Chick with a Charm (17 page)

She leaned back on the boxes, and he liked that she was urging him on, but he sure as hell didn’t need any urging. Something about the harsh overhead light made this all the more illicit, all the more erotic. He was turned on as he’d never been turned on before.

The rhythm he initiated followed the pounding beat of the music seeping through the walls. He gave it to her fast and he gave it to her hard. Vaguely he wondered if the steady thumping against the boxes could be heard outside the storeroom, even with the rock music playing, but he was so lost in the experience that he didn’t much care.

“Oh, Griffin . . .” She moaned and clutched his shoulders. “Griffin . . . I’m . . . yes, like that. Like
that.
” She arched her back. “Mustn’t yell, mustn’t yell.”

“Then . . . talk to me.” He pounded into her. “Tell me how it feels.”

“Like . . . like fireworks . . . like a whirlpool . . . like . . .
there, Griffin. Right . . .
” She closed her mouth against the cries that threatened to give them away.

When her climax undulated over his aching cock, he let go. He couldn’t yell, either, so he shuddered and swore softly and eloquently. The sensation of coming in this urgent way was incredibly exciting. He knew he’d never forget it, which meant he’d probably never forget Lily, either.

As that thought drifted through his passion-soaked brain, a repetitive noise interrupted his postcoital glow. At first he thought it was the music, but it didn’t have a musical beat.

Who was messing with this most excellent moment? It wasn’t Lily, who had sagged back against the boxes, eyes closed, while her legs were still wrapped firmly around his waist. It wasn’t him, because once his orgasm took over, he’d stopped moving, except for the occasional quiver of aftershock.

Lily’s eyes slowly opened. Her words came out in a hoarse whisper. “Someone’s knocking at the door.”

“That’s—” Griffin cleared his throat and tried again. “That’s not good.”

“No. No, it’s not.”

“Lily!” Sherman’s voice penetrated through the locked door.

She took a deep breath. “What is it?”

Griffin was impressed at how calm and rational she sounded, as if she’d indeed been in here taking inventory of the booze supply instead of boinking him senseless.

“Someone’s out here to see you,” Sherman said.

“Who?”

“Your parents.”

Griffin had never much believed in reincarnation, but he wondered if there wasn’t something to it, after all. It would explain why this was happening. He must have done something very bad in another life.

Miles had given him some excellent advice—not to flaunt his sexual relationship with Lily in front of her folks. Apparently he was now being punished for his past-life transgressions, because here he was, with his cock still buried in Lily’s warm vagina, and her parents standing somewhere beyond that door.

He could only hope they were in the bar having a drink and not in the hallway waiting to come into the storeroom to see their beloved daughter. But if he were truly being punished, they’d be right there with Sherman, waiting for Lily to come out of the locked storeroom with her new boyfriend Griffin, who was willing to risk getting her fired because he had to have sex with her during her break at work.

To her credit, Lily didn’t immediately pull away from him and scramble into her clothes. He appreciated that. In her shoes, or in her boots, or in this case, one boot, he wouldn’t have been so cool and collected.

“Tell them to order anything they want on the house,” she called out to Sherman. “I’ll be out in a few minutes, when I’ve finished up the work.”

“We’ll see you soon, then, Lily,” said an unfamiliar male voice.

Griffin looked at Lily.

My father
, she mouthed.

So it was official, Griffin decided. Reincarnation was a fact, and in some previous life he’d been a really, really bad boy. “This is somewhat awkward.”

“It’s not a problem.” Holding on to his shoulders, Lily eased herself free and lowered her feet to the floor. “I have it covered.”

“How? Sherman knows we were both in here, and when we come out all rumpled with dust on our clothes, and the inventory not done, he’ll know.” Griffin tucked the used condom in his handkerchief. What he’d do with the handkerchief he had no idea. Then he saw a trash can and tossed it in there. “And your folks will know, too. Parents have a sixth sense for when their daughter is having sex.”

“Calm down.” Lily stepped into her pants and pulled them up. “It’ll be okay.”

“I was hoping we could gloss over the fact that we’re sexually involved.” Griffin pulled up his pants. “I think that train just left.”

