12. Chapter Twelve

Chapter Twelve

Griffin

I saw Fletcher’s name appear on my cell phone screen and knew this wasn’t going to be a social call. Partly because it was a little after seven-thirty in the morning and secondly, Fletcher never called me. In fact, in all the time I’d known him and the band he’d only sent me one text. We weren’t especially close but he’d never been rude to me either. Nonetheless, I answered quicker than I might have if the call was from anyone else other than Fletcher.

“Hey, Fletch. What’s up?” I said.

“Is he with you?” Fletcher asked, his tone clipped and curt.

“Is who with me?”

“Don’t be coy. You know I’m talking about Mike,” Fletcher said tersely.

“Why would Mike be with me this early in the morning and, more importantly, why don’t you know where he is?” I questioned. Just a couple of seconds into our conversation and my entire body was tense and on alert. Thankfully, I was already dressed and ready for the day because my gut was telling me I was going to be running out of my condo in a matter of seconds. Dread began to blanket me as I slipped into my boots and began lacing them up. “Why did he flake, Fletcher?”

“Because we had words last night and I’ll admit it got kind of ugly for a while,” Fletcher explained. “We both said some shitty things to each other and then he said he couldn’t listen to me anymore and he stormed off. I assumed he’d gone running to you, since you always seem to be together. But I woke up this morning and realized he never came home last night. So, if he isn’t with you, then where the fuck is he?”

My mind was spinning. That was a lot of information—none of which I liked hearing. I remembered checking my phone before bed last night and again first thing this morning and there were no missed messages or calls or texts from Mike. If it weren’t for Fletcher’s call now, I wouldn’t even know he was missing.

Fuck! If anything has happened to him…

I couldn’t let my mind go there. At least not yet. I needed to keep the personal feelings I had for Mike out of this and do my damn job. My principal was unaccounted for and I had to immediately access my training to find him. I grabbed the keys to my truck and was already headed out the door while I continued to get as much information out of Fletcher as I could.

“What time did you see him leave the house?” I asked. My fingers rubbed at the tension creasing my forehead.

“Maybe around midnight?” Fletcher said. “I know it wasn’t much later than that because the guys had started watching a show on TV that I know comes on at midnight.”

It was almost eight in the morning now which meant Mike had been gone for about eight hours. Shit. A lot could happen during that kind of time span—things I really didn’t want to consider. It really made me wish he didn’t have access to a vehicle to drive off in, but he did. Dixon had an old, classic Ford pickup truck that the guys used whenever they wanted—if it was available.

“Did he take Dixon’s truck?” I asked.

“Yeah, and Dix isn’t too happy he’s been gone this long with it, either,” Fletcher grumbled.

“I’m not worried about Dixon’s truck, Fletch!” I nearly growled. “Have you tried calling Mike this morning?”

“Of course I have! I called him several times right after he stormed out of the house but he’s not picking up. I left one message. That’s it. The fucking baby is probably off pouting somewhere sleeping in that truck!”

“Fletcher! Don’t say shit like that. He could be hurt for all you know,” I admonished. “Think. Where might he be? Does he have a girlfriend or boyfriend he might go see?”

“You mean, besides you?” Fletcher asked with sarcasm .

“Knock the crap off,” I barked. “We need to focus on Mike!”

I heard Fletcher’s heavy sigh come through the phone. “He was seeing Oliver and Sebastian but that ended after San Francisco,” he said. “He hasn’t seen them since then.”

I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t relieved to hear that. I mean, Mike had already told me they weren’t together anymore in an intimate way, but it was nice to know he was telling me the full truth. Still, I knew they remained in touch and there was a possibility he could have gone to see one of them.

“Do you have their phone numbers?” I asked.

“I do and I’ve already messaged them. Neither has seen Mike,” Fletcher explained.

“Shit, okay. Let me think about this,” I said and hurried outside.

“If you want I can call a few more of his friends or I can give Fizzbo a call,” Fletcher offered.

“No! Don’t call Fizzbo, at least not yet,” I directed. “Give me five minutes to think about this and I’ll call you back.”

