22. Tish

Chapter Twenty-Two

Tish

I set my fork down and took a swallow of water. "I am. It's been a big change, but then coming to Alaska was a big change. When the expansion position opened up, I wanted a chance to have more responsibility."

Unspoken was the fact I'd been pregnant when I moved. That truly wasn't the reason I left, but I found myself explaining anyway. Maybe I needed to say it aloud for myself, as much as to explain it to Griffin.

"Do you judge me? I shouldn't have kissed you that night. It makes it seem like I was dating two people. I hadn't seen or heard from him for almost two months at that point."

Griffin shook his head. "Stop worrying about that. We kissed once, and you made it clear that you were worried about the complications of working for my brother. I suppose I should ask how you feel about that now."

"Conflicted," I answered honestly. "Rhys isn't my direct boss here, but it's still your family's corporation."

"I don't work there though."

"But you will at some point. Isn't the plan for you to take over at the brewery?" I asked.

"Someday." Griffin hesitated, his gaze considering. "After last night, I'm gonna need you to tell me now if it's a problem."

"If what's a problem?" I hedged. My heartbeat reverberated like a drum. I felt breathless and filled with sparks.

"Us being involved. I like you, Tish. A lot. Way back when we first met, you said if we saw each other again, maybe that would be a sign."

Hope shot up little flares up inside, but I forced myself to be practical. "I know, but that was before I had a baby. My life is kind of complicated and messy now."

"Not to me," he said.

I swallowed, feeling my lips curl up. "Okay. I'll probably worry if things don't go well, but I guess I'm feeling selfish. I like you."

Griffin's smile was wide when he leaned across and gave me a quick kiss before standing and starting to pick up our plates.

I leapt up. "You don't have to clean up! You made dinner for me the other night –"

"Mac and cheese from a box," he pointed out dryly.

"I know, but –"

I had reached the counter beside him now. He rested his hands on my hips and looked down in my eyes. "Tish, you had a long day. I'm just gonna rinse the plates and put them in the dishwasher. Not a hardship."

I bit my lip. "Okay," I whispered. "I'll put the leftovers away."

Griffin had ordered a lot of food, enough to feed a big family. When I pointed out as much as I was putting the food away, he glanced over. "That was on purpose. You're a busy mom. I figured some leftovers might be handy to have around."

My belly felt funny and my heart flipped over in my chest as I stared at this man. He made me weak in the knees and made me want things that were absolutely crazy.

After we finished tidying up the kitchen, I checked on Teddy. He was sound asleep. I adjusted the volume on the baby monitor and set the remote on the coffee table before plunking down on the couch. Rolling my head to the side, I glanced over toward Griffin. "Are you staying or going?"

His gaze was warm as he walked with deliberate strides to stop in front of me. "I was hoping you would ask me to stay."

I was tired. Honestly, I'd been tired since I had Teddy. And yet, the effect Griffin had on me was something wild. When I looked up and saw the banked embers flickering in the depths of his eyes, my body responded with heat pooling low in my belly and a shivery sense of anticipation prickling over my skin.

I patted the couch beside me. I was trying to play it cool, but I could barely contain myself. When he sat down beside me, I told myself we would turn on the TV and I would behave like a regular person where there was a baby asleep in the other room. Instead, I wanted to climb him like a tree. When I looked over and found his gaze waiting, I couldn't help myself. Impulsively, I leaned over and kissed him on the cheek.

When I began to draw back, he reached for me, cupping my nape and whispering, "Let me kiss you, sweetness."

My entire body swooned and my ovaries did a little dance, jumping up and down in excitement for more of Griffin and the magic he wrought with my body.

"Okay," I whispered against his lips just before he gave me a lingering kiss.

By the time we broke apart, I could barely breathe and I was near desperate for him. I shifted my legs, restless for more. We stared at each other and I was a little relieved to discover his breath was ragged like mine.

"Fuck, Tish," he muttered. His head fell back against the couch.

"Let's…" I scrambled onto his lap, straddling him.

He lifted his head, and his dark, intent gaze snagged mine. "Let's what?" he prompted.

