Welcoming the Bad Boy: A Hero's Welcome Novel (19 page)

“Fuck,” he whispered, as her nails bit softly into his inner thighs. She swirled her tongue around his head, making him lose his mind.
She
made him lose his mind. He groaned and tried to move her away as he came. She didn’t budge, though. Instead, she dug her nails in deeper until he shuddered inside her mouth. “Fuck,” he groaned. “Oh, God, Val.”

She kissed her way up his chest, his neck, trailing kisses over his jaw up to his ear. “Now take me home for part two.”

Val yawned as she stretched her arms overhead the next morning. A dreamy smile stamped her mouth. She’d been dreaming about Griffin and all the wicked things they’d done in this very bed last night. He’d left her at midnight to head home because he had to work today. And she might be off for the summer from her job as school secretary, but she had work to get done, too. She needed to finish her manuscript while the inspiration of a hot man in her bed was still fresh.

She sat up and petted Sweet Cheeks’s head. She’d allowed the little dog to take Griffin’s place beside her in the night. She didn’t know how she’d ever gone without the stirrings of another creature in her home. Being alone was lonely.

“You’ll be going home soon,” she told Sweet Cheeks as she stood and slipped her feet into a pair of flip-flops. Val just wasn’t sure what would constitute home for Sweet Cheeks in the future. If Alma really was on the decline, Sweet Cheeks might go live with one of Alma’s adult children, or her sister who lived in the mountains. Val opened the back door and smiled as the puppy bolted outside to take care of business. Val needed to do that, too. Then she planned on spending the entire day chained to her computer. She would finish this manuscript, come hail or high water.

After freshening up in the bathroom, she grabbed her cellphone and dialed Seaside Harbor nursing home. “How’s Alma doing?” she asked when Louise’s voice came on the other line.

“Not good. Today isn’t the day, though. I’ve come to know when someone here is ripe for the picking. Alma isn’t ripe just yet.”

Val frowned. “That was almost poetic, Louise. Who knew you had it in you?”

Louise laughed heartily. “You coming in today?”

“No.” Val started her coffeemaker, listening for Sweet Cheeks’s scratching on the back door. “I have some things to do.” Like write until there were no more words left in her brain. “I was wondering if you could check on Helen for me.”

“I always check on Helen. It’s my job,” Louise said. “Say what you mean, girl.”

Val sighed. “I was wondering if you’d have lunch with Helen.”

“You do know my half-hour lunch is the only me-time I have in my day, right? I have three kids at home and a husband who can’t find his ass without me. That thirty minutes is gold to me.”

Val cringed. “Wow. You make being married with children sound like a nightmare.”

“It is.” Louise sighed dramatically into the receiver. “But fine. You light up so many faces when you come here, and most people wouldn’t step foot in this place if you paid them. For you, Val, I will spend my lunch time with Helen.”

Val bounced lightly on her heels. “Aww, Louise, you’re the best.”

“But only if you tell me why Helen matters so much to you. There are several Alzheimer’s patients here. Why do you try so hard with this one?”

Val heard Sweet Cheeks scratching on the back door and headed to let her back in. “Kindred spirits, I guess. I like Helen.”

“I think you also like Helen’s son,” Louise teased.

Sweet Cheeks came darting into the room as Val opened the door. “I’ll admit that we’ve been spending time together. He’s a nice guy.”

“Uh-huh.” Louise tsked. “I bet he’s good in bed, too,” she said, lowering her voice.

“Louise!” Val gasped. Louise was only a decade older, but seemed much more than that thanks to her life experience.

“Don’t act like you’re so innocent. I’ve been reading that book your book club is hooked on.”

Val froze. “You’re reading the Sophie Evans book?”

“It’s good. Kind of dirty. I’m surprised you like that stuff.”

Val covered her mouth with one hand. The book club, Griffin, and now Louise. The next thing she knew her father would be reading her book. “You think it’s good?” she asked, unable to help herself.

“Let’s just say my husband was very happy with my mood last night after the kids went to bed.”

Val’s eyes widened and she started laughing. “Geez, Louise. TMI! Don’t you have a job to do?”

“Yes, and apparently I’m not taking a lunch today, either. Finish those things of yours and get your skinny ass back here tomorrow. The summer’s ticking away and then we’ll never see you anymore.”

