Creating A Love (The Griffin Brothers Book 3) Read online

  “Of course. I helped plan this, didn’t I?” They’re smiling at each other and I can tell that they’re in love.

  “Can we get a move on? I need to get my woman home and give her my magnificent cock all night.”

  “Not all night. You know I have a shoot in the morning,” I remind Owen with a smile. “But I will take possession of it for a few hours.”

  “Alright. Enough with the cock talk. Candi and Leila should leave first. Then Owen and I will make our grand exit.”

  I hug my friends goodbye, and assure them that I’m fine. I know we’ll be having one of our legendary nights at Erika’s house to discuss this situation, but for tonight, I just need Owen. I want to be in his arms. “I’ll see you soon, Owe.”

  “We won’t be far behind you.” He pulls me in tight and kisses the top of my head.

  Chapter 2

  Owen

  I’m lying in Candi’s bed, watching her get dressed for the photo shoot today. She’s crazy talented and I wish I could go with her. She’s let me go a few times before, and I love to watch her work. Today she’s shooting some ads for a small hotel and casino, so I know it’d be fun. “This fake engagement really sucks. I wanted to go with you today.”

  She stops in the middle of fastening one of the pockets on her cargo pants. “I wish you could go, too. I like it when you watch me work. But we’ll have plenty of time for that later. Right?”

  She looks a little unsure when she asks, so I launch myself off the bed and pull her to me. “Yes. Definitely. I’m not going anywhere and you’re going to have a hell of a time trying to get rid of me if you change your mind.”

  “I can’t imagine changing my mind about you, Owe. You’re an amazing man. Even when we were just sleeping together the last couple of years, I knew how lucky I was.”

  “I’m a man who screwed up royally a few years ago, and the people I care about have had to suffer for it. First Chloe, and now you. You could do so much better than me, so let’s not pretend that I’m some big catch. I mean, my cock’s big and magnificent…,”

  “Stop right there,” Candi interrupts me. “Chloe had other factors that made her decide to cave to those assholes who blackmailed her. Ryan and she have a strong relationship now, stronger than they’ve ever had. As for me, yes it sucks not to be able to go out in public with you, but I know there’s an expiration date on this fake engagement thing, so I can be patient and wait. While you make me come several times a night, of course.”

  “Oh, multiple orgasms nightly for Candi is a given. Thank you. I mean it. You should be walking away from the train wreck that my life’s become, and I’m so grateful that you haven’t yet.”

  “I couldn’t find anyone better for me than you, so stop saying shit like that. And stop being so sentimental, or I’m going to think that the sarcastic, sexy guy that I fell—I mean that I know, has been taken over by aliens.”

  Holy shit. I think she was going to say that she’s in love with me. That may be the best thing that was ever not said. I need to plan something special for her tonight. Then I can tell her that I love her, too. But first, I need to show her that I’m still me. “You like my sarcastic side, huh? And here I thought that it was all about my magnificent cock. You remember it, don’t you? It was very familiar with your sweet pussy last night.”

  “I should never have said it was magnificent. You’re not going to stop talking about it, are you?”

  “Probably not. I’m a guy, after all. I love my cock and when a hot woman compliments it, I can’t let it go.”

  She rolls her eyes and pulls away to finish getting ready. As she pulls her hair up into a messy bun, I take the opportunity to kiss the back of her neck. “Let’s have a special night tonight. I’ll order in your favorite foods, and get dessert from Drago Sisters. Can you meet me at my place after the shoot? I’ll rub your feet.”

  “Yes. That sounds wonderful. Thanks, Owe. Now I really need to head out to work. Here’s a spare key. Can you lock up when you go?”

  “You’re giving me a key?” My morning just got a hell of a lot better.

  “Umm, well, I didn’t want you to have to rush out. I mean you can keep it…or not, it’s up to you.”

