And it feels really fucking good.
EPILOGUE
FOUR MONTHS LATER.
Griffin
“I know I say this every week, but this is my favorite night at the bar.” Tucker beams, his body bouncing to the music.
Biting back a smile, I nod. “Mine too.”
“Who would have thought,” Tucker starts, nudging me with his elbow. “Griffin Barlow would permanently put karaoke night on the schedule and actually enjoy it. I’m digging this new version of you, boss.”
Averting my gaze from the bar to Blair, the smile comes naturally. I watch as she helps Nan with getting people listed and what song they plan to sing. There isn’t a soul in Bluestone Lakes that can carry a tune, but the laughs that echo through these walls tells me that this was the right move. People love this night and look forward to it.
Blair has changed me in more ways than one.
She’s opened up a piece of me that I kept stuffed down away from the world.
As if she can sense me staring, she turns to face me. The twinkle in her eyes, mixed with the crinkle from her smile only makes my heart race. A feeling I will never get used to. I truly lose my breath every time.
“I’m taking five,” I tell Tucker, not bothering to look at him.
“Take ten, boss.” And I hear him laugh as I round the bar to make my way to Blair.
Her face morphs into acome get mesmirk, and I shake my head because there’s no doubt that this woman owns me.
My heart.
My soul.
Without wasting a minute, I wrap both arms around her waist, pulling her into me. I let my face fall into the crook of her neck and inhale the sweet honeysuckle scent as if I haven’t seen or felt her in days.
“It’s been all of twenty minutes, Griffin,” She giggles against me.
“Twenty minutes too long,” I say, pulling back just enough to look her in the eyes.
There it goes again, completely losing my breath.
Her arms snake around my neck before she pulls off my baseball cap with one hand and intertwines her fingers through my hair with the other.
“I missed you too.” She grins, pressing on her toes to bring her lips to mine.
I kiss her as if there’s no one else in the bar.
I wish there wasn’t because every kiss with Blair is like coming home.
“Blair is supposed to be working,” Nan mutters off to my side.
We both pull apart, laughing against each other’s lips before turning to face her.
“I’m sorry, Nan,” Blair says to her. “This neanderthal can’t go more than twenty minutes without having his lips on me.”
“I don’t need to know all the details about where Griffin puts his lip.” She wrinkles her face in disgust.
“Nan!” Blair feigns embarrassment and her cheeks flame to a rosy, pink shade.
I lean down, letting my lips graze the shell of her ear. “I’dlove to put my lips all over you, sweetheart. Every square inch of this body is mine, and when the night is over I plan to do just that.”