“Right. Thanks, Louise.” Val set her phone on the kitchen counter and grabbed a coffee mug. Two hours later, she leaned back in the chair at her desk and stared at her computer screen. She was practically sweating, partly from the feverish typing and partly from the heat her scenes were packing.

All thanks to Griffin.

Her phone buzzed on the kitchen counter where she’d set it earlier in the morning. Standing, she stretched her arms toward the ceiling and headed to go check the messages. She’d heard the buzzing all morning, but she’d forced herself to stay the course. Now she glanced at her screen and saw the eight missed text messages.

Two from Kat.

Two from Kat’s sister, Julie, who had become as good as a sister to her over the last year.

And four texts were from Griffin.

Val tapped on Griffin’s name first.

Hey, beautiful. Thinking of you.

Next text:
I can’t type the things I’m thinking, though. They’re illegal in some places.

Val laughed out loud.

Text three:
I want to make that fantasy of yours come true.

Her heart stilled. She’d only told him about one fantasy, and there was no way that fantasy would turn into a reality.

Last text:
Join me tonight to make it happen?

Her finger hovered over the keyboard on her screen. She wanted to say yes to anything he asked, but having sex outdoors was crazy. Why had she ever divulged that tidbit of information?

I can’t tonight,
she started to text back.
I have plans with—

Her finger hovered over the buttons. She was about to lie her way out of enacting a fantasy. Because she was chicken.
Bock. Bock.

Bark!

Sweet Cheeks barked and chased her tail.

Bark!

In some alternate reality, even Sweet Cheeks was calling her a chicken. Fine. This was her summer to live it up. She deleted what she’d just wrote and typed
Yes
instead
.
Saying yes to Griffin felt good, and this summer she wanted to feel good even if it came by doing something very bad.

The sun had been beating down on him all morning. Every now and then the K-9 unit put on demonstrations for neighboring schools. During the summer months, they usually got a break from this. Truth be told, entertaining wasn’t Griffin’s forte; he preferred to disappear into the crowd and people-watch. He preferred being in bed with Val.

Troy Matthews stepped up beside Griffin and crossed his arms at his chest. “You’re smiling. Why are you smiling?” he asked, keeping his gaze on the dogs in the training area now. There was a group of homeschool students on the bleachers watching and taking notes. What they were taking notes on he had no clue. “You don’t usually smile when there are students on the premises. Must be love.”

Griffin slid a glance in Troy’s direction. Troy’s gaze was shaded by dark sunglasses, but a small curve lined his lips. “I’m not smiling,” Griffin said. “You must have something in your eye.”

The students on the bleachers whooped and cheered as one of the dogs located a pretend bomb on the training course. The handler gave the dog a treat. Jaws stood erect at Griffin’s side watching every movement.

“Sure looked like love when I saw you and Val at the sushi bar last night,” Troy said then. “I was getting takeout. You two were too busy making goo-goo eyes at each other to notice me.” He shook his head. “Understandable. She is hot.”

“Hot” was an understatement. And no one else was allowed to check out his…what? Val wasn’t his girlfriend. They’d never said they were exclusive. She meant more to him than a casual hookup, though. “You saw us?” Griffin pressed his tongue in his cheek. “Inside or outside the restaurant?” Because he’d exaggerated just a little when he’d told Val that no one could see into his backseat. It was highly unlikely that people would see them unless they were looking, but it was possible.

“You were sitting at the table in the far back.” Troy nodded to himself, his gaze directed at the demonstration. “Then you left in a quite a hurry. Looked like maybe it was an emergency.”

Griffin averted his gaze. “Your point?”

“It’s just good to see you smiling, man. That’s all. We should all be so”—Troy cleared his throat—“lucky.”

Fucker.

“You taking Jaws out there?” Troy asked then, changing the subject.

Griffin gave his head a hard shake. After the other day when Jaws had attacked, Griffin was hesitant to put him in a situation where he might do the same. Especially when the kennel master, Charlie Myer, was watching. “No. We’re still training on a lot of that stuff.”

Troy nodded. “Hear your dog saved your life the other day. Good partner you have there.”

Griffin nodded. “Yep.” Which was why he intended to be an equally good partner. After the demonstration, he planned on taking Jaws through the course and doing more training on waiting for a command. Afterward, he planned to stop by and see his mom. He wouldn’t give up on her, either. One of these days he was going to walk into her room and she was going to remember him. Last but not least on his to-do list for the day, Griffin would freshen up and go get Val. She had a fantasy that he was biting at the bit to fulfill.

