I’m weak, that’s all there is to it. Because, instead of telling Griffin no, I sigh and bury my face in the crook of his neck so I don’t have to face him when I say, “Okay, Griffy. If it will make you happy.”
Those strong, safe arms wrap around me again, pulling me flush against his naked body. It simultaneously makes me feel protected and needy, and I have to force myself not to grind against the hard length of him that’s just out of reach.
“It would make me so happy, Mira.” He kisses the top of my head. “You make me happy.”
“You make me happy too,” I whisper, as though speaking it softly will somehow make the words carry less weight. Because I’m not all in—I still think this marriage was a mistake—but I can no longer deny that thereissomething here. And maybe, in a different life, Griffin and I could have been soulmates. A life where he wasn’t my brother’s best friend. The best friend he made promise not to touch me. The best friend he’d beat the shit out of if Griffin hurt me. The best friend I know it would kill Maddox to lose.
This isn’t that life, though. Griffin and I both have so much to lose if—when—this ends badly. The problem is, I’m no longer sure that’s enough of a deterrent to keep me from doing something even dumber than marrying my brother’s best friend one drunken night in Vegas.
And that’s falling for my accidental husband.
nineteen
GRIFFIN
“I gotta go, sunshine.”Leaning down, I press a kiss to my wife’s forehead. It’s early—five in the morning—and the sun isn’t even out yet. Though I hate to wake her, I hate the idea of leaving without saying goodbye more.
Mira stirs, does this cute little groan, and then her beautiful green eyes blink slowly at me as she fights to open them. “Griffin? What time is it?”
“It’s five, baby. Bash is picking me up to take us to the airfield, so I need to meet him downstairs.” Brushing my fingers through the hair tangled around Mira’s face, I wish I could stay home with her. Every game, it grows harder and harder to say goodbye.
“Why aren’t you taking your car?” she asks as she stretches.
Grinning, I press another kiss to her forehead, then one to the tip of her nose, enjoying the way she smiles up at me. As though maybe, just maybe, she’s starting to accept what I already know. “It’s your car this week. The tank’s full, and the keys are on the kitchen island.”
That has her sitting up, the comforter slipping down her naked body, revealing her perfect breasts and peaked nipples. I groan, because now, not only is it going to be hard to leave Mira, but my dick is hard as steel, and I’ll have to get it to chill out before I head down to the lobby.
“I can’t use your car.”
“Why not? I won’t need it.” Unable to help myself, I let one of my hands skim over my wife’s naked form, grinning when she sucks in a ragged breath as my thumb grazes her nipple. “And your car is in the shop. I won’t leave you stranded here for almost a week.”
“Your car costs more than I make in a year. By a lot.” Mira’s eyes are wide and a bit panicked.
“So?” I don’t see what the problem is. She needs a car; I have one I won’t need.
“What if I get in an accident?” Her voice rises in pitch with each word.
Eyebrows drawing together, I shrug. “Then we get it fixed. It’s just a car. All I care about is you being safe.”
“Griffin.” Mira shakes her head before pushing her wild hair away from her face. “Seriously, I can’t take your car. I don’t even have full coverage on my insurance.”
“That’s what you’re worried about?” Silly wife. Like I haven’t already taken care of all that. “I added you to my insurance yesterday.”
It’s cute the way her mouth drops open in surprise. Mira is rarely speechless, but this is one of those moments, and it feels like a win. In fact, I think leaving my wife speechless may be one of my new favorite things, and I decide then and there that I’ll do what I can to get this reaction out of her whenever possible.
“You added me to your insurance.” She doesn’t say it like a question, even though I know it is.
I grin. “Yep. Any more objections?”
“I… You… This is…” She’s so flustered, it’s impossible not to laugh. And when Mira levels me with a glare that could shrivel a lesser man’s balls, I laugh harder.
“Just drive the car, wife. Now, as much as I wish I could stay here and keep arguing about silly things, I really need to go. Bash should be here any minute.” Reaching out for Mira, I tangle my fingers in the hair at her nape and pull her in for a kiss. She’s hesitant at first, but when I sweep my tongue over the seam of her lips, the tension melts out of her beautiful, naked body, and she kisses me back just as eagerly.
I don’t pull away until my phone buzzes with a text in the pocket of my suit pants, and even then, it takes every ounce of my self-control. To my great pleasure, Mira looks as reluctant to end this as I feel, a quiet whimper leaving her lips. Pressing my forehead to hers, I breathe her in for a moment.
“Fuck, sunshine. I don’t want to leave you. I’m going to miss you so damn much.” Pulling back, I meet Mira’s eyes. “Can we talk while I’m gone? It would mean a lot to me if we could FaceTime after games.”
With her lower lip rolled between her teeth, Mira nods.
