GRIFFIN

“W

 

hat’s funny?” I asked.

Winn had been holding back giggles since we’d left the

grocery store. “Nothing.”

The twitch at the corner of her mouth said otherwise. “Baby. Spill it.” “I’ve just never ridden in your truck.”

“Okay,” I drawled, pulling to a stop in front of my house. “Why’s that funny?”

“Because it’s filthy.” Her pretty laugh broke free. “You are the neatest, tidiest man I’ve ever met. If I leave a crumb on the counter, you sweep it up. I’ve never seen your hampers overflowing with dirty clothes. When you shave, there’s not a whisker you don’t rinse down the drain. But this truck . . .”

I shrugged. “It’s a ranch truck.”

Keeping it clean was practically impossible. Working in the dirt all day meant I’d inevitably bring it in on my boots. The same was true with straw and hay. And most of the time, I preferred rolling the windows down to using the air conditioner, so dust was a given.

“I like that it’s messy.” She unbuckled her seat belt and leaned across the console, kissing the underside of my jaw. “It makes you real.”

“I’m as real as it gets for you, Winslow.” I tucked a lock of hair behind her ear.

Her dark blue eyes softened and she leaned her cheek into my palm.

Neither of us moved. We just sat there, touching, our eyes locked as we soaked in the quiet moment.

Still moments had been scarce these past two weeks.

The topic of Briggs had mostly been avoided in that time. It was a raw subject, for us both.

Winn had done what she’d needed to do. She’d been right to put me in my place. Mom and Dad had both taken her side too. Yes, they’d called a lawyer, but neither had faulted her for asking Briggs some questions.

Since then, she’d spent some time hiking around Indigo Ridge and the trails that led from the cliff to Briggs’s cabin. She’d asked me first, giving me the same respect she would have any other land owner. Otherwise, she’d gone about doing what she needed to do while I’d focused on the ranch.

We were in the thick of summer haying. The swathers and balers were running from sunup to sundown. The end of July was always a hectic time. We were constantly moving cattle herds from one pasture to the next to ensure the grass wasn’t overgrazed during these hot summer days. Weeds had to be sprayed. Equipment fixed. One of our tractors had broken down earlier this week, so I’d spent the better part of two days with our mechanic, both of us covered in grease, working to get it fixed.

By the time I made it home each night, I was dead on my feet.

Winn had been busy at the station and spending time with Covie. She’d leave each morning, and the daily worry about her would settle in as an underlying current to the day. The distraction of work helped, but I wouldn’t really breathe until she was here. Under my roof. In my bed.

I liked that my house was becoming her place. A few nights this week, she’d beat me home. I’d find her inside, shoes discarded by the door and wearing one of my T-shirts, her own uniform top usually on the floor beside

the hamper instead of inside it. One night she’d been on the porch, drinking a glass of wine.

Sooner rather than later, I wanted this to be her only sanctuary. Considering that the rest of her furniture had arrived at her house in town but she hadn’t unboxed it yet, I was taking it as a good sign.

“We’d better get these groceries inside,” she said. “Yeah.”

She leaned in for one more kiss, then climbed out.

I met her at the tailgate, popping it open. As she looped plastic bags over her forearms, I did the same before following her inside. Then we came out for the second load since my fridge and pantry had been nearly bare.

“What’s this?” she asked, picking up the old hubcap Mateo had found weeks ago.

“Trash. You know the place I bought by Indigo Ridge, across the road?” “Yeah.” She dragged her finger across the word Jeep, indented into the

metal.

“That guy had about a million old cars parked all over the place. Mateo found that along the road that leads to the ridge. I think I’ll be finding rusted parts here and there for the rest of my life.”

“Ah.” She tossed it deeper into the truck bed before grabbing the last bag.

We worked together in the kitchen to unload. It was simple. Boring and dull. But something about going to the grocery store together, pushing a cart up and down aisles, about moving in tandem through the kitchen, made me fall for her just a little bit more.

Maybe because it felt like this space had been waiting for her all along. “We bought all this food.” She stood at the open refrigerator. “And I

have no idea what I feel like eating for dinner.”

I chuckled. “Steak and potatoes? I could grill.”