I disconnected our call and ran outside to unlock my truck. As soon as I hopped up into the seat, I started the engine. I had to think of this in the same way Mike would. If he was upset from an argument with Fletcher, where the fuck would he go? Logically, I would expect him to come to me—unless the argument between them was about me, then just to prove a point with Fletcher he might have gone somewhere else. My gut was telling me that particular scenario was likely the route Mike had taken .

I pulled out of my driveway and had no idea where to head. I racked my brain thinking of his whereabouts and after several long moments it hit me. I quickly called Fletcher back.

“Did you hear from him?” Fletcher asked.

“No, but I think I know where he is,” I said. “Give me an hour and I’ll call you back.”

My decision to drive to the park I’d taken Michael to a couple of days ago made sense when I called Fletcher. Now with every mile I came closer to the destination, my doubts grew larger. I was almost there when I considered turning around and checking locations closer to the band house or the warehouse rehearsal studio. The park was almost an hour from home. Would he really drive that far to get away from everyone and recalibrate his thoughts? My instincts told me Mike would have driven several hours if he truly needed to find peace in himself again. It’s exactly what I would do and I was seriously holding out hope I’d see Dixon’s pickup truck parked in the lot when I pulled off the main road.

Coming down the final stretch of road before the last turn, my heart was thumping crazy fast in my chest. If Dixon’s truck wasn’t here then I’d have wasted two hours of search time by driving all the way here and then turning around to drive home. But I stuck to my plan and took the last corner that would bring me right to the park entrance. From here I could look through a grove of trees growing around the parameter of the lot and see the cars parked and see if there was one pickup in particular sitting there.

I held my breath, almost too anxious to look but I had to know. I turned my head to the right—and there it was, the beat-up and rusted truck with fading patches of blue and a white streak down the side peeking through the rotted sections of metal. I blew out a loud and harsh breath of relief and accelerated my vehicle to expedite my arrival. I pulled into the lot and parked beside Dixon’s truck. After a quick look into the cab of the truck to see if Mike was in there sleeping—he wasn’t—I continued onto the trail and started jogging toward the spot where I was certain I’d find him.

Clouds had rolled in during my drive to the park and it felt like rain in my bones. I hoped the rain would hold off long enough for me to find Mike and get him back in my truck before we both were drenched.

I followed the path as it looped through vibrant-colored gardens which blended into grassy stretches dotted with wrought iron benches and around a pond that drained into a shallow, babbling creek that ribboned its way through the park. This outside space was like something out of a Monet painting, right down to the lily pads floating on the pond and the weeping willow trees along the water’s edge. If I wasn’t in such a state of worry to find Mike and assure myself he was indeed okay, I might have taken the time to enjoy the beauty of the park, but not today. The urgency to get to Mike far outweighed anything else, so instead of meandering along the pathways, I was running.

I came out of a grove of trees that on a sunny day would offer shade on the path and saw the scaled-down replica of the Golden Gate Bridge directly in front of me. At first I didn’t see anyone on the bridge nor in the area around it and panic began to seep into me. Worst case scenarios began to flicker through my head but I tamped them down just as my gaze landed on a person sitting on the bridge, leaning up against one of the bridge’s support beams. Someone wearing a gray hoodie and dark jeans was seated with their knees bent and their arms crossed over them, their head resting on their forearms. The hood was pulled so far over their head I could barely see their face.

I slowed to a jog once I saw the figure. Even wearing a bulky sweatshirt I could still tell by the frame of the person it was Mike. Relief flooded my body to the point I felt dizzy. I paused before stepping onto the bridge. He was so much smaller than the metal structure, just a tiny speck against the rusty-orange beams, like a lost boy. I stepped onto the end and my footfalls caused Mike to lift his head to look in my direction. I saw the moment recognition hit him that I was there and I watched as he released a long sigh.

“How the hell did you know I was here?” he croaked out. The tight set of his shoulders relaxing was the only sign I saw that he was happy to see me. Even still, I could feel his tension and saw the conflict creasing his face.

I cleared my throat and took a few more steps closer to him. “Fletcher called me early this morning and told me you two had argued. He said you left and hadn’t come home. ”

Mike scoffed. “I love the guy like a blood-brother but sometimes he can be such a judgmental prick.”

