Nodding slowly, Griffin understood what she was saying. “Like my dad.”
Caitlyn gasped, her eyes shooting open wide. “Oh, my gosh, Griffin, I didn’t mean to indicate him—”
“Hey, don’t apologize. You’re exactly right.”
They were silent for another minute before she said, “Now, when it comes to drugs and teenagers, that’s a different thing. I know we’ve got a problem with drug sales in our school… hell, in every high school. It’s so funny how people think that there are no drugs in a private or religious school. Sometimes those kids can afford the more expensive or designer drugs. But believe me, they’re everywhere. I hate the effect, but so many kids are taken in by the lure of the money they can make running drugs.”
“Do you see it a lot yourself?”
She shook her head. “No, not my classroom. I know there are drop-off points around the school but have no idea where they are. I know there are drug runners, but other than rumors I don’t know them, either. And I can’t act on a rumor. I know money is a problem for many of these kids and their families. That’s why I’m so glad you can hire Russ. I promise, you’re making such a difference in his life.”
“Caitlyn, I think you’ve got that backward. You’re the one who’s making a difference in his life. By taking an interest. By caring about him. And I know you do that for so many students, not just Russ. I can’t imagine how many pieces of yourself you give away every day.”
Her mouth opened, then snapped closed, her face scrunching slightly.
Pressing forward, he added, “I don’t see how you do it. I don’t see how you keep giving pieces of yourself away and stay so positive.” Her gaze slid to the side, she remained quiet for a moment, and he was uncertain of her thoughts behind her masked expression that gave nothing away.
Finally, looking back at him, her lips curved ever so slightly. “I’ve never thought of teaching that way, but you’re right. I do give away bits of myself every day. Whether it’s a smile, a listening ear, advice, or just a lesson, I always hope that my students walk out of class feeling better because they had me for a teacher.”
He leaned forward, his arm resting along the back of the sofa cushions, his fingers barely grazing her shoulder. Holding her intense gaze, he asked, “How do you keep from ending up empty?”
“Because every day I receive pieces of them that fill me up.”
Uncertain of her meaning, he waited, hoping she’d give him more. And just like the Caitlyn he was getting to know and admire, she did.
“When they share their lives. When they share their problems. When a student who’s struggled allows me to work with them and their grades go up and I see their pride. When they seek me out to share something good that’s happened to them. When they come to me for advice. When I have a student, especially like Russ, that can sometimes be overlooked in a class filled with more verbal achievers, and then I realize the depths of their thoughts and am humbled that they allowed me to see how great they are. All of those things are pieces of students that they give to me every day. It breaks my heart that some teachers don’t understand the give-and-take process. But for me, that’s why I don’t become depleted.”
It was hard to drag air into his lungs as he listened to her. There was so much more to Caitlyn McBride than he’d ever imagined. More than he’d ever allowed himself to imagine. By now, they’d leaned closer together, their voices soft. He slid his hand from her shoulder to her face, his fingers threading through her dark, silky tresses and his palm cupping her cheek. Her eyes remained pinned on him as he closed the distance. Smart or not, all he wanted to do was taste her lips again. He hesitated a breath away, but she leaned closer, her mouth barely skimming over his.
That was all the encouragement he needed. Tilting her head slightly with his hand, he sealed his mouth over hers.
19
Caitlyn gave herself over to the kiss, unable to deny that she wanted it as much as ever while still uncertain where Griffin’s head was concerning her. Refusing to overanalyze, she shifted closer until she was able to throw one leg over his thighs and straddle his lap.
The hand that had cupped her cheek slid to the back of her head and his other arm banded tightly around her back, pulling her flush against him.
His lips were strong. She’d read that description in a romance novel, and at the time thought it was ridiculous. How can lips be strong? And yet, his were. Firm, soft, taking charge, and leading. Lost in her descriptions of his lips, she was barely aware when he tilted her head with his fingers, gripping her hair gently, and his tongue slid into her mouth.
His talented tongue. Christ, another romance novel description. Perhaps it was more that he knew exactly what to do with his tongue that triggered the quick feeling in her belly as well as the singing between her nipples and core.
With another sweep of his tongue over hers, all thoughts, ridiculous and otherwise, fled from her mind. With a sigh, her body melted into his. Without losing a particle of space between them, he cupped her ass, shifted her hips, and twisted so they were lying flat on the sofa, she mostly underneath him. She wasn’t crushed as he held his upper body weight off her with his forearms planted in the cushions next to her.
Her legs had slid apart, creating the perfect cradle for him with his hips aligned with hers. His tongue continued to explore, her body ready to fly apart. She welcomed his weight anchoring her in place. Her hands glided over his shoulders and down his back, tightening as she arched against him, her breasts pressing tight to his chest. He also arched, his erection pressing against the apex of her thighs.
He shifted ever so slightly, now balancing his weight on one forearm while his other hand glided over her shoulder, down her side, his thumb sweeping underneath her breasts. Her hands moved lower, gripping his ass and squeezing before slipping underneath his T-shirt. Feeling the hot, satin skin over the hard muscles of his back, she longed to know how it would feel when he finally plunged inside her body.
Just as the kiss was flaming hot, his mouth left hers, and he dragged in a ragged breath as she whimpered at the loss of his lips against hers. Oh, God, please, don’t let him have regrets again!
“No, babe, no regrets.”
Her eyes snapped open, realizing she’d spoken aloud. “Oh. Then why did you stop?” She heard the anguish in her voice and refused to care that it made her sound desperate.
“Because I want to do this right.”
She blinked rapidly, not certain she understood his meaning. “This? What exactly is the this that you’re referring to? And if you want whatever this is to be right, is there a wrong waiting in the wings?”
He pressed his forehead against hers, a chuckle rising from deep inside his chest, and she felt the rumble against hers. The feel of his laughter while laying on top of her had leaped into one of the top five most wonderful things she could ever remember feeling, obliterating all other experiences. If she discarded the excitement of Santa bringing an entire chest of dress-up clothes when she was five years old, her current delight moved up to a top-four. His kisses were up there as well, and she was sure that if they ever had sex, he would reign supreme at the top of her list.
Lifting his head so that his eyes could peer into hers, he said, “This is you and me. And there is definitely a right considering the last time we kissed I completely fucked up, and it didn’t take long to figure out I’d been wrong.”