Forever Loving You: A Grudging Hearts Novel Read online

  He cuts me off. “I asked for dinner. The rules haven’t changed.”

  There he goes.

  Back to being annoying.

  “I make the rules.”

  “I’ll let you think that if it makes you feel better.” He winks.

  Attraction and irritation coils in the air, growing by the second.

  How can he be so damn infuriating while making me all hot and bothered in the same breath?

  His eyes are soulful brown.

  Intense.

  He’s staring at me like he’s well aware of the conflict inside.

  Like he’s a detective and I’m the poor, trembling maid beneath the bright lights, my fingerprints all over the murder weapon.

  I’m so shaken I can’t even speak.

  There’s just something about this man that makes me want to take that leap. Something so damn compelling it feels unnatural to ignore it.

  Embers of a raging flame simmer in my chest.

  The fire’s already lit.

  One whisper of a breeze from Griffin and it will blaze out of control.

  I haven’t felt this way about someone for, geez, maybe not since high school.

  A time of rebellious, passionate love and very little thought to the consequences.

  A time of horrible mistakes.

  The scrape of chair legs careening against tiles jars me out of my thoughts. Griffin’s standing and looking down at me. A storm tangles every nerve in my body as I wait for him to speak.

  “I have to get back to work, but this was fun.”

  “The feeling isn’t mutual.”

  He chuckles. “You’re still a terrible liar.”

  My eyes widen.

  Freaking pompous, egotistical…

  I twist my body around, gripping the back of my chair as I glare at him, but Griffin pays me no mind.

  With a nod at Chandra behind the counter, he strides to the exits and breezes out the door.

  Almost immediately, Chandra vaults over the counter and skids into the chair across from me. “Girl,” her eyes gleam, “what is wrong with you? You better lock up that man before someone steals him away.”

  “He’s a heartbreak waiting to happen.”

  “He’s a stud who watches you like he wants to lick frosting from every inch of your body. Are you insane?”

  I clear my throat even as tingles ease through my core, reacting to the memory of him licking the frosting from his thumb.

  I scramble up.

  Grab my purse.

  “I’ve got an appointment.”

  “Think about it!” Chandra calls as I escape.

  The bells above the door chirp noisily in agreement.

  14 Griffin

  The next morning, I jog through the doors of Winthrop Corp and head straight to the elevators.

  Greetings shoot at me from left and right.

  “Morning, Griffin.”

  “Morning.”

  “Sup, Griffin.”

  “’Sup, man.”

  “Hey, Big Guy.” A woman winks.

  “Morning.” I smile politely but stay quiet. I don’t want to invite small talk by looking too eager for conversation.

  My phone buzzes, alerting me to a new message.

  I swipe it open.

  A text from Cobie pops up.

  COBIE: Almost there.

  A smile blooms on my lips despite my intention to stay cool.

  I’m looking forward to seeing her.

  Somehow, I’ll find a way for Cobie and Doc to get along.

  There’s no other option.

  I feel a touch on my arm.

  The woman who winked at me is standing close.

  Black waves frame her oval face. Brown eyes seize mine like a hunter on her prey.

  “Any plans for the weekend?” she asks with a flick of her hand and a flirtatious curl of her pink lips.

  “No.” I think of Cobie and smirk, “Not yet anyway.”

  She takes it the wrong way.

  I can tell immediately.

  Her eyes sparkle and she bumps her shoulder against my side. “We should meet up for drinks. A new place just opened downtown.”

  “Maybe.”

  The doors open.

  Bodies shuffle forward.

  My phone buzzes.

  COBIE: I’m outside.

  I gesture to the elevator and nod at the woman. “You should head on first.”

  “It looks a little too full.” She waves my suggestion away and faces me. “I’m Jenna, by the way.”

  I press my lips together.

  How do I dispose of this chick before Cobie gets here?

  “I’m new,” she adds. “I work on the second floor. Accounting. Exciting stuff, huh?”

