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  Darling

  SUGAR CREEK ROMANCE: BOOK ONE

  By Marissa Stefson

  Dedication

  To my fandom ladies, who have walked beside me farther than I ever thought I’d travel. Thank you for everything.

  And to my Superman. I love you always and forever.

  One

  GRIFFIN

  The heavy guitar riffs are still flowing through the room as I pull my phone from my pocket. The incessant buzzing is making it impossible to concentrate on my work. A familiar grin flashes on the screen and I answer the call, despite the fact I’m not really in the mood to speak to anyone at the moment. “Yes, Esme?” I grunt. It’s easy to imagine my sister’s blue eyes rolling back at the irritation lacing my voice.

  “I was hoping to catch you in a good mood, but I can already tell I’ve reached Grumpy Griff.” Her airy, posh British accent flows through the phone, and the edges of my lips twitch in amusement.

  “What can I do for you, baby sister?” I cradle the phone between my ear and my shoulder, setting down my pen and closing up my laptop. I have a suspicion this won’t be a conversation I’ll be able to work through.

  “I don’t only call you when I need something, you know.”

  “I know... I’m sorry.” I rise from my desk to stretch my legs, and my stomach rumbles in anger. I wonder idly when the last time was that I’d eaten. “It is so thoughtful of you to call and check up on me.”

  “Um...” Her hesitation tells me she feels guilty. “Okay, fine. I do need something.”

  “I knew it,” I snicker softly, shaking my head. I cross the living room to enter the kitchen, opening the refrigerator to scan its contents. “What’s up? You know I’d do anything for you, love.”

  “Do you remember Amelia? My roommate at Sweet Briar University?”

  Amelia Channing? Boy, do I.

  “The name doesn’t ring a bell,” I lie, clenching my jaw. The truth is, Amelia has been on my mind nearly every day since the first time I’d laid eyes on her.

  “Oh, come on, you remember her. Big green eyes, long blonde hair, killer curves. Every guy in Sweet Briar knows Amelia.”

  We sure do. A woman like that lingers in your memory whether you want her to, or not. “I think I can vaguely picture her. What about her?” I pull a bottle of beer from the fridge, knowing I’ll probably need it for this conversation.

  “Well, she had been seeing one of my clients—Joseph White, the billionaire tech genius—and just found out he has been cheating on her with a famous model. I tried to get ahead of the story, but the model’s manager was quicker, tipping off the paparazzi before I could stop them. They’ve been hounding Amelia all day, calling non-stop and even showing up at her house.”

  “Bloody hell.” My fists curl at the thought of them camped out, keeping poor Amelia trapped inside.

  “She’s a strong woman, but she doesn’t need all of that on top of his cheating. I told her she could stay at my country house in Sugar Creek until they go away.”

  “Wait a minute—your country house? As in the house I’ve been staying at while my new home is being built?”

  “The very same. I’m sorry, Griff, but she’s distraught. The last thing she needs is the paparazzi harassing her while she processes the breakup.”

  With a groan, I scan the empty house. It’s definitely large enough for two, but how could I handle living under the same roof as the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen?

  Just the thought of Amelia Channing is enough to make my dick hard.

  “It’s just for a week, until the news dies down. She has no family around, nowhere else to go. Pretty please, big brother? For me?” Esme knows I’d never turn her down. I’d move Heaven and Earth if it would make my baby sister happy.

  “Fine. Just make sure I’m still able to write while she’s here. I’m on a deadline with my publisher, and I don’t do well with distractions.”

  And Amelia Channing is about as distracting as one could get.

  “She’s already on her way, but you’ll barely even know she’s there. Thank you, thank you, thank you, Griff! I promise I’ll make it up to you—two dozen peanut butter chocolate chip cookies with your name on it.”

  “Make it three dozen,” I growl, shaking my head as I disconnect the call. I’m about to see Amelia for the first time in over two years, and spend a week in close quarters with her.

  What have I gotten myself into?

