Page 151 of Beautiful Surrender

“Not until you tell me what’s going on.”

“It’s your birthday, and we have plans to celebrate. That’s what’s going on.”

She heads toward the door and slips on her black heels. I reluctantly follow her lead. It’s not often we get to dress up anymore. She’s either working or being a mom, and my job has been keeping me busier than ever.

I dusted off my favorite little black dress with a triangle cutout at my midriff and a thigh-high slit. If this doesn’t get me laid for my birthday, I don’t know what will.

“What are you not telling me?”

“Wilderiscomingandhisbrotheriswithhim.” The words come out too jumbled for me to make sense of them.

“Say that again. Slower this time.”

She clears her throat, averting her gaze. “Wilder is coming, and his brother is with him.”

“Jessica Louise Hayes!”

“Don’t you dare use my full government name, Angelina Thalia Rossi.”

A knock sounds at my apartment door.

“That’s the guys,” Jess says. “Please be nice.”

“When am I ever not nice?”

She crosses her arms over her chest and cocks a brow at me.

“Fine. I’ll be on my best behavior.”

As soon as the door swings open, Wilder barrels inside and wraps Jess in his arms. “I missed you.”

She giggles. “I’ve only been gone for two hours.”

“Two hours too long.”

She giggles as he kisses down her neck.

“How’s Emmy Lou?” she asks.

“She’s having the time of her life with your parents, which means we have an entire evening to ourselves for the first time in months.”

I tune them out after that, too busy worrying if I’m drooling as I stare at the man standing in my doorway. I’m tall for a woman at five foot eleven, and he still towers over me by at least a good seven or eight inches. He’s broad-chested and soft around the middle, with light brown wavy hair that hangs down past his shoulders and a well-groomed beard. His eyes are a rich brown with flecks of caramel, and they’re staring back at me with unmasked hunger.

His smile feels like being wrapped in a warm blanket fresh out of the dryer. “Hi. I’m Griffin.”

My gaze flicks to his upturned palm that’s extended toward me. I slide my hand into his, and he brings it to his perfectly soft lips.

I momentarily forget how to speak.

Snap out of it, Ang. You’re a bad bitch. Act like it.

“I’m Angelina.”