Building Our Love (Griffin Brothers #2)

by Crystal Perkins

  Ryan comments appreciatively on my dress, and I tell him that he looks hot, too. He always does. We have a fun dinner at the restaurant. My hot boyfriend can’t help but tease me about ordering the lobster mac and cheese again,but when I whisper to him that the couch in our suite looks comfortable to sleep on, he quickly grabs my spoon and feeds some to me. We make it an early night because Ryan, Owen, and I have to look over the building in the morning.

  The next morning we wake up and take quick showers before heading over to the site with Owen. We’re all casually dressed as it’s just us, Reuben, the local girl, Tera, who we hired to help me with the furniture deliveries, the construction foreman and the workers who are loading in the furniture. If I thought it looked good partially done, seeing the furniture being placed is just, wow. There’s no other word for it. I immediately jump in to help.

  “This place is just amazing, Chloe. The furniture you picked is perfect,” Tera tells me when I greet her.

  “Thanks. It looks like you have everything handled out here. I’m going to head to the upper floors. Call me if any problems come up.”

  I go up the elevator and check each floor. Everything is right where it should be. Owen and Candi’s work enhances each floor, and I’m really proud of all of us. I head back down to the employee break rooms and quiet room. Tera is there and everything’s being loaded in. I thank her for doing such a good job upstairs, and we work together on these rooms.

  We’re all exhausted when we leave in the late afternoon. Candi came by after lunch and took pictures for us. The building looks beyond amazing. I’m excited for the employees to see it and give their reactions. Tonight is the most important party for me. The employees are the ones who’ll use the building, so their opinion means more to me than anyone else’s.

  I didn’t want to be too dressy, so I found a cool white dress at Zara that looks like graffiti exploded all over it. I’m pairing it with strappy black heels. My hair is in several braids twisted into a bun and my original butterfly necklace is my only jewelry.

  I walk out into the living room area where Ryan is wearing a black jacket paired with a green button down over dark jeans and boots. “Will it make me sound too fangirl if I say ‘yum’ again?”

  “Fangirl? Are you a Ryan Griffin fan, sweetheart?” he asks as he walks over and pulls me into his arms.

  “I most certainly am.”

  “Is it my buildings that you’re a fan of or my other talents?”

  “Other talents? You’re good at something other than designing awesome buildings, Mr. Griffin?”

  “Well, I once made my girlfriend come more than twenty times in a day. Some would consider that a talent, Ms. Jamison.”

  “Your girlfriend definitely appreciated that. In all seriousness, Ry, I’m a fan of everything about you. I’m so proud of you.”

  “Right back at ya, Chlo.”

  We kiss but don’t let it go too far since we can’t be late for our own party. We meet everyone in the lobby and get in the Hummer limo. I’m excited but nervous, and so is everyone else. When we pull up to the building and get out, Scott, Yasmin, Sean, and Erika start gushing about the building. The rest of the Griffins pull up to the curb a minute later. We all walk inside together.

  Everyone compliments me on the lobby, and then we head to the employee break rooms. “Holy shit, Chloe. This is sick,” Scott tells me.

  “Yeah, seriously, this is pretty damn awesome. Are you sure you aren’t a secret gamer?” Sean asks me.

  “No. My only vice is shopping…and Ryan.” I laugh as I admit that.

  “I don’t game, but I think that I may want to live in these rooms. Can you redo my condo for me?” Luke asks.

  “Sure. I’d love to do that, Luke.”

  “Let’s go up and see the rest of what my woman has done,” Ryan says with pride in his voice.

  Scott and Sean love the upper floors and tell me the design will make the employees happy. We all compliment Candi on her photos. It’s time to head back downstairs as everyone will be arriving shortly. We have a huge buffet set up for them in the employee cafeteria, as well as an open bar. Gary opens the doors, and a few minutes later, the employees begin to trickle in. I wait nervously in the lobby as they look around.

