***
Shaking at the raw intensity rolling off him, Priscilla slowly stood, holding her hand out to him. He rose and took it. Facing him, she backed out of the closet and into the bedroom, drawing him with her to the bed. “I…want to make love to you. Can I?”
His gray eyes, dark and churning with emotions, held her stare. Griff didn’t answer. However, he released her hand to cup her face between his palms. She wrapped her arms around him. His kiss, sweet and tender, stole her breath away.
“I take that as a yes,” she murmured.
Griff’s silence didn’t scare her. It made her understand how overwhelmed he must feel, how vulnerable.
“I’ll protect you,” she promised, dropping a light kiss on his scar. “Your secret is safe with me.”
“I trust you,” he whispered, “with my heart.”
***
The next day, Priscilla still shook with the fierceness of his declaration. In his own way, Griffin had told her he loved her. She hugged the knowledge to her as she went through the housewares department of King’s, selecting accessories for his living room.
Several of the employees spotted her, waved, or the few brave ones came up to her.
“We heard. You and Griffin. My, what a shock,” the department manager, Ms. Shepard, said.
To me, too, she thought. “Thank you. I’ll let him know you’re pleased for us.” She deliberately evaded the underlying questions obviously on the tip of her tongue. How? When? Where? What the heck? Griff was rubbing off on her. In a good way.
A younger girl passed by, saying, “What a hottie.”
“Yes, he is.” This she could openly acknowledge.
“So, dear, do tell, how the King daughters all happened to snare a man in so short a time?” Ms. Shepard asked.
Alarm bells rang in her head. Heat crawled up her neck. “Just lucky, I guess.” She was proud of herself for not giving a smart aleck answer, but the temptation stayed with her, burning deep. “Haven’t you ever heard of love at first sight?”
The older woman’s face sagged as she blinked several times. “Is that what you told your mother? I can’t believe Mrs. King would buy that tall tale.”
Priscilla gulped hard. She hadn’t spoken to her mother, hadn’t heard a peep from her since the announcement days ago. That troubled her. Not because she longed to talk to her, but because when her mother stayed silent that meant she was cooking up a scheme. When would the ax fall this time? Her middle sank. Pasting on a smile, she said, “To know Griff is to love him.” She pointed to a bright green vase. “Do you have this in any other color?”
“Oh!” The woman jerked around to see. “Yes. We’re restocking now. It won’t be a moment.”
“Thank you. I’ll let Griff know how helpful you and your staff have been in assisting me with the remodel.”
Ms. Shepard placed a hand on Priscilla’s arm. “You know, dear, I didn’t mean anything by it. It’s just so sudden. You seem happy enough. Who am I to question it?” She flushed.
Feeling sorry for her, Priscilla said, “I know you and the other employees have always looked out for my sisters and me. We appreciate all you’ve done for us.”
The woman let out a pent-up breath. “Thank you. Griffin doesn’t have to know about our little talk, does he?”
“Not at all.”
“What don’t I need to know?” Griffin asked, walking up to them.
“Oh, my,” Ms. Shepard exclaimed, now losing all her coloring. “Congratulations, sir. You’ve got yourself a sweetheart here. What a delight.” To Priscilla, she said, “I’ll go check on the vases, dear.” She scurried away, mumbling under her breath.
“Griff,” Priscilla said in a soft, dreamy voice, staring into his gray eyes now filled with light. “I think you scare her.”
“I seem to scare most people.”
“Not me.”
His smile came easily, taking her breath away. “No, not my Pixie.”
Butterflies fluttered in her middle. “Are you flirting with me, McGruff?”
“I don’t flirt.”
“You could have fooled me.”
“Hungry?”
“For you.”
He sucked in a sharp breath. “Now tell me who’s flirting with who?” he muttered. “Lunch? I skipped dinner last night and barely had time for breakfast this morning.” His eyes burned with renewed desire.
Her body hummed in response. “We could get takeout and go back to the house. You know, I still have some things I could finish for the reveal…”
Griff checked his watch. “I only have an hour.”