Three Rivers (32 page)

Isn't this what I wanted? Then why does being with Curt make me feel like a part of me is missing? Why am I so miserable?

Her phone vibrated and she saw a text from David:
Be careful on your date. I still think it's a bad idea
.

She rolled her eyes. She knew she needed to get back to David. He'd been repeatedly trying to get in contact with her since they last spoke but her life had been so crazy since Griffen stepped into it that she hadn't been able to give David her usual amount of attention, beyond little updates, like telling him she was on this date.

She reminded herself that it was for the best that Griffen simply move on. The best thing she could do was try to make the most of this date and get back into her routine with her friends, David included. Even so, right now all the attention people put on one date mostly just annoyed her.

"A date?"
Carol had shrieked when Althea told her. She'd seemed beside herself.

Althea had debated keeping it from Carol, but then decided telling her about a guy she cared nothing about was a good baby step for the day.
"I've been on dates before, Carol."

"I know, but that was years ago. I thought it was a phase. Are you sure you want to do this?"

No, she had thought, but not for the reasons Carol assumed.

"I mean, you're Jack's wife. It's just doesn't seem right, don't you think? You didn't see me dating after his father died,"
Carol had added vehemently.
"Besides, having strange men around Johnny is pretty irresponsible. Does David know? He would agree,"
Carol insisted. "
He thinks you dating is a bad idea, too."

"It's not David's business, but yes, he agrees with you,"
Althea had said softly.

"He took Jack under his wing and has looked out for you and me like family. I'd say it's his business!"

"
Well, you and David can pull back on the family protectiveness. I don't even like this guy, Carol. It's more of a favor to Jenna. He's her friend."
That had seemed to appease Carol, but the excuses Althea gave made her baby steps seem pretty meaningless.

Now that she knew Carol's negative reaction to a date with someone that meant nothing to her she felt more sure keeping Griffen a secret and letting him go were wise choices.

So why do I feel so sad about him leaving?

She ordered herself to stop thinking about Griffen and refocused her ears on Curt.

"...I mean how are you even going to get something like that out of a shirt, right? Tea?"

"Hmm?" She cringed when she realized she'd been ignoring Curt for a solid few minutes. "I'm so sorry, I had a text. What did you ask?"

And at that, Curt started to drone on again and Althea used all her energy to try and pay attention.

Griffen suddenly understood what people meant when they said a person took their breath away, because when he finally saw Althea walk out of the restaurant he was pretty sure he would pass out from oxygen deprivation.

But then he caught sight of Curt's hand at the small of her back. The two were huddled under his umbrella and the closeness of their bodies shot an overwhelming wave of adrenaline through Griffen — making his fists clench and his heart race.

"Griffen?" Althea's mouth dropped open when she spotted him standing near the door. Her eyes were wide and Griffen realized he must've looked crazed.

The drizzling shower from before had turned into a steady late summer rain, the rumbling thunder in the distance threatening that the worst was yet to come. He'd been pacing outside for ten minutes, so he was thoroughly soaked — and that was on top of what he figured were wild eyes and a worn out body from the multiple miles he'd run not too long before. The fact that he was still in sweaty running clothes didn't help matters much either.

Althea walked toward him and water started to pepper her face and body as she left the protection of Curt's umbrella. She looked up at him, her face streaked with worry, and his throat tightened.

"Griffen, are you all right?" she asked.

"No. I'm not all right," he said gruffly, closing the last bit of space between them so that she had to crane her neck back to look into his eyes. "I had to see you," he whispered.

She'd done something with her eyes to make them look almost completely green with flecks of gold, all nestled in that black ring around them. Her hair was shiny and fell in soft waves past her shoulders. The rain was falling harder and it only made her look more luminous.

Griffen felt anger build inside him thinking that she'd gone to that much effort for someone else, but he still couldn't look away from those beautiful eyes. He thought he could spend every day of his life with her just to see how different her eyes looked from each moment to the next.

"Hey, Griffen Tate, right?" Curt held out his hand to Griffen, breaking the connection between him and Althea. "We met at Johnny's party, remember?"

"That's right."

"Griffen, I don't understand…" Althea whispered so only he could hear, a look of confusion on her face.

"Well, uh, it's nice to see you again, but Tea and I need to get going. Come on, Tea," Curt said.

"No, sorry. There's been a change of plans. I need to take Althea home. Now," Griffen said, not looking away from Althea or her slightly parted lips. He felt some relief that she hadn't stopped staring into his eyes either. 

"Excuse me? Not sure what's going on with you, man, but Tea and I are on a date and now we're
leaving
.
Together
." Althea finally looked away from Griffen, nervously eyeing the two men back and forth.

"Date's over," Griffen growled.

"Griffen!" Althea exclaimed, looking toward Curt apologetically. Griffen grasped her chin with his fingers and turned her eyes back to his. She fumed but took a deep breath and didn't pull away, making Griffen's heart slow slightly. "Griffen..."

"What the hell, man? Tea, what's going on here?" Curt asked.

Griffen finally stepped away from Althea and stood right in front of Curt, noticing the shorter man's breath quicken as he stared him down. "I told you
man
, the
date's
over
."

