They nodded their understanding, and we left them to get Keg into the van.

What a way to end your year.

21

Sophia

“So you guys are dating now?” Tania asked me over coffee. I’d scored an early mark off work and she had the day off so we’d arranged to catch up before she headed out to a New Year’s Eve party tonight.

“I’m not sure what you’d call it, but it’s gone from him keeping his distance to all of a sudden being there for me. It feels like it could be dating.”

She laughed. “You need to clear that up with him, girlfriend, so you know where you stand. What do you want it to be?”

I smiled. “I want to get to know him, and spend time with him, and have lots of sex with him – and when I say lots, I mean lots, cause the man knows what he’s doing in that department – so yeah, I want it to be dating.”

“And you don’t want to share him?”

My heart screeched to an almost halt at the thought of sharing Griff. “Hell no, I don’t want to share him. Shit, do you think that’s what he wants?”

She shrugged. “You know men…they often want different things to what we want.”

The noise of the café swirled around me as I contemplated sharing Griff. I couldn’t do it. If that was what he was into, I would walk. It would be hard to do, now that my heart was sold on him, but sharing men didn’t work for me. Either the guy was all in or all out.

“I’m going to talk to him about this tonight. God, I hope it’s not the end of what could be something amazing.” And if it was, it would also be a crappy way to end the year.

My phone buzzed with a text.

Griff: What time will you be home?

Me: In about an hour.

Griff: I’ve gotta mow for Josie. I’ll do yours, too.

Me: So long as I can have front row seats.

Griff: You can regroup while you watch.

Oh, my.

The man has an amazing sense of humour.

Me: I’ve already regrouped. I’m all about the porn now.

Griff: Fuck, baby. I’ll see you later.

Tania watched me as I placed my phone on the table. “Going by the look on your face while you were texting with him – and I’m presuming it was him – you’re one hundred percent in, so I hope he comes through for you.” Her voice softened. “You deserve a good man after Tommy screwed you over. After you dedicated two years to that asshole, you deserve a fucking king.”

I really did.

I just hoped I’d found one, rather than another lying, cheating asshole.

* * *

Griff arrived at my place an hour and a half later, carrying a bag from the hardware store. He placed it on my kitchen counter, snaked his hand around my waist, and pulled me to him. Placing a kiss to my lips, he murmured, “Been a long fucking day and you’re a sight for sore eyes.”

I felt the same way, but at the same time, I was a little on edge after my conversation with Tania. Discussing my relationship with Griff was high on my priority list now, and while I wanted to think I was the only woman he said stuff like that to, I had to find a way to bring it up in conversation.

Eyeing the hardware bag, I asked, “What’s in the bag, handsome?”

“I noticed the tap in your bathroom is leaking so I picked up some washers, as well as a light bulb for the light in your hallway that blew last night. Wasn’t sure if you already had some, but I figured it wouldn’t hurt to grab more just in case.”

I stared at him.

Tears pricked my eyes and I felt so damn stupid for that, but I’d never – not once – dated a man who cared enough to do something like this. Blinking rapidly to try to get the tears under control made me feel even sillier, but it beat the alternative of turning into a blubbering mess in front of him.

He frowned as he watched me blinking. “Did I say something wrong, sweetheart?”

My emotions swelled and my breathing picked up as I fought the tears. And then, unable to keep the tears and the emotions in check, I lost my cool in front of Griff. Again.

“No, you didn’t say anything wrong, or do anything wrong…in fact, you did everything right, and I’m not used to having a man around who does everything right. Oh, God, but you’ll probably want me to share you, and I don’t want to share you. I’m not the kind of woman who can do that, Griff, so if that’s what you’re looking for, we’re going to have to call it quits now. And that would suck because for the first time in my life, I feel like I’ve met a man who has so much potential. I mean, you told me today you would do my mowing for goodness sake – my mowing, in this heat – no one has ever offered to do my mowing before. And now you’re picking stuff up from the hardware that even I didn’t know I needed.” I gulped a breath, and he took that opportunity to interrupt me.

“Number one - sharing is off the table. In fact, it was never even on the table to begin with. No fucking way am I sharing you. Number two – I’m sensing some confusion about what this is between us, so we need to clear that up, before we go any further. You’re mine now, Sophia. There will be no other men, and I will have no other women. I don’t work that way, and I sure as shit don’t date women who do.” His eyes didn’t let me go; it was as if they were claiming me just like he had. And his voice was all kinds of commanding. It slid right through me, wrapping itself around me and making me feel both safe and desired.

I nodded. “I’m good with that,” I said softly.