“Hiking,” I say, slow and stiff.
He watches me and I can feel his bullshit radar is pinging hard. And yeah, I get it. I’m acting twitchy. I don’t want to tell him I’m going to meet Griffin. Because then I’d have to explain what the fuck this thing is, and I don’t even know myself.
We talk and we flirt. We’re into each other. At least, I know that I am definitely into him.
But dating? That’s a stretch. I keep telling myself this is casual, even though my brain’s spinning and my dick’s been half-hard since I woke up.
“Okay, be safe,” Hugh says finally with a loaded look. “You gonna be home for dinner, or should I throw leftovers in the fridge?”
I shrug. “I’ll text you.”
He hums, but doesn’t say anything else. I wait a minute before I wave, then bolt before he changes his mind and grills me harder.
On the stairs, I try to shake it off. Part of me thinks I should just tell him. He already knows I’ve been into Griffin for a while. I’m not subtle. And Hugh’s my roommate, not my dad. But I don’t want to jinx this before it even gets started. I don’t want to open my mouth and ruin something I don’t even fully understand yet.
At the bottom of the stairs, I look up andfuck.
Griffin is leaning against the front of his Jeep, arms crossed over his ridiculously broad chest. And I swear, everything in me locks up.
He’s in these black running shorts that are basically underwear, showing off thick, toned legs that look carved from stone. His shirt’s tight across his chest and pulled snug against his stomach. I can see his abs through it. The outline is clear, defined, and sharp. His skin’s got that sun-warmed look, golden and smooth. His arms are solid muscle with those ridiculous veins that nurses weep over.
And then there’s the hat. Backwards baseball cap. Hair messy underneath. No one should look this good in a fucking hat, but he does. It makes him look cocky and so fucking hot.
He glances up when he sees me, and that grin. That grin alone could wreck me. Lips full, teeth white. My whole body reacts.
He’s not just hot. He’s infuriatingly hot. Unfairly hot. Every single thing about him makes me want to drag him into the backseat and forget the hiking part of today entirely.
Griffin smirks when he sees me coming. It’s that cocky, slow, self-assured curve of his mouth like he already knows exactly what he does to me.
“Hey there,” he says, voice low, eyes raking over me like he’s checking inventory.
Before I can even think of something to say back, he steps forward and grabs the front of my jacket, pulling me in.
Then he kisses me.
Right there. In broad fucking daylight. On the goddamn sidewalk in front of our apartment complex.
His lips hit mine like he’s been waiting all morning. It’s not some gentle peck either, he kisses me like he’s starving and I’m the only food he will ever need. My stomach drops straight into my shoes and my brain short-circuits.
All I can think is:More, more, more, more.
I pull back after a second, not because I want to, but because I panic. I glance over my shoulder with my heart hammering, half-expecting to see Hughie standing in the window or behind the door, jaw dropped and eyes wide.
But he’s not there.
I must look like a damn idiot, blushing like this. I try to play it cool, but I know my face is heating up like a sunburn.
Griffin just watches me, still smirking, clearly pleased with himself.
I huff out a breath and roll my eyes like I’m annoyed even though I’m anything but, and follow him around to the passenger side.
I climb into the Jeep, still trying to calm the fuck down.
Griffin hops into the driver’s seat and throws me a quick glance as he starts the Jeep. “You always look this cute in the morning?”
I snort and buckle in. “Shut up.”
He laughs, easy and smug, one hand on the wheel, the other resting on the gearshift like it’s made for showing off his veins and knuckles. “What did you tell Hugh?”
