Fire Line (The Griffith Brothers, #3)

by Maggie C. Gates

“Do you know how much I’ve been fucking my hand, thinking about you?”

“Look at me.”

“I’m not opposed to waking this whole damn house up from the sound of me fucking you. But if you don’t want that to happen, you have to stay quiet.”

“Please.”

“That’s my girl.”

“Ride my hand. Give me a show.” “Give me your cock.”

“All in due time, trouble.”

“Want more?” I sank my teeth into his lower lip. “Yes.” “Good girl.” I giggled lazily. “I’m not.” He pecked my lips as he grabbed a condom. “We’ve all gotta have goals.”

“I’ll be gentle this time, but I still want you to hold on.” “You don’t have to be gentle with me. I like a good, hard fuck.” He chuckled. “I know you do.”

“But hard fucks are for when we’re on even ground. And I hope we get there. But for now—”

“—just let me hold you and say I’m sorry.”

million depraved desires raced through my mind. I wanted to wake her up with my mouth on her tits, my hand on her clit, and my name on her lips. There were worse ways to be woken from a deep sleep.

“I’m pretty sure you weren’t born with the hair of a movie villain who has a hundred Dalmatians, so I figured you’d want something that doesn’t fuck up your hair color if you came back here.”

“You and me, trouble. Peas in a pod.”

“What about now?” “I’m still up that creek, but I’m floating instead of flailing.”

“I’ll float with you.”

“You’re safe here. No one will touch you.” “And how do you know that?”

“Because they know you’re mine.”

“Because I stay up late and watch you.” He took my hand and laced our fingers, then pointed, trailing my finger along the glass pane. “I watch you get out of your car there and walk inside the restaurant. I watch you all night long when you stay overnight to keep the smoker going so I know you’re safe. I watch you walk from the restaurant to your car when you’re done for the night. You are my favorite view.”

“They remind me of you. Wildflowers grow where they want. Soil. Sand. Cracks in the sidewalk. Cities and open fields. They thrive in the worst conditions. And just when you think you’ve cut them down, they spring back up. They’re always the first thing to grow back after a wildfire as a reminder of hope and a little audacity.”

“I would stay,” I whispered. “But⁠—” “No buts. Just stay.” CJ rolled over, pinning me beneath him.

“What changed?”

“I started thinking about what I could gain instead of what I lost.”

“I thought I could dig a fire line to keep us from going up in flames, but I can’t.” His eyes bore into mine with undeniable heat. “I’d burn it all down for you.”

“I should have known the first night we met what lay beneath. Embers always hide under ash, but they’re still as hot as the flames.”

“Every time I’ve been in this pussy we’ve had to be quiet. I want to hear you, Lennon. I want to hear how badly you want me to fuck your cunt and fill you up. Scream for me, trouble. The stars will keep our little secret.”

“You sound so pretty when you scream for me.”

I ached for him. I craved him. I couldn’t breathe without him.

It was dirty and animalistic and primal and so, so depraved. And my God, I loved it.

There was a distinct difference in being loved and being love. One was received. I felt CJ’s love when he stood up for me. But him calling me “love” meant that he saw something in me that no one else ever had. He saw the ability for me to be love for others.

“I’ll take you out there anytime you want, as long as you stay.”

“You and me, trouble. Every night under the stars. I’ll build you a house with a glass roof so you never have to go far to find them.”

I had never cared about settling down because I hadn’t found someone like Lennon. Screw that. I just hadn’t found Lennon yet. And now that I had, I wasn’t letting her go. If she was running away, I’d pack a bag and follow her to the ends of the earth.

“Then what am I?”

“You’re mine. And that’s all that matters.”

“One of these days you’ll stop and realize that the only person who doesn’t love you is you. And when you have that realization, I hope it makes you want to stay where you’re celebrated.”

“Because I adore you.”

“I fell for you the moment you punched a guy in a bar and pushed me out of the way so you could get some ice. Because you’re tough, but you’re human. I like watching you kick ass. But more than that, I like it when you feel safe enough to be hurt around me.”

“I told you I play for keeps, trouble. And once upon a time, this was how a Griffith brother got his girl.”

His chest was my favorite place in the world.

“We dug the fire line, remember? That doesn’t mean the fire won’t happen. But it means that you don’t have to face it alone. I’m right here with you. I’m on your side.” “I knew this was too good to be true,”

“He got the saying wrong.”

“It’s not ‘blood is thicker than water.’ It’s ‘the blood of the covenant is thicker than the water of the womb.’”

“It’s not where you’re born or who you’re related to, Len. It’s who you choose.”

“And I choose you.”

“You’re supposed to be asleep.” “You think I slept at all?”

“Honey, I didn’t sleep a wink. I wanted to hold you. And when I felt you get up, I knew you needed your space. So, I watched out the window to make sure you were okay.”

“Wear flowers on your sleeve rather than your heart. You’ve bled enough, darling. Let yourself bloom.”

“You have a way with words, cowboy.”

“You make me feel delicate.” “Glass is always delicate, even if it’s ...