  The elevator closes.

  “You’re… Griffin, right? To be honest, I saw you from my first day, but I was building up the courage to talk to you.”

  “Hm.”

  “I heard you don’t date anyone from work. Is that a hard and fast rule or would you be willing to break it for the right person?”

  I look over the girl’s head to the entrance.

  People are pouring through the doors, but I don’t spot Cobie.

  Yet.

  “Hello?” She waves a hand in front of my face. With a nervous chuckle, she asks, “Is something wrong?”

  “I’m supposed to meet a client.”

  “Oh.” Lips purse. “If you don’t mind, I’d like to get your number.” She tugs the strap of her purse down and starts fishing in her bag. “My cell phone’s around here somewhere.” Another chuckle. “Isn’t it weird how big these purses are nowadays? It’s like a freaking rabbit hole.”

  A glimpse across the room reveals a familiar face.

  Attention arrested, I move away from the girl with a mumbled, “It was nice meeting you, Lisa.”

  “It’s… Jenna,” she corrects, but I’m already gone.

  My gaze locks on Cobie, fastening in like the safety bar on a rollercoaster ride.

  She’s wearing a ruffled white blouse and another short skirt that draws the eye to her curvy legs.

  Thick curls bounce against her shoulders with every step.

  The clops of her tall, white heels fall against the marble.

  She’s stomping down a runway and it’s clear that the world will either step aside or get run over.

  A stir follows her path.

  Male gazes snag on her like a butterfly caught in a spider web.

  Hips gently swaying, she smiles at one particularly brave fool who calls out to her.

  My fingers fist.

  Then Cobie’s eyes flicker my way.

  Brown. Dark. Coffee without the cream and sugar.

  For a second, I lose my balance.

  My breath.

  My mind.

  Because just having Cobie’s attention feels like something from a dream, one I used to wake up from all the time.

  Her lips curl up.

  As if she knows.

  Sensing I’m about to make a fool of myself, I brush off the star-struck daze. Straighten my shoulders. Slant her the smile I’ve perfected from my short but fruitful years picking up women.

  We meet in the middle of the crowded lobby.

  “Thanks for squeezing me in,” I say with practiced ease.

  “I almost didn’t come.”

  I chuckle. “Then thank you for showing up anyway.” I step closer so we can hear each other over the thumping of shoes and the muttered conversation of passersby. “What changed your mind?”

  “Ms. Shirley.”

  My eyebrows crinkle. “What about her?”

  “She called this morning asking for you. Claims she’ll bring her entire Fifty Shades book club to get treatment from me if you’re there. I’m planning on leveraging this,” she holds up the contract, “for a few hours of your time.”

  “You could have a few hours of my time regardless.”

  Her gaze falls to my lips. “Are you that eager to have dinner wit
h me?”

  “Who said anything about dinner with you? I was talking about Ms. Shirley.”

  Cobie laughs.

  The sound is enthralling.

  Way too magical and vibrant for this cold, stark place.

  “Come on.” I plant one hand gently on her back and nudge her toward the elevator. “We’ve got a lot to cover today. Let’s head upstairs and talk with the team.”

  She lets out a shaky breath. “Sure.”

  I study her. Beneath her confidence, there’s a layer of trepidation and it rises with every passing breath. She worries her bottom lip, brown fingers crunching the worn envelope in her hands.

  I know it’s taken a lot out of her to come back.

  My heart tugs. “You’ll be fine.”

  “I know,” she says bravely. “There’s no storming away this time. I’m seeing it through. For Mom.”

  “Thank you for trusting me.”

  “Don’t let me down,” she says with a half-smile.

  Beneath her brevity, the statement rings deep.

  “I won’t.” I press the elevator button. Lowering my voice, I admit softly to her, “And for the record, I am eager to have dinner with you.”

  Cobie swings around and stares at me with brown eyes as wide as my fists. Surprise launches her mouth into a round ‘O’.