“Perfect. What can I do?” “Kiss the cook.”

She shut the fridge and walked over to where I stood against the counter, fitting herself against my chest. Her hands snaked around my waist, dipping beneath the hem of my shirt. The moment her palms flattened on the bare skin of my back, my mouth was on hers. Our tongues battled that delicious war.

Seconds away from tearing her shirt off, I froze when I heard the front door open.

“Griffin, if your dick is out, this is your five-second warning to put it away before the girls get here.” Knox’s voice carried down the hallway.

I tore my mouth away from Winn’s, wiping it dry. “Go away.”

He ignored me, emerging from the entryway. When he strode into the kitchen, it was for Winn. “Hi, I’m Knox.”

Winn cleared her throat and stepped away, no longer shielding the bulge behind my zipper. “Hi. I’m Winslow.”

“Nice to meet you.” He shook her hand, then shot me a look. “Finally.” The dinner date I’d promised her at the restaurant hadn’t happened.

Partly because we’d been busy. Partly because we both seemed content to lock ourselves away together.

“The girls are bringing dinner.” Knox went to the fridge and pulled out one of my beers. “And I’m taking the rare evening not to be in charge of a meal.”

“Wait.” I held up a finger. “What dinner?”

“Mom said you were home and that she saw Winslow’s car here. So we’re invading.” He turned to Winn. “Making sure you know there’s no hard feelings about the Briggs thing and that the only one to get riled up about it was you.”

Winn’s frame relaxed. “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome.” Knox winked at her.

I sighed, grateful for the show of support even if I wasn’t overly excited about a full house. “So everyone’s coming here?”

Knox shook his head. “Mom and Dad already had plans.” “What if we had plans?”

“Did you?” Knox asked Winn.

“No.” She laughed. “Just dinner.”

“See?” He tipped his beer to me, then after a drink, went back to the fridge to get me one. “Drink this and relax. Be grateful we’ve given you two this long.”

I took the bottle, twisted off the top and offered it to Winn. “You might need this.”

“The girls are bringing sangria,” Knox said. “Oh, I’ll wait for that.” Winn waved off my beer.

“But . . .” Knox raised his eyebrows. “Eloise made the sangria.”

I cringed. “Baby, you’d better stick with beer. Or I’ll open a bottle of wine for you.”

“What’s wrong with Eloise’s sangria?” she asked.

“Mom likes to joke that she gifted us kids her cooking talent, except because she gave so much to Knox and Lyla, by the time Eloise and Mateo were born, there was nothing left for them.”

“There’s a chance the sangria might kill you,” Knox said. Winn swiped the beer bottle from my hand.

I went to the fridge for my own. The moment the top was off, the front door opened again and the chatter of voices was like someone had found the house’s volume dial and cranked it to the max.

“Christ, they are loud,” Knox muttered.

“You don’t get to complain.” I shot him a glare. “This was your idea.” “Actually, it was mine.” Lyla waltzed into the kitchen with three plastic

containers, each a varying shade of green. “Hi, Winslow.”

“Hi, Lyla.” Winn waved, and I was glad she was taking it in stride.

Winn was going to be a part of my life—no ifs, just facts—and my family invaded. It was their nature. Hell, I invaded too. Though usually it was by stopping to see them at work instead of showing up on their front doorstep.

Talia and Eloise came in next, the former carrying a platter of preformed burger patties and the latter with a pitcher of sangria.

“Hey, Winn.” Talia set the burgers down, then rounded the island to pull Winn into a hug. “How are you? How’s Covie?”

“I’m good. And he’s feeling great. Slightly annoyed at the amount of vegetables I’ve introduced to his life.”

“Good.” Talia let Winn go, making space for Eloise, who also gave her a hug.

“Hi, Winn.”

“Hi, Eloise. How’s your hotel?”

“Amazing.” My baby sister beamed. “Technically it’s Mom and Dad’s hotel but . . .”

“They’d be lost without you.” I moved closer to pull her into a sideways hug. “Hey, kid.”

Eloise’s blue eyes sparkled as she smiled up at me. “Hey, big brother.” “You doing okay?”

She nodded, relaxing into my side. “Just busy. You know how it is during the summers.”