“That sounds like a typical brotherly relationship,” I offered.

“Did he tell you what we were yelling about?” Mike questioned.

I shook my head and stuffed my hands into my front pockets. “No and it wasn’t my business to ask,” I explained. “He simply told me you were missing and weren’t answering his calls or texts. It’s all I needed to hear before I jumped in my truck to find you.”

Mike’s face scrunched in confusion. “But how did you know to come here?”

“I remembered how much you liked seeing this bridge a few days ago when I brought you here,” I admitted. Truth be told, it was a great memory for me, too.

“I just started driving and somehow I ended up here,” he said.

He pushed the hoodie off his head and ran his fingers through his rumpled hair. Even in a state of chaos he was beautiful and it hurt me to think about because I wanted him to be mine so badly.

“Did you sleep here on the bridge?” I asked.

“No, I pulled over on a residential street near our house and slept on the front seat of the truck,” he clarified. “No way was I staying in that house with Fletcher. At this point, I think I need some space from all of them, until I sort through some shit.”

None of what he was describing was sitting well with me. The list of things that could have gone wrong was long and it tied my stomach in knots to think of the many ways he could have been hurt—or worse. My job was to protect him at all times and I hadn’t been able to do that for him last night. An incident like that could get me fired.

I sat down on the opposite side of the bridge from him and folded my legs to get comfortable. “I’m enormously relieved you’re okay but you can’t take off like that without letting me know,” I said with warmth but made sure my words were firm. “I can’t watch out for you if I am clueless to your whereabouts. Do you understand that?”

I watched his head slowly bob in agreement but I had to wonder if he really did get how much his life was forever changed by the rising success of his band. His world would always include security guards on some level from here on out, whether he wanted it or not.

“I needed to get away from everyone, including you, so I could clear my head,” he stated.

“Why me?” I prodded.

His gaze met mine and held. “Because…sometimes when I’m near you everything in my head scrambles and I can’t get clarity. The whole purpose of me leaving the band house was to find exactly that, so it made no sense to have you babysitting when you’re part of the problem.”

Mike pushed to his feet, obviously upset, and stood at the railing of the bridge with his back facing me. I stood, too, and stepped over to his side of the bridge but kept a safe distance at the railing.

“Care to explain why you see me as the problem?” I ventured.

“I said part of the problem, and it’s the reason Fletcher and I were arguing. ”

“Do you want to tell me about it?” I asked.

“Not really, but since it involves you I suppose I should tell you about our fight,” he answered. “Fletcher believes we’re in a relationship and he says I spend way too much time with you. He feels you sometimes take my focus away from the band.”

“How do you feel about that?” I did my best to keep my voice calm and steady. Mike was hitting awfully close to a touchy subject for me and it seemed he felt the same way. He turned to look at me, his face marred with disbelief that I didn’t necessarily understand.

“Are you kidding me?” he asked. “We’re not in a relationship!”

“Depends on how you define a relationship,” I pointed out.

“We’re not fucking or doing anything else physical,” he stated heatedly. “Hell, we haven’t even kissed."

I hated how he emphasized the word fucking. It somehow cheapened what I thought we had growing between us.

“You’re right. We’re not doing any of those things, but there are other ways to be intimate with someone that creates a relationship kind of bond,” I explained.

“Is that what you think this is?” he asked.

I rested my weight on one elbow on the railing and faced him. “Let me ask you something,” I said and Mike nodded for me to continue. “When something happens during the day, whether it’s something incredibly good or irritatingly bad, who is the first person you think of share it with?”

I saw the exact moment the truth registered in Mike’s mind and then his expression morphed into one of frustration .

“What are you saying?” he asked incredulously. “Do you think we’re in a relationship?”

I wasn’t quite sure how to answer his question. I knew the truth as it related to me but I couldn’t be sure Mike was feeling exactly the same. I also didn’t know if he really wanted me to be honest about this.

He stared at me while waiting for my answer. His eyes were so open and clear, like he really was trying to see this for what it was. I just wasn’t sure if he wanted to hear the truth.

“Michael…”

“Shit. You’re using my full name, so this can’t be good,” he said.

