AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Maybe next time.”
I waved the bartender over to settle my bill. “I’ll walk you to your car.”
“You don’t have to do that.”
“I want to.”
I quickly paid and left the bartender a generous tip. Although he was still watching us suspiciously as if he thought I had ulterior motives for bringing Scottie here tonight. I held Scottie by the upper arm and guided him to the exit.
“Griff, you’re walking too fast.”
Scottie was huffing to catch up with my long strides. I slowed down my pace. “Sorry.”
“It’s okay. Most people forget I have short legs.”
I held the door open for him, and he slipped out ahead of me. He barely came up to my chest, and something about that made my breath hitch. The guy in the photograph he’d sent me was much taller and broadly built. The fun-sized boy in front of me wouldn’t have lasted a day in prison. He would have been passed around like the common cold.
My chest swelled with emotions—emotions that astonished, confused, and intrigued me. It might have been close to twenty years since I’d touched anyone, but I still knew what desire was. I just never expected it to hit me like this.
Before prison, I’d only been with women, and while on the inside, I never took up the offers I got. I’d never even been tempted by an offered mouth, preferring to beat my dick alone.
“That’s my car.” Scottie pointed at a compact blue Honda Civic hatchback. It was the same car Jay had been driving this morning when they left the house.
When a car sped past us, I took his elbow and pulled him back. He stumbled against my chest, and I wrapped my other arm around his waist to steady him. He planted a fist against my chest, and time stood still. Neither of us moved, even after the car was long gone.
He tilted his head back—all the way back. I couldn’t see his eyes clearly behind his glasses, and I wanted to remove them. It felt like he was hiding from me behind them, but he’d hidden for so many years. Wasn’t it time he was truthful about himself? I wasn’t freaking out about this undeniable chemistry between us. Was it the years spent talking to him that had created a bond between us?
Whatever the hell it was, it was real, and I could be truthful to myself about that.
A snowflake fluttered onto his glasses, and he pulled back. I released him. Without a word, he scurried across the street. I followed at a more sedate pace just so I could take my fill of him.
Like a predator stalking his prey.
3
SCOTTIE
“Oh my god. Oh my god. Oh my god,” I whispered as I forced my hand into the pocket of my skinny jeans to grab my car key. Behind me, I could feel Griff’s presence, and I needed to get away before I made a bigger fool of myself than I already had.
What had possessed me to order scotch? Should have known he would see right through me. I was a capable, grown man. I had a decent job working at a bank. I contributed to utilities and groceries. Every year, I filed my and Jay’s taxes on time.
Why did Griff make me want to duck behind the nearest object and hide?
Get it together, Scottie.
“You need some help there?” Griff asked, way closer than I’d imagined.
“N-nope. I got it.” I hooked my finger into the key ring and yanked it out of my pocket. Yes! One triumph for the night. I wiggled it so he could see, and the keychain flew off my finger and hit the ground. “Oops.”
I bent to pick up the key. At the same time, so did he. Our heads collided like walnuts and a hammer. He didn’t even shift on his feet while I tumbled over. Griff caught me before I hit the ground, and as if I weighed nothing, he scooped up the key and me.
“You all right?” He set me on my feet and gripped my chin. His hand was icy, a good excuse for me to brush it away and duck my head. My cheeks burned, and I didn’t want him to see how red my face must have gotten.
“I’m fine.” I fixed my glasses and rubbed my forehead. Darn it, banging my head on his hurt. Why did he look like he hadn’t been affected at all?
“You don’t look so fine. Lemme see.” His hand returned to my chin, and I squirmed. “Stand still.”
“Ye-yes, sir.”
