Page 81 of How He Got the Girl
He smiles. “Do you want dinner? We can order in or see what I have in my fridge.”
I look out the window at the heavily falling snow. It’s coating the roads enough that I can’t see any evidence of the pavement. “I would feel bad ordering in, so we could just whip something up?”
“Sure.” Griffin grabs the canister of hot chocolate mix and moves into the kitchen. After a few minutes of hearing cabinet doors open and close, he sighs. “I was supposed to go to the grocery store today before Karina set up that call with us, and I forgot. I’m down to bare essentials here. But I do have hot chocolate and popcorn.”
“Movie food it is,” I call back. “Can I help?”
“I’ve got this. Just give me a few minutes.”
When Griffin returns to the living room, he sets a bowl of buttered popcorn on the table and heads back to the kitchen, returning with two mugs.
I gladly take one of the cups from his hands, bringing it under my nose and inhaling the scent of warm chocolate mixed with cinnamon. My heart flutters in my chest.
Griffin winces. “I forgot you haven’t had it after our whole…situation. I can get you some water if you prefer.”
“No.” I pull the mug closer to my chest. “It smells great. I want it.” If this isn’t my whole healing process coming full circle, I don’t know what is.
Griffin looks at me for a long moment, his eyes turning glossy as his lips slowly tilt up at the corners. The way he’s staring at me makes me feel emotionally naked, like he can see everything I’m feeling inside just because I told him I’d drink the hot chocolate. Although I suppose we both know that my willingness to drink it again means a lot more than that.
Sticking true to his promise to give me more time to think things over, Griffin sits beside me and pops a handful of popcorn into his mouth. “What do you want to watch?”
“Only the greatest winter movie of all time.” I grab the navy blanket from the back of his couch with my free hand, pulling it onto my lap.
“We’ll say it together?”
I nod. “Three. Two. One.”
“Home Alone,” we say in unison, and both smile.
“I’m really glad you said that because I don’t know if I could date someone who doesn’t think that’s the best winter movie.” I grab the remote from his coffee table, turning on the television.
Griffin scoots closer to share the blanket, causing my body to lean into his. “So, you admit we’re for real dating now?”
I pull the blanket up to my chin, trying to hide my blushing face. “If that’s what you want.”
He wraps his arm around my shoulder, tucking me into his side. “It’s all I’ve wanted.”
Thewarmmorningsunstreams through the window, casting a golden hue on my body. Wanting to soak in the rays, I attempt to turn onto my side, but my body doesn’t budge. I glance down at my waist and spot a very muscular arm draped over me.
I look around, trying to remember what happened last night. There’s an empty bowl of popcorn on the coffee table with two used mugs beside it. Right. I got snowed in at Griffin’s. We watchedHome Aloneand then put onHome Alone 2. I remember my eyes getting heavy during the second movie and mumbling something about being cold. That’s when he pulled off the sweatshirt he was wearing for me, leaving him in only a fitted shirt.
I snuggle deeper into his hoodie and pull the collar up to my nose, inhaling his eucalyptus scent. If he weren’t already a world-famous actor, he would still draw in all the ladies with his pheromones.
I tilt my head to take him in. His black shirt is deliciously taut across his chest, and he’s half-smiling, like he’s in the middle of a dream he doesn’t want to wake up from. It’s not fair that he’s still just as handsome even when sleeping.I don’t know how someone as incredible as Griffin is interested in me.
Worry makes my stomach sink like an anchor to the ocean floor. How will I ever be his first choice when there will always be another movie taking him away from me? I want to date Griffin for real. But I don’t know how to move forward with him when I can’t help but think about the distance that will be between us when he leaves for LA once his granny’s recovered. What’s the point of opening my heart and letting him fully in if he’s going to break it by leaving?
I burrow deeper into Griffin’s hold, and he nuzzles me close. There’s no use thinking about him leaving when I have him beside me right now. I need to enjoy the moment while I have it, because I know how quickly it can slip away.
I’m supposed to be having a fun night with my friends, but I still can’t get Griffin out of my mind. Maybe I need to push all my worries aside and kiss him. But I don’t know how I’ll ever be able to move on if I kiss him and fall for him, only for him to leave again.
The constant knocking has me shaking my head. “I’ll get the door,” I call to my roommates. I open it to find Emmy and Connor, my cousin and my brother, standing on our porch. Emmy has never been one to wait for anyone or anything. She’s always a spitfire. Maybe it’s because of her red hair, but I don’t think something as simple as that could define Emmy. She’s one hundred percent authentically herself, and I love her for it.
“Finally.” She steps past me with a teasing smile.
I open the door wider, waving my brother inside. “Thanks for coming.”
“Are you kidding?” Emmy turns on her heels with a smirk. “I’d give anything to spend more time with the Long Live Girlies.” Even though she’s only two years younger than us, she’s always looked up to me and my friends. She moves around us in search of the girls.