“Listen, I can only tell you how it feels to me. It might not be the same for you or maybe it is. I don’t know,” I explained. “But yeah, if I’m being completely honest with myself, this feels like a relationship to me.”

“Fuckkk,” he sighed and grabbed onto his head. “How did I not see this? More importantly, how long have you felt this…this relationship thing?”

“Since San Francisco,” I admitted, and shit, it felt good to say that out loud. I’d been wrestling with my feelings for what felt like forever but walking the pier with him in San Fran brought everything into focus for me.

“Since then? Why the fuck didn’t you say something?” he questioned and began to pace back and forth on the bridge.

“Because I had no clue how you felt,” I replied. “I only knew how it was for me. But after that trip I couldn’t deny what was going on anymore. The first hint for me was how unreasonably jealous I was of Oliver and Sebastian. That’s not like me, and when I got home I had a conversation with a friend who asked me the same question I asked you about who I think of to share things in my life. Admitting it to myself allowed me to see this clearly.”

“You really think about me?” he asked in a soft voice. “I mean, like when shit happens during the day, I’m the first person you want to tell?”

“I do. All the time,” I admitted. “It’s why I text so often and try to spend time with you even on my days off.”

“I can’t believe I’m the only one who didn’t see this,” Mike whispered almost to himself. “It’s what I’ve wanted for a long time but never thought I’d have it with you, so I settled for this odd flirty, friendship dynamic we’ve had going on. Turns out, I already had what I wanted and didn’t realize I did—minus the physical stuff.”

“I know it sounds crazy but Fletcher is right. He saw what neither of us wanted to see for ourselves,” I said with a sigh.

I felt the first fat rain drops splatting on the bridge decking and on top of us while Mike considered his next statement.

“But we can’t be together , at least not like a real couple, right?” he questioned with hope reflecting in his eyes.

“I know some of the guards are in relationships with past clients,” I detailed. “In fact my boss, Fizzbo, is married to a guy he was protecting at one point.”

Mike stopped walking in circles and I watched as the rain hit his face. He tugged his hoodie back onto his head and stepped closer. “What are you saying? ”

I had my mouth open to speak when the clouds suddenly let loose and rain came down in torrents. I reached for his hand and took off running toward the parking lot, pulling him along with me. By the time we managed to hop inside my truck cab, our clothing was pretty soaked. Even still, looking like two drowned rats was cause for humor. Our gazes locked at the same time and we both barked in laughter at how ridiculous we looked with water dripping off us before things calmed down again. The rain pelting against the windshield was the only sound inside the truck and the windows were beginning to fog. It was Mike who opened the subject again.

“Where do you want to go with this?” he asked with a whisper of trepidation. “Or do you see things staying as they are between us?”

And there it was, all laid out on the table as clear as day.

“I really love spending time with you, Michael. It doesn’t even feel like work when I am in fact working. Half the time we’re together it’s simply because I want to be with you. It kind of feels like I’m chilling with a close friend—but somehow more. It’s comfortable and familiar but with an edge of something far deeper simmering just below the surface.” I faced him and saw him hanging on to every one of my words and felt the need to lay my own truth down in front of us. “I’m seriously attracted to you and it makes me want to see where things could go, if we allowed it to progress.”

“Holy shit, really?”

I chuckled at him, looking like a wet cat with rainwater still dripping from the waves of his hair making it appear black onyx instead of the sandy brown it usually was. He looked absolutely breathtaking to me and the need to kiss the hell out of him was as urgent as my next gulp of air.

“Yes, Michael, it’s true,” I sighed in resignation, dragging my attention off his plush lips and back to his eyes. “I mean, I have no clue what I’m doing because you know I’ve never been in a relationship with anyone but with you it feels…easy.”

Mike launched himself at me, managing to navigate his legs around and over the center console to land in my lap. He straddled my thighs and grabbed onto my head with both hands, pressing our foreheads together. His hot, panting breaths bathed my face to heat the skin and I inhaled his scent like an oxygen-starved man surfacing from an ocean of self-doubt.