“Not necessarily. Let me look at you.” Lily surveyed him and smiled. “You look like you’ve been having sex in a storeroom.”

He groaned. “Exactly. And so do you. You have dust all over that black outfit, and your hair’s coming down in the back.”

“Let’s take care of you, first.” Lily circled him, brushing at his clothes and muttering something.

“What are you saying?”

“It’s a little poem my mother used to recite when she helped me get ready for parties when I was little. When I was nervous it helped me calm down. I think we both need that now.
Clothes so wrinkled, clothes so messy, magic sprinkled, now you’re dressy.
”

“Cute, but I think I need a dry cleaning service.”

“Actually, you look very good.”

He glanced down at his slacks. To his surprise, they did look good. “Huh. I’ll have to buy another suit like this. I had no idea it could shed dirt and wrinkles that fast.” He smoothed a hand down his shirt, which felt as if it had been freshly pressed. “Huh,” he said again. “I’ll need to pick up a few more of these shirts, too.”

She arched her eyebrows. “Because you plan to have lots more storeroom sex?”

“I wouldn’t mind.” He gazed at her and decided any embarrassment involving her parents was worth it. “Thank you for one of the best times of my life.”

Her smile warmed him. “Same here.”

“Listen, you still look pretty much like you’ve been . . . doing what we’ve been doing.”

“I won’t after I have a few minutes in the ladies’ room. We probably shouldn’t come out together, so you can wait here for about five minutes, which will give me time to go meet them.”

Griffin didn’t like the image of him cowering in the storeroom while Lily faced the music. “I’m good to go. I’ll go first.”

“But you’ve never met them.”

“I can handle it.” Griffin decided it was time to man up. “Tell me their names and what they look like.”

She gave him a look of gratitude. “Their names are Lionel and Simone Revere. They’re both tall. My dad has dark hair like me, with a little gray in it, sort of salt-and-pepper. My mom’s still a blonde, with a little help, of course. I take after my dad in looks, but I’m more like my mom in personality. Anica’s got my dad’s conservative streak but my mom’s blond coloring.”

Griffin nodded. “I shouldn’t have any trouble spotting them.”

“I guarantee you won’t. My dad’s taken off his Peruvian feather headdress, or he had last I saw him, but I’ll bet he’s still wearing the peasant pants, shirt and sandals he got down there. Oh, and he’ll have a huge Incan medallion around his neck. You could give somebody a concussion with that thing.”

“Let’s hope he doesn’t use it on me.”

She laughed. “Sorry. I didn’t mean it like that. My dad isn’t ordinarily a violent man.”

“Finding your daughter in a locked storeroom, having sex with a guy you don’t know isn’t all that ordinary.”

“Don’t worry. They’ll both be cool.” She frowned. “Although I hope my mom’s ditched the red Peruvian flying-saucer hat, but last time I saw her she was wearing it. She said if she took it off, she’d have hat hair.”

Despite the nobility of his gesture, Griffin felt a headache coming on. Out of all the parents in the world, he had to make an impression on a couple of certified flakes who wore Incan medallions and weird Peruvian hats. Logically, he shouldn’t care what they thought of him. Jasper was the one who had to get on their good side, not Griffin. It wasn’t as if they were his future in-laws. That was Jasper’s territory.

Then again, if Lily’s parents didn’t like him, then Lily might be influenced to kick him to the curb. That was totally unacceptable. He needed to be with Lily in the same way he needed to breathe. He wasn’t sure how long that condition would last, but for now, Lily was essential to his well-being. He didn’t want to muck that up by getting crossways with her folks.

“Griffin, you look as if you’re about to step in front of a firing squad. If you’d rather not do this, then—”

“No, I’m going.” He took a deep breath. “But first I’ll help you brush off some of that dust. There’s a lot of it, and your hair—”

“I can handle all that.” She walked over and unlocked the door. “Trust me, when I come out of this storeroom, no one will suspect a thing.”

He doubted that. “See you out there, then.” Squaring his shoulders, he walked into the hall, which was deserted, thank God.

He decided to duck into the men’s bathroom and double-check that his fly wasn’t open or he didn’t have lipstick smeared somewhere. Lily might have missed something that would be really embarrassing. To his surprise, he looked almost as fresh as when he’d arrived at work this morning. Yep, he was definitely buying another suit of this brand and some more dress shirts. They could take anything.

