by Jillian Neal
“I take it your power is out a lot?” Griff wasted no time collapsing in the massive chair in the corner of my darkened living room. His hungry gaze beckoned me more than the finger he was using to summon me to his lap.
“A few times every month. There’s some problem with the substation.” I curled up on his legs careful not to put any more pressure on his bad hip.
“I see.”
“I’m sorry it’s hot in here. I can open the door to the deck,” I offered.
“I can think of better ways to cool off, baby. Of course, once I get you undressed, I’m just going to get you hot and bothered again.” His fingertips drifted down my arms, igniting every nerve ending he encountered. My nipples throbbed out a plea for his touch.
I shook my head at him. “Aren’t you tired?”
“Yeah, but I can live with tired. I can’t live without having you again. I spent too much time without you. I’m still making up for all that.” His gaze locked on my chest. My bra wasn’t doing a good job of hiding my obvious arousal. His rough fingertips skated to my breasts and circled just outside where I so desperately needed his touch. “I don’t get the impression you’re quite ready to go to sleep anyway.”
I let my right hand track down his chest and explore the fierce bulge of his zipper line. “There are several things I’d prefer to do before we sleep,” I whispered. Heat from his cock poured through the denim.
His greedy grunt filled my ears as his eyes drifted close. “Feels so fucking good when your hands are on me.”
“Good.” I climbed out of his lap and headed toward the bedroom.
The frustration in his eyes when they snapped open was barely visible in the moonlight. “Where the hell do you think you’re going, baby?” His tone riffed with a thirst he wanted satisfied. My warrior had been tied up most of the day either in actual ropes or in the ones we’d stupidly put on this relationship. He needed to be set free.
“Why don’t you come see?” I disappeared down the hallway. I heard him cursing his own hip as he took a second longer than he’d probably wanted to stand. I used that moment to peel off my clothes. As soon as he entered my room, I flung my panties in his face. He caught them and inhaled the scent without any hesitation.
I stalked toward him, rather enjoying the darkness now. His hands found purchase on my hips as I tugged his shirt from his jeans and lifted it over his head. He drew me in, pressing my skin to his. I swore every centimeter of my body could be crushed under his, and I’d still want him closer.
My fingers snagged on his belt. He stopped me. “I’ve got it, sweetheart. Go get in bed. Be ready for me.”
Oh, I was more than ready for him, but this wasn’t going to go exactly how he thought it would. Flinging the covers back, I crawled into my own bed and turned on my side, propped up on my elbow. I watched him toe out of his boots, shed his jeans and boxer briefs. I just caught the black ink that spanned from one shoulder to the other across his back. The “Greater love hath no man than this; to lay down his life for his brother,” verse was scrawled across two crossed guns. Yeah, my warrior needed to lay down his arms if only for the night.
He crawled in beside me, reaching, seeking, needing me to soften the blows of our day. “Lay down on your back,” I instructed.
His brow furrowed. “Thought you preferred it when I was the one giving the orders.”
“For tonight, let me.”
That wasn’t what he wanted, but it was what he needed. When he reclined on his back, I sat up on my knees and pressed my fingers gently to his bad hip. I could feel the hardened muscle strain as I began my massage gently.
“I’m fine,” he protested.
“I know you are,” I assured him and continued my in-depth massage.
He closed his eyes in surrender to my touch. His cock shifted, hungry for my attention. I smiled and kept my hands working and exploring the delineated muscles of his thighs and the tight curve of his ass. A contented sigh preceded his legs widening as I loosened the muscles. I’d half-expected him to watch me do this, but his eyes remained closed. It seemed perhaps he was going to trust me enough to let me suture the wounds he’d endured.
Accomplishment flowed through me as I worked. His breaths came steadily now, but his jaw flexed. Keeping one hand working his hip, I trailed the fingers of my other over his erection, so hot and thick it was weeping for my attention. Pearly drops of pure hunger clung to his slit. My mouth watered. I traced throbbing veins running up his impressive length and skimmed over the scars there. Pouring all of my love into those fissures that had caused him so much unnecessary doubt.
