Page 28 of Midnight Hunt

“Are you?” she tossed back.

Griff barked a laugh, then focused back on me. “What do you say, Vi? We need one more player to even out the teams.”

“Are you sure my leg is healed enough for that?”

“Definitely. Besides, some fresh air and exercise will do you good. Doctor’s orders,” he said with a wink.

“Well, if you put itthatway, count me in.”

Griff whooped and shot from his chair. “Meet you all out front in ten!”

He was out of the room in a flash, no doubt to rummage in the garage for a football. We rarely had time to play sports anymore, but letting off a little steam was just what I needed—even if it meant I’d have to carry around my guilt a while longer.

The eight of us who were playing met on the front lawn ten minutes later, each of us having changed first. I now wore a cropped running top and leggings, my hair up in a high ponytail. Griff had found a can of white spray paint and had drawn a makeshift field for us to play on. Mellie bounced up and down, simply excited to be hanging out with the adults like a big girl. We’d convinced her to leave Princess in the house so the stuffed unicorn wouldn’t get dirty, but she’d put on a blue Cinderella dress and tiara for the occasion.

“Okay, team captains,” Griff said to the group and tossed the football at Kolton. “I nominate Kol and Reid.”

My brother caught the football, only to toss it right back. “It was your idea to play, Griff. I think you should be a team captain.”

Griff caught the ball with a shrug, but I could tell he was pleased by my brother’s comment. “Okay, then, let’s pick teams. Reid, wanna choose first?”

“Sure,” Reid said, looking relaxed and in his element. He crossed his arms and scanned the group, narrowing his hazel eyes as if in serious deliberation. They landed on me, and he smiled. But, with a swift wink, he looked away and said, “Melanie.”

She squealed and clapped her hands, hurrying over to hug Reid’s leg. At the surprised look on his face, I snickered under my breath. He had no idea that he’d just unleashed a monster.

It was Griff’s turn to pick a teammate, and I waited for him to name Kolton. But when I glanced over at him, his eyes were on me.

Before I could prepare, he said loudly for all to hear, “I choose Vi.”

9

GRIFF

I was playing with fire.

I knew I needed to stop, but the problem was . . .

It was intoxicating.

Waking up with Vi in my arms had awoken something inside me, something I’d forced into hibernation the moment she’d announced she was dating Reid. Now that it was awake, all I could focus on was her.

She’s forbidden, I tried to remind myself, but the words no longer held meaning.

I hadn’t been the only one affected by what happened between us earlier this morning. Her body had responded to mine, going pliant as I’d intimately pressed her against me. Convinced that I was having a wet dream of her, I’d planned to rub her pussy against my throbbing cock until completion. Another few seconds, and I would have come in my pants.

But then she’d gasped, making me aware that it was real.

Real.

We’d actually been in bed together, our bodies close in a way they hadn’t been in what felt like forever. And there was no mistaking the cloying scent that had followed.

She’d been aroused.

That simple fact had lit a match under me, and I’d spent the past hour paying way too much attention to her. Every little touch, every time our eyes made contact, fueled me onward. Even when she seemed flustered, I couldn’t make myself back off. It only intoxicated me further, making me want to tryharder.

She’d reacted to me, and I desperately wanted her to do it again.

So instead of doing thesmartthing and picking Kolton first, I’d chosen her as my teammate. Kolton narrowed his eyes slightly as Vi moved to join me. I knew what he was thinking, and if I didn’t knock it off soon, he would no doubt confront me.

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