“How did you learn to cook steaks like that?” he asked her.
“It’s all in the cut.” She lifted another forkful of steak to her mouth. “And the preparation. I like to tenderize it and let it rest, then add a rub an hour before I cook it.”
“Well it was delicious. Thank you.”
She smiled. “It’s nice to cook for more than one person. I’ve been living on pasta for a while. There never seems much point in doing all the work when there’s nobody to eat with.”
She didn’t sound sad about it. More matter-of-fact than anything else.
“How long have you been divorced?” he asked her.
“About six weeks.”
“That recent?” He tried to hide his surprise.
“We were separated for over a year. We had to be. And the settlement was… contentious.” She sighed. “So it feels like a lot longer. Waiting for the paperwork was the hardest part.”
He ran the tip of his tongue over his lips. She was a fascinating combination of strong and vulnerable. Maybe they were two sides of the same coin. Whatever it was, it enticed him in a way he hadn’t felt in a long time.
Maybe ever.
“I have no idea why you divorced, but your ex was a damn fool.”
Autumn laughed. “What if it was my fault?”
“Then it was his fault for not keeping you happy.”
“Yeah, well that part was true. And I guess it was both of our faults. Living with somebody and working with them was a recipe for disaster.” She thought about the NDA she’d signed. Best not to tell him too much about that.
He raised his eyebrows. “You worked together?”
“Yeah. He bought me out of our company. I used the money to buy the pier.” She ran her finger around the rim of her wine glass. “How about you? You ever been married?”
He shook his head. “No. But I never wanted to. Still don’t. My parents weren’t exactly a great advertisement for marital harmony.”
She remembered Deenie telling her something similar at the party. “Are they divorced?” she asked him.
“They should be. But right now they’re probably screaming at each other in a bungalow outside of Fort Lauderdale.” He caught her eye. “Thankfully I don’t have to listen to them tear each other apart anymore.”
As though she could sense his discomfort, Autumn pulled her bottom lip between her teeth then released it, her mouth curling into a shy smile.
It was like she was standing on the edge of something. Afraid, but elated. Her eyes were feverish, glancing at him, then looking down at her hands before catching his gaze again. When was he going to kiss her? Her body ached for it. She’d barely thought about anything else all day.
“I’m not looking for anything serious,” she told him. “But I really like you, Griff.”
“Being un-serious is completely fine with me.” He looked serious, though. Deadly. And it made her body heat up.
This time she didn’t pull her eyes away. They stared at each other for a long moment, the air pulsating between them. Griff curled his fingers, digging his nails into his palms in an effort to stop himself from reaching across to her.
“Why don’t you sit on the sofa while I clean up,” she suggested. “Then we can talk…or…whatever.”
The corner of his lips quirked up. “I’m not sitting down while you wait on me. I’ll help you clean,” he told her. “Then let’s see where the evening takes us.”
12
The chinaware was all washed up and put away, the countertops sparkling. Autumn filled their glasses with more of Griff’s delicious wine and carried them into the living area.
Though the room was compact, the cream leather sofa was huge, dominating the space. But it looked so much smaller when Griff was on it. She sat down beside him, leaving a gap between them.
“Cheers.” They clinked glasses and she took a sip of the cool, crisp wine. She could feel her cheeks warm up as he kept his eyes on hers, his gaze direct and yet soft, too.
“You look scared.”
“I feel scared,” she told him honestly.
His brows dipped. “Why?”
She put her glass down on the driftwood coffee table and curled her legs beneath her, tipping her head to the side as she considered his question. “Because I feel vulnerable, yet full of some weird anticipation. It’s a strange cocktail.”
The corner of his lips lifted as he continued to look at her. She felt a shiver snake its way down her spine. God, he was masculine, probably the strongest man she’d ever met. It was like he could melt her with his gaze.
“Come here,” he said softly.
She swallowed, then inched across until her thigh brushed against his.
“I mean here,” he told her, pointing at the top of his legs. It was her turn to smile as she climbed over him, kneeling on either side of his substantial thighs.
“That’s better,” he murmured, reaching out to smooth her hair from her face. “We’re a little more equal like this.”
He leaned forward, his nose sliding against hers. She looked into his warm brown eyes. Being this close she could see little green specks in his irises, like emeralds glistening in stone.
Cupping his face in her hands, her fingertips grazed his cheekbones. The roughness of his beard scraped against her palms as he stared at her questioningly.
“You’re very beautiful,” he whispered as her thumbs traced the line of his jaw.
“You’re pretty hot yourself.” She leaned forward until her lips brushed against his cheek.
She could feel his breath against her, warm and fragrant with wine. She leaned closer still, and he ran his hands down her back, cupping her behind as she straddled him.
The first time they kissed she’d felt out of control. This time, she wanted to savor every moment. To experience it in hyper-definition, to remember every eye flicker and caught breath.
This connection between them was fleeting. Time limited. Eventually they’d have to part and the thought already made her heart ache.
He traced his fingertips along her spine and pressed his lips to the base of her throat.
“So damn pretty.”
“Thank you,” she breathed. He was holding her weight with one hand. It made her so damn delicate. Closing his eyes, he breathed her in, his lips sliding up her throat, her jaw, and to the corner of her mouth. Just one inch more and he’d be there.
Her body clenched at the thought.
“I want to remember this,” he murmured, brushing her hair from her face with his free hand. “The way you’re looking at me. The way your ass feels against my legs. I wish I could capture this moment.”
Her lips curled into a smile. Maybe he was feeling as wistful as she was.
With his hand at the base of her spine, he pulled her closer, her thighs sliding against his until the warmth of her center felt him. Right there. Thick and hard against her.
She let out an involuntary sigh. “Please…”
“Please what?”
“Kiss me already.”
Another chuckle. He raked his fingers through her hair, angling her head until it was lifted to his. “Patience…”
Her gaze met his, making her heart jump in her chest. The laughter faded as his eyes darkened and narrowed, as his mouth fell onto hers.