“Damn, that feels good. Do more of that,” he half-pled.
“This?” I smirked as I wrapped one hand around his shaft, leaned, and licked the dew from his crown while I jacked him with my hand.
A ravenous growl, my neighbors probably heard, shook the bed.
“Or more of this?” I drew him in with a hungry suck.
“Jesus Christ, that. More of that.”
“Mmm, yes, sir.”
60
Hannah
The following Saturday night I stepped out of our suite on Griff’s arm.
Fred gave me an adoring smile. “You look lovely this evening, Ms. Hagen. I do hope you have a wonderful night.” He and Griff shared a conspiratorial glance. He was so up to something.
Before we made our way out of the hotel, a man and his little girl headed our way. Griff smiled. “Honey, this is Joe. He’s who loaned me the tool belt.”
“Yeah, yeah, we wanted to thank you. I took her to get those ice cream cookies from that place down the street, and she loved it.” Joe lifted the little girl up into his arms. “Said she wanted to come see where Daddy works.”
“I told you she would.” Griff grinned at the toddler who was hugging her father with all of her limited strength.
“Yeah, and I talked with my ex. She wants to go on a trip with her new guy, so I’ll have her with me for a few weeks. We’re gonna have fun aren’t we Lupita?”
The little girl nodded adamantly.
“Congrats, man. Seems things are working out a lot of places lately. I’m happy for you.” Griff slapped him on the shoulder.
“Yeah, I still worry I don’t get to be with her enough,” he confessed.
I stepped in. “Take it from a girl who only saw her father a few months out of the year. It’s more about the quality of time than the quantity. She’ll understand when you aren’t there as long as when you are there you listen and help her spread her wings when the time comes.”
“I think I can do that,” Joe vowed. “Hey, you look pretty happy yourself.” He gestured to Griff. “Happy looks good on you, man. Keep it up.” He waved as he carried his little girl toward the hotel pools.
A few minutes later, I leaned up against the railing in front of the Bellagio fountains. I’d spent most of the week in some form of undress either naked in bed, naked in our pool, naked in our Jacuzzi tub, topless at the Bare pool I finally talked him into going to, or scantily clad for the dinners Griff ordered in most every night. This was our last night here. He’d wanted to take me out to see the sights, starting with the fountains.
Since Ms. Mallory had confessed everything to the board of Homefront Heroes, there would not be a final gathering of the auction attendees to present a check, so he’d planned a whole night for us complete with reservations at Costa Di Mare.
In fact, she’d had to email everyone explaining her actions and offering their money back. I’d written a check for her brother to make the trip to Johns Hopkins. I hoped they could do something for him.
Watson and his anesthesiologist had enjoyed the week in Vegas. Ryder was on a flight to Lincoln to meet T and Smith. Even Seth had met someone in the casino to spend some time with. Happy endings had managed to find their way through the insanity.
Griff wrapped his arms around my waist from behind me as the music swelled from the outdoor speakers. I relaxed against his steady strength as he su
rrounded me, my clear front sight in the blurry target of life.
“You look so damn gorgeous, baby.” His hot breath whispered over my ear. “Not sure I’m going to be able to keep my hands off of you all the way through dinner.”
“Good.” I leaned back and grinned up at him as the water began its choreographed routine through the fountains. The scent of the spray mixed with his gunpowder and cologne. Contentment filled me, and even more than that, I sensed contentment in him. In all of our years together, I’d felt a lot of things inside Griff Haywood. Until the night he’d let me give him a massage in my apartment, contentment had never been one of them.
His father was home from the hospital. Georgia was learning to cook a low salt, low carb diet. She’d also moved herself into the trailer to take care of Duke and to make sure he wasn’t sneaking cigarettes.
