Page 30 of Griffin

He shot me an exasperated look before stepping down the ladder with effortless balance, holding the box under one arm.

My eyes couldn’t help but follow him, tracing the lines of his back, the way his muscles shifted under his shirt, and down to his jeans that hugged his thighs just right.

I wondered, not for the first time, how firm that ass really was. Heat crept up my face, and I quickly looked away as he reached the bottom.

“Enjoying the view?” Griffin’s voice had that rare teasing edge, a lightheartedness that made my stomach do a small, unexpected flip.

I swallowed hard, masking my reaction with a laugh.

“I don’t know what you mean,” I said as smoothly as I could, reaching out as he handed me the box.

His fingers brushed against mine, and a jolt shot up my arm, like a spark I hadn’t seen coming.

I almost dropped the box but managed to catch it. Griffin’s eyebrow arched. I forced a casual laugh, looking down to hide the blush rising in my cheeks.

“Wow, that would’ve been a huge chunk out of my salary, huh?” I joked, hoping to lighten the moment.

“Salary?” Griffin’s tone was mock-serious as he leaned against the counter, crossing his arms. “Casey told me you were working for free. Besides, didn’t you mention you had zero food and beverage experience?” His smirk widened. “Think of this as on-the-job training.”

“What?” I blurted, almost dropping the box again.

Before I could process it, Griffin’s arms were around me, steadying the box and pressing close against my back.

His warmth radiated through me, and the scent of pine and something distinctlyhimfilled my senses, making my mind go blank.

He was so close, I didn’t know if I wanted to lean against him or push him away. The silence stretched between us, thick with unspoken tension.

I shifted uneasily, trying to put some space between us, but Griffin didn’t budge—his body remained where it was, like he had all the time in the world to wait me out.

I cleared my throat, forcing myself to break the silence. “I worked my butt off all week, and you’re saying I’m not getting paid?”

I leaned back just enough to try to push him away again, but he stayed in place, his hand resting lightly on the counter, caging me.

I tried to sound irritated, but the flush creeping up my neck betrayed me. “And I only mentioned the no-experience thing because?—”

I paused, catching the smile tugging at the corner of his lips. “You’re messing with me, aren’t you?”

Griffin broke into a laugh, deep and genuine, vibrating through his chest against my back.

The sound made something flip inside me, and I had to fight the urge to reach up and grab his face, like I’d done at the convention.

No. Michael: employee. Griffin: boss.

Still, the question that had been lingering in the back of my mind came to the surface: Why had he been at the convention that night?

Outside of quick exchanges here at work, we hadn’t had much chance to talk about anything personal.

Just as I was gathering the nerve to bring it up, my phone buzzed, jolting us both out of the moment.

Todd’s name flashed on the screen, making my stomach twist. He’d been calling non-stop for days.

My thumb hovered over the screen, torn between answering and letting it go to voicemail.

Griffin’s brow furrowed. “Everything okay?” His question pulled me back, and I noticed he’d taken the box from me without my realizing it.

The call ended, and I exhaled, feeling the tension ease. But before I could pocket the phone, it buzzed again, sharper this time.

The door leading to the back was only a few steps away, and I mumbled, “Sorry, I need to take this,” without waiting for Griffin’s reaction as I slipped outside.

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