Bradley said he didn’t have time to growold waiting for me to get my head out of my ass.
I was pretty sure it was his way of makingsure I didn’t grow old alone.
Probably.
Griffin chuckled. “Speaking of yourfriends. I think I was promised a story about your drinking hijinks? I can’twait to see a smashed Wade. I bet you’re cute when you’re drunk.”
Groaning, I fell back against him. “No,that’s just…oh no…”
Griffin was nearly giggling. “Oh yes, Imade you Italian, now fess up. What kind of wonderful stories can I expectgoing forward?”
“Um, well, when we got together a few weeksago we were just a bit inebriated and Dakota wandered off to go call Tristan inthe bathroom. Well, we were so drunk we didn’t know where he went, and thenwhen Silas showed up to get Austin, we tried to explain we didn’t know whereDakota went. It all got mixed up somehow and all I remember is crying because Iwas very sure Silas had said he’d been abducted by aliens.”
Silent laughter was shaking Griffin’schest. “And then when Tristan came to rescue him, we found Dakota in thebathroom, but he’d slid off the toilet and was stuck between the toilet and thewall. I just remembered feeling so relieved Tristan had rescued him.”
Considering that was one of the tamerstories I could have told, I was glad Griffin was finding it so entertaining.
“Really? That drunk?” I nodded and hestarted to chuckle.
“Austin has a buddy who pays him rent inmoonshine or something like that. He knows all kinds of weird people, but it’sreally good.” Griffin’s laughter was filling the room, which made me grin. “Wedon’t do it very often. Honest.”
I sat up and gave him a very well-doneinnocent smile. “Otherwise I’m very good. I promise.”
And being good the rest of the time made itokay to get shit-faced drunk and do stupid things every few weeks. “Tristanfinds us delightful. Silas thinks we’re insane, and the rest of the alphas seeit as the price of admission to joining the family.”
“I’m going to find you delightful too.”Griffin’s hand came back up to stroke my cheek. “I bet I’m going to find a lotof the wicked things you do delightful as well.”
I felt my face heating up again. “Not toomany wicked things.”
“Oh, I certainly hope there are…I want tosee you doing all kinds of wonderfully wicked things.” Griffin traced hisfinger over my lips, sending a shiver through me. “You’ve got naughty friendsand you own a BDSM club. I’m not expecting sweet and vanilla…just sweet anddirty.”
Before I could even begin to understand howI would feel showing that side of myself to him, his fingers eased around theback of my head to cup my neck and he started inching me forward. Hisintentions were perfectly clear, but he was going painfully slow.
Just before our lips met, he whispered, “Whatare your safewords?”
“Let’s use stoplight colors, please.” Thatwas easiest.
He inched back, studying me. “You didn’thave any with Matthew, did you?”
Frustrated that my kiss was snatched away,I tried to relax as I shook my head. “No, we were together too long and itjust…well, I understand why most couples have them and why we make people atthe club use them.”
He chuckled. “You did that verydiplomatically, little goody-goody. But you won’t hurt my feelings giving methe truth. We’ll use the stoplight colors because you’re right. I haven’t knownyou since you were in diapers, but I don’t think it’s presumptuous to say thatone day I’m going to know you well enough that we won’t need them either.”
With that promise, Griffin pulled me closeagain, tightening his fingers until I wanted to go slack and sink into him, andtook my lips in a heated kiss. There was a sweetness to it, a tenderness, butthere was also ownership and lust. I could almost feel how long he’d imaginedthat moment and it made my heart ache.
Offering up my mouth, I felt my submissionwashing over me and I closed my eyes, sinking into his touch. He must have feltthe change in me because he moaned against my lips right before his tonguetraced the seam of my lips, quietly demanding entry.
Every nerve in my body tingled as hedeepened the kiss. The arm that had been wrapped around me to cuddle me nowpressed me against his body and stroked teasingly down my side. My dick hadalready been enjoying cuddling with Griffin, but now the rest of my bodystarted to join in and I could feel myself getting slick.
Griffin must have sensed it because hemoaned again and I could feel his body respond under me. I’d have given himanything in that moment, but he seemed to be the only one with common sensebecause he pulled back, kissing my nose and hugging me close.
“That was…” He shifted me in his arms so Iwas tucked against him again. “That was perfect.”
Nodding against him, I let the wonderfulsensations he’d given me whirl around in me and just relaxed. “Thank you.”
I felt him press a kiss to my head. “Forwhat?”
“Everything. Coming for me after thescene…being so patient with me…staying friends with me even though it must havebeen so hard. Just everything.”