  “I’m definitely keeping it. I’ll give you a key to my place tonight. Now get your ass to work before I keep you here.” I give her a little smack on the aforementioned ass, then start caressing it. She turns and kisses me goodbye before practically running from the room as I try to take things further. God, I love this woman. I can’t wait to see her tonight. I get dressed, and then go home to my apartment and studio. I need to start working on the paintings for the Evans building and I want to get done in plenty of time to clean up, and get everything ready for my night with Candi.

  * * *

  Candi

  The shoot today has been fun, but I’m ready to go to Owen’s for that promised foot rub and dinner. I grab my phone out of my bag once I get my equipment put away. I see that I have a couple of texts from Owen. Thinking they’re probably naughty, since he likes to sext me, I open them with a smile. Only to realize that our plans for tonight have been shot to hell.

  Owen: Hey, babe, I am SO sorry but the Evans’ are insisting on taking Mara and I out to dinner to celebrate our “engagement.” So, I can’t have dinner with you.

  Owen: Wait, maybe I can. I’ll eat a salad or something and then meet up with you after for a late dinner.

  Owen: I know you have your phone put away while you’re working so you probably aren’t even getting these right now. I feel really shitty about this whole thing. I would tell you to call me when you get these, but I probably won’t be able to answer. I’ll call you when I’m done. Just meet me at my place, OK? I’ll make it up to you. I promise. And not just sexually…

  Well isn’t that wonderful? I remind myself this is only temporary, and that I told him to go ahead and do it. It doesn’t make me feel too much better, though. Especially thinking about meeting Owen after his dinner with his “fiancé.” I know logically that I’m not the other woman. But I’m having a hard time getting my heart to remember that right now. I decide that to save my sanity, there’s no way I can sit around waiting for Owen to call.

  I turn my phone off and head out to the hotel’s concierge desk. “My plans have changed, and I think I’ll take you up on the offer of a room for the night,” I tell the woman at the desk. She smiles and after typing my info into the computer, gives me a key. Sometimes the perks of my job are pretty great. I brought my overnight bag with me because I was planning to go straight to Owen’s place, so I’m all set. Granted, the only one who’s going to see my sexy nightie now is me, but I am a great date. I go up to the suite the hotel gave me and take a long bubble bath. I’m really not tired after, just relaxed, so I decide to go down to one of the bars for a drink.

  I end up having a pretty fun night. The bartender is really cool, and I let a couple of guys buy me drinks while maintaining a “hands off” vibe. I decide that I should go back to my room around 2. This night definitely didn’t end up the way I had been hoping it would, but it wasn’t horrible. My phone is still turned off when I set it on the nightstand before letting sleep overtake me.

  * * *

  Owen

  The front door unlocking wakes me up from where I fell asleep on the couch. I was up most of the night waiting for Candi to get home. When she didn’t answer my texts and calls, or come to my place, I knew something was wrong. That she was mad about me canceling our plans. Hell, I was mad about me canceling our plans too. Well, I didn’t actually cancel, I just asked her to postpone, but I guess that didn’t go over too well.

  I sketched out a present for her and then came here to her loft, thinking that I’d find her in bed. But she wasn’t here, and I’ll admit that I was pretty freaked out. I stayed up as long as possible and only fell asleep about an hour ago. Despite my lack of sleep, I jump off the couch as Candi walks in.

  “Thank God you’re okay. I was freaking out for most of the night.”

  “I’m fine, Owen. What are you doing here?”

  “Are you fucking kidding me? You don’t answer texts or calls or show up at my place like we planned, and you’re wondering what I’m doing here? Seriously?” I’m getting a little pissed at how flippant she’s being.

  “I’m sorry that I’m not willing to be at your beck and call. You should know by now that I’m not that girl.”

  “Beck and call? I asked you to come over and have dinner and let me rub your feet. How is that being at my beck and call?”

  “Yes, you asked me that, and then said you had other plans and wanted me to come over after you were with your other woman. Like I’m your dirty fucking whore!” Candi drops into a chair and holds her head in her hands. I’ve never seen her like this, so vulnerable and hurt. All my anger leaves me when I look at the woman I love, who’s trying to hold it together while she’s in such obvious pain.

  I kneel down in front of her, and lift her face to me. “You told me to do this. I thought you were fine with it. I would never do anything to hurt you. You know that, right?”

