“But let me ask you this: If they hadn’t pushed so much, would you have ever made a move?”

I drag my hand over my mouth. “Honestly? Probably not, and it would have been pure torture. I would have been a cranky, moody son of a bitch no one would want to be around.”

“So why deny yourself when you could have easily had me? Seriously, Griffin, if you’d asked me out on a date day one, I would have said yes so fast.”

I chew on my answer, trying not to let the black magic lurking in my past taint this perfect day. “I’m cautious. I lost my wife suddenly and can’t fathom something happening to you as well.” She rewards me with a soft cuddle, a reassuring squeeze, letting me know everything is going to be okay.

Nothing is going to happen. It can’t. Just like Rogan said a while back. I already lost a love. The curse fulfilled its promise. I can’t possibly still be cursed, right?

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

GRIFFIN

The Port Snow welcome sign comes into view, and as I pull onto Main Street, the nerves that have been simmering in my stomach reach a full boil.

When we left the campsite, there was one thing on my mind: making Ren mine.

It’s what she wants.

It’s what I want.

It’s fucking necessary at this point from all the pent-up sexual tension between us.

But I also want to make sure Ren is ready for this, that she still wants me as badly as she did when we were in the pond.

“Did you want me to drop you off at your place so you can get settled in? I can meet up with you later.”

She lifts her head from my shoulder, confusion in her brow. “Uh . . . is that what you want?”

No.

“I just want to make sure you’re not regretting anything.”

“Griffin. There is no way—”

I slam on my brakes and brace my arm over Ren to stop her from flying forward; Rogan is flagging me down on the side of the street. I roll down the passenger-side window just as he steps up to it.

“Dude, what the hell?”

“Mom and Dad need help at the shop. Someone called in sick, and they’re drowning. I have a meeting in ten minutes—think you can help them out?”

No.

No, I can’t fucking help them out. I’m supposed to take Ren back to her place and spend the rest of the goddamn day in bed with her, not working at the Lobster Landing.

“You know I wouldn’t ask if it wasn’t important,” Rogan says.

I groan and drag my hand over my face, relenting. “Fuck. Fine. Give me a few minutes to drop off Ren, and then I’ll be right there.”

“Thanks.” Rogan looks between the two of us, spots Ren’s hand on my thigh, and smiles. “Did something happen in the woods?”

“Fuck off.” I roll up the window and pull back onto the street, headed straight for our road, steam billowing out of me.

Of course the one time I come home early from a camping trip, my family needs me. We’re silent for a few moments, the drive short from Main Street, and when I pull up to Ren’s house, I let out a heavy sigh. “Fuck, I’m sorry, Ren.”

“It’s okay, Griffin. I totally understand.” She pats my leg, presses a chaste kiss to my cheek, and then hops out of my truck and goes to pull her duffel bag from the back.

I quickly exit the truck and help her, taking her bag in one hand and her hand in the other. I lead her down the pathway to her house and stop when we reach the front door. I set her bag on the ground and turn toward her, pulling her into my arms and resting my chin on the top of her head.

I let out a long sigh of disappointment.

“Fuck, I don’t want to leave.”

“I don’t want you to leave, either, but you know if you don’t go help your parents, you’re going to be worrying about them the whole time.”

“Why do you know me so well?”

“Because I pay attention.” She squeezes me tight and then stands on her toes to press a gentle kiss to my jaw. She releases me and holds out her hand. “Give me your phone.”

I quirk a brow at her.

She smiles. “So I can give you my number. I think it’s about time you have it, don’t you?”

“It is.” I reach into my back pocket, unlock my phone, and hand it to her.

She fiddles around with it and then holds the phone up and takes a selfie. She taps the screen a few more times and then hands it back to me. “There, now you have my number and a picture on my contact so you don’t forget what I look like.”

I let out a low chuckle. “Don’t think I’m going to forget what you look like, but thank you.”

“And I sent myself a text, so I have your number now.” She grins. “Now I can send you all types of naughty things.”

“Naughty things?”

She shrugs. “Who knows? I might send you a naked selfie.”

