“That’s wonderful. I’ll have to check them out the next time I’m in town.”
Griffin shot Felicia a look that had her eyes widening slightly in response. Their exchange must’ve made Chef Morris uncomfortable because he quickly waved the waiter forward and a plate with multiple types of hors d’oeuvres was placed before them. “For your first course, we have a few of my favorite things for you to sample—Oysters Rockefeller, grilled bacon wrapped around jalapeño-and-cheese-stuffed shrimp and seared steak in lettuce cups.”
“They look and smell delicious,” Felicia said, using her hand to wave the scents forward. “They’re all my favorite things, too.”
“Enjoy,” Chef Morris said before leaving.
Felicia took a sip of her wine. “About the custody—”
Griffin took his seat. “How about we save that conversation for a little later? Instead I’d like to hear more about you.” He reached for a small plate and handed it to Felicia.
Felicia accepted the plate and started selecting her appetizers. “All right, what do you want to know?”
“How about something easy? Tell me about your family’s business. I took your sister’s advice and I looked you up—your company, anyway.” Griffin smiled. “I knew you came from a successful family, Felicia, but I had no idea just how successful.”
“Obviously you know my family owns an international security systems and private investigation firm, Blake and Montgomery.” Felicia took a bite of her shrimp.
“Where did the Montgomery come from?” Griffin placed two of each item on his own plate.
“My father started the business with his best friend and Army Ranger buddy, Milton Montgomery, my brother-in-law Meeks’s father, and they just decided to name the business after themselves.” She smiled.
Griffin nodded as he finished chewing his food. “Your dad was an Army Ranger? Now, that’s impressive.”
“According to our mother, Dad was something else back in the day, in a good way. I used to love hearing his war stories being told by his army buddies.”
“He let you hear them?” he asked, frowning.
“Of course not. We eavesdropped. Farrah’s idea, of course.”
Griffin laughed. “Why doesn’t that surprise me? What happened to Meeks’s father? There wasn’t much about him online.”
“It was a long time ago but his dad was hit by a car crossing the street. Such a senseless accident,” she explained, lowering her head. Felicia sighed.
“I’m sorry to hear that. It must be hard losing a parent in such a way,” Griffin said.
“It was. In fact, it was hard on everyone, especially my dad. The Blake and Montgomery clans had always been close...like family.”
“Hence his and your sister Francine’s marriage,” he suggested.
Felicia nodded. “But that was years in the making.”
“Really? Tell me about it.” Griffin took another bite of his food.
“You really want to know this?”
“We’re getting to know each other, remember.” Griffin reached for his wine and took a drink.
“Excuse the intrusion, but if you’re ready, we can remove these dishes. I have your soup and salad,” the waiter said, another, smaller gentleman at his side.
Griffin gestured with his hand for Felicia to provide the response. “Sure, thank you.”
The other man cleared their used dishes so bowls of potato soup and Spanish salad could be placed in front of them. Once their water and wineglasses had been topped off, both men retreated.
“I don’t know if I’ll have room for the main course after this,” Felicia admitted.
“You’ll still have to leave room for dessert.”
“There’s always room for dessert,” she said before tasting her soup. “Um...this is fantastic.”
“Yes, it is,” he said, lowering his spoon. “So, Meeks and Francine...”
“I think they had been in love with each other for years. I know for a fact that Meeks has always had a thing for my sister. As a matter of fact, besides our parents, he was the only one who could tell us apart.” Felicia took another spoonful of her soup.
“I can tell you apart from Farrah,” he proudly proclaimed.
“Yes, you can,” she replied.
Griffin figured Felicia would be close to her sisters, but to hear her speak so lovingly about her whole family and even her extended relatives just confirmed what he’d always known and debunked his mother’s assumptions; in fact, family would always come first with Felicia.
“As kids, it was much harder, since we all had the same eye color.”
“Green, right?”
“Yes.”
“At what age did it change? Your eyes, I mean.” Griffin wondered at the idea.
“It started when we turned thirteen, when we hit puberty. Francine’s eyes stayed green, Farrah’s blue and mine—” she blinked several times “—are—”
“Beautiful...hazel with green specks.”
Felicia smiled. “Anyway, Meeks never acted on his feelings for Francine. They danced around their feeling and drove each other, and the rest of us, crazy with their disagreements about everything, especially the business. Instead of dealing with his feelings, Meeks just became this overprotective guardian that he thought Francine needed. It got worse when she joined the company. Then she got hurt—”
“Hurt?”
“She was shot while working. While it wasn’t life-threatening, to Meeks it was. It sent him into a tailspin.”
“Apparently they worked it out. They’re married and she’s expecting...twins, right? I read an article online speculating about it,” he said.
“It wasn’t easy, and they had a few hurdles to get over, but, yes, they did and they are.” A proud smile spread across Felicia’s face.
This woman is amazing, beautiful inside and out. I couldn’t ask for a better mother for my daughter...or woman for myself.