“Fuck, Griffin. I’ve wanted to be with you for such a long time. You said we couldn’t, so I did my best to settle for friendship with a lot of flirting but I wanted so much more—and not just a one-off thing, either. I wanted to be with you.” His rambling was adorable and warmed my core but the truth to his words only fueled my need for him.

I wrapped my arms around his back and shivered from the shock of finally being able to touch him like this. So many nights I fell asleep imagining how his skin would feel beneath my fingertips and my body aching with a hot desire to know for sure. The fantasies I’d had about him were sinful and filthy and probably illegal in some states, but I didn’t care. The right and wrong of this didn’t matter. I simply wanted Michael in my life and in my bed.

Mike shifted to press his cheek to mine and I wanted to growl like a feral animal at his closeness. It was excitement and bliss wrapped up messily in desperate need. I wanted nothing more than to haul him into the backseat and rip off his wet clothes to feast on him but he was too special to rush this. With him, I wanted to savor every moment and touch in a slow, progressive seduction. He deserved that.

Mike pressed his lips against a spot by my earlobe and then started whispering. It was like a thousand fingers caressing my bare skin and I was buzzing with electricity in every spot those imaginary fingers explored.

“I’ve wanted you almost since the day we met. And in the quiet moments I’m alone with myself, I’ve imagined how incredible it would be to have you in bed,” he said in a soft, breathy tone that made me quiver like a teenager. “Have you ever thought about how incredible it would be for us?”

“Too many times to count,” I panted.

I pulled him impossibly closer; his chest smashed to mine, and his face slipped into the bend of my neck. I felt his lips on my skin again and turned my head to nuzzle my nose and mouth into his wet hair. This long-awaited moment wasn’t anything like I’d imagined it would be the first time we touched. I pictured us sprawled in a bed or stretched out on a couch. Instead of that we were both stuck in soggy clothes that were cooling with every second that passed and we were crammed into a very tight, uncomfortable space. I wanted to lay him out and take my time tasting and exploring every inch of him and none of that could be done in the front seat of my truck with a steering wheel shoved into his back.

Michael’s lips sucked my earlobe into the warmth of his mouth and I groaned.

“You like that?” he whispered.

“So much.” I tipped my head back to catch his eyes and his lips found mine.

The explosion that happened next was something I couldn’t have prepared myself for or even properly visualized, but it seemed everything with him was molten and fiery. His soft press of lips set off an avalanche of need inside me and I opened wide for him. His tongue dipped inside and we both moaned when our tongues slid together. This was ecstasy at a level I hadn’t ever experienced and I wanted more—more touching and lots more kissing—without the restraints of clothing to hinder our movements.

I tilted my head and dominated the next kiss but Michael took back control a moment later, nearly rising off the seat onto his knees as he bit and licked my lips and did a delicious dance with my tongue. I wanted to feel his tongue everywhere on my body—his hands, too. I wanted everything with him, but I suspected even then it wouldn’t feel like enough.

“Let me take you home,” I suggested and Mike froze.

“Did I cross a line or something?” he asked. “Is that why you want to leave? ”

“What? Fuck no. It’s the opposite,” I explained. “What I want to do with you I can’t—or shouldn’t do in this truck. It’s not comfortable and we’re both stuck in wet clothes.”

A slow, wicked smile tugged at his lips and I offered him another kiss which he greedily accepted.

“Can I make a request?” he asked.

“Like what?”

“Can we go back to your place instead of the band house?” he asked as he swung his legs back over to his seat on the opposite side of the truck cab. “I’m not ready to deal with Fletcher saying I told you so just yet.”

“Not a problem,” I said and started my truck. “But I need to send Fletcher a text to let him know you’re safe and with me. I’ve already sent a message to my guys to have two of them come get Dixon’s truck from the parking lot.”

“You’re so damn responsible,” Mike grinned at me.

I rolled my eyes. “I’m just doing my job,” I said and winked at him. Mike was quiet for a bit and staring out the side window away from me like he was suddenly a hundred miles away from where we were parked. I reached over and squeezed his shoulder. “You okay over there?”

He nodded at me and a forced smile attempted to lift his face but didn’t succeed. “I can hear Fletcher grumbling now about me always being with you,” Mike scoffed.