Griffin was an hour into private training with Jaws when Troy opened the gate and headed toward them. He was wearing the padded suit they used for the student demonstrations.

“What are you doing?” Griffin wiped the sweat from his brow.

“Hot as hell in this thing.” Troy started walking toward him and Jaws.

Griffin watched Jaws stiffen as Troy waved his arms around. What the hell was Troy doing? “You okay, man?”

Troy shook his head. “Just playing the part. If you’re going to train your dog, you need a loose cannon out here, right?”

Griffin saw the toy gun in Troy’s hand now. “He’s not ready for that.”

Troy slid his sunglasses on top of his head. “He’s out in the field. Better get him ready. You already had one run-in with an active shooter.”

“We’re working on it.” Griffin’s body tensed. “I’m not sure Jaws will—”

“Better watch your dog, man. I kind of like my face. It’s a pretty one, wouldn’t you agree?” Troy had a plastic gun in his hand, but it wasn’t aimed at Griffin yet.

“Wait,” Griffin commanded as Jaws stiffened and let out a warning bark. The K-9s were trained to attack with or without a command, but only if there was a viable threat.

Troy took a few steps toward them. He was still a good distance from where they stood, and still not pointing his gun. Not a big enough threat.

“Wait,” Griffin said again, holding his hand down to Jaws.

Jaws didn’t wait. He did what he’d done with the gunman at the commissary. He leaped into the air, latching onto Troy’s arm with sharp teeth. Thankfully, Troy was safe in the padded suit.

Damn it!
Griffin grabbed Jaws’s collar and pulled him off. “Down.”

Troy leveled his gaze at him. “All right.” He flipped the pad of his thumb under his nose. “Great. We’ll start from there. Let’s do this again.”

Griffin swallowed as Troy turned and headed back to the gate for round two. “Hey,” he called out.

Troy turned.

“Thanks. And you do have kind of a pretty face,” Griffin teased with a smile.

“Let’s keep it that way,” Troy said.

Val looked at her watch and reluctantly got up. Griffin would be coming over in an hour. She was one chapter from finishing the first draft of her book. She’d sworn she’d finish today, and she’d come close. The finish line was in sight.

She headed to her bedroom to shower and dress for tonight’s date. Fitting that she was living out a fantasy of hers on the night before she finished her book.

And when she was done, she and Griffin would part ways. That was the plan from the very beginning. He made sense for the summer, but not for the long haul. There was an image in her head of guys who matched the forever description. Those guys looked more like the ones who filed inside her father’s church on Sundays. They wore khakis and button-down shirts. No tattoos. No motorcycles. No dirty sex in public.

A blush rose in her cheeks and a little ache settled in her heart at the prospect of not seeing Griffin anymore. It’d been a long time since she’d had fun with someone, since someone had made her feel so alive.

After showering and blow-drying her hair, she headed to her closet. White lace panties were always the right choice for a night like tonight. She grabbed the matching bra, too. Then she picked out a pair of skinny jeans and a red no-sleeve top. She opened her jewelry box and peered inside looking for the perfect piece to accentuate her neckline. She had a million and one necklaces to choose from, but her gaze zeroed in on her mother’s pearls. She ran her fingers over the bumpy beads, holding the strand in her palm and remembering how she once sat in her mother’s lap and admired them on her. “Only to be worn on special occasions,” her mother would say.

“Today is just a normal day, Mom,” Val had answered back.

“But every day with you is a special occasion.”

Val’s eyes burned at the memory. She pulled the pearls off the hook and decided to wear them. She was celebrating, after all. She’d almost finished writing her book. It didn’t matter how many she wrote, each one was a small feat. If her mother were here, she would be proud of Val’s books, dirty sex and all. Looking in the mirror, Val clasped the chain around her neck and stood back to take in her reflection. She was going to enjoy herself tonight, wherever she went.

The doorbell rang and Sweet Cheeks went flying.

“Wait! Stay…! Sweet Cheeks!” she called. It didn’t matter how many treats she fed that dog, or how many dog-training books she read, Sweet Cheeks was never going to listen when push came to shove. Val followed her down the hall and opened the door to one badass Marine who was doing a good job of stealing her heart these days. His helmet was under his arm. She leaned forward and peeked into her driveway. “You brought your motorcycle,” she said, confused. There went the last twenty minutes of making sure her hair was perfectly straight with just the right sheen.