“Ready for the main course?” Chef Morris asked as he approached their table. He presented them each with a large, square plate with a medium-rare, butterfly piece of steak topped with a shrimp and crabmeat dressing, on a bed of pasta.
“Wow, that looks beautiful and smells wonderful.” Felicia complimented him.
“Thank you. Ring this—” Morris pulled a small brass bell from his pocket and placed it on the table “—when you’re ready for dessert. No one will disturb you until we hear the bell. I guess I’ll leave you two to it.” The chef and his waiter disappeared in the direction from which they’d come.
“Bon appétit,” Griffin said before digging into his meal.
* * *
Felicia took a bite of her food. The steak, with a bit of dressing and pasta, just seemed to melt in her mouth. She closed her eyes and moaned as she enjoyed the perfectly cooked meat bursting with flavor. The one thing Felicia had always enjoyed about her many travels was the delicious delicacies she got to experience. She was a self-proclaimed foodie.
Felicia slowly opened her eyes to find Griffin staring at her, specifically her mouth. “Sorry. I’ve got a thing for good food,” she explained as she took another bite.
“I think I have a thing for watching you enjoy it.” His voice had taken on a husky tone.
Their eyes collided. Griffin put down his fork, pushed back his chair and stood. Felicia’s gaze followed his every movement. He came to stand next to her. “Put your fork down,” he ordered. Felicia complied, trembling slightly with anticipation.
Griffin pulled back her chair, took Felicia’s hand and drew her in his arms. The sudden movement made her grip his broad shoulders as she raised her head slightly to maintain eye contact.
“You are simply breathtaking and I can’t wait a second longer to do this.”
Griffin leaned forward slowly, keeping hi
s eyes on Felicia’s as he ran his tongue across her lips before capturing them in a passionate kiss.
The kiss whipped Felicia’s body into a raging, out-of-control inferno, an overwhelmingly unique experience for her. Her arms made their way around his neck and she pressed against him. Felicia’s body was demanding something she had been denying herself for years, and while she knew they had a lot to discuss, the only talking she wanted to do was with their bodies. And, evidently, he felt the same way.
Felicia could feel Griffin’s desire as her hips swayed against him. Griffin’s hold had tightened and his right hand gripped her butt; it was a sensual dance that continued as he kissed and sucked her lips and neck. Felicia was so lost in this new experience that she’d forgotten they were in public, and so had the fiercely private Griffin. The sound of breaking glass managed to penetrate the haze of desire they’d been trapped in. They both turned toward the sound.
“Kathy,” Griffin acknowledged, stepping in front of Felicia. “I thought you left.”
Kathy’s eyes zeroed in on Griffin’s pants before returning to his face. “And I thought you had more class,” she grumbled, bending to pick up the tray and the shards of glass.
“Let me help you,” Griffin offered.
“No, I got it. I’m sure you want to get back to your groping—I mean food.” Kathy picked up all the broken pieces of glass and the tray and quickly left.
Felicia knew she should be embarrassed by her wanton behavior, but she wasn’t. However, she thought she should apologize, because she had no idea what had come over her.
“Sorry about—”
“I’m sorry—”
They both smiled. It appeared apologizing was just one more thing they wanted to do together.
Chapter 17
Griffin was hard as granite while he sat and tried to enjoy the rest of their meal. His desire for Felicia was stronger than he’d allowed himself to remember. They chose not to discuss their less-than-stellar behavior or Kathy’s response to it. Instead they tried their hand at small talk, mostly about their work.
Chef Morris emerged from the kitchen with a single, square plate with several desserts from which to choose. Griffin passed while Felicia selected the red-velvet cheesecake. Griffin watched in awe as she consumed her dessert with the same sense of satisfaction as with her meal. Felicia licking frosting from her fork was a move that only escalated Griffin’s desire for her.
“Are we really going to sit here and pretend what happened didn’t happen?” Griffin asked.
Felicia placed her fork across the top of her plate. “I guess not.”
“I want to apologize. I let my suppressed attraction for you—”
“Your what?” she inquired, slanting her head slightly.
Felicia’s confused expression made Griffin smile. “Come on, you had to know that I had the biggest crush on you in school.”
“And exactly how would I know that?” A line appeared between her brows. “You treated me like a colleague...just another student, or worse, a sister. You never showed any romantic interest toward me.”
“I guess my courtship was a little subtle,” he conceded, scratching his chin.
“Subtle,” she scoffed. “How about nonexistent?”
“So the back and foot rubs I gave you quite often or playing with your hair weren’t clues? I had to find ways to touch you,” he confessed.
“You gave all the women in our group back and foot rubs, usually to keep us awake and going so we could finish our projects,” Felicia countered.
“Well, I know I didn’t play with anyone else’s hair. And I didn’t run the back of my hand down anyone’s face as they began to fall asleep on a table in the library,” Griffin reminded Felicia, reaching across the table, taking her hand in his and intertwining their fingers. The warmth that spread through his body was a sweet reminder of the feelings this woman could easily invoke in him. Their eyes met. “You do remember that, don’t you? Or was I in that moment alone, too?”
