‘Becca told me there’s tea- and coffee-making stuff here, too.’
‘Yeah, it’s in the small room at the back.’
‘You’ve been here before.’ Her accusing tone brought back his wicked smile. ‘You totally knew about the bed being here, didn’t you?’
‘Might’ve done. Deke showed me the place once and bragged on all the facilities.’
‘Could you look any smugger?’
‘Want me to try? I will if you like,’ Griff teased. ‘Or I could go fix us some coffee.’
‘Tea for me, please. Whatever you can find will do.’ So much for sticking to her clean, healthy diet. That flew out the same window as her promise not to get involved with Griff Oakes. With a sigh, Lyndsey picked her creased dress and yesterday’s panties up off the floor and tugged them on. She fled to find the bathroom and made the mistake of looking in the mirror. Raccoon eyes from the make-up she didn’t remove last night stared back at her. Her hair was a halo of wild curls that looked as though she’d been plugged into an electric socket. She rubbed her fingers over her face and neck, tracing the faint marks left behind by Griff’s scruff. At least, thanks to her birth father, it didn’t show up on her dark Caribbean skin as vivid red prickles. After making a half-hearted attempt to freshen up, she strolled back out and found Griff, still naked, leaning on the counter and waiting for the kettle to boil.
‘I don’t suppose it occurred to you to put some clothes on in case someone comes in?’
He laughed. ‘You seriously think a pair of boxers would hide the fact we’ve spent the night here? I guess we might fool them into thinking we were working on a new musical masterpiece?’
‘Very funny.’
Griff’s smile faltered. ‘In case you hadn’t clicked, this is me avoiding the whole serious chat thing.’ He tugged her closer and rested his large, warm hands on her shoulders. ‘I’ll go get dressed.’
While he was away, she made their drinks and carried them over to the silver-and-black guitar-shaped coffee table. Half a dozen soft crimson leather chairs were gathered around it; she could easily imagine Deke and his fellow band members hashing out their ideas here.
‘That better?’ Griff returned, wearing his own equally rumpled clothes, and struck a pose reminiscent of Michelangelo’s David.
Despite her best intentions, Lyndsey giggled before mentally reprimanding herself and dropping down in one of the chairs. ‘Off you go, then.’
‘You don’t mess around, do you?’ He gave her a wary look. ‘Let’s get the toughest bit out of the way. There’s a reason I hadn’t spoken to my brother in years. I thought it was valid, and it kind of was, but . . . I shouldn’t have held onto it so long.’ Anguish spread over his face. ‘I hope you’ll get it and not write me off as a—’
‘I’mnot in any position to criticizeyou. You know about me and Becca.’
‘Yeah, but it’s not quite the same. Here goes,’ he sighed, ‘and be honest about what you think.’
A trickle of unease ran through her.
* * *
All Griff could think while he ran through the whole sorry mess was that she’d make an excellent poker player, because he tried and failed miserably to read her reaction.
‘You had every right to be furious with your brother. Far more so than I ever did with Becca.’
‘But?’ he prompted, sensing there was more. ‘Letting go is healthier — right?’
Lyndsey gave a slow nod. ‘I didn’t realize the crippling effect holding on to my resentments was having until I managed to pretty much put them behind me.’ Tears shimmered in her emerald eyes. ‘So much of who I’d become was tangled up with all the family stuff. It affected my career and everything.’ She flung her hands open in a helpless gesture. ‘Sorting out other people’s possessions was a displacement activity when my mind was in a mess.’
‘You’re surely not giving up your business? It seems absolutely the right fit for you.’ Griff couldn’t hide his surprise.
‘I don’t know. Maybe. I’m not sure.’ Frustration laced through her voice. ‘We’re supposed to be talking about you, not delving into my woes!’
‘I hope . . . maybe the two are connected?’ Griff’s heart leapt in his throat when she didn’t answer. ‘Too quick? Way off base? Which is it?’
‘None of those.’ She cleared her throat. ‘I suppose it’s hearing you say it out loud. We haven’t . . . I mean . . .’
‘I’m sayin’ it now because, well . . . I love you, Lyndsey.’ Griff wasn’t sure which of them was more shocked when the three simple words slipped out. ‘Sorry. I—’
‘Don’t you dare take it back now!’ Indignation burst out of her.
‘I don’t want to, but—’