The Eloise Inn was the heart of Quincy. And Eloise was the heart of the inn.

“Eloise is my favorite sibling,” I told Winn.

“Uh . . .” Winn’s eyes widened, looking to my other siblings. “Are you supposed to say that out loud?”

“We all have favorites.” Knox chuckled. “Lyla is mine.”

“Griff is mine,” Lyla said, popping the lid on one container, flooding the kitchen with a savory smell that made my stomach growl.

“You all have favorites. Really?” Winn laughed, then pointed between the twins. “And you two aren’t each other’s?”

“I love Lyla most because we shared a womb,” Talia said. “But my favorite is Matty.”

“Where is Mateo?” I asked, keeping one arm around Eloise while the other tipped the beer bottle to my lips.

On cue, the front door burst open. “Party’s here!”

“He was in charge of beer.” Knox came over and clapped a hand on my shoulder. “Hope the sheets in the guest bedrooms are clean.”

“Hell.” I tipped my face to the ceiling.

So not only were my siblings invading to have dinner, but they were also going to get drunk and sleep over.

Now it made sense why Mom and Dad had opted to skip. They probably suspected this dinner would get rowdy.

It did.

Eloise convinced everyone to try her sangria, promising that no one would die. There’d been a lot of grimaces but the pitcher was empty and my sisters were hammered.

“Let’s build a fire.” Talia shoved out of her seat on the deck that overlooked the backyard. She staggered the first few steps toward the staircase that led to the firepit.

“Yes!” Lyla cheered. “And do s’mores.”

“No.” I shook my head. “It’s too dry for a fire.”

“You’re no fun,” Eloise slurred from her chair beside mine. Her eyelids were barely open to slits. “Winn, your boyfriend is a bummer.”

She giggled from her seat on my lap. “He’s not so bad.”

“No offense, Winn,” Mateo said from his seat beside Eloise, “but your opinion doesn’t count. You’re the only one who will get to see Fun Griff tonight.”

“Eww.” Talia gagged.

“Too far, Mateo.” Lyla cringed.

Winn buried her face in my shoulder and laughed.

“Mateo, remember when Griff was the fun brother?” Eloise asked. “Griff was never fun.”

“Excuse me.” I leaned forward to shoot him a glare. “I bought you beer when you were underage.”

Mateo scoffed. “When I was twenty. Six days before I turned twenty- one. That’s not fun.”

Winn sat up straight. “Contributing to the delinquency of minors?” “Don’t listen.” I covered her ears with my palms. “You guys are fucking

killing me tonight.”

Knox walked out from the house with two fresh beers, handing one to me. “Sounds like you need this.”

“Thanks,” I muttered. “I’m going to start locking the goddamn door.” Winn snuggled deeper, kissing my cheek. “You’re having fun.”

“Yeah, I am.” I grinned, holding her close as she yawned.

The sun had set hours ago. The stars were putting on their nightly show, twinkling down from their throne in the midnight sky.

I was beat, and even though tomorrow—today—was Sunday, my task list was long. But I didn’t want to be anywhere else but in this chair with Winn on my lap, listening as my brothers and sisters razzed me ruthlessly.

“What else can we tell Winn?” Lyla asked.

“Nothing,” I grumbled. “You’ve done enough.”

Any embarrassing story from my life, they’d told it. Shitheads.

“What about that time he got caught freshman year with that girl under the bleachers at the football game?” Mateo asked.

“No, thanks.” Winn waved him off. “Let’s skip that one, please.” “That wasn’t me,” I said. “That was Knox.”

“And that was a fun night.” Knox laughed. “I lost my virginity that night.”

“Way too much information.” Eloise stood from her chair. “I need to go to bed.”

“I’ll help.” I nudged Winn, both of us standing to help, because Eloise looked like she was five seconds from passing out.

“Where’s everyone sleeping?” Mateo asked.

As they started debating who got which bedroom, I led Eloise inside with Winn following.

The entryway split my house in half with the kitchen at the back. In one half was the living room, the office and the master. In the other, three guest bedrooms and two bathrooms.

The architect I’d hired to design this place had made a joke once about the need for abundant bedrooms. We’d met in town to discuss blueprints, and during that lunch meeting, each one of my siblings and my parents had stopped over to offer their opinions.