Griff had promised we’d see them soon and that he’d think about Georgia and his father at a later date, a much later date.
The water shot several stories high to the crescendo of the music. It was beautiful. As many times as I’d been to Vegas I couldn’t believe I’d never stopped to see this. But my father had been right, the entire trajectory of my life had gotten me here. It hadn’t all been perfect but this moment was.
After the show, he escorted me to one of the private outdoor cabana tables in front of the water at Costa di Mare. “Wow.” I took in the fading sunset over the desert and the most romantic spot in Vegas. The cool water lapped at the lit globes scattered throughout it.
“When I take my baby out, I do it right.” He winked at me as we settled at the table.
“This is so romantic. I’m glad our week improved.”
“Me, too. Smith even texted me a crude meme this morning, so he’s coming around.”
“Yeah, I know. He texted the same one to me.” I rolled my eyes.
Griff had clearly given our waiter instructions. Two craft beers were already at our table. I watched him take a long satisfying pull of the bottle. “It’s good,” he encouraged.
I tried the beer. It was delicious, but I was too curious to really give it much thought. “What are you up to?”
“What makes you think I’m up to something?”
“You’ve been smiling all day.”
“I’ve been smiling all week. You have that effect, sweetheart.”
“Maybe but today’s smile is different. I want to know why.” A thrill of excitement bubbled in my chest. I had a guess but didn’t want to get my heart set on it if he wasn’t planning what I hoped he was planning.
“I never could get anything by you.” He sighed. “Don’t you want me to wait until we have dessert?”
“Wait to do what?” That bubbly zing of hope whipped from my chest out to all of my limbs.
“All right, fine. You’re sure you want to do this now?”
“I’m sure.” I was practically bouncing up and down in my chair. Suddenly, he stood. My heart performed a high-flying kick routine. “What are you doing?”
“This.” He settled on his good knee. “I’m down here so you still good with this?” That smirk of his formed readily. Holy crap. I couldn’t breathe. I’d waited so long for this moment, and I was going to pass out because I couldn’t breathe. I managed a frantic nod.
“Ever since the day I got off the school bus and realized my mom had taken off, I’ve been constantly reeling. I never found another foothold. Not in the army. Not even in Special Forces. Not until the night I walked into your father’s house and saw you. And you, my God, baby, you took my hands and that was it. I was done for. So, I decided I was tired of waiting on forever. I’m taking life with both hands right now, and I’m never letting go again. I want every morning and every night with you forever. I don’t have to look for the good parts in the bad days or the silver lining in the clouds. You’re it. You’re my sunshine. I’ll never deserve you, but I’m way past trying to stay away. I want to hold you in my arms every single night. I want to know you’re happy, and safe, and I want you to know that I could never and would never love anything or anyone more than you. You were right. You do deserve a warrior and that is precisely what I am and who I will always be for you. So, my sweet Hannah B, will you please do me the honor of letting me be your husband?”
Tears streamed out of my eyes. Breath continued to elude me. “Yes!” I forced the word through the clog of emotion gathered in my throat. “Yes, yes, yes!”
He pulled a ring box out of his suit coat and slid the massive diamond ring on my finger. I didn’t care about the ring. I threw my arms around him almost knocking him backward into the pool. He caught me and held me close, just the way it’s supposed to be.
Eventually I did settle down long enough to admire the large princess cut diamond set on a white gold band. “Holy wow,” I gasped as it glimmered in the lights over our table.
He laughed at me outright. “My baby likes pretty things and the word fuck. She’s pretty much the best thing ever. I like to make her smile.”
We ate course after course of Mediterranean and seafood and then a chocolate custard that I swear I wanted to bathe in. I dropped the second bite on my cleavage and the collar of my dress. His left eyebrow shot upward. It was good we had a private booth because he proceeded to lick it off of me. “Would you stop?” A fit of giggles burst from my mouth.