Althea turned and said softly, "It's okay, Curt. Go home. Let me take care of this."

"Tea, I was really hoping to take you home." Curt sounded whiny and when he went to kiss Althea's cheek Griffen was thrilled to see her instinctively flinch away from him just a fraction. When Curt didn't give up, Griffen pressed a hand on his chest so firmly he had to take a step back to regain his balance.

"Please, Curt, let me handle this. I'll call you, okay?" Althea pleaded.

"Time to go, Curt," Griffen said, moving his firm hand to Curt’s shoulder and steering him away from Althea.

Griffen noticed the valets were starting to get uncomfortable. He'd given them a lot of money, but they probably had a limit to what they would ignore. Griffen didn't care. He may have spent his whole life trying not to be a violent prick like his dad, but he was more than ready to beat the shit out of this guy if he didn't leave. In fact, it would feel pretty good, but then he reminded himself that it would get him nowhere with Althea.

Griffen took a breath and released Curt's shirt. "Head on home Curt. I mean it."

"What the fuck?" Curt shook off Griffen's hand and smoothed his shirt down. Griffen stared at him until his eyes widened. "Fine. Goodnight Tea," Curt said sullenly, finally turning and walking away quickly.

"Goodnight, Curt," she said to his retreating back.

Althea looked back at Griffen and he could see she was furious, but she hadn't moved, so Griffen took that as a good sign.

"Well, that was polite," she huffed at him, straightening her shoulders. "You said you had to see me. Well, you're seeing me," she said, raising her chin obstinately. "What do you want Griffen?"

Griffen turned to Althea and walked her slowly backward until her back was pressed against the craggy stone covered wall.

"You," he answered.

She started to pull away but he grabbed her hands in his, holding her in place and kissed her fiercely. This was not a sweet or romantic joining of lips. It was a fierce claiming of her with his tongue, lips and teeth, as he deposited all the desire and frustration of the day into her warm, perfect mouth. The rain was falling harder now, sliding down their cheeks and mingling in their mouths with their heated kiss.

When he released her mouth he ran his hands up her arms until they rested around her neck, his thumbs lifting her chin so he could stare into her eyes — almost totally darkened with desire.

When she instinctively looked around, he pressed against her harder growling, "I don't give a fuck who sees. I hope everyone in the world sees." Then he kissed her again.

"I don't get it. I'm feeling a bit of whiplash here, Griffen," she whispered, still leaning forward into his body. "You pushed me to go out with Curt. I was surprised at first, but after I thought about it, I decided you were right. I mean, we only have a few days left..."

He winced at the mention of her fixation on their end date, then he grabbed her roughly at the top of the arms. "I wasn't right, dammit."

Griffen breathed deeply and rested his forehead on hers.

"But at breakfast you said..."

"Fuck what I said, I was being an idiot. I thought it was what
you
wanted." He let her arms go and tugged his fingers through her wet hair. "But, fuck Althea! I don't want you with anyone else. No doctors, no lawyers, no accountants, no firemen. Just
me
."

"What are you saying?" she asked nervously.

"I'm so fucked up, Althea. I don't know what I have to give you, I know I don't deserve you, but I want to be with you. So much. I know you say you aren't ready for more, but please let me be with you tonight. Give me a chance to figure it out."

"Griffen..."

"We'll talk about it tomorrow. Don't turn me away. I can't think straight right now and I'm bound to mess things up with you even more. Just let me get a cab and take you home and we'll take it from there? Please?"

Althea looked in his eyes, raindrops glistening on each of her curled eyelashes. She searched his face and he knew she must see only tortured darkness. Griffen had never felt so crazed or possessive in his life. His hands kept touching her face, her neck, her shoulders, her waist. Like he was trying to convince himself that she was really there in front of him.

"I should tell you no," she whispered looking in his eyes. "I should let you go."

"Althea, please..."

"But I want you to come home with me."

"Thank you, Althea," he said, kissing her until he was lost in her again, the same way he felt every time they were together.

After the cab parked in front of her house, Griffen quickly led Althea inside by the hand to get her out of the now pounding rain.

Jenna met them at the door and her eyes widened at Griffen's appearance.

"Hi guys. Well, um, let me get out of your hair. Johnny's been asleep about an hour. He was pretty exhausted, so you've got the place to yourselves. Good luck you two, and good night," she said with an awkward smile as she scurried out.

As the door clicked shut, Griffen grabbed Althea around the waist and lifted her feet just off the ground so he could kiss her as he walked her to her room.

"You ever notice that you're always picking me up?" she breathed out as she nibbled his earlobe.

"That's because you're always making me impatient," he growled.

"I think you're just a caveman under all this sophisticated sexiness," she whispered, licking his neck. "Mmm, salty. My caveman tastes so good. It turns me on," Althea purred against his skin.

"Only with you. All of this is only with you," he whispered back to her, his heart soaring at her saying he was hers. No matter what happened next, he would let himself enjoy this moment.

When he placed her feet on the floor he looked down into her eyes, still so desperate for her. He closed the door to her bedroom and slowly began undressing her. He ran his fingers through her hair, letting the mass of soft, damp waves fall over his hands and down her back. He then peeled off her wet dress that was clinging to her enticing body and gently unhooked her bra.