Griff rolled over on the mattress, pain shooting through his back muscles and making him groan. Bright sunlight was spilling in through the cracks in the curtains of Autumn’s bedroom, and he blinked his eyes open, lifting his head to look around.
The space next to him was empty, though the pretty panties he’d all but ripped off her last night – or more specifically this morning – were still there, the vivid pink ribbon a contrast to the pale whiteness of the sheets. His lips curled at the memory of her standing there, her eyes never leaving his as he told her in a deep, needy voice, what she had to do. He’d never seen her look so beautiful. Or so vulnerable. She’d made him feel about ten feet tall.
His stomach rumbled like an approaching storm. When was the last time he’d eaten? It growled again, as though it was answering him.
About twenty hours ago, you asshole.
He grabbed the drawstring pants they’d given him at the hospital, pulling them over his bruised legs. Catching sight of himself in her dresser mirror, he raked his fingers through his hair to neaten it up, then gave up. It was a fool’s battle.
Autumn was sitting cross legged on the sofa, her laptop balanced on her thighs, a pair of glasses resting on the bridge of her nose. Her hair was pulled back into a high ponytail, and in those cut-off shorts and tank top she looked more like a college girl than a business woman.
“Hey.” She smiled brightly when she saw him. “I didn’t hear you get up.”
“I’m silent like a ninja,” he joked, and she rewarded him with a laugh. “Can I use your phone to call the hospital? I want to see how Sam’s doing.”
“I just called. He’s doing good. They’re hoping to release him tomorrow. I said you’d probably visit him later.”
His eyes crinkled as he looked at her. “Thank you.”
“Any time.” She closed her laptop and put it on the table, uncrossing her legs to stand.
“Don’t stop working on my account. I just came out in search of something to eat.”
“Other than me?” She grinned at him.
“Don’t tempt me.” Who was he kidding? She was always tempting him. His body felt shattered, and yet he could still feel himself stir at the sight of her as she uncurled her legs and stood, her ponytail swinging.
“I’ll grab myself a sandwich if that’s okay with you. Then I’ll head home to get some real clothes.”
She glanced at his green-cotton clad legs. “I kind of like those scrubs. They fulfill all my doctor fantasies.”
He shook his head at her wicked grin. “In that case, I’ll keep them.”
She walked into the kitchen area, brushing past him. He couldn’t stop himself from squeezing her ass. “Hey, stop mauling the cook,” she told him, grinning as she opened the refrigerator. “What do you want on your sandwich?”
“I can make it.”
She turned, tipping her head to the side. “I know you can. But I’d like to make it for you. Go sit down, you must be aching like crazy. How are the cuts?”
He ran his finger down the one on his face. “Not hurting.”
“That’s good. Now shoo,” she said, waving her hands in the direction of the sofa. “Let me feed my man.”
“You’re bossy.”
“I’m learning from the master.” She blew a kiss at him as he sunk into the sofa’s squashy cushions, then pulled the bread from the cupboard, deftly making two pastrami sandwiches. She carried them over, along with two glasses of ice water, before sitting next to him, her thigh skimming his.
“Thank you,” he said softly, as she passed him a plate.
“It’s just a sandwich.”
“I wasn’t talking about the sandwich. I was talking about last night. You coming to the hospital, then taking me home. It means a lot.” He brushed his lips against her cheek.
“It meant a lot to me that you let me.” She gave him a shy smile. “I know Lucas wanted you to come home with him. And Jackson, too.”
“I can’t imagine Jackson looking after anybody.” Griff raised an eyebrow. “There’s probably nothing more than a six pack of beer and a moldy lemon in his fridge. I prefer the pastrami.” He took a bite of the sandwich, letting out a low moan. “God, this is good.” He swallowed and his stomach gurgled in appreciation.
“How’s your work going?” he asked her after drinking some water.
“It’s okay. I’m trying to get everything finalized for the charity day on the pier. And my sister keeps bugging me on instant messenger, asking how you are.”
“What’s your sister’s name?” he asked.
“Lydia. She’s a few years younger than me.”
“Does she look like you?”
