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love since I ve never felt it at their ages. But I also don t chase down terrorists and defuse bombs on
a daily basis, so it s not the write what you know bullshit. I m getting sidetracked. He let out a
breath. The cancer came on fast and hard. She was diagnosed before prom and died that summer. I
don t know if we would have made it as adults, but I do know we never had a chance. That s what I
was thinking about. How I don t have the romance or HEA that you think my characters deserve.
You miss her, she whispered, her eyes set on his. There weren t tears in them, but he saw the
emotion.
Yeah. She was my friend. Decker was my best friend, still is, even though we ve grown up and
grow into our lives. But Lauren was my friend. My first for a lot of things. And now she s gone, and it
sucks that she didn t get a chance to experience life. He scrunched his face. It sucks she never got to
read a book I got published.
Autumn stood up and walked toward him. He leaned back and stared at her as she stood between
his legs, her hands trailing up his arms as it looked as if she were deep in thought.
I m sorry for making you remember.
He shook his head. Don t be. I d rather remember than forget her. She deserved more than that.
He gripped Autumn s wrist with his uninjured hand. I didn t mention her to tell you she was the one
for me and that I haven t been with another since because that would be a lie. It s been over a decade.
She may have shaped who I was, but she hasn t shaped who I am now. I honestly don t know why I
thought of her then, except we were talking about lost happy endings. She was a lost happy ending, but
hopefully, she won t be my only chance at that happily ever after.
Autumn cupped his face and studied him. He let out a breath, wanting more of her gentle hold.
Here he was, talking about Lauren when all he wanted was Autumn. He should have felt ashamed,
dirty, but he didn t. He knew Lauren would have wanted him to move on. And he had in a sense. Only
he didn t know what he was doing now in life or with his words. Maybe that was the problem.
Maybe that s why he kept thinking of a girl long since gone. Because he d thought he d known who he
was back then. Perhaps now it was time for him to figure out he was again.
Who he was with Autumn.
He slid his hand up her hip over her dress and let it settle there. I want to kiss you again,
Autumn. Are you going to be okay with that?
She nodded. I think I m okay for more. It s beyond stupid. I need to help you with work& and I
won t be here for long, Griffin. She stared at him intensely. I never stay anywhere for too long.
His hand tightened on her hip and he forced himself to relax it. I wish you d tell me why. I wish
you d tell me the secrets in your eyes.
She shut them, her jaw tightening. I can t.
Then can you give me what you have to give? Give me what you need? Because I ll take that,
Autumn. I want you, you know that. I ve wanted you from the start, and I ll do my best not to hurt you,
not to let what happens from here on out interfere with what needs to happen with other things in our
lives. But you need to tell me you re okay with that. You need to tell me you want me too, and that you
know that once you walk away for good, that you won t hate me for it.
She opened her eyes and lowered her head. I can t hate you for what is out of your control. I
can t hate you for running, because, in the end, it will be me that goes.
He didn t know why that hurt, but he pushed it aside like he had all the other times words had
hurt. Words were far more powerful than most believed. That s why he wrote them. He d be with
Autumn in this time, in this place. And when it ended, he d store the memories where he stored those
that were just for him, not for his books, not for his worlds. If only she d tell him why she ran, why
she kept her secrets. But she wasn t in a place to tell him, and for now, that would have to do. He
didn t know what would happen after, what would happen once she opened her eyes fully and saw
him for what he was, what he had to give, but he d take everything he could.
No more talking, Griffin whispered. Not tonight.
She shook her head. No strings, Griffin. This isn t about what you lost, what you think I m
hiding. This is just us.
That I can do, Autumn. Now lean down a bit. I want to taste your lips.
With that, she did as he asked and leaned forward, pressing her lips to his. He groaned at the
contact, the hand on her hip tightening once more. She opened for him, sliding her tongue along his.
He pulled her closer so she pressed her legs to the chair and his thighs encased her. His hand slid
around her hip to her ass, squeezing and molding.
He pulled away from her touch, taking a deep breath. Sorry I m one-handed, Fall, he said on a
laugh.
She kissed the side of his mouth, his jaw, then behind his ear. He let out a strangled moan as her
hand slid down his chest and she gripped him through his jeans.
I have two hands, Griffin. More than enough, I hope. And I bet you can use that one hand and
that sexy mouth of yours to make me come more than once tonight. What do you say? She bit her lip
then leaned forward again to bite his.
His hips rocked up into her hand, even as his own hand played with her thong through the skirt of
her dress.
I say fuck yeah. I love your mouth, Fall. Love the way it looks when you bite into it, love the
way it feels along mine. I love the way it looks when you say those fucking dirty things. I m
especially going to love it when it s wrapped around my cock.
She licked his lips and pulled back. He loosened his hold on her to allow her to straighten.
What about your lips on my cunt? Are you going to help me with that?
He took his good hand and rubbed it along his jean-clad cock. I think I can do that. Since I m
one-handed, why don t you strip for me? Slowly.
She cupped her breasts and tilted her head. I think I can do that, she said, repeating his words.
Are you going to watch?
He met her gaze. For however long you let me, Autumn. For however long you let me.
Chapter Ten
Autumn slowly pulled up her dress, exposing her panties and bra-covered breasts. She did it
slowly, achingly slow, so she could watch the way Griffin s gaze traveled from her stomach, up to her
breasts, down again a bit lower, then back to her eyes. From the quick intake of breath, she knew
Griffin watched her, wanting, needing. She d never felt so powerful, so sexual.
She tossed the garment over the edge of his spare chair and bit into her lip again, knowing he
liked that. She d seen the way his eyes had darkened before when she bit. She knew he liked it. The
fact that he d told her blatantly that it made him hard just made her want to bite even harder.
She wanted to bite him, wanted to lick him up, every inch of him. She wanted to feel him deep
within her, pounding inside her until they were both overcome and spent. The real thing couldn t be as
powerful as her fantasy, as intoxicating, but for some reason, it was perfect too much and not enough
all at once. Just the thought of him, in fact. She was like Goldilocks with her three choices, and yet
she wanted them all.
And the man wasn t even touching her.
Yet.
I love your curves, Fall. Your hips are perfect handholds for me. He grinned a little sheepishly.
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