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“Yeah. The water was freezing, but I’m okay. I definitely don’t plan to fall in the harbor again.”
He chuckled. “Do you remember what happened?”
I usually didn’t worry about explaining this, but Griffin had already seen me faint. This was round two. “My brain skips a beat sometimes and I faint. I just wanted to walk out on the docks. Next thing I knew, I felt it coming on. I should’ve known better. The last thing I remember is wondering if a sea lion would eat me.”
My heart sped up a little at the rumble of his chuckle. “Not likely. Not impossible, but humans aren’t really their preferred meal.”
“Thank you for diving in and rescuing me.”
“Anytime.”
“I hope I didn’t ruin the wedding reception.”
“Of course not. Now there’s a story.”
“What do you mean?”
“When something goes perfectly, there’s not much to say about it other than how perfect it was. But when something goes wrong, preferably a harmless mishap, there’s a good story to share later.”
I snorted. “I suppose.”
The pharmacy came into view, and Griffin slowed to turn down the side street, the sound of the blinker loud in the quiet that had fallen between us. A moment later he pulled around the back of my small apartment building. My job came with a reduced rate on this apartment. The apartment was small, but nice and furnished. I loved it.
He parked, and before I could say anything, he’d fetched the bag with my dress out of the back and was waiting for me when I climbed out. “You don’t have to carry that up,” I said.
He looked at me quietly. “Are you sure?”
I felt my lips curling up in a reluctant smile. “Griffin, you literally saved me from drowning today,” I pointed out. “I can handle carrying this into my apartment.”
We studied each other for a moment, and I felt tiny flares of heat shooting up inside. His gray eyes flashed silver. He looked remarkably like his brothers. They shared similar features, a straight nose, a strong jaw, and full lips. He was the only brother I hadn’t officially met. All six of the Cannon brothers were objectively handsome, and yet not a single one had elicited anything beyond a vague appreciation from me. Until Griffin. Apparently, being rescued by him, not once, but twice, had created a storm of chemistry inside with little bolts of lightning zapping through me.
He handed over the bag with my dress in it with a dip of his head. “There you go. I’m sure I’ll see you again soon.”
“I’m sure,” I squeaked. I tried to ignore the little jolt I experienced when his fingers brushed against mine as he handed the bag over. It felt like fire streaking up my arm.
I didn’t realize I was just standing there, clutching the heavy bag until he prompted, “Tish? Did you need something else?”
“Oh!” I almost jumped. “No. Thank you again.”
He studied me for a beat before he nodded.
I spun around and hurried into the entrance to the building, turning back to call out, “Thank you!”
“For fuck’s sake, how many times do you need to say that?” I whispered to myself. Flustered, I rushed into the building.
I hurried past the reception area to the small bank of elevators. This was a newer building, luxury housing in the heart of Fireweed Harbor, or at least that’s how it was described when I looked it up before I moved here.
I took the elevator up to my floor, fumbling to tap the code into the keypad at my door before I walked in. I dropped the bag by the door, feeling the shaky jitters that were still reverberating in my system as I dashed into my bathroom.
When I lifted my eyes to look in the mirror, I let out a resigned laugh. My hair was drying in wild curls, my mascara was streaked, and I looked like a big mess.
Chapter Five
Griffin
“How’s Tish?” I asked my brother as I walked into his office a few days after the reception.
Rhys, my oldest brother and the CEO of our family’s corporation, looked up from his desk. “Fine.”