“I think I’ve got a picture of her somewhere. Hang on.” Autumn grabbed her phone and scrolled through it, biting her lip as she concentrated on the screen. “There you go. That’s us at my dad’s summer party in the Hamptons.”
“The Hamptons, huh?” He raised an eyebrow, then took her phone, looking at the two women grinning on the screen. Autumn was wearing a pale blue dress, her shoulders bare, and her hair cascading in curls down her back. Her sister was smaller, more athletic, with skin a darker shade and her hair blonder and longer. But the resemblance between them was unmistakable, from the same pale blue eyes to the wide, toothy grin. “She’s pretty, but not as pretty as you.”
“I’m glad to hear you say that.”
“What does she do?”
“Lydia? Oh god.” Autumn laughed. “She’s Lydia. That’s pretty much her full time job.”
“She’s different than you, huh?”
“Yeah. I was the good girl. The one who worked hard and got all top grades and went on to grad school. She was the force of nature.”
“Sounds exhausting.”
Autumn laughed again. “You’ll be able to see for yourself next week. She’s coming to visit. She’s staying until the charity day. I figure she’ll be able to persuade everybody to donate big amounts. She has that way about her.” She put her plate on the coffee table, her sandwich only half eaten.
“Can I have that?” He nodded at her sandwich.
“Help yourself.” Autumn watched as he bit into the sandwich. “Oh, and by the way, Lydia wants to meet you.”
He swallowed the chunk down. “She does?”
“Yeah. I’m sorry, I should have kept my mouth shut about you.”
It touched him that she hadn’t. “I want to meet her, too. Maybe we can take her out.” He looked around her tiny cottage. “Where’s she going to stay?”
“I guess she’ll take the sofa. Or she can bunk up with me. She’s slept in worse places.”
“You should both come stay with me. I have a guest room with it’s own bathroom.”
“Really?” She leaned forward to kiss him. “That would be wonderful. Thank you. Underneath all those muscles you’re kind of sweet.”
“Don’t tell anybody,” he whispered. “It’s our secret.”
She pinched her fingers and drew a zip across her lips.
Shaking his head, he grinned and picked up their plates, carrying them over to the kitchen. Autumn was a tidy chef, so it only took him a couple of minutes to fill the dishwasher and wipe the counter, until it was spotlessly clean.
“Okay. I’d best head home.” He stretched his arms up, his shoulder muscles groaning in relief.
“Yeah. Stop cluttering my cottage with all that bare skin.” She winked. “Some of us have work to do around here.”
He walked over to the sofa and kissed the top of her head, pulling at her ponytail until she squealed.
“I’ll speak to you later.”
“Are you walking home like that?” she asked, her eyes scanning his bare chest, the thin pants and his unshod feet.
“I figure it’s better than going home naked.” He quirked an eyebrow.
“You look like you’re doing the walk of shame,” she pointed out.
“I kind of am,” he said, grinning at her look of horror. “I’ll tell you what, I’ll put the top on. That way nobody will know what you did to me last night.”
“Remember what I said about keeping them for my doctor fantasies,” she told him. “Oh, and Griff?”
“Yeah?”
“What time will you be back?”
“Back where?”
“Back here? You’re staying tonight, right?”
He curled his hand around her neck and brushed his lips against hers. “Yeah, I am,” he said, his mouth curling up. “And I’ll bring dinner with me.”
“Griffin Lambert, come here and let me look at you,” Deenie said, pulling his head down as she scanned her eyes over the cuts on his face. “Ugh. That ocean really battered you about. Do they hurt?”
“They’re fine,” he said, gently pulling away from her hold, biting down a smile at her using his full name. She only did that when she was cross or scared. “I look worse than I feel.
“I hear you saved Sam’s life,” Frank Megassey said, shaking Griff’s hand. “That was a brave thing to do, son.”
Ally pushed his large Americano across the counter. “This one’s on us, hero.” She winked.
Griff rolled his eyes. He’d only walked into Déjà Brew to grab a caffeine fix on his way to the pier, where Mike had been keeping the Ocean Explorer going for the day. But Lorne had seen him walk in, and told half the shop owners on the boardwalk and Main Street, because now Griff was surrounded by their concerned faces.
