Page 46 of Rival

His smile slowly falls away, turning into concern. “I can see you overthinking things right now, darlin’. You know I don’t have any expectations, right? I just didn’t want to have to sneak around like I’m sixteen again.”

“You were sneaking out of girls’ rooms at sixteen?”

He barks out a laugh. “Maybe. But I’m serious. The only thing I demand is to know how Edmond gets out of prison because I feel like he’s been there forever.”

My teeth dig into my lower lip, so happy he wants to keep up with our reading. Eyeing the front of the house over his shoulder, I ask, “You don’t think they’ll come back?”

“Nope. Corb’s on a deadline. They have to get there by two tomorrow afternoon and it’s a good ten-hour drive. No way they’ll turn around. I even gave them a full tank of gas.” He eyes me curiously. “You really worried about your dad coming back and catching us?”

“Yes,” I answer immediately, then soften my response. “He’s just very particular about people in his house.”

Griffin is quiet but frames my face to keep my focus on him. “He’s a dick. I know he’s your dad, but I don’t like the way he talks to you. Is that a normal thing?”

I quickly come up with a way to explain exposing what’s actually going on in this house and figure a way to answer without answering. “He can be cranky from time to time. It doesn’t bother me much and I try to have patience.”

“You know you don’t have to accept that, right? You’re a grown ass adult. There’s no reason he needs to speak to you like you’re the help around here. It really pissed me off.”

“I live here for free.” It’s all I can think to say, but Griffin shakes his head to shut me down.

“That doesn’t give him the right to talk to you like that.”

I sigh and let my shoulders fall. “I know. I actually don’t plan on living here much longer. That’s why I’m working. I want to save up money and find my own place.”

His smile comes back, only this time there’s a flirtatious tease behind it. “Does that mean I’ll get to come visit you at your new place? I’ll even bring a housewarming gift.”

Snickering, I try to shake my head at his joke, but his hands are still framing my face and I can’t move very far. “I think it’ll take me some time before that happens, but I’d make you dinner if you wanted. Oh! Are you hungry? Should I make you something now? It’s still pretty early and I haven’t—”

Griffin silences me mid-sentence with his lips. It’s not a kiss like when we were in my room, just more comforting and normal. Like we’ve been doing it for years and goosebumps erupt over my skin.

Pulling back, he presses his head to my forehead and closes his eyes. “Let’s not worry about that right now. How about we order a pizza or something later, my treat, when we get hungry? I really do want you to read more to me. I’m addicted to our story.”

I’m not sure what to say, so I just wait, wishing he’d kiss me once more. Instead of doing it again, he leans down and reaches an arm around my side. I think he’s going to hug me to him, but he shuts the dishwasher door instead, then winks.

“Come on. Read to me, darlin’.”

Chapter Twenty-One

Edith

“Read to me, darlin’.”

I can’t help but feel all swoony when Griffin speaks to me like that, and every time he does it, I find myself essentially speechless.

“Looks like you need some help there. Want me to carry you up? I very much need to hear how Edmond is gonna get out of prison.” He’s teasing me and when he takes a step toward me as if he’s going to pick me up, I jolt and run around him to my room.

Griffin laughs as he chases me up the stairs, but he stays far enough behind that I feel like I’ve outrun him until the moment I’m next to my bed. He wraps his arms around my waist and takes us down.

Laughing and breathing heavily, I wiggle away from him when he tries to kiss me. “The book! You wanted to read the book!”

“Give me a kiss and I’ll grab it.”

Halting my struggles under him, I cup his cheeks and give him a quick peck on the lips, making him scowl. “There. You’ve had a kiss,” I tease.

With a groan, he pushes off me and reaches over to pluck the book up and hands it over.

“Shoes,” I remind him when he goes to climb on the bed. Quickly, he shucks them off before finding the same position we were in last time, with his back against my headboard and me between his legs. “Alright. I’m ready to hear how he escapes. Get to reading, darlin’.”

Leaning back, I let my body rest against his chest while his arms wrap around to pull me closer. Griffin brushes my out-of-control hair from my face, then drops his chin on my shoulder to read along.