  Gary calls everyone into the cafeteria through the P.A. system. He makes a speech about how technology is important to the company, praising Scott and Sean along with all of the employees. He introduces Ryan and Owen, who get thunderous applause. Then he introduces me, telling them that everything inside of the building was my idea. I go almost deaf as they cheer and yell my name. I’m so happy knowingthat they like the building, and what I’ve done for them.

  I still feel like I’m floating when we head back to the W. I barely notice us entering our room until Ryan picks me up and carries me to our bed. He pushes my dress up and starts using those talents of his on me. I show him some of my talents, too, before the night is over.

  * * *

  Ryan

  The employee preview last night went really well. I’m glad that they all seemed to love the building. Chloe was a big hit. She deserved all of the applause and attention. My building’s pretty great, but her interiors are amazing, too. We had interviews all day with local media, and now I’m waiting for her to finish getting ready for the party tonight. Architects and interior designers from all over the world will be seeing our work tonight. It’s one of the two formal parties, and I can’t wait to see what she’s wearing. I have on one of my black tuxes.

  I don’t know why I always doubt that she’ll top what I saw her in before. Because she always does. If she wasn’t in interior design, Chloe should definitely be doing something in fashion. Tonight’s black dress is one shoulder with embellished lace covering the entire shoulder and all across to just under the other one. There is lace going just past her waist, and then under that is swirls of stiff, sheer material that is shorter in the front than the back. There must be a dress under there because I can’t see anything indecent, but I’ll have to wait to find that out when we get back to the room tonight. I’m literally speechless when I see her.

  My eyes must betray me while I am at a loss for words. “You like it.”

  “I-I love it, Chlo. I’m one lucky guy to have you on my arm tonight.”

  “Whatever. You know all of those barracudas are going to be swarming you, hoping that you’ll ditch me for them.”

  “Never gonna happen, sweetheart.”

  “I know. I trust you and your love for me.”

  The party goes really well. As I expected, several guys hit on Chloe when I’m distracted by someone else. They aren’t stupid enough to do it while I’m focused on them, though. And as she predicted, quite a few women hit on me, some right in front of Chloe. She just smirks at me, and I kiss her hard when it happens, letting them know that I’m not leaving her. We get a ton of compliments on the building and interiors. Many people tell us that we’re a shoo-in for the big awards. We go back to the hotel, and I find out all the secrets about her dress and what she’s not wearing underneath it. Yeah, I would have pulled her into an empty office if I had known that she was going commando. Probably why she didn’t let on about it.

  The next day is filled with more interviews, and then it’s time for the press opening. I’m wearing another tux, and Chloe is in one of the most conservative dresses that I have seen her in yet. She’s still smoking hot, though. I don’t think anything could dampen my lust for her. This dress is navy blue with a sheer panel on top and white flowers scattered all over it. It’s sleeveless and goes past her knees. She has crystal encrusted high heeled sandals on.

  The press love Chloe. I had no doubt that they would. In addition to the design and local press, there are some fashion magazines represented. They ask her how her style has changed since she dressed so traditional for the past three years, but her public outfits are more stylish now. They also ask her why she limits her accessories. She tells them she has finally found her love of fash
ion, and that the butterfly jewelry I’ve given her is all she needs to wear.

  Our last event is the public opening. We always open our buildings to the public since they are the ones living with them. We, of course, limit access to the private offices, but all of the public areas and employee break rooms are open so that people can see them. We set out tons of food and make it a party. The mayor will be there and my dad will cut the ribbon, officially opening the new tech headquarters.

  Chloe is continuing her own personal fashion week with another sleeveless dress with a sheer panel on top. This one is black with a black and white cut out flower design covering most of the dress. It comes to just above her knee. She tells me that this one is also by Oscar de la Renta, which is why the design of the dress itself is somewhat similar to last night’s dress. Her shoes are what’s really doing it for me today, though. They’re black and go up high on the sides with mesh inserts. I tell her they’re staying on when we get back to the hotel. She laughs and agrees.

  As with the other nights, the public opening is a big hit. We get more compliments, and even a few requests to build some other buildings for corporations here in Seattle. My dad fields those requests. He and I will go over them later and then decide which ones we’re interested in.