“I’m pretty sure he’s going to be far more relieved you’re okay over the fact I’m taking you back to my place. ”

“I hope you’re right about that because I refuse to listen to his petty bullshit. Sometimes I just don’t get him,” Mike scoffed.

I sincerely doubted Mike and Fletcher’s rift would drag on for much longer but it bothered me they were at odds at all—especially since the base of this friction apparently was because of me and my place in Mike’s life. They were brothers at their core and brothers didn’t always see eye to eye. I was hoping the friction between them would be resolved sooner rather than later and wondered if I should try and expedite this by getting them together to talk this through before the resentment really set in.

I finished typing the text message to Fletcher and hit send, then pulled out of my parking spot for the ride home.

Chapter Thirteen

Mike

It was the longest ride ever to get back to Griffin’s place. The entire drive, I couldn’t stop my head from spinning with what we’d talked about at the park. Surreal was putting it mildly. I was mystified as to how he even found me in the first place but hearing him talk about his feelings…that was a total shock. I just couldn’t wrap my brain around the fact Griffin felt as though we were already in a relationship. He was as certain as Fletcher was of the same thing. It made me wonder how many others thought that.

It was fucking crazy as hell but I didn’t want to question it too much for fear this wasn’t real. What if I was imagining this whole true confession experience? I was beyond tired from getting very little sleep last night in Dixon’s truck, so perhaps I was dreaming this? I had no idea, but I was going to roll with it as long as I could and hope my bubble didn’t burst any time soon.

I’d been to Griffin’s condo several times before today but walking through the front door behind him now felt a lot different than the previous times I’d visited. I was seeing this space as something entirely different. His presence was everywhere. I could see pieces of him all over, with a few discarded items of clothing draped over chairs, socks on the floor, photographs dotting the shelves of a wall unit holding books and other things, a stack of Ducati motorcycle magazines coupled with two or three periodicals about architectural design, and so on.

Architectural design? Was he actually interested in something like that? I’d have to remember to ask him more about that.

His scent lingered in these rooms; a delicious blend of citrus, woodlands, and something similar to leather. It wrapped around me like a warm embrace and centered me in a state of calmness that was totally Griffin. It’s what he did for me; steadied me when I felt off-balance and lifted me up when I felt lost—like he was doing for me today. Before he showed up at the park I did feel lost but not anymore. Griffin saw me for who I was and it didn’t make him turn away—it had him stepping closer instead to help me navigate me through my confusion.

I loved him for that. Maybe I just loved him period but it was way too soon to think like that. I probably should take the time to unpack those feelings because it was scary as fuck to feel that connected to a man like Griffin. He was so confident and secure with himself and his job, whereas I just felt scattered on my best days. In many ways, I was the embodiment of our band’s name. Chaos. It pretty much described me to a T. But somehow when I was with him I felt completely in control and, dare I say, even self-assured. He brought clarity to so many aspects of my life and the things that were important, like happiness, pride in my accomplishments, and…love. I wanted to hold on to that for a long time, if he let me.

“Want something to drink?” Griffin asked me.

His question pulled me out of my internal thoughts and back to the present—alone with him in his home, just down the hall from his bedroom. I watched as he tossed his keys onto a granite countertop and stepped into the kitchen. I followed and stopped at the entrance. Our eyes met and something powerful passed between us. I wanted to run and throw myself into his arms but for some reason my feet wouldn’t move me forward. When it came to sex I was always the confident one but with Griffin, the fear of him saying no held me rooted in place. To avoid any possible mixed signals, I had to let Griffin take the lead with this.

Griffin’s gaze dragged all over my body and finally lifted to my face then he slowly began to walk toward me with a little bit of hesitation, like he was warring with himself over what his next move should be. It made me wonder what he was thinking and whether it was good or bad. Did he really think I’d say no to anything he was offering? There was zero chance of that happening.

He stood silently assessing me then his hand lifted to cup the side of my face and I leaned into his soft touch like a preening cat seeking affection. His thumb stroked my cheek and I could feel the rough callused tips of his fingers scratch over my beard stubble. The sound of it made me shiver and Griffin wrapped his arms around my back and pulled me tight against him. The solid mass of him pressed to me was overwhelming. He was as hot as a furnace and the subtle scent of his bodywash took over all my senses. It was comforting as much as it gave me a bit of anxiety because it felt so damn good and I wasn’t used to feeling something this powerful—and we were only hugging.

