of self-delusion was over. No retreat was going to change the truth. No lie to herself would paper over the deep hole into which she'd fallen.
Fallen in love with Griffin.
I'm going to fix this for you, Jane.
Her heart hurt so bad, she couldn't breathe again. Despite her good sense and her past experiences, there was no denying that she'd gone ahead and written her very own Ian Stone love story. No one was going to get a disease or succumb to drowning, but just like in those bestsellers there wasn't going to be a lasting happy ending.
"Shit!"
At Griffin's sharp exclamation, she opened her eyes. All the drawers were half-open and he was down on his knees, bending low to peer beneath the desk. "Shit!" he said again.
"Griff - "
"I give up." He pivoted to look at her, his gaze hot, his expression filled with misery and frustration. "Why the fuck should I care about a missing tape dispenser? How can I care about a missing tape dispenser? How does that fucking compare to a fucking missing leg or a fucking finished life?"
His despair drew her close. Without thinking twice, Jane brushed his damp hair back with her hand. "I don't know," she said, her voice as soft as she could make it. "I don't fucking know."
"Nothing's ever going to be the same," he said, his eyes as blue as the center of a flame. "I'll never be the same." Then he made an inarticulate sound and clamped his arms around her hips, snatching her close to bury his face against her stomach.
His skin was burning, and even his half-wet hair held heat. She caressed his head again, and he made another deep-throated noise. His mouth moved, finding space between her low-slung pajama pants and her tank top. He kissed her on her bare skin just to the right of her belly button, and she jerked into it as he nipped her there, then sucked the flesh, his tongue sliding over the little sting.
"I've got to have you," he said, his mouth moving on her. "Let me have you." And before she could speak, he'd pulled her down to the scratchy sisal carpet and was on top of her, his heavy weight pushing open her thighs.
"Please, Jane. Please."
Oh, God, she thought, her hands in his hair, her body already softening. If only this would fix things for him.
"Jane?" he said, sounding desperate.
"Yes," she whispered, eyes stinging. "Yes."
His mouth latched onto the curve where her neck and shoulder met. He bit her there too, then kissed the place and inhaled deeply, as if he was trying to breathe her in. Jane ran her palms on his naked back, feeling the play of tense muscles as he moved over her collarbone, neck, jawline, delivering more of those greedy, consuming kisses.
She arched up, offering herself to him and his hungry mouth. One of his hands gripped the hem of her skinny-strapped tank, and he yanked it over her head, only to immediately take in her nipple. There was no sweet lick of welcome or gentle teasing pull. No, he sucked greedily on the tightening nub, one big hand plumping the soft tissue of her breast to feed himself more of her. Chills swept over her skin, and she moaned, the sound deepening as he bit down. When he shifted to do the same on the other side, her fingernails scored his back, the coiling twist of arousal inside her needing an outlet of its own.
His free hand slid into her pants, the movement hitching a little when he realized she was naked beneath them. But then his palm slid lower, cupping her so his long fingers could play in the wet, pleated layers. The heel of his hand ground against her clitoris as he took her nipple deeper, rhythmic pulls that mimicked the throbbing ache growing inside her.
"Griffin," Jane said and drew one hand around the curve of his ribs to his lightly furred chest. She rolled the edge of her thumb over his nipple, teasing it to a small point that she could pinch between her thumb and forefinger.
He grunted, his big body twitching against her, and she did it again. Griffin released her breast, rearing up to hover over her on his hands and knees. His eyes were wild, his breathing rough. Jane's heart was thumping so hard she was sure he could hear it. She thought the whole cove might hear it, the sound taking over for the ceaseless shush shush