Total pages in book: 162
Estimated words: 158848 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 794(@200wpm)___ 635(@250wpm)___ 529(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 158848 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 794(@200wpm)___ 635(@250wpm)___ 529(@300wpm)
Molly dips her head, kissing my neck. Her long hair slides over my chest, tickling in the best way possible.
“Will you come downstairs with me?” I whisper against her ear.
She pulls away and stares at my face. “I guess we shouldn’t go upstairs to my room.”
At least our minds are both traveling down the same path. “Probably not.”
“Okay.” She scoots out of my lap and stands in front of me—all sleepy-eyed and kiss-ruffled. The strap of her top hangs off her shoulder and her thin top’s bunched under her breasts, leaving a sliver of her stomach exposed. I slide to the edge of the rocker, grab her by the hips and duck my head to kiss above her belly button.
“That tickles.” She rakes her nails through my hair and I close my eyes, savoring the shivery sensation that shoots straight down my spine.
“You’re awfully ticklish tonight.” I kiss her stomach again, then tug her shirt into place.
“Because you’re extra tickle-giving tonight.” She skitters her fingers over my shoulders and into the crook of my neck, giving me a dose of my own ticklish medicine.
How did I survive so long without having her hands on me?
Never again.
CHAPTER THIRTY
Molly
My heart gallops so fast, I’m sure Griff can hear it. We quietly open the back door and tiptoe into the kitchen. At least, I sneak in like a bandit. Griff doesn’t seem concerned that my brother might overhear us.
He opens the basement door for me and I stop, lean up, and kiss his cheek.
“What’s that for?” he whispers.
“I love you.”
He stares down at me with love-drunk eyes. “I love you too.”
Heart racing, I grip the handrail and carefully step down the smooth, wooden steps. The air’s warmer than I expected. This part of the house has been my brother’s domain since I moved in with him. I haven’t ventured into the basement since I was little. All the dark, dusty corners full of spiders deterred my curiosity. I usually picture it as a dark, dank expanse. But as I reach the last step, more of a homey man-cave expands before me. A dark overstuffed couch and large flat screen television are straight ahead. To my left there’s one door and to the right two more doors.
“Where?” I ask Griff.
“You haven’t been down here?”
“Not in a long time.” I glance up at the white drop ceiling that must conceal all the pipes and beams of the house that I remember. “It was more open and spidery back then.”
“No spiders,” he promises. He touches the door on the left. “That goes to the rest of the basement—furnace, water heater, all that fun stuff.”
He taps the first door on the right. “Bathroom.”
“So it’s basically an apartment without a kitchen?” I say, following him to the next door.
“Exactly.” He pushes the door open and holds out his arm, inviting me inside. “Bedroom.”
“Right to the point, huh?” I tease.
He flicks on a light switch. “I don’t think you understand what you unleashed up there in that rocking chair, Muffin.”
That had been fun. Teasing him. Feeling his hard body against mine. Letting his warmth seep into my skin. Possibly getting caught by one of our nosy neighbors.
I glance up and find a more thoughtful, almost hesitant expression on his face. “We can slow things down.” He takes a step back and gestures toward the couch. “We can watch a movie or something.”
That would be pointless. I’m so wound up, and want him so much, I’d probably climb in his lap before the movie starts.
“I’m just happy you’re here with me.” Longing and appreciation echo through his words.
“Me too.” I step into the bedroom and hold out my hand to him. “Touch me.”
“You don’t have to ask twice.” He rests his palms on either side of my face and tips my head back. I stare at him, trying to memorize every line and angle of his face. The fear that he’ll leave again continues to hover at the back of my mind.
Not now.
He leans down and brushes his lips against mine. All the bitterness and hurt I’ve held onto the last few months seems to evaporate.
I sigh and lean into the kiss. I’ve never wanted anything more than his mouth on mine.
Griff’s quick fingers untie the straps of my tank top and the loose, flowy material pools around my waist. Staring him in the eyes, I gather the material and lift it over my head, dropping it on the floor.
Hunger beats a steady pulse at his throat. His chest rises and falls faster while he stares at me like I’m the only drop of water in an ocean of sand.
“I’ve missed you so bad,” he rasps. “Thought about you every day. Feels like a thousand years since I’ve touched you.”
Every word brings on a wave of desire. Then guilt snakes around my heart. If only I’d trusted him. “We could’ve been here sooner if—”