  I stare straight ahead.

  Fight back the smile glimmering on my lips.

  “You can’t just say things like that when we’re at work,” she hisses, looking scandalized.

  Adorable.

  Putting pressure on her back when the doors open, I nudge her forward.

  The elevator isn’t empty.

  I freeze when I see the woman who’d asked me out earlier standing there. She’s rocking back on her heels and staring idly at the floor.

  When the elevator bell rings, she glances up.

  Her eyes find mine.

  “Hi,” she says breathlessly.

  “Hi. Lisa, right?”

  “Jenna,” she stresses.

  “Are you getting off?”

  She remains still. “No, I actually came down to see you.”

  Cobie’s smile turns pained.

  I fight my own annoyance as we board the lift. “I don’t think we have anything to discuss.”

  “We do, but…” Her eyes roam over Cobie—past her hair to her clothes and down to her shoes. The elevator bucks as it rises. “I’d rather not share it in front of your client.”

  “It’s fine,” Cobie speaks up before I can. With an expression of pointed indifference, she says, “I’ll see myself to the office. You two can talk.”

  The doors open.

  Cobie takes a step forward, but I hook my fingers around her elbow and tug her back. “Wait for me.”

  “What are you doing? She says she needs to talk.”

  “It’s nothing important.”

  Jenna scoffs. “How can you say that when you don’t even know what it’s about?”

  “If it’s about drinks, then the answer is no,” I say bluntly.

  Under different circumstances I’d be more polite, but this woman’s crossed the boundary and I feel it’s within my right to be clear.

  Jenna leaps forward. Smacks the second-floor button. Her gaze trains on the side of the elevator as she hides her face. Red skitters up her cheeks. Tears glisten in her eyes.

  I feel bad, but what’s the alternative?

  Date her to spare her feelings?

  Entertain her while Cobie’s standing right there?

  Hell no.

  She’s a beautiful woman.

  I’m sure she’ll find someone who can appreciate her forwardness.

  I gesture to Cobie. “This way.”

  Instead of moving, she hisses at me. “A-hole.”

  My jaw drops.

  My hand falls, fingers rasping over brown skin until they hit nothing but air. With a whip of her curly head, Cobie jerks away and slips back into the elevator just before the doors close.

  15 Cobie

  I draw close to the distressed woman and offer her the pack of tissues I keep in my bag. “It’s Jenna, right?”

  “Yeah.” She wipes the tip of her delicate nose with her wrist. A strangled chuckle escapes her lips. “This is so embarrassing.”

  “Are you okay?”

  She accepts the tissues and dabs at her leaking eyes. “I’m fine. Honestly. These tears are from humiliation more than anything else.” She looks me over. “Thank you.”

  I shrug off her gratitude. “No problem.”

  The elevator stops.

  Jenna crumples the tissue in her fingers. “I appreciate this, but won’t Griffin be a little…? I mean, you’re his client and you just cussed at him.”

  “So what? We girls have to stick together.”

  She dimples prettily.

  I pat her shoulder. ”Don’t worry. I’ll scold him even more for being rude to you.”

  “You talk like you know him personally. Are you two…?”

  For a second, my breath catches.

  “… friends?”

  “Friends?” I cough. “Uh—not exactly.”

  To be honest, I don’t know what the hell we are. The attraction between Griffin and I is it’s own entity, existing in a realm that I can’t control even if I tried.

  Jenna stares at me expectantly.

  I shuffle back, my hand gripping the strap of my purse and squeezing tight. “Um…”

  “Jenna!”

  The shout rattles the cables tied to the elevator.

  Across the hall, a woman glares at us.

  Jenna grimaces. “That’s my supervisor. I’ve got to go.”

  “It was nice meeting you.” I wave.

  She jogs to her boss.

  The doors start to close.

  Suddenly, they whoosh open again.

  Jenna stands on the other side, panting. Her pretty brown eyes are still glassy, but there’s a smile on her lips and a bounce in her step.