“Not in this lifetime or the next. Hope you’re okay with that.” His tongue feathered over my cleavage again.
“I think I’ll manage.”
He fed me the rest to keep it off of my clothing. When the dessert course was complete, he took my hand and escorted me back to the Jeep T had rented for him. As we drove down The Strip one last time, a neon sign for The Wedding Chapel caught my eye.
“You know, we are in Vegas.” I gestured ahead to the sign.
A broad grin spread across his handsome features. “We are indeed. Might catch crap from The Sevens and our families.”
“We might.”
“I’m tired of waiting for life though, like I said.” He laced his fingers through mine. “I want to officially make you all mine, baby.”
“I want the same thing, Sergeant. I’ve wanted that every moment of every day since you stepped into my parent’s house a long time ago.” I squeezed his hand.
“I think it’s time for us to do what’s best for us instead of what may or may not piss people off,” he suggested.
“We spent a lot of years making ourselves miserable worrying about what might piss other people off. We put off a lot of things because of it.” The twinkling lights of Vegas and the stars above were just a little brighter that night like the universe really was finally cheering us on.
“We did do that,” he agreed.
“I don’t want to do that anymore.”
“Me either.”
Epilogue
Hannah
I slid into the back corner booth of the Hi-Way Diner between my husband and my big brother, and nothing in the entire world could’ve felt better than the ability to do that. The rest of The Sevens all gave me goading grins as they readjusted to make room for me.
Griff leaned back against the booth and wrapped his arm over my shoulder. “You gonna tell them?”
“I didn’t know if there was some kind of grunting contest, or if you all had to scratch and flex or something before we started talking.”
“If you’re gonna make fun of our ways, Hannah Banana, you can’t come,” Smith informed me.
“I thought you liked it when I grunt and flex, baby?” Griff smirked.
Smith leaned forward, braced his elbows on the table, and leveled a glare on his best friend. “Speaking of you flexing, numb-nuts, care to tell me how that dent behind your headboard appeared yesterday while I was installing secure VPN’s for one of our clients, and you said you ‘had a meeting’?” He made liberal use of finger quotes, and I ordered my face to remain its normal color so my blush wouldn’t give us away.
“No idea.” Griff made no effort to hide his
smirk. “And it is kind of a shit move to call me numb-nuts don’t you think?”
“I think you’re full of shit.” I knew in some bizarre way Smith’s ability to tease Griff about his injuries helped Griff accept them.
“Maybe,” Griff chuckled, “but I am no longer full of…”
“Erectoplasm,” Voodoo chimed in.
“High fructose porn syrup,” Aaron, the only Seven who’d opted out of Tier Seven Security, offered.
Natalie, his wife, shook her head at him. “I have clearly been leaving you alone with my brothers too much.”
“I’ve always been fond of layonnaise.” T-Byrd laughed.
“Dear God.” I rolled my eyes. “Seriously, couldn’t you all have just scratched?”
“Did you not hear me at the meeting after we got back?” Griff huffed. “I strictly forbid any references to mayonnaise in any capacity ever.”
“I am still not mentally prepared for this conversation.” Smith scowled. “You’re fixing that wall before you move out, which needs to be soon. What was wrong with your hotel room anyway? Do not fuck my sister in my house. Those were my instructions.”
“Housekeeping was in there. I am total shit at turning her down. I’m weak, man. And she was about to tell you we put an offer in on a house today, but you all had to play jizz thesaurus instead. Also, how did none of you offer up penis colada. I’m disappointed. Not gonna lie,” Griff harassed.
The waitress supplied all of the guys and Natalie with their usual drinks. She offered me a smile. “Haven’t seen you in here with them before. Will you be joining the guys every month now?”
“After their last conversation I’m thinking not, but I’d love a diet soda when you get a chance.”
She laughed. “Yeah, she said something like that, too.” The waitress pointed to Natalie. “But she’s usually here, so can I put that down as your regular?”
