Page 76 of Rival

No, it can wait. Promise.

Don’t get into any trouble while I’m gone, girl. Otherwise I’ll have to take you over my knee.

“What’s got you smilin’ like that?”

Spinning, I come face to face with Griffin. My mouth falls open, tongue tied, and unsure of what to say. I was literally just remembering our night together and my face explodes with embarrassment.

“Okay, so now I gotta know what’s got you blushin’ like a tomato in the sun.” His teasing tone relaxes me, and I find that I’ve really missed him. The easy banter we had before that night was amazing and I hate that he’s stayed away.

“What, umm, what are you doing here?”

With a sigh, his smile turns slightly apologetic. “Guess I’m not gonna get an answer, then. I came to pick up some scrap for your dad he needs junked. Couldn’t fit it into his van and Corbin’s truck is still down for the count. He around?”

Fisting my phone tightly, I bounce my hands against my thighs nervously. “I think he’s inside. Might be in his chair.” Lifting my chin, I wait for him to leave, but he doesn’t.

Stepping closer, his gentle smile falls away. I flinch slightly when he reaches up to tuck a loose strand of hair behind my ear, but he only pauses a briefly before finishing his task. With a sigh, his hands fall away, and he shoves them in his pocket.

“I really screwed up, didn’t I?”

I stare at him and hate the way my throat tightens with emotion. Blinking quickly, I force myself not to cry, shocked I was fine a moment ago and now this wave of longing has nearly brought me to tears.

“N-No,” I croak out. “It’s like you said, right? We just gotta pretend like it never happened, and no one will be the wiser. No regrets.”

He freezes and narrows his eyes. “Yes.” Dragging the word out, he cocks his head to study me. “Because that’s what you wanted.”

Jerking my head back, I’m floored. “I didn’t say that.”

“You basically did. You were shoving me away from you. Couldn’t get away fast enough.”

Uneasiness fills me, and I take a step back at his tone. Hesitantly, I say, “Because my father was about to walk into the house.”

“Because you didn’t want him to know what we’d done.” It almost seems as if he’s asking me a question, but he says it like it’s fact. It’s true, Ididn’twant my father to know what we’ve done, but something is telling me he thinks it’s for a different reason.

“Griffin. My father…” I trail off and glance toward the house. “It wouldn’t have been good if he’d caught us. He’d have been furious with not just me, butyouas well.”

His voice is a bit more aggressive when he says, “Which is why you didn’t want it to happen again!”

“I didn’t say that,” I snap back. “Youdid. Then you left.” Instantly regretting my tone, I let my head fall. “Sorry, I shouldn’t have said it like that.”

“Darlin’,” he calls to me, but I shake my head, not wanting to see the censure in his eyes. “Edith, would you look at me?”

“I need to get to my chores before my father—”

“Why you so worried about your dad thinks? You’re a fuckin’ adult. Who cares what he has to say?”

This time, I do meet his eyes, anger flaming within their depths. Pressing my lips together, I stay silent, which only serves to further his frustration.

“You’re a grown ass woman. You’re allowed to see and fuck and hang out with whoever the hell you want. You know this, right? What’s he gonna do? Ground you?”

Griffin is staring me down with hands planted on his hips and I can feel my own irritation growing. More tears threaten to fall, and I want to laugh and scream all at once.What the hell is wrong with my head right now?

“It’s not like that. But this ishishome and while I’m living here, it’s my job to be respectful of his space. It’s not—”

“What’s goin’ on out here?”

My father’s voice slices through me like a whip, and dread pools in my stomach.How much did he hear?

“Just askin’ Edith where the shit is that I’m haulin’ for you,” Griffin answers without taking his eyes off me and I close mine against his perusal, mentally begging him to stop before my father starts to believe something’s between us.