  Chloe and I are barely in our room for a minute before she has her dress off and is standing before me in her black strapless bra and tiny thong. Along with the shoes, of course.

  “I’m ready for you to unleash all of your non-architecture talents on me, Mr. Griffin.”

  “All of them?”

  “Yes, all of them. We need to celebrate properly, and we have the hotel room until noon tomorrow.”

  “We have an early flight back.”

  “No we don’t. Your assistant cleared your schedule for tomorrow and booked us onto a commercial flight that leaves at 2.”

  “I think my assistant needs a special bonus.”

  “Yes, please.”

  I drop to my knees in front of her and give her the non-cash bonus that she deserves. We uses our hands, mouths, and other parts of our anatomy to bring each other pleasure until the sun comes up. We kiss and cuddle in our first class seats for most of the flight back to Vegas. I can’t imagine ever living without Chloe again. It may sound corny, but she’s the other half of me. I’m not whole without her.

  Chapter 20

  Chloe

  Ryan was right when he said I’d be getting offers from other companies once the Seattle building was revealed. My phone and email have been blowing up over the past week. Many of them didn’t interest me, but there’s one that I’m seriously considering. I haven’t told Ryan yet, because I want to meet with them first. They wanted to meet as soon as possible, and when I told them I had to travel to Chicago, they agreed to meet me there. We’re all going a couple of days early to try to relax. I can’t wait to see my dad and my older sister, Addy, and her family.

  It seems like we all have something that we would like to do. Yasmin confided in the girls that she’s getting a tattoo from Scott’s tattoo artist and friend, Zane, as a surprise for him. Candi’s looking forward to seeing all of Owen’s murals. Luke’s happy to see his old friends and so is Alex. My man wants to see his construction buddies. Some of them will be at the meeting, because they get a vote in whether anyone will work with Gary and Ryan on a new building.

  I still worry that my reputation is going to be more damaging to the cause, but Gary told me that my positive press from Seattle is going to far outweigh the negative from several months ago. I hope that he’s right. I can’t legally defend myself publicly from an attack by Adam. And I know that he’s going to attack me, just to rile up Ryan. I won’t let him jeopardize all that he’s worked for just to kick Adam’s ass. The bastard is not worth it.

  We all fly in on the biggest of the Griffin jets, but then go our separate ways. Sean, Erika, Sam, Danny, Candi, and Owen are all staying at the W. Gary, Maggie, and Alex are staying at their house. Scott and Yasmin are staying at Scott’s apartment. Ryan’s apartment is in the same building so the four of us are riding there together. We get to the building, and I’m introduced to Bobby, one of the security guys who Yasmin met on her previous trips here.

  Ryan’s apartment here is functional without feeling warm like his Vegas place. When I comment on it, he tells me that he took most of his personal possessions with him. He worries that I don’t like it, and I tell him it has a bed and that’s the only thing we need. We go ahead and try it out before getting ready for dinner.

  Everyone meets for dinner at one of the Griffin family’s favorite restaurants. I used to eat with them here all the time, and the owners greet me warmly. After dinner, we girls tell the guys that we have plans and that we’ll meet each other back at our respective rooms and apartments. They’re a little taken aback but recover quickly. The Griffin boys tell Sean and Danny that they’ll take them to their favorite bar.

  “Don’t get too drunk, or I may take advantage of you tonight,” I tease Ryan as we’re all leaving.

  “In that case, I’ll be close to passing out when you get back.”

  “You better not be. I’m looking forward to a full night of you and that beautiful cock of yours.”

  “Well, when you put it that way, I’ll make sure to limit myself to two beers.”

  “Good choice. I’ll see you later. I love you.”

  “I love you too. I’ll have Bobby give you my spare key. You behave yourself.”

  “I always do,” I tell him with a wink as the other girls pull me away.

  We take a cab to Windy City Tattoos. Yasmin is greeted by a beautiful, tattooed blonde girl as we enter the shop. Yasmin introduces her to everyone else. I’ve already met her. She’s Quinn, Zane’s girlfriend.