Call it a fear of the unknown but there was so much of him surrounding me in this moment a small part of me wanted to pull away to create more space. In reality, I wanted the opposite and instead of stepping back, I leaned into him and truly allowed this feeling of bliss to consume me. I’d spent a long time running from the feelings I had for Griffin and I didn’t want to do that anymore.

No more running. I want to be caught.

Griffin kissed the side of my head and ran his hands down my back in such a soothing way, goosebumps skittered across my flesh. Our clothes were no longer sopping wet but we were still damp. I wasn’t going to complain about that when Griffin was wrapped so perfectly around me and my face was nestled into his neck. I felt safe with him, special, and now that I realized I could have this with him, I never wanted to leave the sanctuary of his embrace.

“How about I get us some dry clothing to put on and I’ll wash these?” Griffin suggested. I was too exhausted to answer and let him continue to talk but the angry growl of my stomach interrupted even that. “Slight change of plans. After I get you warm, I’m going to feed you because if I know you, you haven’t eaten since sometime yesterday. Am I right? ”

I nodded in agreement and grinned against the perfect heat of his throat. His Adam’s apple bobbed just a few scant inches away from my lips and I wanted to lick it, maybe suck on it until I bruised the skin. But Griffin tipped my head back to meet his eyes. I saw so many emotions reflected in his gaze. It was beautiful to see him like this, like the veil we’d been forced to hide behind had finally been lifted. We didn’t have to be a secret anymore and it was freeing on so many levels.

I can see all of you now, and you are so beautiful to me.

Griffin stepped back and took my hand. “Come with me,” he instructed and led me from the kitchen and down a hall. I saw two rooms on the right side that appeared to be spare bedrooms; one of which was being used as a weight room and the second appeared to be an office. A bathroom was at the very end of the hall. To the left, Griffin pushed open a door to reveal the primary bedroom. He dropped my hand and approached his dresser.

“I think I have some sweats that will fit you,” he said as he pulled open a drawer toward the bottom of the dresser. I watched him remove a pair of navy blue sweatpants and a gray sweatshirt and hand them to me. “Bathroom is in there if you want privacy to change.”

I lifted one brow while smirking at him. Really? Did he think I wouldn’t be bold enough to strip down in front of him? Maybe he didn’t know me that well after all. I kept my eyes on him while I shouldered out of my hoodie and dropped it onto the floor. Griffin stood about ten feet away, silent but watching my every move. My long-sleeved, black Henley came off next and I tossed that on top of my damp coat. I was shirtless and I loved how Griffin’s face had flushed and his eyes tracked every move I made like he was absolutely captivated. I loved the power behind this and toed off my untied boots before my fingers went to my belt buckle and the top button of my jeans.

By the time I stepped out of my pants, Griffin had started to undress, too. He’d already removed his shoes and a lightweight jacket near the front door when we came in and was now tugging off his t-shirt. He took a second pair of sweats from his dresser and a dry t-shirt. I saw the expanse of his bare back as he bent down with so many layers of muscles and a light dusting of dark hair on his lower back. I desperately wanted to slide my hands all over him, feel his warmth, and explore every ridge and plain of his body. My hands grew itchy while I watched him adjust his clothing into place. When he was done I caved to my needs and set my hands on his hips, letting them slowly glide up his gorgeous backside.

Griffin straightened and moaned when I reached his shoulders and squeezed the nape of his neck. I leaned in and pressed my lips to the warm skin just below his hairline and Griffin turned around to face me.

“Michael, there’s nothing I want more than to spread you out across my bed and take my time discovering how many ways I can get you off, but this isn’t something I want to rush,” he whispered. “Besides, you’re hungry and you need to eat. Let’s do that first because once we hit that bed, we’re going to be there for a while.”

His words alone were almost enough to get me off. I bit my bottom lip and sighed loudly. I knew he was right, though. I didn’t want to hurry through this either and I knew he was worth the wait. I mean, we’d already waited months to cross this line, what was another few minutes?