For years, I’d lived in the loft apartment above the barn at Mom and Dad’s. It was where Mateo lived at the moment. But as I’d gotten older, it had been time to build my own house.

Knowing that this was my forever home, I’d spent the money. I’d given myself plenty of space, not just for the family I might have, but for the one I already did.

The first guest room had three twins, two bunked on top and one below beside a dresser. The walls were planked in a distressed barnwood, much like the siding that covered my actual barn. The gray and brown striations gave it enough character that I hadn’t needed to buy art.

I pulled back the blankets on a bottom bed, making space for Eloise to sink down.

“I’ll get her a glass of water.” Winn slipped out while I helped my sister take off her shoes.

“I love her, Griffin.” Eloise gave me a dreamy smile. “But when you marry her and have babies, don’t get rid of my bunk beds.”

“Okay.” I chuckled, tucking her in. Much like I’d tucked her in as a kid when I’d babysat for Mom and Dad to have a date night.

Winn returned with a glass of water. “Good night, Eloise.” “Night, Winn.”

I kissed my sister’s forehead, then eased out of the room, hitting the light.

“Come on, baby.” I took Winn’s hand and led her down the hallway, past the living room and kitchen to our side of the house.

The master bedroom’s vaulted ceilings were lined with thick, wooden beams like those in the living room. The fireplace in the corner of the bedroom had a floor-to-ceiling stone hearth. Large-paned doors opened to the farthest end of the deck—my other siblings were still talking and laughing outside.

The moment I closed the door behind us, Winn began undoing the buttons of the flannel she’d stolen from the walk-in closet earlier when she’d gotten cold outside.

“I’m beat,” she said. “I hope they don’t care that we disappeared.” “They won’t.” I took over for her, undoing the buttons. Then I eased the

shirt off her shoulders, letting it pool at her feet. “I forgot how this is.”

“What is?”

“Family gatherings.”

“You mean you forgot how loud and obnoxious they can be?” “And wonderful and entertaining.”

I put my hands in her hair, kneading her scalp. “Did you have these sort of nights with your parents?”

“We did.” She gave me a sad smile, her head lolling into my touch. “It was with their friends, since they didn’t have siblings, but as a kid, they’d host summer barbeques and everyone would laugh for hours and hours. Like tonight. This was fun. I needed it.”

“I’m glad.”

“Did you have fun?”

“I did. Though some of those stories weren’t exactly ones I wanted you to hear.”

She laughed. “You really streaked down Main Street with a gorilla mask over your head?”

“Yep,” I muttered.

Knox had told her all about how I’d lost a bet my senior year and the price was a naked sprint down Main. Thankfully, there’d been no stipulation that I had to keep my head exposed, so I’d borrowed the mask from a buddy’s Halloween costume stash.

“To this day, I don’t think Mom knows it was me.” “I want to be there the day she finds out.”

My heart swelled. “You will be.”

“Your family is incredible. You’re lucky to have them.” “I am.” I nodded.

It was too soon to declare they’d be hers too. That tonight, each of my siblings had found a quiet moment, like Eloise had before falling asleep, to tell me they loved Winn.

“They’ve claimed you now.”

She locked her eyes with mine. “Have they? And what about you?” “Oh, I claimed you a long time ago.” The night I’d met her at Willie’s. I

hadn’t realized it at the time, but from that night on, she’d been mine. “What are we doing, Griffin?”

“Thought it was sort of obvious.” Falling in love with her had been effortless.

“Yeah,” she whispered. “I guess it is.”

I opened my mouth to say the words but hesitated. Not tonight. Not with my brothers and sisters outside, their laughter bouncing off the walls. Not when I hadn’t taken her on a first date.

The words would come in time.

So I dropped my lips to hers, starting with a slow tangle. The heat built gradually but with intensity, like the sun on a clear July day.

With clothes stripped, with her bare skin against mine, we came together. One slick slide of my body into hers, and there was nothing to keep us apart.

We didn’t need the words. Her eyes locked with mine as her toes curled into my calves, as her body trembled beneath mine.

We didn’t need the words.

For tonight, living them was enough.