  Within her pale hands, she clutches a business card. “This is my number.” She offers it to me. “Call me. Maybe we can hang out this weekend. If you’re interested in being friends.”

  I chuckle and accept it. “I’d like that.”

  “Great.” She backs off.

  The doors close and shuttle me back to Griffin’s level.

  I tap my foot on the elevator floor impatiently.

  Choice words swim in my head but, when the doors spread apart, I catch sight of Griffin and those words turn to stone.

  He’s leaning against the wall. Waiting.

  Despite my annoyance, my heart skips a beat.

  My eyes thirstily take him in, devouring the view.

  So handsome. So stupidly handsome.

  One leg is propped back on the wooden baseboard. His head rests on the wall, elongating his neck and drawing my salivating gaze to his rugged jaw. All angles. All chiseled. All beautiful.

  A manly hand slips into the front pocket of his trousers. It’s a pose I’ve only seen from models in magazines.

  Griffin pulls it off with swagger.

  Such a damn heartbreaker.

  The elevator bell rings, thrusting me straight into the line of his gaze.

  He scrambles up.

  My heart beats a jagged rhythm.

  Damn this blazing attraction.

  It’s getting in my way, dancing on my nerves, and turning me into a coward. I should be steaming with anger right now, but instead my temperature is climbing for another reason.

  No wonder good-looking people get away with murder.

  Griffin straightens to his full height as I stalk toward him, his brown eyes sober and intense. “Cobie…”

  “What?”

  “Nothing.” He shakes his head. “How was Jenna?”

  “Now you care?” I move ahead of him.

  “Don’t misunderstand. I wasn’t trying to be a jerk.”

  “Could’ve fooled me.”

  “Hold on.”

 
; “What?” I peer at him from the corner of my eyes.

  “Why are you jumping on her side?”

  I blink hard. “Are you defending yourself? Really? That’s the route you’re choosing?”

  “Women come on to me everyday. I was trying to be respectful of you.”

  “Respectful of—” I bark out a humorless laugh. “You were unnecessarily rude.”

  “Not intentionally.”

  “You think that makes it better?”

  “Even when I’m firm, people still cross the line. I’ve tried the soft route. It didn’t work.”

  “You poor little thing. Is being so handsome and having all that attention from women an inconvenience for you?

  The muscles in his jaw bunch. “You’re making fun of me.”

  “Of course I am! You’ve never experienced rejection before, so you wouldn’t understand the pain. But that girl put herself out there. She tried to go after something she wanted and the least you could have done was be kind.”

  “You think I’ve never been rejected before?”

  I scoff. “I bet you snap your fingers and girls fall at your feet. I bet you’ve never pined for someone. I bet you’ve never had a one-sided love break your heart. Tell me I’m wrong.”

  Before he can say a word, the elevator spits out a group of men.

  Their chatter fades and dwindles into silence when they see us standing tensely in the middle of the hallway.

  One of the suits moves forward and catches my eye. He’s not as tall as Griffin, but he’s just as solid. Dark chocolate skin and buttery brown eyes take us in. “Griff, everything good here?”

  “Yeah, man.” Griffin runs a hand through his hair and backs off.

  “Miss?”

  “Hi.” I whirl around and introduce myself, plastic smile in place. “I’m Cobie Simmons.”

  The man’s eyes light up with recognition. “Ms. Simmons. Wow. It’s an honor. I’m Todd Wiley from Marketing Team B. I was one of the first to vote for your conditioners. They’re amazing.”

  “I appreciate that, Todd.” I hold my hand out for a shake.

  He takes it gently, gaze softening. “Your picture didn’t do you justice. I didn’t realize how beautiful you are.”

  “That’s sweet of you to say.”

  Griffin glares our way. “What are you doing here, Todd?”

  “I ran into your team downstairs and wanted to sit in on the meeting. It is your first project, after all. You might need some help.”

  “When I need your help, I’ll call.”