“I knocked on your door this morning,” Deenie said, as Griff took a mouthful of coffee. The bitter liquid washed over his tongue. “I wanted to check on you on my way to work, but you didn’t answer.”
“I wasn’t there.” He glanced at the door from the corner of his eye. Three strides and he could be out of there. Shame his muscles ached too much to make a run for it.
“Oh.” Deenie’s lips formed a perfect circle. “Were you with Autumn?”
“You can’t ask him that,” Ally said, leaning across the counter. “What kind of gentleman would admit to it?”
Deenie clamped her hand over her mouth. “Sorry.” Her voice was muffled. “I only wondered if she looked after you.”
“Yeah, she looked after me.” His voice was low. The memory of her washed over him. Those kisses, her touch, the way they couldn’t pull their gazes away. It made his chest feel tight.
“She’s a lovely young woman,” Frank Megassey said. “And she’s doing a lot of work for the charity day. I know she’s from New York, but I hope she sticks around.”
Yeah, well so did Griff. The thought of her leaving felt like a slap in the face.
He lifted his coffee cup again, and noticed Ally staring at him, her brows drawn together. “What’s up?” he asked her.
She shrugged. “Nothing.”
“Oh come on. You can’t look at me like that and then say nothing.”
Ally licked her dry lips. “I’m just glad you’re okay, that’s all. When I heard you were out there…” Her voice faded as she shook her head. “I was scared.”
“We all were.” Deenie nodded. “Wallace had to hold me back from going down to the beach. He said I’d be a liability.” She wiped the corner of her eye. “Promise me you won’t do anything like that again. I don’t think my heart can take it.”
They were all staring at him, waiting for him to respond.
“I promise I won’t save anybody’s life again,” he replied, deadpan. Ally looked away, stifling her laugh.
“Now stop that,” Deenie said, swatting his arm. “You know what I mean.”
“I do.” Griff nodded, his face serious. “And I’m not planning on taking any broken down boats into the ocean again. It was a favor for a friend. I knew the boat was unseaworthy as soon as I stepped on it, but I figured we’d get it to the marina before anything happened.”
“Sam should never have asked you to go.” Deenie folded her arms over her chest. “When he’s better, I’m going to have words with him.”
“He’s an old friend.” Griff shrugged.
“Of your dad’s.” Deenie sighed. “Not yours. You don’t owe him anything.”
“It’s over now,” he told her. “I’m here and I’m okay.”
“I’m so glad you are.” Her voice cracked as she hugged him tight. “And you should call your parents. Let them know you’re okay.”
“I already did,” he said gruffly.
“Oh.” Deenie’s eyes softened. “What did they say?”
He attempted a smile. “I think I disturbed their sleep.” It was crazy. A thirty-something guy shouldn’t hurt when his parents treated him like shit;. It shouldn’t matter at all. And yet his heart ached at the memory of that phone call. Another rejection to add to the already-long list.
Frank clucked his tongue as though he didn’t know what to say. Then Deenie hugged Griff again, her arms barely reaching around his waist.
“They love you,” she said softly. “Even if they don’t show it. Who could stop themselves?” She smiled up at him. “You’re adorable.”
It was a strange echo of Autumn’s words from that morning. Yet it didn’t soothe the pain completely. It was always there, like a low-level sound. A constant hum that reminded him he wasn’t wanted by those who should love him the most.
“I should go,” he told them. “Mike is waiting for me.”
“Of course.” Deenie nodded. “Would you like to come over tonight? Or I can bring some food to you if you prefer.”
“Can I have a rain check?” He gave her a gentle smile. “I have plans.”
“I bet you do,” Ally said, laughing.
He lifted his eyebrows at her, and gave Deenie a hug, then shook Frank’s and Lorne’s hands. Walking outside, he let the warm California sun wash over him, heating up his bare arms and face.
A wry smile lifted his lips. Maybe Autumn was right. He was loveable. His friends’ concern certainly seemed to confirm that.
But right now, the only opinion he cared about was hers. What did she think of him?
Because after last night, he was pretty sure he was falling in love with Autumn Paxton.