Page 16 of Griffin (Stone Brothers #5)

FIFTEEN

GRIFFIN

W e reached the Shack, and suddenly, I was more embarrassed than usual about its overall shabbiness.

I was sure the left side of the house had started tilting, and the way the old house creaked and groaned with every step made me think it wouldn't be long before the whole damn thing collapsed.

But for now, Theo and Crusoe were still out for the night, and I had the house to myself.

I'd take that as a win, sinking foundation and all.

Shay's car drove up behind the truck. I waved her around, and she parked and got out.

She stood in the weed-choked front yard and stared up at the house.

"Are there ghosts?" she asked and turned to me.

"I'm going to be disappointed if you say no because a house like this really has earned one or two ghosts. "

"Crusoe is sure he keeps seeing this woman with wild black hair and a hollow-eyed stare standing at the top of the stairs, but then my cousin likes to party … a lot, so I don't take him too seriously."

I took her hand. It was amazing how quickly we'd attached ourselves together tonight.

I found myself wanting to know everything about her.

Her ballet talent was a huge surprise. She'd been living this shadowed life under an angry tyrant, but it seemed she'd decided to find a way out from under his control.

I wanted to be on the other side to help her find that freedom.

"Let's see if we can drum up some ghosts. Maybe the buttered popcorn will wake them from their restless sleep." I took her hand and led her to the front steps. Even the steps were starting to lean to the left. "We could always watch a horror flick to make up for the absence of ghosts."

"Oh hell no. Horror movies scare the shit out of me."

I smiled at her. "So, horror movies scare you, but seeing an actual ghost intrigues you. Watch the second step," I warned, and she hopped easily over it.

"Seeing an actual ghost would be a big deal, and we could take photos and post them and become internet sensations and get millions of followers," she reasoned.

"And then people would accuse us of faking the photos. AI is going to make it impossible for anyone to ever prove they've seen a real ghost." We stepped inside, and the house greeted us with a loud groan.

Shay grabbed my arm. "I take it back. I don't want to see a real ghost. Just stay in your cubby or corner or attic, please."

"Are you into following all the influencers like Jules? My sister graduated first in her class in high school, but she can get pulled into social media drama very easily. Like this Bandana Banana woman who apparently lives in a van."

Shay laughed. "I think it's Banana Bandana, and I assure you the van is a nice prop.

With the money she makes, she probably owns a mansion on each coast. Never held any interest for me.

My hus—" She cleared her throat as if saying the word was painful.

"Tate has a social media obsession, but only if it includes beautiful women.

I keep hoping he'll find someone else, but I think other women are smarter than me.

They can see through the slightly rugged good looks to the asshole in the center. "

I tugged her hand to pull her around to face me. "You are smart and beautiful and you can fly without wings, and he's a fucking pile of dog shit. Remember that."

Shay wrapped her arms around my neck, and I pulled her against me. Her body pressed hungrily against mine, and my cock reacted instantly. She smiled sweetly as she felt my erection. "I can't believe I'm here right now," she said quietly.

"In my haunted house, you mean? Or here with me, wrapped in my arms and me wanting you so fucking badly I can hardly take a decent breath?"

"Yes … the second one." She pressed her mouth against mine. Our kisses became so intense, I had to brace her against the wall to keep us upright. My tongue swept over her lips and she made a throaty, appreciative sound that made my pulse race.

Our mouths parted for a second. "I'm never going to have enough of you," I muttered before slamming my mouth down over hers.

I pushed my hands under her sweater and smoothed my palms over her back until I reached her bra.

The urgent kisses stopped for a second. I looked at her as my fingers toyed with the clasps on the bra.

Shay nodded. "Yes, yes, I want to be naked in your arms. I've been dreaming about being naked in your arms."

"Seems like we were having the same fucking dream," I growled. I took her hand and led her to the stairs. "Watch number three and number six," I warned as she climbed them.

She laughed. "How the hell do you guys survive living here?" She paused. "Is that six or am I standing on six?" Her brows raised in alarm.

"You're on five, and with the way you walk, as if you have tiny wings on your feet, you're probably all right even on six." She hopped over it just in case. I stepped fully on it, and the step rocked from side to side. Her brows raised in surprise. "I like to live dangerously," I said.

I led her to my room and was instantly embarrassed about the clutter I'd left behind.

I pushed a pile of dirty clothes off to the side.

"I'm a pig. There, now you know something about me too.

You're an incredible dancer who can defy gravity and grab the undivided attention of a group of drunk, high partygoers and I'm a slob.