  She closes her eyes and nods. “I know. I did tell you to do this. Mara and Leila deserve to be together. and Mara shouldn’t have to lose her inheritance. I just didn’t realize how hard it would be to have to sneak around. I wanted to be with you so badly last night, but I couldn’t just sit around all night, waiting for you to have time for me.”

  “I’m so sorry. I wanted to be with you. I always want to be with you. Last night was a nightmare. Pretending that I was with Mara, kissing her-.”

  “Kissing her? You kissed her?” Candi jumps up, practically knocking me over.

  I grab her hand before she can get too far. “Yes, I kissed her. But neither of us enjoyed it. We did it to make things more believable. You’re the only woman I want to kiss. I promise you that, Cand.”

  She looks conflicted for a few seconds and then her eyes turn curious. “What is that drawing on the table, Owe?”

  “Oh, I made this for you. Since I was wishing I was with you instead, I drew us at the restaurant I went to last night. I know it’s dumb, but I wanted to pretend that it was us.”

  “That-that’s not dumb. It’s pretty romantic.”

  “Yeah? Is that okay? I mean, we’ve never had a romantic type of relationship.”

  “It’s more than okay. I like it. A lot. I need to get a frame to put it in. Now, come over here and romance me with your body.”

  “I’d love to, but honestly, I’m ready to pass out. I only slept about an hour.”

  “Well how about you get some sleep while I go over the shots from yesterday.”

  “That sounds great. I promise to worship your hot body in a few hours.”

  “I’m counting on it.”

  * * *

  Candi

  It’s a week later, and I wake up to Owen’s tongue on my clit. My body’s way ahead of my brain and is arching into his mouth. When I open my eyes, he’s looking at me with his lips turned up as he licks and sucks. He adds two figures to the mix and I start bucking off the bed. He places a palm flat on my stomach to hold me relatively still as he brings me to an earth shattering orgasm. I fall back onto the bed, my bones like mush.

  “Damn, Owe. That’s the way you need to wake me up every day.”

  “It could happen.”

  He kisses up my stomach and over my breasts, before leaning back and sheathing himself. He enters me as he nuzzles my neck and bites my ear. Owen’s keeping a slow pace that starts the fire in me burning again. I know that he can feel it.

  “You feel so good in me.”

  “I belong in you, Cand. I think your body was designed for me and my magnificent cock.”

  I groan, and not from pleasure. “That again?”

  He shifts a little and starts hitting me right where I need him to as he moves faster. This time my groan is from pleasure. “You going to deny it right now?”

  “Fuck no.”

  “Didn’t think so. Now wrap your legs around me, and let me make you scream.”

  He’s practically slamming into me, bumping against my clit with every thrust. He latches his mouth onto my nipple, and bites down a little. I practically fly off the bed as he licks and sucks to soothe the slight pain. He palms my other breast, and the combined sensations are too much. I squeeze my legs so hard around him that I’m sure it has to be hurting him. “Owen!” My scream sends him into a frenzy and with just a few more thrusts, he’s jerking and shaking.

  “Damn, damn, damn, babe. That was so fucking hot.”

  “I think I may have bruised you with my legs.”

  “If you did, it’d be worth it.”

  He leans back and braces his weight onto his arms. It gives me a perfect view of his incredible body. While he doesn’t follow a strict exercise regime, all of the sculpture work and lifting heavy canvases has given him a body to drool over. Strong, sinewy muscles throughout his arms, back and chest lead to ridges of abs, the magic V that guys have, that magnificent cock and strong muscled legs. The fact that he has the face of a God, with those Griffin green eyes and his dark brown hair, just makes you want to offer condolences to mere mortal men. I’m truly one lucky woman.

  “What are you thinking about?”

  “How lucky I am to have you. I mean have you want me.”

  “I do want you, but you also have me. I’m yours, Candi. Don’t be embarrassed to say it. I assure you that when this farce is over, I’m going to let everyone in the world know that you belong to me, too.”