  Two

  AMELIA

  I pull up to the country house with wide eyes. I have always known Esme has impeccable taste, but I had no idea her second home would be so breathtaking. The oversized cottage is painted an Antique White, with sage green shutters and an apricot door. The trellis surrounding the front door is adorned with peach tea roses, tendrils of ivy curling sweetly around the windows. It reminds me of a fairy tale.

  Pushing open the door, I step out of the car and swallow back my insecurities. Esme says her older brother Griffin is also staying here, and I hate the thought of being a nuisance to him. I make my way to the front door with trembling hands.

  When I push the doorbell, I am greeted with a soft tinkling melody. It sounds familiar, but I can’t quite place the song. Before I can think too much about it, the door swings open. As Griffin’s hulking frame fills the doorway, I realize that he’s even more attractive in person than in my memories. His whiskey brown eyes are glimmering in the late afternoon sun, and his wide smile makes my stomach clench. “Hello, there.” His cultured accent, so similar to Esme’s, is deep and charming.

  Shit. At the sound of his voice, it hits me like a sucker punch—my crush on Griffin had never really gone away. It had just been dormant, hibernating in the secret caves of my heart until the day I got to see him again. I shake my head to clear my thoughts and hope he can’t see how he affects me.

  “Hey, Griffin. My name’s Amelia. I’m sure you don’t remember me, and I’m so sorry for this inconvenience, but--”

  He holds up a hand, his full lips curling into a smile. “Hey now, none of that. Any friend of Esme’s could never be an inconvenience. Mi casa es su casa, and all that.” He steps back and motions for me to come inside.

  “Thanks,” I squeak, as surprise floods my veins. I was expecting him to be closed-off and cold, like Esme warned me he could be, but he’s more like the Griffin I remember than the gruff man she described. I am so grateful for his warm words that I can’t stop myself from stepping forward and wrapping my arms around him. His hand presses against my back and he chuckles.

  He’s much taller than I am—over six feet compared to my five-foot frame—and I feel tiny and delicate in his arms. His scent envelops me and I’m thrown back in time. I’m sure he would never remember the night replaying in my mind, but I’ve thought about it nearly every day since. I pull back with a shy smile, and when our eyes meet, I fight the urge to apologize again.

  “My sister tells me you’ve had some unwanted visitors at your home?” His eyes are soft, but filled with curiosity.

  “Yeah. My ex is sort of famous, so the paparazzi wants pictures of me crying or throwing his stuff out the window.” I wave off the residual sting with my hand. “I won’t be doing any of that, but I don’t want to give them anything they can use to say I deserved his cheating.”

  “Understandable. I’ll keep an eye out for them here, as well, but I doubt they’d even think to come here to look for you.” His smile is so reassuring, I just want to hug him again. I hold back this time, not wanting to scare him off. Our eyes meet, and I swear I can feel a crackle of electricity in the air.

  I break the stare when I feel something soft and warm brush over my ankles. “Oh! Who is this little cutie?” I crouch down to face a snowy white kitten. “Hi, sweetheart.”

  �
�This is my best friend, Pickles.”

  “Pickles?” My eyes flick up to meet his, and I catch the way Griffin’s cheeks redden. It is the most adorable thing I’ve ever seen. I smother a giggle.

  His hand comes up and scratches at the back of his neck. “I didn’t name him, but I didn’t have the heart to change it.”

  “Oh, so he’s a rescue?” My attraction to him deepens even further. Any man that cares enough to rescue an animal is definitely a keeper.

  “Not exactly. More like... a leftover souvenir from a past relationship.” His eyes skip away from mine, and I feel a sudden rush of jealousy blooming in my chest.

  “Oh.” My eyes drop back down, and I scratch gently under the kitten’s chin. I idly wonder about the woman who selected her, before rising back up to my feet. “Well, I’ll just grab my things and get situated, so I can get out of your hair.”

  I spin around to fetch my bags from the car before he can catch me blushing.

  Three

  GRIFFIN

  I watch Amelia walk back off the porch, the sexy sway of her hips mesmerizing me and holding me in place. She is so fucking beautiful. I can’t help but wonder who in the hell would ever cheat on a woman like that. It’s like going out for hamburger when you have filet mignon at home. I pull myself from my thoughts and rush down the porch stairs to help her.

