A Silken Thread - Brenda Jackson [61]
She knew once they parted that this would be nothing more than a shared moment in history. A shared moment she would remember for the rest of her life. She could have her dreams and fantasies, but he had proven to her that there was nothing like the real deal.
He slowed pulled his mouth away and smiled down at her. “Now you see why I didn’t want to stay in bed with you? You deserved your rest and as long as you were within reaching distance, I wouldn’t let that happen.”
He chuckled and then said, “I’m truly not the greedy bastard I came across as last night. It’s just that I’ve wanted you for so long and—”
“What did you just say?” She hated interrupting him but she needed for him to clarify what he meant, especially when he had insinuated something similar yesterday while standing in front of her hotel room door.
He stared at her for a long moment and then he took her hand. “Look, I don’t want to come on too heavy and scare you off, but I was only being honest. I’ve had this thing for you for some time.”
Her heart began beating in her chest. “This thing?” She needed more clarification.
A crooked smile touched his lips and she was almost robbed of her breath. “Yeah, you know…”
She nodded. In a way she did know. It was no different from what any man had for a supermodel. Models were some men’s fantasy girls. “Oh, a hot thing,” she said, trying to keep the sound of disappointment out of her voice and feeling her heart rate slow down.
“Yeah, that, too. But for me it’s a lot more than that.”
Her heart rate increased again. “In what way?”
“I’ve always had this thing for you, but I knew since you were Erica’s friend that you would never entertain the notion of us dating, although Erica and I are nothing but friends.”
Not only was her heart beating faster, it was thumping so loud she thought she could actually hear it beating in her chest. “You wanted to date me?”
“Yes, when you would come home to visit Ms. Connie while in college.”
She lifted a brow. “Before I became a model?”
“Yes, before you became a model. Your becoming a model had nothing to do with anything, although I was proud of you. Then you kept meeting guys more in your league and getting engaged and married, and I figured approaching you was out of the question since I never wanted to leave our home town.”
April didn’t say anything for the longest time, not knowing what to say and even where to start. He hadn’t really said he was in love with her, just that he’d always had this thing for her, and it still could be more sexual than emotional. Because she didn’t know what to think, the best thing to do would be to tread lightly to see where this “thing” he had for her would lead.
“You do know I wouldn’t feel comfortable dating you openly, don’t you, Griffin?”
“Why? Because I’m not in your league?”
She frowned, narrowed her eyes. “No, because I’m not in yours.”
Now it was Griffin who narrowed his eyes. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
“You know what it means. We’ve lived in Hattersville all our lives and fully understand their social class system. I’m not in your class.”
He released a disgusted sigh. “That’s how things used to be.”
“That’s still how things are.”
“They’re changing, sweetheart. One of the first things I intend to do as mayor is to bring everyone together. I’m sick and tired of there being separation and a lack of unity.”
She tried not to let his term of endearment affect her. “That’s how it is, Griffin.”
“But it doesn’t have to be that way, April, at least not to the extent it is now. You and Erica always got along just fine. The two of you became the best of friends.”
“Yes, against her mother’s wishes. If Mrs. Sanders had had her way, she would have banished me from the face of the earth. I never understood her problem when it came to me. It was as if she had a personal grudge against me for some reason.”
“That’s just her way.”
April glared. “You can say that, since she’s always liked you. You were the chosen one. You still are.”
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