Page 93 of A Little Secret
When I finally reach him, I don’t stop. I close the last bit of distance, rise onto my tiptoes, and kiss him in the middle of the party. Without caring who can see or what assumptions they might make. I kiss him with everything inside of me. Every fantasy. Every selfish thought. Every ounce of pent-up desire and whispered what ifs that’ve filtered through my mind for years.Years.Claiming him in front of everyone and letting everyone in the vicinity know I’ve been claimed, too. Even if I didn’t expect it. Evenif I didn’t want it. Not in the beginning. But Griff? Well, I think we’ve danced around this long enough to know what wasting time feels like. And right now? I’ve never wanted anything more than to say, fuck it. I like Griffin Thorne, and he likes me.
He’s stunned for a millisecond before his hands find my waist, and he kisses me. Hooting echoes from the family room, and I have zero doubt in my brain it belongs to Reeves, Ophelia, and Maverick. Dylan’s probably grinning, too, but the girl’s too quiet to hoot. I smile against Griffin’s mouth as I imagine it, and he pulls away, his forehead bunching. “What’s so funny?”
“You really want to know?” I ask.
He nods.
“I imagined Dylan hooting like the rest of our crazy friends.”
“They were hooting?” He looks over my head toward our friends, and his mouth splits into a shy grin. “Oh, so that’s why you kissed me.”
“I kissed you because I’m tired of letting people believe I could possibly want anyone who isn’t you when I’ve already wasted years with the wrong person. Is that a problem?”
He tugs me closer and steals another kiss, making my toes curl in the process. When he finally pulls away, he answers, “No problem.”
I smile back at him. “Didn’t think so.”
“So,” Reeves interjects.
Glancing over my shoulder, I find the rest of the gang trailing behind him. “This is new.”
“Or is it?” Dylan questions.
“Does your brother know?” Maverick interjects.
Griffin frowns, then answers for me. “He might’ve found out earlier tonight.”
“And you’re still standing?” Mav scratches the scruff along his jaw. “I guess Raine really did help with Ev’s short fuse.”
“It might not be as short, but it’s still there,” I offer, threading my fingers through Griffin’s and wrapping him around my body like a blanket. “You should’ve seen his face when?—”
Griffin clears his throat next to my ear, so I zip my lips and throw away the proverbial key, pulling laughter from Dylan and Ophelia.
“You gonna smooth everything out with him?” Reeves asks Griffin. “‘Cause, uh, I’ve been on Everett’s shit list. Zero out of ten stars. Do not recommend.”
Chuckling, Griffin’s focus falls to me. “I’ll take care of it. Promise.”
I peek over my shoulder at him. “I know you will.”
“Now, let’s celebrate!” Dylan offers. “Because Finley and I are going to be sisters!”
Laughter echoes around us, and I shove my best friend on the shoulder. “Careful with the assumptions, Dyl. You might scare me away.”
An arm squeezes around my waist as Griffin shifts me from his front and into his side. “Nah. I’m not letting you go anywhere. Sorry, Fin, but now that you’ve ripped off the Band-Aid, it looks like you’re stuck with me.”
Welp. When he puts it that way…
Lifting my chin, I wait for him to meet me halfway, and just like the mind-reading genius he is, he does.
CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE
GRIFFIN
Scratching my jaw, I head into the gym. It’s early and so cold my balls want to retreat into my body as I slip on my coat’s hood. The roads are icy, and it’s still dark outside. So dark, if I didn’t know this was the only place I was sure to find Everett so I could talk to him, I might’ve even stayed at home in Finley’s bed. We stayed in the same room last night. We’re out in the open. Me and Fin. The air is clear. Mostly. No sneaking around. No lies. No alibis. The memory of her tight little body wrapped around me this morning makes me nearly groan, but I force it back and tug the heavy glass door open.
There he is. Just. Like. Clockwork.
It’s arms and chest day. Everett grunts as he does a bicep curl. The veins pop out beneath his skin, proving he’s already earned his pump.