t you?”
“Yeah, but you like it.” She wiggles out of her dress.
Tears my shirt off.
Her fingernails scrape against my shoulders, ride up and jumble in the hair at the nape of my neck.
“I love you too, by the way. In case that wasn’t clear.”
“Say it again,” I order.
“I love you.”
I pick her up roughly, hooking her thighs around my waist. “Again.”
“I love you.”
I drive her against the wall once more, relishing her soft brown skin and running kisses down every inch of her.
Cobie moans.
Shudders.
Submits.
I look up, my eyes shining and my heart pounding. “Again.”
“Let me show you,” she cries, her hands hooked around the back of my head. Chest rises and falls with every breath. Curls dangle against her flushed cheeks. Eyes closed. Lips parted. Breath rattles past her teeth.
“I’ll show you,” she says again.
I whisk her into the bedroom.
We spend the night showing each other how big and wild and rowdy, how soft and tender, how beautiful… our love really is.
31 Cobie
Moonlight slips into the room. Over the underwear scattered on the ground. Past the heels that were the last things to get kicked off, per Griffin’s request. It dances on top of the nightstand. The bed that’s a lot creakier than it looks. The two flawed humans tangled together in a calm glow.
I lift my fingers and try to capture the moonbeam, but it can’t be tamed or touched. Still, it makes me happy to see it slicing through the darkness like the sunshine’s moodier cousin.
“Griffin?”
“Hm?” he mumbles.
“Are you sleeping?”
“No.”
Silence.
His breathing is thick and even.
“It sounds like you’re sleeping.”
He shifts and the blankets rustle. Pulling me closer, he kisses the top of my head. “You’re noisy.”
I smack his chest, but to be honest, it hurts me more than it hurts him.
His body rumbles with a chuckle.
Immediately, I abandon all attempts at conversation and cuddle as near to him as I can. Oh… he’s so warm.
He cuts the laughter short. Peers at me through narrowed eyes. “What are you doing?”
My curls scratch the pillowcase as I look up. “You’re not allowed to laugh around other women. Do you understand?”
He drops his head back into the pillow.
“I have a question,” I say.
“What is it?”
“Those lines on your stomach,” I run my fingertips over the thick ridges below his abs, “what are they?”
I expect him to stiffen or clam up, but Griffin answers immediately. “They’re from losing a lot of weight in a short amount of time.”
“Are they?”
“Yes.”
I ease lower and press a kiss to one of the scars. “I love them.”
He grunts. “Go to sleep.”
My phone buzzes.
“That’s probably Chandra.”
When I start to move out of bed, he snatches my wrist and yanks me back against him. Wrapping his massive arms over my body, he traps me in his embrace.
“Sleep.”
The buzzing continues.
&nb
sp; “But…”
“You two can talk about how great I am tomorrow.”
I stop struggling and smirk. “Who said you were that good?”
“You’ve given me more than enough evidence, but if you’d like another demonstration, I’m cool with that.”
I chuckle and close my eyes.
Sweet silence fills the room.
“Cobie,” Griffin whispers hoarsely.
“Hm.” His body heat is oppressive and his chest is way too hard to be comfortable, but I still find myself dozing off. “What?”
“Love me.”
I sigh happily. “I do.”
“Even if I get out of shape and start looking like I did before.”
“Duh.” I gently swirl my fingers up his arm. “You better love me if I get big too.”
“That’s a given.” He kisses my shoulder and spans his hand low on my stomach, down to my hip. “This is the body that will carry my kids.”
“Let’s not get ahead of ourselves.”
He nips my shoulder with his teeth. “What? I heard you were impatient.”
“Which is why I can’t get pregnant until I have a handle on that flaw.”
“I love you just the way you are. Our kids will too.”
“You realize this conversation is weird, right?”
“Why is it?” He rolls me over.
Nudges my legs apart.
Heat swirls in my chest.
My body trembles.
Eyes twinkling, he intertwines our fingers and sets our hands above my head. “This is the perfect time. We can start practicing right away.”
“I thought you were sleepy?”
“I’m wide awake now, darlin’.”
He is.
He totally is.
And so am I.
As Griffin attacks my mouth with a hungry kiss and our bodies intertwine to a rolling rhythm, I look him right in the eyes, promising that—no matter what he looks like—I will always find him as sexy, as desirable, as toe-curlingly beautiful as I do right now.
32 Griffin
After Cobie leaves, I clean up around the apartment and then head to the gym. It’s early so Ollie’s still wiping down the equipment.
He nods when I walk up. “You know, I’ve never been to a party where the person who invited me takes off with the lady of the hour.”