“I’ll admit you’re annoyingly correct in your thinking but that doesn’t mean I’m happy about my delayed gratification,” I mocked in fake indignation.

Griffin chuckled and brushed his lips lightly over mine. “Slip into those sweats and meet me in the kitchen,” he said. “I’m going to prepare a feast of eggs, bacon, and toast for us.”

“Is sausage also on the menu?” I teased.

“Smartass,” Griffin chuckled. “Meet me in the kitchen in five.”

“And…the sausage?”

“Unbelievable,” he said and smirked. “We’ll talk about me feeding you my sausage later.”

He collected our wet clothing from the floor and walked toward the doorway. I cleared my throat to get his attention and he glanced over his shoulder at me. I was still in the same spot he’d left me and wearing nothing but a pair of tight gray boxer briefs that left nothing to the imagination. The outline of my rock-hard erection obscenely tented the fabric in the front and there was likely a wet spot at my tip too from the leaking I knew was happening.

“Are you sure you want to leave me to go cook right now?” I asked with a devious grin on my face and my hands set on my hips which only emphasized my predicament further. I saw the moment his eyes dropped to my groin and the prominent bulge I was sporting caught his eye.

“Fucking hell,” he sighed .

“Impressed?” I asked.

“I’m definitely… intrigued. That’s for damn sure.”

I smiled at his comment and I honestly could see how torn he was now in which task he did next. I also liked knowing he was conflicted about this, too. But his choices weren’t complicated. He could either come back and do me or he could continue to the kitchen and make us breakfast. I already knew what his choice would be, though, because I knew he was a man of honor and enjoyed caring for me. He’d already expressed an interest in taking things slow, which was fine and understandable. I also knew he was as turned on as I was, and as soon as we finished filling our stomachs we’d be having dessert in his bedroom.

I could hardly fucking wait!

I joined Griffin in the kitchen and leaned against the counter next to the stove to watch him prepare our breakfast. I loved seeing him like this, loose and comfortable enough with me that he’d occasionally glance my way and offer me a wistful smile. The blush in his cheeks kept my dick hard the entire time he cooked. He was so damn beautiful with long, thick fingers and clean, blunt nails on both hands. I had trouble concentrating on anything other than the movements of his hands and the expression on his handsome face.

When everything was done, he plated our food and set them on the kitchen island behind us. I hopped up on a stool and he joined me a minute later carrying two mugs of black coffee.

“Black, right?” he questioned .

“Either you know me too well or you have a good memory,” I teased, sounding far more seductive than I was intending.

“Maybe a little bit of both,” he replied.

Breakfast was absolutely delicious and I managed to completely clean my plate. I could tell this pleased Griffin. It was obvious he really enjoyed taking care of me and I sure as hell loved the way he pampered and doted on me, too.

I carried my plate over to the sink and rinsed it off before opening the dishwasher to place it inside. Then I grabbed Griffin’s plate and did the same. He emptied his mug of coffee and then met me in the kitchen.

“Did you have enough to eat?” Griffin asked me as he wrapped me up in his arms again.

“I am so full I might burst but it was really good,” I complimented. “Thank you for cooking.”

His hands lifted to my neck and he pressed his forehead to mine. “And you said you didn’t want to eat,” he teased me. “Always in such a rush when some things are meant to be savored.”

I tilted my head to better notch our faces together and dragged my lips across his. Griffin released a low rumble of a groan as I covered his mouth and licked my way inside. He easily opened for me, tongue flicking against mine, it made me dizzy in seconds. He tasted like coffee and just a hint of bacon mixed with high octane lust. I leaned harder into the kiss, hell-bent on owning Griffin’s mouth like it was a vital resource I needed to conquer in order to survive. To my surprise, Griffin gave as good as he got and my body was already thrumming with need, and we hadn’t even gotten out of the kitchen.

I may have been the one who walked us backward while we kissed our way down the hall to his bedroom, but once we slipped over the threshold it was all Griffin. Any remnants of hesitation he may have had earlier were long gone and I was more than thrilled to let him lead me all the way to one gloriously happy ending.