Page 30 of Property of Grifter
“Yeah, it’s fine,” he says, though his tone tells me he’s thinking about something else.“But I’m going to have a talk with Alex tomorrow.”
I freeze.My whole body goes still against his.“You… you know about Alex?”
“Yeah.”His thumb strokes my hip gently.“One of the men told me all about him taking bets on getting you in his bed—and how you called him on his shit in public.”
I sigh, my stomach tightening.“It’ll be for the best if you just let it go, Griffin.It’s like Nana’s always told me.If you don’t let sleeping dogs lie, you’re just going to wind up with fleas.”
“Hell no,” he says, voice like gravel.“I’m not letting this go, Georgie.I’m going to make sure that bastard knows you’re off-limits.I won’t stand for him even looking your way.You’re under my protection now, sweetheart, and I’m not allowing his stupidity to touch you again.”
My throat feels tight.No one besides Nana has ever taken up for me before.Watching Griffin do it so vehemently has my heart running away with me.“You know about my dreams,” I whisper.I hate that my voice sounds ashamed.I’m not ashamed.Not really, but I’m tired of the way people look at me.“We’ve yet to talk about those.”Griffin shifts so he’s mostly on his side and cups the side of my face, forcing me to meet his eyes.His touch is steady, grounding.His thumb brushes my cheek, as I let his gentleness soothe me.
“Baby, I know this town makes you feel like shit, but you won’t find that with me.If anything, your dreams are just one more remarkable thing about you.You keep blowing me away.”
I frown a little, trying to understand.His reaction is so different from anyone else’s that I’m not sure what to think.“You don’t think I’m a witch?”I ask, my voice barely above a whisper.
Griffin tilts his head, a crooked grin pulling at his lips.“I don’t know about that.I mean, you have cast a spell on me.In fact, I think you’ve hypnotized me with your hoo-hah,” he says with a wink.
My jaw drops.Then, I burst into laughter, heat rushing up my face.“You’re nuts!”
Griffin smirks.“Completely crazy over you, Georgia.”He gives me a quick kiss, the kind that lingers just long enough to leave me dizzy.“Why don’t you get Netflix going and find us a movie while I get ready for hugging up to my woman all night?”
“What kind of movies do you like?”I ask, still smiling like a silly fool.
“I’m going to spend the night looking at you and thanking my lucky stars you’re in my bed,” he says, standing up and heading for the adjoining bathroom.“I couldn’t care less what’s playing on the TV.”
I watch him disappear behind the door, feeling like my heart might burst.He’s sweet—so unexpectedly sweet.I’ve never felt pretty in my whole life and this man makes me feel special and beautiful all at the same time.He knows about my dreams, about the whispers that follow me around town, and yet, he still looks at me like I’m something precious, not cursed.For the first time in my life, I feel normal.Wanted.A smile spreads across my face before I even realize it.I scroll through Netflix and land on Speed.It’s got action, a good story—and, okay, Keanu Reeves isn’t hard to look at either.
The bathroom door opens, and I forget how to breathe.Griffin steps out wearing gray joggers and nothing else.The light catches on his sun-bronzed skin, highlighting the faint trail of salt-and-pepper hair dusting his chest.He’s solid muscle, an eight-pack cut like stone, not to mention that V-shaped line on his hips.Until this moment, I thought that only existed in movies—a trick formed in film editing or something.
Griffin catches me staring, and the corner of his mouth lifts.“What’d you pick?”
“Speed,” I manage.
“Really?”he questions.
“Well, yeah.What’s wrong?Don’t you like action movies?”
“I don’t watch much of anything,” he says, grabbing a blanket off a chair, then sliding into bed beside me, before covering both of us with it.“But yeah, it’s the genre I’d pick.I guess I just figured you were the Hallmark Christmas movie type.Itisthat time of year.”
I laugh.“Nah.All those movies are the same and they’re not my type of Christmas movie at all.”
Grifter chuckles, the sound deep and warm.“So, what’s your favorite Christmas movie ever?”
I grin.“You’ll never guess it,” I say with a giggle.
“Um … Bad Santa?”
“Ew, no,” I reply scrunching my face up in distaste.
“It’s a Wonderful Life?”he guesses.
I frown.“Okay so that’s a good one.It’s right up there with Susan Slept Here, but it’s not my favorite.”
“Susan what?”he asks, completely lost.
“It’s an old black and white movie starring Debbie Reynolds.Me and Nana watch it every year.”
“Okay, then.It’s time to spill.What’s your favorite Christmas movie?”
