Page 24 of Midnight Hunt

“Hmm?” I yawned, losing the battle with sleep.

“Do you need him here?”

My eyes slid shut, the pull of sleep too strong. As it dragged me under, I mumbled out a reply. I meant to say yes, but what slipped out was, “I have you.”

8

VIOLET

I woke up in a warm cocoon smelling of cloves and cinnamon.

The spicy scent waseverywhere, so intense that I wondered if Griff had left his shirt behind last night. I hadn’t seen him take it off, though. Before falling asleep, he’d been wearing a white tee that hugged his chest and biceps, along with gray sweatpants that hugged, well,otherthings.

Wait.

Had I fallen asleep with him still in my bed?

Something abruptly shifted beneath me. Rather,someone. Long arms came up in a languid stretch, then lazily draped over my back. When I felt a large hand drift south to lightly cup my backside, my eyes sprang open.

I suddenly became painfully aware of my predicament.Ourpredicament. Griff was asleep in my bed, and I was lying on top of him. My cheek was pressed to his chest, and the rest of my body was perfectly aligned with his. Including my lower half, which meant that my pelvis was pressed to—

Oh, God. I could feel it. I could feel hisdick. My core was right on top of it, my thighs slightly parted to accommodate him.

Just as I had that realization, his hand gripped my butt and ground me against him. Against hisdick. Which was rock hard and growing larger by the second.

My body went wild at the intimate contact, exploding awake in excitement. Inrecognition.

Shocked by the eager response, I jerked my head up with a gasp. The second I did, Griff’s eyes flew open. Our gazes clashed, and we stared at each other in horror.

Knock knock knock.

“Vi, you up? Reid’s here.”

At my brother’s words, I burst into action as if I’d been set on fire. With an agile twist, I shoved Griff off the mattress. As he thudded to the floor, I jumped out of bed and frantically pointed at the bathroom. He got the message and quickly picked himself up to hurry out of sight.

Not a second too soon. Kolton cracked open my bedroom door to peer inside, and I whirled, squeaking like a rabid chipmunk, “Yeah, I’m up!”

Not suspicious atall.

Kolton stared at me for several long, torturous moments before calmly saying, “I know you’re in here, Griff. I suggest you leave before Nora lets Reid into the house. You have thirty seconds.”

Griff emerged from the bathroom and sauntered across my room, lookingfartoo relaxed. When he reached the door, Kolton held it open for him.

“Morning, bro,” he casually said as he passed through.

“Morning, Griff,” my brother responded as if seeing his oldest best friend coming out of his sister’s room first thing in the morning was completely normal. I stood there gaping like a fish out of water until Kolton focused on me again and said, “I suggest you take a shower before coming down.”

With that, he silently closed the door, leaving me scrambling to scrub Griff’s scent off my body before myboyfriendarrived.

* * *

I didn’t know what was worse. The odd looks everyone kept giving me, or Sable’s lack of protest when Reid pulled me into a tight hug.

You could have woken me up, you know, I hissed at her while returning Reid’s hug and praying my quick shower had done the trick.

But it felt so good to be pressed up against him, she purred unapologetically.That morning wood was all for you.

No, it wasn’t, I growled, beyond pissed at her.You said so yourself. He’s a virile male in his prime. He wakes up like thateverymorning.

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