Page 31 of Instant Heat
Brie took a sip of her wine, her eyes twinkling mischievously. "You should have thought about that before you made fun of my book the other day."
Lacy snort-laughed. "Was Brie reading about some duke undoing the fair maiden's corset again?"
"Hey!" Briana set her wine down and crossed her arms in front of her. "The two of you are going to swallow your words one of these days."
"There are better things to swallow, Brie."
There was a second of silence before laughter broke out around the table. And just like that, my two friends had all my nervousness dissipating.
"Either I missed the joke, or Iamthe joke."
Griffin's rich baritone filled the air surrounding us. I couldn't take my eyes off him as he placed the tray holding two beers and four shots on the table before he lowered his magnificent frame into the seat beside me. Cocking his head, his gaze traveled from my feet all the way to the top of my head. With a sinful smile playing on his lips, he grabbed my chair and pulled it closer to his.
He draped his arm over the back of my chair, his thumb drawing small circles on my shoulder. To Lacy, he said, "Forgive me, but you've had her way longer than I have."
Not even kidding, both of my friends swooned like freaking teenagers witnessing their first romantic moment. But who could blame them, everything this guy did was just so damn swoon-worthy.
"So, Griffin, tell me—" Brie leaned forward and immediately took on the role of lead reporter, questioning him about anything and everything she could think of.
With patience no man should possess, he listened and answered. Entertaining us with tales from his hometown, St. Mullins. Apparently, it was a little village situated in Carlow. Listening to him talk about his family with so much love and respect might've had me falling for him a little harder.
"Only the one brother, then?" Lacy inquired while sipping on her spritzer.
"That's right."
With her elbows on the table, she leaned forward, her chin resting on her folded hands. "He wouldn't happen to be single?" She playfully batted her lashes and pursed her lips.
Griffin chuckled and tugged me closer. "Collin is… complicated."
"Aren't all the good ones, though?" Brie mumbled around her wine glass. That nagging feeling that something was up with her and Thatcher took hold of me again. And for the first time in my life, I wanted to be that friend who meddled and pushed until she had all the answers.
"Refill anyone?" Griffin pushed his chair back. He was in the process of standing up when Lacy motioned for him to sit back down.
"Brie and I will get the drinks."
"I don't mind." He was still standing.
"Neither do I," was Lacy's reply. "Especially when the barman is as yummy-looking as that one. Come on." Without waiting she grabbed Brie's hand, and all but dragged our friend from the table. Before they disappeared into the crowd, I heard Brie say, "You know he's gay, right?"
With a chuckle Griffin sat back down, positioning himself so his legs were on either side of my chair. He ran his fingers along my arm, from my elbow to my shoulder. Tiny zips of electricity skittered across my skin. He curled his fingers around my nape, brushing his thumb along my jaw.
"I like your friends." That wasn't supposed to sound sexy or cause a tug in my belly and yet, that's exactly what happened.
"I think they like you too."Why do I sound so breathless?
With his free hand, he squeezed my knee before dragging his palm up and up. My heart rate kicked up a notch when his hand continued its journey upward, disappearing beneath my dress. Breathing became near impossible when he leaned forward and whispered, "Do you think they'd mind if I steal you away now?"
I sucked in my bottom lip when his darkened gaze collided with mine. "I don—"
"You have got to be kidding me."
If anything could burst my little lust-bubble, it was the sound of my brother's voice. Clearly, it had the same effect on Griffin because his fingers dug into my neck and thigh. His jaw was set, and his eyes trained on me.
I shifted my gaze to the side to see Thatcher, Nathan, and a few other guys standing behind Griffin. This time my pulse kicked into high gear for an entirely different reason. "Really Rae?Heis the guy you told me about?"
"Thatch—"
Before I could even get a word in, Griffin jumped up. Shoulders squared, legs spread, he looked just as intimidating as Thatch even though my brother was a bit taller and wider. "You have a problem with that, Brooks?" The measured sound of every word had ice running through my veins.