Fortified with the knowledge that he was presentable, he walked into the main area of the bar. He tried for an air of cool confidence, but not so confident that he seemed arrogant. Somewhere along the way it occurred to him that he’d indeed had storeroom sex, and not every guy could say that.

He wouldn’t be saying it, either. Miles could talk about his sexual experiences if he wanted to, but Griffin wouldn’t. What he and Lily had shared was private, their own business and nobody else’s.

Sherman came toward him carrying a tray of drinks. As he went by, he said something out of the corner of his mouth. It sounded a lot like “Way to score in the storeroom, dude.” But Griffin could have misheard him.

A quick scan of the room sent him to a corner table where a middle-aged man wearing a large medallion sat with a blond woman whose red hat did look a lot like a flying saucer. Unless Griffin was mistaken, they were both drinking his favorite, vodka and tonic with a twist. He’d take that as a good sign.

Lionel Revere stood as Griffin approached. Either Lily had described him to her folks or Lionel was acting on what were probably well-honed instincts. Lily’s father held out his hand. “You must be Griffin.”

“I am.” Griffin looked into the man’s dark eyes as he accepted his firm handshake.

“This is my wife, Simone.”

“Pleased to meet you, Griffin.” Simone didn’t get up, but she held out her hand. Her grip was as firm as her husband’s, her blue gaze equally direct. “I have the feeling we interrupted something in the storeroom.”

Griffin’s face grew hot. So much for cool and confident. “Um, well, that is, Lily and I—”

“Sit down, sit down.” Simone waved Griffin to a chair. “You and Lily are young and vital. If you weren’t enjoying a little hanky-panky, I’d wonder what was wrong with you.”

Lionel resumed his seat. “But since you are, it’s our parental duty to give you the third degree. Lily says you’re a lawyer, so I figure you can take it. What are you drinking?”

As much as I can gulp down in a short time.
“Vodka and tonic with a twist.”

Lionel glanced at him with approval. “Good answer. Ah, there’s Lily on her way over here. We can just give her your order.”

Griffin turned in his chair. If he’d been a cartoon character, his eyes would have bounced out of his head on springs. Lily didn’t look even slightly rumpled. Her hair was neatly done up and her black outfit unwrinkled and free of dust. Even her makeup was perfect.

Simone got out of her chair to hug her daughter. “Surprise!”

“You surprised me, all right,” Lily said. “I’m surprised you two are still awake.”

“We’re tough old birds.” Her father came around the table to hug her after Simone was finished. “And now that we’ve stumbled on the nitty-gritty of your relationship with Griffin here, we feel free to interrogate him.”

Lily’s eyes widened. “What nitty-gritty? Griffin was helping me take inventory.”

Simone winked. “I’m sure he was, dear.”

“No, really.” Lily waved a sheaf of papers. “Here it is, all catalogued.”

Griffin’s jaw dropped. “When did you do that?” When Lionel started laughing, he realized he’d just screwed up. “I mean, yeah, that’s what we were working on. That’s the list, all right.”

By now Simone was laughing, too, which made her saucer hat bob uncontrollably. “Lily always was the best cover-up artist I’ve ever known. Didn’t matter what she got herself into, she’d make you believe she was completely innocent.”

“
Mom!
That’s a huge exaggeration. I—”

“Don’t get all huffy, sweetheart,” her father said. “You’re creative and we love you for it. Now if you’ll bring Griffin a vodka and tonic with a twist, the three of us will get down to business.”

Lily looked uneasy. “Haven’t you two ever heard of jet lag? You should be completely whipped.”

“Ah, but we’re not,” her father said. “After all, we’ve been studying ancient herbal remedies, including ways to boost energy.”

“Besides,” her mother said. “You didn’t think we’d go to bed without meeting Griffin, did you? I could tell by the way you talked about him that he’s special.”

Griffin couldn’t quite get his head around all of it. Lily had come out of the storeroom, looking perfect and with an inventory list in her hand. Her parents didn’t believe that she’d actually been in there doing the inventory, but nevertheless she’d produced an official sheaf of papers. How had she done that?