  “Speaking of the farce, thanks for my latest sketch.” Owen has had to go on 3 more “dates” with Mara and he’s sketched us at each place afterward. “I have something for you, too.”

  “You drew me a picture?” He’s smirking. Asshole. He knows that I can’t draw to save my life.

  “You really want a stick figure drawing?”

  “From you, yeah. I’d love it.”

  “Well, sorry to disappoint, but my medium’s photography.” I reach over and open the drawer to my nightstand. I pull out the photo I did for him. He rolls over onto his back as I hand it to him and watch his reaction.

  “It this the back of your knee?” He looks amazed and happy, I think.

  “Yeah…umm…you always like to kiss behind it so I thought you liked it, and I wanted to take a picture of a body part of mine that you liked.”

  The smirk is back in full effect as Owen’s eyes sparkle. “And you chose your knee? Why not your pussy or tits?”

  “I didn’t want the pictures to be overly sexual. I wanted…I wanted…never mind.” I try to turn away, but he puts his arms around me, pulling me close against his chest.

  “I love it. Seriously fucking love it so much. Now finish your sentence, please.”

  “I wanted to take sexy pictures of body parts that aren’t necessarily thought of as sexy. Because, although sex has always been a big part of our relationship, we’re more now. I think we are, at least. I feel like more.”

  “We are definitely more, and I love that you thought about it like that. You said ‘pictures.’ Does that mean there are more that I might receive?”

  “Maybe. If you behave.”

  “You don’t want me to behave. If I behaved I wouldn’t be doing this.” He pulls me up and turns me to face my headboard, grabbing the padded handcuffs from my still open drawer. “You want me to stop?”

  “Don’t you dare stop!”

  “Your wish is my command.” He clicks them into place and takes me again, making me scream louder than I thought was possible. Like I said, I’m a lucky woman.

  Chapter 3

  Owen

  I’m downstairs from my place at Rachel’s Kitchen. Mara is supposed to meet me so we can talk about how things are going. Our “romance” has been covered by the newspaper here, the Chicago papers and even a couple of national ones. It’s only been a little over a week, and it’s already getting old. I know that I owe her, but I would almost rather go to jail than keep this up for another month and a half.

  “Hi honey, I’m sorry I’m late!” Mara reaches down and kisses me, then puts her mouth to my ear, holding me in place. “A couple of photographers followed me in, so play along.”

  I make myself smile up at her. “Hi, Mara.”

  She gives me a look, and I reluctantly get up to pull out her chair. It’s not that I have a problem with chivalry or being a gentleman, but like I said, this is getting old. I lean down and whisper in her ear, trying to look loving while I’m clenching my jaw tight. “We need to talk, dammit!”

  “Oh, Owen, stop being naughty.” She smirks at me, making it look sexual. I think I may throw up. I take my seat across from her and try to school my features into something other than what I’m currently feeling. I don’t want to scare the small children sitting nearby.

  “I was thinking we could invite some friends over to your place to hang out this weekend.”

  “Which friends?”

  “Your brothers and their significant others, those guys you hang out with, my friend Leila and anyone else that you can think of.”

  We both know who the only person I would think of is. I realize this might be a good thing. I can touch and kiss Candi in front of other people, so maybe she’ll feel better. She’s putting on her usual tough persona, but I know that as hard as this is for me, it’s even harder for her.

  “Sure, that sounds great. What do you need me to do?”

  “Just invite everyone and I’ll have the food and alcohol delivered.”

  “I can do that.” I can’t wait to tell Candi. Mara and I spend the next hour making small talk while eating lunch. We have to pretend enough already, so we don’t try and act interested in what the other’s been doing when we’re really not. I eat slowly so I can keep my hands busy and not have to hold hers. We share a short kiss goodbye outside and I head upstairs to my studio to get some more work for the Evans building done.

  I’m in the middle of painting a totally boring landscape that makes me feel like I’m losing some creative brain cells, when I hear the door open behind me. I don’t turn around, because I really want to finish this one tonight. I know Candi will understand and sit in one of the comfy model chairs while I work.