Written in Ink (Montgomery Ink #4)(14)

She stood straighter. “Ooookay, then. I can go sit in the living room and eat out there.”

He closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose. “No, you can sit at my desk or in one of the chairs at the table. I’m just really weird about that chair, okay? I promise I’m not a serial killer or anything. Or even crazy. I just…”

“You don’t like people sitting in that chair. Got it.” She shrugged, but he saw the laughter dance in her eyes. She sat in one of his spare chairs and his shoulders relaxed some. Yes, he was certifiable.

“Thanks,” he mumbled. “And thanks for the food.” He sat down in his desk chair—leaving the thinking chair empty—and dug into his food. Spice and cheese exploded on his tongue and he moaned.

“Good?” Autumn asked with a smile.

“Hell, yeah. I love this place.” He took another bite big enough to make him look like a Neanderthal, but he didn’t care.

“So, Griffin Montgomery, tell me about yourself.” Autumn dug into her taco salad. He held back a grin. Like his sisters and Sierra, Autumn ate like she liked food, rather than nibbling at lettuce and calling it a meal. Good on her.

“What do you want to know?” he asked, trying to be civil. He still resented the fact that she was here, but he couldn’t act like an * all the time. It got tiring.

“I don’t know,” she answered. “Tell me anything.”

How about how he wanted to bend her over the desk and f*ck her? No, probably not that. Damn it, he didn’t like the sound of his thoughts right then. He was a f*cking prick and he knew it.

“I’m a writer.”

Autumn blinked, lowered her fork then did a slow clap. “Oh my God. That is…that is so thrilling to hear. I mean, you’re a writer? Who knew?”

He lifted his hand to flip her off then remembered she wasn’t family and ran his hand through his hair instead. Smooth.

“Wait. Did you just use the word thrilling on purpose?”

She rolled her eyes. “Nothing gets past you.”

“Well, Fall, I’m a thriller writer. As you well know. Ever read me?” He smiled as he asked it and watched the way her eyes darted from his.

Intriguing. Again.

“I’m sure I have,” she said vaguely.

He didn’t know why that annoyed him, but it did. So what if she hadn’t read him, or if she had, didn’t remember. It wasn’t as if he didn’t sell books.

No, he just couldn’t write them.

God, he wanted her out of his house so he could think again. He hated that he’d put himself in this position.

“I’m the sixth kid in the Montgomerys,” he blurted, wanting to keep his mind off the fact he hated his life right then.

“You’re one of the babies, then.” She licked sour cream off her fork, and he had to blink in order to think. Damn tongue of hers. She worked for him. Though maybe she worked for his mother if he thought about it, but damn it, he shouldn’t be having dirty thoughts about Autumn. It wasn’t fair to her, and it sure as hell wasn’t fair to him.

“Alex and Miranda are younger, but yeah, I guess I am.” He shrugged. They were all older now, so age didn’t truly matter anymore when it came to how they interacted. Yeah, Miranda was still the darling baby, but she was married and happy. Alex had been one of the first married and now lived in rehab, trying to get his life together. Griffin…well, Griffin was just Griffin. And maybe that’s why his brain couldn’t work anymore.

And enough of that shit.

“I still don’t know how you ended up here,” he said, trying to break the rising tension in the room.

Her back stiffened. “What do you mean here?”

He frowned. “I mean working for me. What did you think I meant?”

She waved her hand. “Nothing. Meghan cornered me and I had a weak moment. I have the skills to help, and once I get the lay of the land, I’ll let you know what I’m doing.”

He raised a brow. “Shouldn’t I tell you what I need?”

“Maybe. But if you could do that, you’d be doing it yourself, right?”

Okay, that was enough. “Fuck this. Just go home, okay? Thank you for cleaning and getting lunch, but I don’t need help.”

She rose slowly, methodically cleaning up after herself. “You’re an idiot, Griffin, and you can’t fire me. You can get over yourself and realize that you need help. I’m sorry for saying what I did. It was out of line. Of course you can’t do it all, and you shouldn’t. That’s why I’m here.”

He ran a hand over his face and turned away from her, needing to think. His eyes rested on the blank page on his monitor and, of course, instead of blaming himself for not being able to get past one page, he reacted like an idiot. He turned to her and put his hands on his hips.

“Go home, Autumn. I don’t know you. I know you say you have these skills, but what do I really know, huh? You think you can just come in and take over my life? I don’t think so. I’m not some kid who needs a babysitter. I’m a f*cking man who has a job to do and can’t do it with you lurking around.”

Her cheeks pinked as he spoke, and he watched the rise and fall of her chest as she took deep breaths.

“You’re an *.”