Oh, Griff.
“I was there when Sam was born. Sian suffered from terrible postpartum psychosis and I did all the heavy lifting with Sam, the midnight feedings and the diaper changes. I heard his first word, watched him take his first step. He’s Sian’s, but in some ways he’s also mine. He’ll always be a big part of my life.”
His love for his nephew radiated from every pore. Seeing his tenderness and unembarrassed adoration for Sam made Kinga fall in love with Griff a little more. If that was even possible.
“From that moment on, I resolved never to trust another person outside of my family and Stan and Ava,” Griff said, hoarse with emotion. “Then you came along...”
Kinga stood up slowly, feeling unsteady on her feet. “You trust me?”
Griff’s intense eyes didn’t leave hers as he slowly nodded. “Trust you implicitly, love you more.”
For a moment Kinga thought she’d heard him say he loved her.Wait!Did he say he loved her?
“What...what did you say?” she asked, her tone polite.
Griff scrubbed his hands over his face. “I’m in love with you. I know that’s not what you want to hear, but I didn’t want you to leave my life without you knowing how I feel.” He looked a little lost and confused. “I’ve never felt this way about anyone before, so, yeah, I thought you should know.”
Kinga plopped back down on the couch, her legs wobbly and her heart climbing up into her throat. She couldn’t believe what she was hearing, couldn’t fathom the idea that all her biggest wishes and dreams were within reach.
“Wow...um, that wasn’t what I expected,” Kinga managed to push the words out.
“I know. It wasn’t what I planned, either. I was going to do a comeback concert, release a new album, go on a tour. Maybe pick up a small film role to ease my way back into acting,” Griff explained. “Then you dropped into my life and all I can think about is putting my ring on your finger, keeping you in bed for a month, making babies with you.”
He looked uncertain and completely out of his depth. “I don’t suppose there’s a chance you might be interested in any of those?”
Feeling off-balance and knowing she couldn’t walk to him on sky-high heels without falling flat on her face, Kinga bent to the side and slowly removed one heel, then the other. Standing up, she carefully circumvented the coffee table, then the chair to stand in front of him. She placed her hands on his chest and, almost instantly, her wobbly world steadied. She felt strength, and love, and happiness flow through her. From him to her and back again.
“No, I wouldn’t be interested in one of those,” she slowly told him, lifting her mouth to his. She caught the flash of disappointment in his eyes and, not wanting to cause him a moment of pain, hastily added, “I’m interested in all of it.”
Shock flashed in Griff’s eyes. “What?”
Kinga’s laugh was a little tremulous. “You love me, right?”
“Right.” His emphatic nod accompanied the word.
“And I love you. You are my...well, you’re everything important. You are where I can lay down my insecurities and my fears, my flaws and my failures.” Kinga watched as his eyes softened with joy, felt his fingertips digging into her hips. A smile returned to his sexy mouth, and she continued, “You are good sex and quick quips, your arms are where I feel safest and your heart is as big as the sun.” The words fell from her lips, a jumble of the good and the glorious. “Oh, I’m making a mess of this! But believe me when I tell you that I love you. Deeply, madly...”
She pulled a face. “And deeply and madly is not what I do, generally.”
Griff’s hand on her back pulled her to him so that her breasts pushed into his chest and his erection lay hard against her stomach. “I’ve missed you so much, sweetheart.”
Kinga brushed her lips across his, her mouth curving into a smile. “I’ve missed you, too.” His thumb swiped her bottom lip and Kinga watched, mesmerized, as desire jumped in his eyes.
“What are you thinking, O’Hare?” she asked, as she slowly pulled his shirt out from the back of his pants.
He cupped her ass and squeezed. “That you are the best thing that ever happened to me, that I can’t wait for the rest of our lives and that your clothes would look much better on my bedroom floor.”
“Shall we test that theory?” Kinga asked him, her hand sliding up his spine.
“Oh, we very much shall...” Griff promised her, scooping her up and holding her against his chest. “But I warn you, it might take a lifetime of experimentation to reach a conclusion.”
Kinga sighed, kissed his neck and smiled. She loved and was in love...
Life didn’t get much better than this.