Working On Love (The Griffin Brothers Book 6)

by Crystal Perkins

“That dress. You didn’t know I was coming, but you brought it.”

  “Actually, I didn’t. I was going to wear a knee length floral dress. I wanted to look good for you, so I had the concierge get this for me today.”

  “Oh. Wow. Thanks. I love it.”

  I reach for her, but she slaps my hands away. “Asshole.”

  “I’m sorry. I just got jealous.”

  “Of who? Some random guy I’ve never met. I’ve spent almost the whole day with you. Kissing you and making love with you.”

  “I said I was sorry.”

  “Whatever. Let’s go.”

  This time I manage to grab her arm. “Don’t do this. Even if you had brought it, we weren’t together when you packed. I shouldn’t have acted like that. You look incredible. I love the dress, and your hair looks so sexy.” It really does. It’s in a messy bun with curls hanging down in different spots, just begging for me to pull on them.

  “Let’s see who else I can find who’ll like it. I still need two more orgasms tonight,” she tells me as she pulls her arm away.

  She just made a mistake. A big one. I love her and I pretty much worship the ground she walks on, but I have my limit. She just pushed past it. If she as much as looks at another guy, it’s over. I’m not even kidding. I won’t hesitate to walk away.

  “I hope you understand what you’re doing, Alex,” I tell her calmly as I open the door and let her walk out in front of me.

  I don’t speak to her during the elevator ride or take her hand as we walk into California Adventure and over to the restaurant. I see her looking at me out of the corner of my eye, but I refuse to look back. The ball is in her court, and now she has to choose what she wants. Who she wants.

  I pull her chair out when we get to the table—I’m not going to be a total ass, even if I am mad. Quinn is looking at me, and I just shake my head at her. We’ve become good friends and she can read me. She knows I’m close to breaking, even if she doesn’t know why.

  Alex makes her choice when she flirts with a guy at the table next to us after we order. Blatantly flirts with him. Even her family is looking at her like she’s crazy. When she lets him rub her arm, I’m done.

  “Excuse me, but I seem to have lost my appetite. I hope you all enjoy the rest of your trip.”

  “Miles.”

  “Quinn.”

  We have a staring contest for a minute until Alex starts giggling at something Mr. Preppy says. Quinn closes her eyes and nods. She knows that it’s over. I pull Alex’s last present out of my pocket and place it next to her plate.

  “Happy Birthday, Xandy.”

  She doesn’t even glance at me, but the asshole does. He smirks at me. Fucking smirks. She reaches out to touch his face. It’s definitely over. I need to get my stuff from the room and go to one of the clubs. Do what I know. What I’m good at.

  I’m making my way through the crowd outside the restaurant when I hear Ryan calling my name. I stop and move off the walkway, because I know he’ll catch me anyway.

  “What the fuck was going on back there?”

  “You’ll need to ask your niece.”

  “I’m asking you.”

  “Fine. I saw her in that dress and got jealous that she was going to wear it for some other guy since she didn’t know I was coming here. She told me she had the concierge get it today to surprise me. I apologized for acting like a jealous asshole, and she told me she was going to find someone else to fuck. I told her she needed to be sure about what she was doing. You saw what just went on. She made her choice, and now I’ve made mine.”

  “Jesus. I know she’s grown up, but I never expected anything like that from her. She doesn’t play games.”

  “Neither do I, Ryan. I love her, but I won’t let her treat me that way.”

  “I understand, man. I wouldn’t put up with that shit, either. I’m guessing you’re headed back for your stuff.”

  “Yeah.”

  “And then?”

  “Honestly, I’m heading out to look for a stiff drink and an easy lay.”

  “I’m that easy to replace?”

  Neither one of us saw her approach, but Alex is there behind him. She looks more hurt than angry, but I’m not the one who needs to apologize. Before I can tell her that, Ryan does it for me.

  “What just went down in that restaurant is bullshit, Alex.”

  “This is none of your business, Uncle Ryan.”

