Dirty Letters(29)

Blind faith?

He must just use that term freely. I wouldn’t read into it.

I cleared my throat. “Apparently.”

He clapped his hands together. “So . . . dinner. Hope you like scallops wrapped in bacon? I’ve chosen that for an appetizer. Then garlic pork roast with thyme for the main course.”

Pork? Is he kidding?

I swallowed. “Sounds delicious.”

He squinted at me. “You look so familiar. Are you sure we haven’t met?”

Nervously twirling my hair, I laughed. “What do you take me for, a groupie?”

“Ha! No, no, no. I just felt this familiarity from the moment I met you.” His eyes were searing into mine.

I was seriously starting to burn up from the intensity of his stare.

Can he possibly know it’s me? How?

My plan was to tell him the truth, but the longer this charade went on, the harder it was to blurt it out for some reason. I kept waiting for the perfect window to confess, but it never seemed to come. Not to mention, his penetrating stare sort of left me speechless.

“Who is that man you’re traveling with?” he asked.

“He’s a good friend.”

“So no funny business going on there?”

“Gosh, no. He’s only my traveling companion. I don’t travel alone.”

“Ah. Gotcha. Yeah, traveling alone is for the birds.”

Birds.

“Right.”

He smiled. “So did you recognize me? You didn’t seem like you did.”

My heart was beating out of my chest. “You mean . . . did I know you were . . . Cole Archer?”

Griffin tilted his head. “What else would I mean?”

I blew out a relieved breath. “I did actually know who you are, yes.”

“That sucks. I was kind of hoping you didn’t.”

I looked deeply into his eyes. “It must be crazy, huh? Being you?”

“Yes, but what in particular do you mean?”

“Everything?”

He just looked at me for a while before he answered. “Sometimes I just wish I could hide in my house and never come out.”

Sounds familiar.

My heart beat faster.

He continued. “I envy people who aren’t recognized everywhere they go.”

“I can imagine.”

“What is it that you do, Mirada?”

What do I do?

“I . . . A little bit of everything. Sort of at a crossroads right now.”

“Why are you hiding it? If I can be forthright, certainly you can as well. What, do you . . . write porn or something?”

“No, nothing like that.”

“Too bad.” He winked.

Suddenly, the housekeeper led a bunch of people through the living room into the adjacent dining room.

“Ah. Dinner’s here,” Griffin said.

I put my wine down on an end table and followed him into the dining area. A full staff of people were setting up a grand table. One gentleman carried a gigantic covered silver platter.

“This looks like a meal fit for a king,” I said.

When the man took the top off the platter, my stomach sank. It wasn’t just pork but an entire pig with the head still on it. I looked away. I couldn’t stomach it. It was like watching Hortencia burned at the stake and laid out at her funeral.

Griffin’s eyes were practically bugging out of his head. His cool stance was no longer. He turned to the man. “What the fuck! I ordered the pork, not an entire animal. What the hell are you bringing into my house? It’s disturbing. Please cover it up and take it back.”

The man hurriedly did as he said but asked, “What did you think pork was, sir?”

“I get what you’re saying, but there’s no need to see my dinner staring back at me.” He looked over at me. “Clearly you can see my guest is extremely upset.”

I was shaking. Honestly, I didn’t even know what to say anymore.

After the room emptied out, Griffin rushed over to me. “Are you okay?”

“That was . . . that was unexpected.”

“Fuck. I was just having a little fun in ordering the pork. I knew you wouldn’t eat it. I would never have done that to you on purpose. I know how much she means to you.”

Wait.

What?

What’s happening?

He placed his hands around my face. “You look like you’re about to cry. I’ve fucked this all up. I would never want to hurt you like that. You mean so fucking much to me.” He backed me up against the wall, pressing his rock-hard body against mine. “Luca . . . my beautiful Luca.”

My voice was shaky. “Griffin?”

“How did you find me, my impulsive girl?” He shook his head. “Never mind. Don’t answer that yet.”

He leaned in and smashed his lips against mine, kissing me so hard, I was practically seeing stars. My entire body felt weightless as I melted into him, our tongues colliding in a wet and delicious frenzy as we made up for years of lost kisses.

“Goddamn, Luca, you taste so good,” he muttered over my lips. “I feel like I’ve been waiting my whole life for this.”

Raking my fingers in his lustrous hair, I couldn’t help the sounds that were coming out of my mouth. No one had ever kissed me the way Griffin Marchese was doing right now. Breathing him in like this was everything I’d ever dreamed of.