“Really?”

Immediately she shakes her head, the freaking tease. “No.” She laughs. “But that was fun to pretend, wasn’t it?”

“Not even in the slightest.”

Smiling, she rises up on her toes, her mouth meeting mine, and she gently kisses me before pulling away more quickly than I wanted. “Text me later, okay?”

I tip her chin up. “Text you later.”

“Oh, Griffin, thank you for coming in.” My mom pulls me into a hug, my body stiff—not in a good way—and irritation rolling off me. “When Reid checked in earlier to see how we were doing, I thought it was odd, but then he said you were coming home early and could help out.”

That motherfucker!

I should have fucking known.

And Rogan got roped into it as well?

Jen’s eyes meet mine from behind the counter, and she snorts. In front of a customer, she freaking snorts and then fixes her eyes on the person in front of her.

I am going to kill every single one of my siblings for this prank.

Straight-up murder.

“Reid just offered my help like that?” I ask through my teeth, my anger starting to take root.

My mom nods and waves at a customer before turning back to me. “Yes, said you had to head home to drop someone off. Told me you were going to check in anyway. Why, was that not the case?”

Do I tell her the truth? Do I get her hopes up and tell her that I was actually going to spend the rest of the day with Ren, a woman my mom has told me she likes, and not so subtly? Telling her would surely free me up for the afternoon, but she’d also freak out and want to know all the details. Plus, she’d be on her phone in minutes, spreading the word through the family that I’m seeing someone.

No, I’m not ready for that yet, not ready to get my family even more involved in my love life. Or to subject Ren to their crazy.

So instead, I just nod. “Yeah, I was going to drop by. Let me go to the back and look over some stuff, and then I’ll be out. Okay?”

“Sounds good. Thanks for coming in!” She pats my cheek. “Such a good boy.”

Yeah, always the good boy, the one helping out others, the one saving others, the dependable Griffin Knightly.

For once, it would have been nice to do something selfish, something for me.

Sighing, I walk to the kitchen and lean against the counter. I pull out my phone and see the text Ren sent for the first time, and I inwardly groan.

Ren: You have the sexiest biceps ever.

I scratch the back of my neck, wishing that instead of looking at the little selfie she took, I were staring into her deep-green eyes in person.

I send her a quick text back.

Griffin: You have the sexiest pair of tits ever.

I smile to myself and then pull up the group text I have with my siblings, the one we keep Mom and Dad out of—mainly to protect their peace of mind.

Griffin: You’re all a bunch of assholes. Just remember payback is a bitch. You won’t know when it’s coming, but when it does, you’re going to regret ever fucking with me.

The responses are instant, every single one of them besides Jen probably waiting to hear from me.

Rogan: It was Reid’s idea.

Brig: Totally Reid’s idea.

Reid: Way to stick together.

Rogan: You’re the one who sent us a cock blocker GIF. You knew your intentions.

Reid: And you’re the one who laughed and asked what you could do to help.

Brig: Can I add that I felt bad? The man needs sex.

Griffin: You’re all dead to me.

Rogan: They were snuggled up in the truck together. Her hand was on his thigh.

Reid: Oh shit! Thigh action!

Brig: So close to the penis! Did she touch it yet?

Reid: Yeah, did she touch it?

Rogan: ^^ Did she?

Griffin: Stop referring to my penis as “it.”

Reid: But did she?

Brig: You don’t have to give details, just an outline of what happened.

Griffin: Over my dead body.

Reid: I think that’s a yes, boys—and girl.

Rogan: Nah, I don’t think she touched it. Griff still had some tension in his shoulders when I saw them. If she touched it, he would have been a little looser.

Griffin: I was tense because you came running up to me needing my help when I had other plans.

Brig: What were those other plans again?

Reid: Boning?

Brig: Don’t fucking say boning. Be a gentleman for fuck’s sake. Were you going to make love?

Reid: They can’t make love unless they’re in love.

Rogan: ^^True.

Brig: Are you guys in love?

Rogan: Good question.

Reid: Excellent question. Are you?