  “Maybe not, but I’ll tell you something. If Chloe ever did that to me, I’d be getting drunk and laid, too. And I’d have to think long and hard about whether I could take her back, if she asked me to. You say you’re grown up, but you just acted like some spoiled little girl who didn’t get to play with her favorite toy. You’re better than that. Maybe losing the guy you say you love will teach you that.”

  “We’re not the two of you. And we’re not broken up. That was just me being stupid, I’ll admit that, but it wasn’t as bad as you said.”

  He just shakes his head at her and then reaches out a hand to me. “Good luck, man. I hope we can be friends. I really do like you.”

  “I’ll call you when you get back to town.”

  Ryan nods at me before walking back towards the restaurant. Alex looks panicked now. I think she just realized that we did indeed break up. I put my hands in my pockets and just look at her.

  “Oh my God. We are broken up, aren’t we?”

  “I told you that you needed to understand what you were doing. You did it anyway.”

  “I’m sorry Miles. I didn’t think it was that bad. I swear.”

  “You let him touch you. You touched him.”

  “I didn’t mean it. I just…”

  “You just what? Wanted to see if I’d fall at your feet and beg you to forgive me for acting stupid? In private. After I’d already apologized?”

  “No. Yes. Maybe.”

  “Well, now you know. I love you, Alex, but I won’t stand by while you tell me you’re going to find some other guy to fuck. And then flirt and touch someone else in front of me.”

  “Please, Miles.”

  “I’m going to go get my stuff. Enjoy the rest of your birthday.”

  “Miles, please.”

  I turn and see that she’s dropped to her knees. Tears are streaming down her cheeks, and people are stopping to stare. I could tell her to get up, but I need this. I need her to want me enough to beg.

  “I’m so, so sorry. I was being stupid and shouldn’t have done that. I guess I wanted to see how far I could push you, and I pushed you too far. I know that now. I shouldn’t have flirted, and I definitely shouldn’t have let anyone touch me or touched him back. I love you Miles. I only want you. Please give me another chance.”

  I walk over and pull her to her feet. “You need to be sure you want me. I won’t go through this again. What you just did hurt me. I laid myself bare for you, and you just purposely hurt me.”

  “I do want you. I’ll make it up to you, I promise. Whatever you want tonight, however you want it.”

  “Sex doesn’t solve things. You need to stop thinking it does. And I don’t want or need anything different than what we’ve been doing. You need to stop thinking that, too.”

  “You were going to go have sex.”

  “Because that’s what I know. That’s how I cope. I’ve told you that. I’ve also told you I want more than just a physical relationship with you.”

  “Will you come back to the restaurant with me?”

  “What about Mr. Preppy?”

  “He’s a non-issue.”

  “Does he know that?”

  “I think me running out of the restaurant after you was pretty clear.”

  I close my eyes and tilt my head back. How the fuck can I go back in there? They all saw her. Not just her family, but that asshat and his friends. Now I’m going to walk back in there and what? Act like nothing happened? Yeah, I guess I am. For her, I am.

  “Come on. Our food’s probably getting cold.”

  We
walk in and the conversation at our table stops. As well as, the table next to ours. I suck up my pride and pull out her chair. Instead of sitting, Alex spins and grabs me, kissing me hard. She lets me go and turns back around.

  “I begged. I know you’re all wondering. I dropped to my knees outside and begged him to give me another chance. I was a bitch, and I don’t deserve him. But he loves me enough to come back in here with me.”

  “You’re used to girls on their knees, aren’t you?” a chick from the asshole’s table says to me.

  “Excuse me?”

  “You’re Miles Corrigan. Half the women in this country have been on their knees for you.”

  “You’re Miles Corrigan? Well, fuck. I heard about you and that women’s lacrosse team back east. You really had them all at once?” Mr. Preppy is smiling at me now.

  “Listen, I’m with my girl, celebrating her birthday. Yes, I used to be that guy, but I’m not anymore. I’d appreciate it if you let us enjoy the rest of our dinner in peace.”