I felt suddenly bashful. I wasn't usually this direct. Yet Griffin had this effect on me where I forgot to be self-conscious, where I forgot to feel insecure.

He rocked his hips slightly and I let out a startled moan. I hadn't planned it that way, because I wasn't planning any of this, but I had landed with his cock nestled against my core.

"Well, you said fuck," I finally murmured. "I was thinking we could do that."

The word seemed a little dirty, but Griffin called to all of the elemental parts of me, including my heart.

His eyes held mine, ensnaring me in the electric heat of his gaze. "Are you sure?" he asked, lightly cupping my cheek and tracing his thumb along the line of my cheekbone to my bottom lip.

I swallowed. "Yes," I rasped.

There was a long moment that stretched like an elastic band between us before his hand fell away from my cheek. He gripped me by the hips and rocked into me. "Whatever you want. I mean that."

"I know you do," I said between ragged gasps.

"Do you want me to stay tonight?"

I swallowed and nodded. Seconds later, we were tumbling from one kiss into the next. I could barely breathe as my pulse rushed through my body. At some point, I broke away.

I didn't even know what I needed other than—everything, all of him.

He lifted me off his lap and stood. "You're wearing too many clothes," I managed to say.

His chuckle sent goosebumps rising in a prickle all over.

"We're in agreement on that." His fingers began to unbutton my blouse.

For the first time in months, I'd worn something other than what I'd thrown on when I woke up, which was usually sweatpants and a T-shirt. I'd worn a blouse and slacks. Maybe dressier than necessary for work-casual in Alaska, but I'd wanted the change of pace.

His actions galvanized me, and I shoved his T-shirt up his chest. He gave me a little assist, lifting it up over his head in a quick swoop while I unbuttoned his jeans.

It was practically a race at that point as we yanked at each other's clothes. My blouse fell to the floor and I shimmied out of my slacks, hooking my hands over my panties at the same time.

Griffin chuckled, murmuring, "You are efficient, Tish."

"I'm all about being efficient," I teased.

I felt the surface of his palm as he slid it up my belly to hook his thumb under the clasp of my bra and snap it loose. I shoved his boxers down, and he was reaching for me as he sat back down on the couch. Just as I moved to straddle him, he held me still.

"Wait." His voice was ragged.

"For what?"

"A condom," he nearly choked out.

He reached around me to where his jeans had fallen on the edge of the couch and fished out his wallet and then a condom. I wanted to dispute the point and tell him I had an IUD now. Because, holy hell, even though I adored Teddy, I would never again rely on condoms for birth control.

A moment later, Griffin was rolling the condom on, his eyes on mine the whole time as he protected us both.

His hands fell to my hips. "You could still change your mind, you know," he said.

"If you make me wait any longer…" I warned.

The fire in his eyes sizzled as he shifted and reached between us. I rose up when he positioned his thick crown at my entrance. Locked in his gaze, I could barely breathe at the feel of him filling me in a slow, slick slide. He seated himself fully with a subtle thrust of his hips upward.

"Oh, sweetness," he murmured. He gripped my hips, holding me in place when I began to move restlessly. "Give me a minute."

The moment was intense, a tangle of intimacy, fierce passion, and an almost primal sense of need spiraling through me. He leaned forward, catching my lips in a slow, sensual kiss. When he drew back, he rocked his hips upward. Everything began to speed up, one wave rolling into the next. The pleasure began to tighten like a knot inside of me, clenching at my core. Little pings of pleasure radiated outward from the friction created where we were joined.

I gasped, biting my lip, as I felt myself teetering on the edge.

"Oh, Tish…" Griffin released one of my hips and reached between us to tease his fingers over my slippery, swollen clit.

He gave me just enough pressure to topple me over that edge I was racing toward. Everything pulled tight to an almost unbearable pressure before snapping free. I shattered inside, the waves crashing through me as I cried his name.

I felt his fingers pressing on my hips as he filled me once more. On the heels of a deep thrust, he threw his head back and shuddered with me. He cried my name in a gruff shout.

My own climax was ricocheting through me as we trembled together. The force of it slowed.

He banded one arm around my waist as I curled into him. We breathed together, and I savored the feel of his heartbeat pounding against mine.