  She opens the trunk from her keychain, seeming surprised when I grab her things before she has the chance. “I see good manners run in your family. Your sister Esme is the kindest woman I’ve ever met.”

  “Eh, she’s okay... though I think we can all agree that I am the most fantastic of the Parker siblings,” I tease.

  “And certainly, the most modest,” she laughs. “Thanks again, by the way.” She shoots me a grateful grin, stealing the breath from my lungs without even trying.

  “No need to thank me, darling. It’ll be nice to have someone to talk to other than Pickles.” I lead her through the foyer and over to the staircase, stealing a glimpse at her over my shoulder. She’s impressed by my sister’s house, admiring the soft shades of blush and cream that comprise the living room.

  “This is so lovely. I can see why you’d be inspired to write here,” she says.

  I’m surprised she knows my occupation. “Yes, it is. I’m also having a house built nearby, so it was convenient to stay here until it’s finished.”

  “Oh? You’ll be living here in Sugar Creek?” I nod, and she appears pleased. “Esme said you’d been living back in London after you graduated.”

  “I was, for a couple of years. But when it grew cold and lonely, I felt like it was time to move someplace brighter, warmer. I needed a fresh start in the sunshine.”

  She had no way of knowing that I meant closer to her, but that was exactly what I’d been imagining when I made the decision to move back to Georgia.

  “Well, Sugar Creek’s less than an hour from Sweet Briar, where Esme and I live. You should make sure you come and visit more often.” Her voice was light and playful, her words making my heart squeeze.

  “Yeah, I already promised Esme that I would visit. Just as soon as I get this damn book finished.” I frown, knitting my eyebrows together. This story has been in my head so long, I wonder if I’ll ever get it all out on paper.

  “What are you writing? Another thriller?” Her question is casual, but there’s no way I can answer it truthfully. I’m a best-selling author of nearly a dozen suspense novels, but this time I’m trying something new.

  “No, this one’s just a little love story. A tale of second chances, if you will.”

  “Oh, I’m a sucker for romantic stories. I’ll be your first customer,” she offers.

  You’re already the inspiration. “I’ll send you the first signed copy.” I climb the stairs with her a few steps behind me, stopping at the top of the staircase. “Your room is right over here,” I say, gesturing to the room right across from mine. “You’ll have your own bed and closet, but I’m afraid we’ll have to share the bathroom.”

  “Oh, I don’t mind at all. Thank you for sharing your space with me. I promise not to get in your way.”

  “Are you kidding? You’re as tiny as a pixie. You could never be in the way.”

  “I hope you still feel that way by the time I go home.” She shoots me a shy smile before disappearing through the doors.

  She doesn’t know it yet, but she’s already taken another piece of my heart with her.

  Four

  AMELIA

  I close the door behind me and concentrate on pulling air into my lungs. How am I ever going to last a week under the same roof as Griffin Parker? I promised him I’d stay out of his way, but I have absolutely nothing to do for seven days except avoid the paparazzi.

  “Stupid cheating Joseph and his stupid fame-hungry model,” I mumble to myself. Moving over to the bed, I replay the miserable chain of events that led me to this moment.

  Since I graduated college, I’ve been working at the Registrar’s Office at my alma mater, Sweet Briar University. I’d just returned to the campus from my lunch break, when my boss Helena stopped me outside my office.

  “Amelia, sweetheart. I don’t know how to tell you this, but you need to know the truth. I was just at the park and saw Joseph there... kissing another woman.” She’d pulled out a picture she’d snapped and everything. I saw the handkerchief in his lapel I’d gifted him for his birthday last week, so there was no denying it was him.

  I clench my fists again as I remember his infidelity, the anger rising to the surface. While the hot feeling builds inside me, I realize that’s all it is—anger. Nowhere do I feel the sadness I’d been anticipating. I am not brokenhearted, just mad. I don’t miss his voice or his face at all.

