“Good.” Mira shoots me a dazzling smile, then saunters out of the room. My eyes go to her luscious ass as she walks away.
I adjust my dick in my jeans.
Apparently, I’m going to have to set my dick straight too.
three
MIRA
A knockon my open door pulls me out of my head as I hang clothes in my closet. Turning, I see Griffin leaning against the frame in nothing but low-slung gray sweatpants with a mug in his hands.
“Hey. Thought you could use a break. And maybe some tea. It’s mint.”
Even though I’m so,sotired, a genuine smile curves my lips. “My favorite.”
“I know.” Griffin hands me the mug and watches as I blow on the steaming liquid before taking a tentative sip. “You’ve had a long day. D’you want to watch a movie or something?”
My phone shows the time is nine. I don’t have everything unpacked, but I’m almost ready to drop. Still, my brain is too loud for sleep. Everything with Jared swirls around and around in my head, and I keep replaying things. Did I miss a parade of red flags, or was this truly out of the blue? People can be great actors, but it feels like I should have seen his behavior coming. “A movie sounds good.”
“Come on then, Lil’ Gravesy. I’ll make some popcorn.”
I follow Griffin down the hall and into his large, open living space. When he points at the couch, I don’t protest, just sit my tired butt down. He can handle making popcorn by himself. “Have any chocolate?”
Griffin hums low in his throat. I track him as he moves around the kitchen. His defined athlete’s muscles ripple and flex as he works. “Sorry, but no chocolate. Gotta keep to my meal plan, especially during the season.”
I try to eat well. I run and do yoga regularly. But I’m not super careful about every last calorie I put into my mouth. Not the way Griffin and Maddox are. But I suppose they’re professional athletes, so staying in shape is literally part of their job. “I’ll keep my junk food stash in my room so you’re not tempted.”
He laughs at that, the rich tenor of the sound bouncing around the open space.
I’ve always found Griffin attractive. Who wouldn’t admire a guy with shaggy golden hair that looks effortlessly messy, multi-hued hazel eyes that appear to change color, depending on the light, and full lips that are perpetually smiling? Add in tan skin, a strong, angular jaw, a straight nose that has somehow never been broken, and a six-foot-four frame honed into muscular perfection over years of strength training and hockey, and he’s basically a walking wet dream. He looks just as ready to catch some waves as fly across the ice.
It’s a good thing Griffin and I have such wildly different outlooks on love and relationships, or I’d have found myself in trouble a dozen times over since he and Maddox met. But Griffin doesn’t do serious. And I don’t do casual. So I’m free to admire him with no fear it will go further than that.
Though, living with him may test my restraint. Especially if he makes a habit of walking around shirtless. Because even if our goals in life aren’t compatible and he’s off-limits because he’smy brother’s best friend, I’m not dead. I have eyes. And Griffin Wright is objectively gorgeous.
“How’re you holding up?” he asks, turning to face me once he’s started the microwave. The soft sizzle of oil as it heats provides a dull background noise. Hazel eyes sweep over my features, and whatever he sees has a little line forming between his eyebrows.
“I’m fine.” And I am. Mostly. Living in the same house with Jared for a few weeks after we’d broken up did a pretty good job of curing my heartache. It helps that I concluded I’d never really loved Jared. He just seemed to tick all the boxes.
Responsible?Check.
Good job?Check.
Reliable?Check.
Similar goals for the future?Check.
I suppose it should have rung some alarm bells that my friends were never Jared’s biggest fans. And sure, he was more affectionate when we were alone than when his friends were around. But that’s normal, right? I could overlook all of that if he met the real requirements.
He had to be the kind of man who wouldn’t abandon me. Someone steady, serious, and reliable. Someone completely the opposite of my sperm donor.
Unfortunately, he ended up being a serious ass with a steadily decreasing desire to pretend he was some great guy.
You can only maintain a mask for so long when you live with someone.
Once the interval between popping kernels slows, Griffin takes the now-inflated bag out while I shake myself from my thoughts. I go back to watching him as he moves around the kitchen. He grabs a large bowl from a cabinet, pours the popcorn out of the bag, and lightly salts it. Then he palms two water bottles and makes his way over.
“What do your friends think about you moving here?” The couch dips as Griffin sits beside me, leaving just enough space to set the bowl of popcorn between us.
