“Don’t be silly.” He rubbed his face and returned back to his room to put the lamp down. “What do you need?”
I need you to like me for me, she thought, and was surprised at her own thoughts. “I was just, um, curious what you meant earlier.”
“What I meant earlier?”
“When you said I was impressive.”
His face flushed. That, combined with his messy hair, made him look adorably boyish despite the long, lean chest that was currently exposed to her view. “We can talk about it in the morning.”
“Oh.” She rocked on her feet, hating that he was dismissing her already. She felt like they were so close to some sort of breakthrough that if she didn’t say something now, the moment would be gone forever. But was she stupid to say it? Even as she stood before him looking like her normal self instead of the elegant woman she was earlier?
“Get some sleep,” he said in a gentle voice. “I’ll check your room for you if you like.”#p#分页标题#e#
“No, it’s okay,” she told him. “I just would like to talk right now.”
“About?”
She ignored that sharp, clipped word. “You and me.”
“What about us?”
Maylee gave him a straightforward look. “I want to know why you’re constantly trying to change me if you like me.”
He looked incredibly uncomfortable at that. “I’m not trying to change you.”
“You are.”
Griffin rubbed his face again. “It’s not that simple. These people live and breathe protocol. I just don’t want . . . I don’t want anyone to hurt your feelings by making you feel inadequate.”
“The only person who’s done that to me is you.”
He flinched and looked away.
“It’s true. Every time I let my guard down, you hurt me. And I . . . I like you. But I don’t know if I should.”
“I’m an idiot,” he declared harshly. “It was never my intention to hurt your feelings. Anything but that.”
“And do you like me?” It felt weird to throw it out there so boldly, but she did wonder if he didn’t know how to ask. She would simply have to do the asking. “For me?”
He was silent for so long that she thought she’d made a mistake in being so blunt. Her stomach churned nervously.
Then, he looked slowly up at her and reached out to finger a lock of her hair. It was damp, the corkscrew curl loose. As she watched, he wrapped it around his finger. “I missed seeing these tonight.”
“You did?” Her breath caught in her throat.
He nodded, seemingly fascinated by that curl between his fingers. “I kept thinking your hair looked messy and unkempt and wild, but I didn’t realize how much I liked that look on you until it was all smoothed out. You were beautiful but you weren’t . . . you.”
And that was what she wanted—no, needed—to hear.
Maylee stepped forward, moving toward him. She put a hand on the center of his chest, over his heart. He was incredibly warm. He didn’t move, but she felt him tense against her. “Can I sleep in your room tonight?” she whispered.
His gaze met hers, and she saw hope and passion there. His fingers lifted, traced the lines of her cheek. “Are you scared to sleep alone?”
“No. Can I sleep with you anyhow?”
He groaned and dragged her into his room.
Chapter Ten
Griffin’s warm hands took hers and he pulled her into his room. The lights were off, but from the light streaming in from her connected room, she could see a heavily rumpled bed. It was obvious that he wasn’t exactly sleeping soundly, either. Was he thinking about her, too? Unable to sleep because he had her on his mind? Or was that wishful thinking?
He released her hand and shut the door to her adjoining room.
It was pitch-dark.
“Should we get the emeralds?” she asked. “I feel strange leaving them in the other room without being nearby.”
“Fuck the emeralds.” His hands moved to her shoulders, and he gently steered her further into the room. “Come to bed.”
She giggled nervously. “You didn’t need much convincing, Mr. Griffin.”
“Please drop the ‘mister’, Maylee. And actually, you can just call me Griff, if you like. All of my intimates do.”
He was implying she was one of his intimates? A warm flush ran through her body at the thought, and her hands moved to cover his where they rested on her shoulders. “Griff, then.”
“That’s better,” he murmured.
“I didn’t bring pillows,” she said in a soft voice. “To put in between us.”