  Why is that?

  The ringing of my phone draws me out of my tangled thoughts. “Hey, Esme,” I sigh, grateful for the distraction.

  “Hey, love. I take it you’ve arrived safely at Chateau Esme?” I can hear her cheeky grin through the phone.

  “I sure have, and may I say it is the loveliest home I’ve ever seen?” I run a hand over the downy-soft blush bedspread adorning my bed.

  “You may,” she responds with a giggle. “Do you have enough room?”

  “More than enough, silly. It’s incredible here.”

  “And my brother—is he behaving? I know he can be a bit of a grouch at times, but he is very sweet once you get to know him.”

  “I can already see that. He's been more than kind,” I tell her, my heart fluttering at the memory of his hug. I am thankful she can’t see me at the moment, as I’m likely wearing a lovesick grin. The realization surprises me, and I clear my throat. “Anyway, I’ve got to run. I feel gross and I’m dying to check out your magnificent shower.”

  “Ah, yes. Enjoy yourself, love. And in case you’re feeling lonely, the deluxe shower head has a ton of extra settings.”

  “Esme!” My cheeks burn as I imagine getting myself off in her shower with Griffin right next door. My nipples harden to taut peaks at the thought. “I’ll talk to you later. And thanks again!”

  Her throaty chuckle is the last thing I hear as I disconnect the call. I retrieve my toiletries from my bag, selecting a cozy pair of gray lounge pants and an oversized jersey to wear afterwards. I open the door to the bedroom and listen for Griffin, but all I hear is the rock music flowing up from downstairs. The sound makes me smile. Rather than interrupt his work to tell him I’m going to jump in the shower, I head into the bathroom and strip off my clothes.

  After turning on the hot water, it only takes a moment to fill the bathroom with thick swirling steam. I turn on my Hot Girl Summer Playlist, songs that throw me back to happier days, and shake my ass as I step under the water. I let the bubbles wash away any lingering unhappiness.

  Five

  GRIFFIN

  I’m lost in my story, my ideas suddenly flickering to life on the computer screen. I am describing the ribbons of platinum in the main character’s hair, when I hear it:
the groan of the pipes from the upstairs bathroom. The rush of the water tells me that Amelia’s taking a shower.

  Though I try to fight it, I’m overcome by the thought of her naked and soapy just feet from where I’m sitting. My cock is standing at attention, straining against the confines of my jeans.

  I press my palm against myself, trying to ignore the blood flow and get back to the story, but I know it’s hopeless. My vision, which moments ago was filled with words of my story, is now blurring at the edges. I’ll never get any work done today, not with the world’s most beautiful woman lathering her incredible body in my shower.

  Rising to my feet, I try to think unsexy thoughts--Mrs. Lassiter, the old crone who ran our Primary School. Naked. And playing tennis.

  But no matter how hard I try, I can’t get Amelia out of my thoughts. I imagine myself stepping in the shower beside her, helping her rinse the bubbles from her supple tits. I can easily picture my hands skimming over her curves, gripping her slippery skin in my hands as I push her up against the wall.

  I close my laptop with a reluctant groan. There’s no way I’m getting this chapter finished while I’m this distracted. I grab a notepad and a pen, and hastily scribble a note to the woman of my dreams.

  Amelia:

  I’m going out for the rest of the afternoon to work on my story. We can figure something out for dinner once I return. There’s a great Chinese place that delivers, if you’re interested.

  See you soon,

  Griffin

  After leaving the note where she can find it easily, I grab my keys and head out the door. As I’m hopping in my truck, I can’t help but imagine Amelia beside me on the bench seat, my hand wrapped around hers.

  When did I become such a sap?

  Esme would have a field day with the way I’m behaving.

  I drive into the town of Sugar Creek, chastising myself all the while for my suddenly soft heart. I pass by the colorful storefronts, all the family-owned shops that make the town so unique and cheerful. It’s hard to be my usual grouchy self in a town like this. There’s the bakery, the bookstore, the coffee shop, and the bar. I grab my laptop, and head inside the coffee shop.