  “Your girl? Cool. I just almost took Miles Corrigan’s girl back to my room.”

  “I was never going back to your room. I was just mad at Miles. I shouldn’t have used you and I’m sorry.”

  “Use me in any way you want. Especially if you managed to get this guy to commit. You must be one hot piece…”

  I’m on him before he can say another word. I have him out of his chair as I get up in his face. His friends start to stand up, but so do the Griffin brothers, which causes them to return to their seats.

  “The last asshole who disrespected her isn’t looking so good. Go ahead and say something else.”

  “No, man, I’m sorry.”

  “Tell her.”

  “I’m sorry. Really I am.”

  I release him and he throws some money on the table. His whole table leaves, glaring at us the entire time. I don’t give a fuck. Even if I wasn’t with Alex, I’d still defend her. She means too much to me not to. The restaurant manager comes over and tells us that if there’s any more trouble we’ll have to leave. We all tell him we’ll behave.

  We sit and eat our dinner. At first, things are a little strained, but everyone soon relaxes. The server brings out a cool cake with Mulan on it. She was always Alex’s favorite princess. She blows out the candles, and then the cake is taken back to be cut.

  We’re told the show’s going to start right as the plates of cake are brought out. I turn my chair around so I can watch, placing my plate on my lap. I’m so caught up in the show, which is amazing, that I don’t notice my piece of cake is gone until it’s over.

  “What the hell?”

  “Is something wrong, Miles?”

  “You seriously ate my cake while I was watching the show, Xandy?”

  “It was good.”

  I wave down the server and ask him for another piece. He looks a little scared of me as he heads back to the kitchen to get it.

  “You’re so lucky I love you.”

  “I know, Miles. Really, I do.” She looks down then.

  “What?”

  “Huh?”

  “You want to ask me something. What is it?”

  “I was just wondering if I could…umm…hold your hand.”

  “You don’t have to ask,” I tell her as I hold it out to her.

  “I wasn’t sure.”

  “We’ll talk about this when we get back to the room, okay?”

  “We’re talking?”

  I lean in close because I don’t want anyone to hear. Ryan may like me, but he would probably still kill me if he heard what I’m about to say. “Don’t worry. That greedy pussy of yours will get the two orgasms I owe you. But we do need to talk, too.”

  “My pussy’s not greedy. It just likes you.”

  “It is, and what do you mean ‘likes’ me?”

  “Loves. It loves you.”

  “That’s better. I love it, too.”

  My cake arrives, and I eat it quickly, pushing her hand away when she tries to eat this piece, too. I look up and meet her grandmother’s eyes. Maggie smiles at me, and I smile back. I’ve always liked her. Even though she knows my secret. I trust her to keep it from everyone. Especially Alex.

  We hang out a little longer, and then everyone splits up. Alex and I are going to watch Fantasmic with Landon while Zane and Quinn have a little alone time. We need our own alone time, but I should still have enough time to fulfill my birthday duties. She didn’t open her last present yet. She said she wanted to wait until we were alone.

  She catches me staring when we’re in New Orleans Square and asks me what I’m looking at. “There’s a suite up there. I wanted to book it so bad for tonight, but you can only win it. Even for a million dollars they wouldn’t give it to me.”

  “You were going to pay a million dollars for a suite?”

  “You always dreamed of staying in one of the parks.”

  “You remembered? Of course you did. You remember everything. I like it.”

  “I’m glad.”

  “Ugh. You two are worse than my parents,” Landon says with a groan.

  I laugh as I ruffle his hair and lean down to whisper in his ear. “Sorry, Land.”

  “You’re not mad at Alex anymore, really?”

  “Really. I love her very much, and I know she’s sorry.”

  “Okay. So I can like her again?”

  “I hope you’ll like her forever, buddy. Even if she wasn’t my girlfriend, she’s a great person.”

  “She’s really pretty, too.”

  “Yes, she is. But you need to find a girl your own age and stop looking at mine.”

  “Is she really going to come to our games?”

  “She said she would, and she usually does what she says.”

