There’s an awkward silence.Finally, Griffin gestures to me and Branson’s mouth rounds.“Ohhh, right.Do you wanna come too, Case?”
I’m working through the logistics in my head.I don’t actually want to go to Karaoke night; I want to spend the rest of my earthly existence curled up on Griffin’s perfect couch, brushing knuckles with him.But that seems a little extreme to admit to a friend.
“You guys go ahead.I’m not feeling the bar tonight, so I’ll head home.No big deal.”I force myself to stand, stretching after the hour and a half I spent with the Nightbeast.As I head for the kitchen, Griffin holds out a hand to stop me, which collides with my low belly.
“You don’t have to leave.I’m not going to karaoke night either,” he says.The heat pouring from his hand into my body is frightening.My core clenches and if he looks close, he’ll see my hard kernels right through my T-shirt.
“Are you sure?”I bite my bottom lip, suddenly worried that maybe I’m overstepping without realizing.Claire loves to remind me of how often I dothat, too.“I promise it’s no big deal, I don’t need to stay here if you’d rather go out.”
“I want to start a fire and sit outside,” Griffin says.My gaze swings to the back porch, where I can see the prepped firepit.It looks like he has comfy lounge chairs, too.I draw a slow breath.
“I wanna do that tooooo,” I murmur.
“All right, well it sounds like we’re all set.”Branson and Kylie begin gathering their things on their way to the door.“You guys enjoy the fire pit, and we’ll enjoy questionable singing.”
“You know where to find us if it gets too bad,” Griffin calls out right before they shut the door behind them.
And then it’s just us.
My heart starts slamming in my chest.Griffin’s gaze moves my way, and suddenly I’m doubting his invitation.He feels sorry for me, most likely, which is why he’s foregoing his own preferences to hang with me tonight.It must be a pity thing—he knows that I have no permanent job, no home, no direction in life.It’s what a good friend would do, after all.
“Let’s get the fire started,” Griffin says, jostling me out of my own thoughts.I follow him, remembering I had a beer on the side table and grabbing it on my way.Outside, the air has a touch of humidity—perfect outdoor-lounging-with-a-blanket-and-a-book weather.I take a deep inhale, humming softly as I sink into the lounge chair by the firepit.
“I didn’t realize you were that excited for the fire,” Griffin comments as he arranges the logs in the pit.
“I am,” I say with a laugh.
“Nightbeastreally got you in the fire mood.”
“Nightbeastis my new go-to for getting into the mood for anything,” I reply, bringing my legs to my chest before I take a sip of the beer.“Those endless rows of teeth remind me I can do anything I want in life.”
“Up to and including awkward sex?”Griffin asks as he uses a long lighter to ignite the kindling under the logs.
A laugh bursts out of me.“Honestly, I’ve never seen something so bad.It was the same level of sexiness as watching a homemade porno made by my parents or something.Which luckily I’ve never seen, nor do I want to.”
The kindling catches fire.Griffin’s eyes are on the baby flames as he says, “Be careful,Nightbeastis sneaky.You might want a rubber alien mask the next time you hook up with someone.”
I snort-laugh.“I’m not sure what’s funnier.The idea of a rubber alien mask in the bedroom, or the fact that you think I’m hooking up with people.”
His gaze snaps up to find mine, and there’s curiosity there, mixed with…something else.“What did I miss?Are you celibate?”
“Not celibate, just…”A total fucking loser.“Not really in a great position to be finding a life partner, I guess.”
“I said hookup, not life partner.”
“Oh, right.That makes more sense anyway.Can’t scare away my future husband with that rubber alien mask, after all.”
Griffin rests in the chair beside me as the flames begin to lick against the logs.Inside I feel squirmy and strange.I want to know so much more about Griffin’s personal life, but I’m acutely aware of how different our existences are.He’s a famous professional athlete who rubs elbows with celebrities and is built like a god.I’m a corporate-America reject who’s fighting with her sister and hiding out in a friend’s house.
We are not the same.
Just make conversation, for god’s sake.I’m getting in my head and I know it.It’s time to get out of it.
I take a hard pull of the beer and when I set it down, I say, “Speaking of hookups and rubber alien masks…”
A cocky half grin curls at his lips as he leans back into his chair.“Go on.”
“The girls and I were talking the other night,” I fib.We didnotmention what I’m about to say, but it seems somehow more innocuous if I pretend it wasn’t just me ruminating on this alone at night before drifting off to sleep.“And they informed me of people calledpuck bunnies.”