  “I’m so excited that you are finally getting a tattoo, Yasmin. Scott will love it.” She turns to me. “You were here for Scott’s first tat, Chloe, and now you’re here for Yasmin’s.”

  “I didn’t know you were here with Scott.” I nod. “I’m a little nervous.”

  “You’re not nervous that I won’t do a good job, are you?” A tall, hot, tatted up guy comes around the corner and pulls Yasmin into a hug.

  “Never, Zane. I’m very familiar with your work, and I know how talented you are.”

  Yasmin introduces Zane, who nods at me in acknowledgement, and then they head back to his workspace. The other girls and I hang out with Quinn. She’s really nice and cool. I like her a lot. We used to hang out when Scott started getting tattooed by Zane.

  “So, Chloe,” Quinn says to me.

  “Yes, Quinn.”

  “I’m glad that you’re back together with Ryan. He seemed lost for the last few years. I mean, a couple of my friends had a really good time with him. But he never spent more than a night with anyone. He always seemed like too nice of a guy to be a player.”

  “Yeah, he is a nice guy.” I swallow the lump that has gathered in my throat. I said that I would get past the fact that Ryan was with many girls while we were apart, and I meant it. So now I have to do it.

  Zane calls us back a couple of hours later, and we file in to see Yasmin’s tattoo. It’s on her hip and has the same “LOVE” made out of game controllers that was on her shirt in Orlando. We all assure her that Scott’s going to love it. Quinn hugs us all goodbye as we leave, and we promise to see Zane if any of us ever want a tattoo. He’s really talented.

  We take a couple of different cabs since we’re going to different places. Quinn had called them for us while Zane was giving Yasmin her care instructions. Yasmin and I hug and then go to the separate apartments. Ryan is waiting for me, naked on his bed, when I arrive at his apartment.

  “My beautiful cock and I have been eagerly awaiting your arrival.”

  I undress as I walk towards the bed. “Yum,” I tell him as I climb over him and take him in my mouth. It’s going to be another fun night.

  * * *

  Ryan

  Chloe has a secret meeting at the
W today. She wouldn’t tell me what it was, saying that she wanted to be sure before saying anything. I’m very curious, but keep myself busy visiting my old friends at the construction site they’re currently working on. I hear that the Richards’ are really going after us, and that they have some support behind them.

  The guys here know that my family is completely ethical, and that we don’t need to steal anyone’s ideas. It’s great to know that they have my back. We have a great time, and I join them for lunch, which brings back great memories of working with them. I really want the Chicago project to get the go ahead. I would love to work side by side with these guys again.

  I say my goodbyes to everyone and head to the W to pick up Chloe. I’m anxious to hear about her meeting. As I valet my Jag, I see Adam Richards exiting the hotel. He sees me, and a smirk crosses his face as his approaches.

  “Chloe is still as good as ever, Griffin. Thanks for keeping her flexible for me.”

  Rage fills my mind, but I don’t act on it. I know if I hit him it will only hurt our case tomorrow. He knows it, too, or he wouldn’t have baited me. He gets into a waiting limo and takes off as I stand there. I turn to the hotel, walking in to the lobby and dropping into the nearest chair.

  I don’t want to believe that Chloe was in the hotel with him. But she wouldn’t tell me who she was meeting. She said that she had to see how it went. What if she was seeing if they could get back together? She said that the news reports of her cheating were lies, so maybe she thought she could convince him and he would take her back.

  Was she just biding her time with me? No, I know that she wasn’t faking it. But I believed that three years ago, and then she left me for him. Is he better in bed than I am? Does he make her scream louder? I can’t do this again.

  “Ryan? Are you okay?”

  Chloe’s standing before me in the same black and white sleeveless dress that I dropped her off in. It has some fans or starburst or something on it. Her hair is still in its tight bun. I look down and see her sexy black strappy shoes. Did she dig those heels into his ass the way she does to me when I ask her to keep her shoes on?