I tried to shove Griffin’s arm off, but the sod used his training against me. His bicep flexed, fitting me snug against his chest, locking me in like I was just another part of him. His nose brushed my shoulder, warm breath against my skin.
A groan rumbled low in his throat. “We’ve got a couple of hours before the jet’s ready. Just?—”
“I need to check on Hazel.”
Griffin hummed, low and lazy. His fingers flexed at my waist, pressing just enough to remind me how easily he could keep me there.
“Hazel’s asleep.” His lips brushed my shoulder. “We aren’t.”
A laugh, too bright, too forced, slipped from my mouth. “Right, but shouldn’t I check on her? I mean, just because she’s not crying doesn’t mean she doesn’t need something.”
“Vi,” he said, his voice edged with amusement.
I cleared my throat and flashed what I hoped passed as a casual, easy-going grin over my shoulder. “What?”
Griffin exhaled slowly, brushing his nose against my skin. “You’re making excuses.”
Heat crawled up my neck. “I’m being responsible.”
“You’re being something,” he muttered, rolling onto his back.
The sheet dipped low, dragging over his hips as he stretched, muscles flexing with an easy, effortless confidence that made mystomach flip. My gaze dropped before I could stop it, before I could remind myself that I had seen every inch of him last night, had touched every inch of him, had felt what it was like to have all of that power braced over me, moving inside me?—
I snapped my eyes back to his face, pulse slamming through my ribs.
A smirk curled at the corner of his mouth.
Bastard knew.
I launched myself out of bed before he could say anything else, before he could trap me with that tone, that lazy, impossible confidence. My legs protested, but I ignored them, grabbing the first thing I could find—his shirt—and yanking it over my head like it was some kind of armor.
Griffin dragged his appreciative gaze slowly over me, propping an arm behind his head like he had all the time in the world. Heat prickled at my skin, creeping up my neck, making me hyperaware of how naked I was.
I huffed, pretending that didn’t make me ache. “Well, don’t get used to it.”
His grin was pure sin. “Too late.”
I turned, shoving my arms through the sleeves like this was just another morning, like my hands weren’t shaking and my pulse wasn’t pounding in places I had no business acknowledging.
I had to get out of here.
Hazel stirred the second I stepped into the living room, her little fingers rubbing at her eyes before they blinked open, round and still thick with sleep.For a breath, she just looked at me. Then her face scrunched, a wobbly frown forming?—
And she wailed.
I moved on instinct, reaching into the crib, scooping her up before her cries could hit full volume. “Shh, sweetheart. I’m here.”
She burrowed against me, still warm from sleep, her tiny hands gripping at the collar of Griffin’s shirt.
“You’ve been a bad influence on her.”
I glanced over my shoulder, brows lifting. “Excuse me?”
Griffin leaned against the counter, arms crossed, watching Hazel nuzzle into my chest. “She’s picked up your flair for dramatics. Didn’t even open her eyes all the way before deciding the world was ending.”
I huffed, adjusting Hazel in my arms as I bounced her. “She’s nine weeks old, Griffin. Everything is a crisis.”
His smirk was slow. “Exactly.”