“I think we need to talk about Alyia,” she whispered, sighing as she pulled her hand free. “That is why we’re here.”
Griffin sat back in his chair and pushed out a quick breath. “Sure. When you and your sister found me at the event, you said you needed something from me. What was that exactly?” he asked, sliding the napkin from his lap onto his empty plate.
“Your medical history and something I wouldn’t consider asking you for now,” Felicia said, holding his gaze.
“Let me guess.” Griffin folded his large arms across his chest. “You didn’t want me to challenge you for custody of Alyia. You simply wanted me to walk away. You know that’s not going to happen, right?”
“I wouldn’t ask at this point.”
“Why would you ask at any point?” he challenged. “Do I seem like the kind of man that would walk away from his own flesh and blood? Would you?”
Felicia raised her chin and matched his move. “Of course not. I’m her mother now.”
Griffin leaned forward slightly. “And I’m her father.”
Felicia’s shoulders dropped and she released a deep sigh. “Look, Griffin, I apologize for making assumptions about you. The same assumption Valerie made about us.”
Griffin nodded.
“I just didn’t know what to expect, or do, for that matter.”
A slow smile spread across Griffin’s face. “Good thing I do.”
* * *
Felicia reached for her water and took several sips, trying to calm herself; Griffin’s mischievous smile was sending lightning bolts to areas of her body that had been dormant for a while. “What might that be?” she asked, sitting back in her chair.
“We get married.”
Felicia roared with laughter to the point that tears formed then streaked down her face. When Griffin didn’t follow suit, the laughter trickled to a halt. Her eyes scanned his face, looking for signs that he’d been joking. When she saw none, she gave her head a small shake. Felicia thought she had to have misheard him. “Excuse me?”
Griffin leaned forward and took Felicia’s left hand in his. “You heard me. I think we should get married.”
“That’s what I thought you said,” a wide-eyed Felicia replied. “Why?”
“To give Alyia the family she deserves.”
Felicia pulled her hand free, pushed back her chair and stood. “We don’t have to get married for that,” she said before making her way over to the window. She stared out at the city skyline, covered with stars, trying to bring herself under control. She needed space; she couldn’t think with Griffin holding her hand and looking at her as though she was another helping of that delicious meal they’d consumed earlier.
Griffin came up behind Felicia. He wasn’t touching her but he was close enough that she could feel the heat radiating from his body. Felicia resisted the urge to lean back into him. “Felicia, people get married for all kinds of reasons. I can’t see any better reason than wanting to raise our daughter...together, in a proper home.”
Felicia turned and looked up at him. “Griffin we can raise our daughter, together, without getting married. We barely know each other.”
“That’s not true—”
“No, we knew the people we used to be...the students,” she said, walking around him and exploring the room.
Griffin watched her make tracks. “I followed your career for years, as I suspect you followed mine.”
“That’s professional curiosity,” she said, stopping her stride. Felicia tapped her fingers on their table. “That has nothing to do with making a lifelong commitment.”
“Bull.” Griffin walked slowly toward her, saying, “There’s always been something between us. We just weren’t in the position to do anything about it.”
“Physical attraction isn’t reason
enough to get married, either.”
Griffin smirked. “For some, it’s the only reason.”
“Well, we’re not those kinds of people.” Felicia picked up her water glass and took several sips. “Be serious about this—”
“I am. We have a lot in common and we’re attracted to each other. I think that’s a great place to start.”
“What about...love?” she asked, biting her bottom lip and looking up into his eyes. “Don’t you want a real marriage?”
Griffin ran the index finger of his right hand slowly across Felicia’s lips, releasing them from their ivory prison, and she trembled. “Oh, this will be a real marriage. That I can promise you.”
“There’s more to marriage than having a consistent source for sex,” she shot back. “It’s much more than that. It’s what my sisters have...my parents, and I’m not going to sell myself short for anything less.”
“I understand how you feel—”
“Do you?” Her brows snapped together. “My African-American and Hispanic father grew up in Spanish Harlem, while my Irish-American mother grew up in Manhattan. Talk about being from different worlds, yet my mother said she took one look at my father and knew she’d love him for the rest of her life.”
“Wow, how did they meet?”
“Mom was out with friends at a club in Harlem. She said he stood out.” Felicia laughed. “She may have known that Dad was The One, but what she didn’t count on was him giving her three babies at once—girls at that, too.”
“Do you think your dad was ever disappointed about not having sons?”
Felicia shook her head. “Not at all. Dad taught us everything he would a boy.”
Griffin tilted his head slightly. “Such as?”
“How to fight, the proper way to use weapons and the ins and outs of his favorite sports—football and basketball,” she said and smiled.
Griffin intertwined their hands. “That love you speak of...I’m sure it will come in time. In fact, I think it’s already starting to make an appearance. Wouldn’t you agree?”
Felicia felt her cheeks turn scarlet and she lowered her head slightly. “Yes, but what about Jia? You were just planning to propose to her.”
Tempting the Heiress Page 11