Not sure if that makes us even, but it's all I've got. "

She tucked herself against me. I was getting pretty fucking used to it already, having her long, lithe body in my arms. "I saw you tonight, protecting your cousin and standing with your family.

You were pretty damn impressive, and if I hadn't been scared shitless that a fight would break out, I would have jumped your damn bones right then and there in front of everyone.

" She smiled. "Nah, not really. But sometimes it's fun to pretend that I have a wild streak. "

"Well, let's stop pretending, shall we?" I lifted her sweater off and tossed it aside.

"Now about this fucking amazing black bra.

" I kissed her as I unfastened the bra. My mouth was still plastered to hers as I tossed aside the bra.

I pulled back to look at her. Her nipples hardened as I gazed admiringly at her tits.

She instinctively lifted her hands to cover them up. "Not my best feature."

I took hold of her hands and held them out to her sides so I could gaze at her.

"You are the whole fucking package, baby.

The whole fucking package and then some.

" I pressed my mouth against the trail of stars on her neck.

"Been wanting to do this since the first time I noticed these tiny fucking stars on this long neck. "

Shay's head lulled back, and she moaned sweetly as I unbuttoned her jeans and kissed her neck and throat and shoulders. I pulled my mouth from her long enough to push her jeans down. Her silky panties went too. She held my shoulders and stepped out of her boots and pants. She shivered.

"Are you cold?" I asked.

"That too," she said shyly.

I swept her up into my arms. Her long legs dangled nervously as I carried her to the bed. "Hey, ballerina, you can say no at any time. Got it?"

Shay nodded. "I'm on the pill but?—"

"I've got protection."

She grew quiet, and I worried I'd taken this too fast, too far.

I placed her down on the bed and stayed standing.

Her naked body stretched out in front of me was the hottest fucking thing I'd ever seen, and every inch of me reacted, but I didn't want to blow it.

She had enough shit to deal with, and this was only going to make her life more complicated.

"Shay, I don't?—"

She reached up for my hand. "I want this. I need to know what I've been missing. Please, Fin. It doesn't need to be more than this, but I want it. I want you. All of you."

I stripped naked.

Shay bit her lip as she reached for my cock. "Like I said, I need to know what I've been missing." She wrapped her fingers around my erection, and a groan rolled up from my chest.

I took hold of her wrist and removed her hand.

"I'm so fucking hard right now, baby. I want to last, and that's not going to be easy with you in my arms." I grabbed a condom and rolled it on.

The bed squeaked as I leaned down over her.

I stayed up on my arms and kissed her on the mouth before moving down to her breasts.

My erection brushed along her thigh, and every muscle in my body tightened as I worked to keep control.

I moved my tongue in circles around her taut nipples.

Shay reached up and pushed her fingers through my hair as she held my face closer to her breasts.

I kissed and nibbled at her erect nipples.

She mewled in pleasure and arched her back to push them harder against my mouth.

I moved my hand down, letting my fingers trail over her flat belly until they reached the mound of her pussy.

She gasped softly, tensing for a second and then relaxing as I moved my fingers through the hot wetness that had pooled in her pussy. I stroked her clit as I kissed her body. "Oh, Fin, I can't. I want you … now," she said, breathlessly.

I lowered myself over her and kissed her mouth again.

I reached down to her ass and pulled her hips higher.

She wrapped her legs around my waist, lifting her hot, sweet pussy to meet me.

I gazed down into her dark brown eyes as I pushed into her.

Her eyes floated shut as her pussy swallowed my cock.

For a few quiet moments we stayed like that, our bodies connected erotically.

The quiet in the room surrounded us, cloaked us.

My body surged with energy, but I held back to look down at her.

"You belong here, with me," I said. I began to pump into her, slowly at first. I didn't want it to end, but I was so hard, I knew it was going to take all my strength to hold back.

My hand pushed her ass higher to meet my thrusts.

She tangled her long arms and legs around me, holding me tightly as if she worried I might run off. But there was no chance of that.

I pumped into her faster and harder. Neither of us were going to last. I couldn't stop, and she gripped me tightly with her long legs.

"Oh Fin, yes, harder, please."

I slammed into her so hard the bed smacked the wall behind us. She gripped me even tighter, and her fingers dug into my shoulders. "Yes!" she cried out and her body shivered beneath me as her pussy clamped tightly around me.

"Fuuck," I growled as I dropped over the edge of an intense fucking orgasm. Not wanting to crush her, I collapsed down to the side and pulled her over with me. She snuggled against me, purring softly.

"I now know what I've been missing, and I want to cry." She lifted her face to mine. "I've missed so damn much."