Page 84 of Counterfeit Connection

“If you want the truth, I was volleying back and forth between checking you out and wanting to pinch myself because I must be dreaming.”

“Watching me cook is a dream for you?” He carefully stirs the cooking pasta and the steam twists and coils into the air.

“Griffin, all of this is a dream.” I kick my legs and hop down from the perch. “I do want to discuss something though, and I’m not sure how to broach the subject.”

He places the spoon on the counter and turns to face me. “You can talk to me about anything.”

I sigh and cross my arms over my chest and lean my hip against the counter. “We’ve obviously transitioned into adifferent lane where our relationship is concerned. This jumped from contractual to not so much in just a couple of months, and I want to make it clear, I don’t expect you to hold up your end of the deal anymore.”

He tips his head to the side and smiles. “What do you mean?”

He’s going to make me say it.

“I don’t want your money. I don’t want you to pay off my student loans. I won’t accept it.”

“Kaitlyn….”

“No. I mean it. I get why we talked about it before, but it would feel gross.”

“What if I wanted to as a gift? It’s impolite to return a gift.” He gives me his best smile before sliding over with his hands finding my hips. “You’re nothing if not polite. Well, unless you’re putting someone rightfully in their place.”

“Stop it.” I giggle. “Don’t tease me. I’m serious.”

“I’m not teasing you. Kaitlyn, I love you. I have the means to be able to get you out of debt and set you on a path to do whatever you’d like, not what you have to just so you can pay your bills. I’d never take your decision-making away. I just want to be able to do this. I won’t beg, but I might argue a fair bit. Please, just think about it.”

I lay my head on his chest. “I’ll think about it, but only if you do something for me in return.”

“Anything.” I feel him kiss the top of my head.

“Find a way to incorporate architecture into your work at Orion.”

“That’s a pipe dream—”

I look up at him. “It doesn’t have to be. You want me to do whatever I’d like and I want the same for you. Do we have a deal?”

He shakes his head with a smile, but before he can respond, the stove behind us starts to sizzle as the pasta boils over.

“Shit! Shit, shit, shit.” He rushes over to kill the heat and pulls the pot over to the counter. “You’re not allowed to tell my mother I almost ruined this. She’ll never let me live this down.”

“Looks like I have more leverage then.” I smirk.

Chapter 26

Griffin

What was supposed to be an easy night at home with pastina turned into multiple days holed up in my apartment, loving on each other and soaking up the alone time.

But I could only hold Tobias off for so long… and now duty calls.

Kaitlyn is lounging comfortably in my living room, reading a book with Marilyn, while I lead Tobias down the hall to my office. I try to get him to move quickly so as not to disturb her, but he eyes her familiarity with her surroundings, then he regards me.

“I was beginning to think she’d murdered you or something,” he says quietly as I’m finally closing the door behind him.

“Oh, fuck off. You know her better than that.”

“Okay then, has she become your sex slave? I mean seriously.”

“Say that shit again and we’re going to have more than words. Understood?” He’s my best friend, but talking about her like that crosses a line.

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