A Silken Thread - Brenda Jackson [54]
He glanced around and saw the busboys breaking down the tables—they were the last couple in the restaurant. “It’s time for us to go. Where are you staying tonight?”
“At the Hilton downtown.”
He stood and picked up the bill the server had placed on the table earlier. “Come on. Let me make sure you get back to your hotel.”
Chapter Fourteen
Griffin had all good intentions of delivering April to her hotel, only sticking around long enough to make sure she got into her room safely. But he hadn’t counted on a few things. Like just how aroused he’d gotten sitting across from her and watching her eat. Each and every time she took a sip of her drink or licked her lips he could imagine his tongue easing right into her mouth.
And when they were about to leave the restaurant and he’d pulled the chair out for her, she’d swung her legs around to stand up. He’d gotten flashed by the most gorgeous thighs and wondered just how it would feel to slide right between them.
The cab ride was even worse. He inhaled her scent, that luscious fragrance that he loved so much. Now as he walked beside her into the lobby of her hotel, lust was ripping through him, attacking every cell in his body. He wanted her with a hunger he hadn’t ever experienced before.
But then, if he were to be completely honest with himself, he would admit that he’d always wanted April and had deliberately come to Chicago to get her. Oh, he had convinced himself on the flight from Ohio that he was merely here to give a hometown girl support. But he knew that was a lie.
It had nothing to do with support and everything to do with wanting her…as he always had. As he still did. That was the reason he’d come and the reason he’d made a bid for the jewelry she’d worn.
He reached in his pant pocket and pulled out the box she’d given him earlier that night. “I almost forgot to give this back to you.”
They’d stopped walking and stood in the lobby. She looked down at the box. “No, it’s yours. You paid for it and—”
“I bought it to give to you,” he said softly.
Their gazes connected and she looked surprised at such a notion. “You’re kidding, right?”
“No, why should I kid about something like that?”
She stared at him, speechless.
“When I read in the paper that you were participating in a charity function here tonight, I decided to come.”
“You flew from Ohio to Chicago?”
He chuckled. “You’re talking like that’s a million miles. Yes, I flew here from Ohio.”
“Because of me?”
“Yes, because of you.” He held her gaze. “You’re a beautiful and desirable woman, April. Is there a reason you don’t believe me?”
April felt she could give him a number of reasons, but the one that headed the list was that he was a Hayes. To him that might not mean anything significant, but the importance of such a thing had been drilled into her head so many times she had the puncture wounds to prove it. Besides that, he’d never shown interest in her before, so why now?
She lifted her chin. “Yes, there is a reason.”
“And what reason is that?”
“I’ve done a number of charity gigs and you’ve never felt the need to attend any before.”
He lifted a brow. “How do you know that I haven’t?”
She opened her mouth and then firmly shut it. She didn’t know, but why would he have?
Instead of allowing her to rethink what he’d said and attempt another response, he took hold of her arm. “Come on, let me walk you to your room. By the way, you will keep the jewelry, April.”
She was so taken back by the firmness of his tone that she wasn’t aware he’d taken her arm until they were stepping onto the elevator. She glanced up at him while confused emotions ran through her. Had he attended other functions she’d participated in without her knowing about it? If he had, then it didn’t make any sense.
“What floor?”
She blinked, realizing he was talking to her. “The twelfth floor.”
She felt the elevator beginning to move and glanced