  “Are you two talking about me over there?”

  “Maybe.”

  “It’s not nice to exclude the pretty girl.”

  I burst out laughing. “You’re so cute, baby.”

  “You two are going to kiss again, aren’t you?”

  “Yep. You should probably look away,” I tell him as I pull Alex into my arms.

  * * *

  Alex

  I’m feeling awkward when we get back to our room after dropping Landon off. I don’t know how to behave. I can’t believe I did that to Miles. My uncle was right. I acted like a spoiled little girl. I’d stupidly blurted out that remark about someone else before we left the hotel—which I immediately regretted—and then he wouldn’t even look at me. I wanted him to pay attention to me, but I took it too far. Especially when he put that Tiffany box next to my plate. I don’t deserve him, and I definitely don’t deserve those last two orgasms. But I want him and those. I don’t know what to do.

  I’m so lost in my thoughts that I don’t notice we’re inside. I’ve just been standing in the middle of the living room looking like an idiot. When it registers, I look for Miles. He’s sitting on the couch smiling at me.

  “Wow. I totally zoned out. I’m sorry.”

  “It’s fine. I was hoping you’d work out what was bothering you and come sit with me.”

  “I don’t deserve any more orgasms, and I definitely don’t deserve you,” I blurt out before I can stop myself.

  “Come sit down, baby.”

  I chew on my lip for a few seconds then do as he asks. I sit at the edge of the couch, as far away from him as possible.

  “Are you scared of me, Xandy?”

  “What? No. Of course not. You’d never hurt me.”

  “Then why are you sitting away from me?”

  “If I sit closer, I may jump you.”

  He laughs, and I see his beautiful eyes twinkling. “After we talk, you definitely need to move closer. I would really like to be jumped by you. For now, I’ll settle for your hand.”

  He holds his out in between us, and I place mine on top. He laces our fingers together and gives my hand a reassuring squeeze.

  “I just wanted you to pay attention to me, Miles. I swear I wasn’t going to do
anything with that guy.”

  “I wasn’t ignoring you. I was giving you the freedom to make your choice. I’ll always give you that. I never want you to feel like you have to be with me, Alex. I want to be the one you choose.”

  “I’ll always choose you. Always. I can’t believe I made you doubt that. All because you got a little jealous. God, I’m an idiot.”

  “You’re actually very smart, but you did act like an idiot tonight.”

  “Were you really going to get drunk and laid?”

  “Drunk, yes. Laid? Maybe. It’s what I know. Even though I don’t want anyone but you, it’s the way I’ve coped in the past. When things got to be too much, I just fucked some random chick.”

  “Please don’t. I’ll try not to make you mad. You can fuck me whenever you want.”

  “We make love. It’s not ‘fucking.’ At least not to me. I wasn’t breaking up with you because I was mad at you. Do you still not understand? You nearly broke me in there. Seeing you have so little regard for me, it just…I can’t even explain how bad that made me feel.”

  I need to tell him. I don’t want to cause us anymore conflict, but I have to be honest, too. “I understand. That’s how I felt the first day you saw me at work.”

  “Shit. I’m sorry. I was so shocked to see you there. I behaved really badly.”

  “Yes, you did. I don’t want to say we’re even, because that’s not what tonight was about. I wasn’t trying to get back at you. Can we just put both of those things aside and move on?”

  “Yes, wise one, we can.” He leans towards me, and I meet him in the middle. We share a sweet kiss, and then he pulls back. “Now, how do you want your last two?”

  “I only get two more tonight?”

  “I don’t know if I can manage more than that before midnight.”

  “Oh, I think you can. But I’ll settle for my two as long as we don’t stop at midnight.”

  “What were you saying about your pussy not being greedy?”

  “And you cock’s not?”

  “Oh, it is. It would be inside you 24/7 if we let it.”

  “We’re going to have to go away somewhere and let it. I could almost come right now just thinking about it.”

  “My girl’s a little horny. I like it.”

  “I’m extremely horny. And I want it against the wall, King.”