Page 35 of Must Love Lavender and Little Lies
“Family, let us all raise our mugs and toast. The impossible has happened. Granik has found his bride. At last.”
The group laughed.
Granik chuckled uncomfortably.
“Let’s all raise our mugs and cheer the happy couple. To Granik and Juniper.”
“To Granik and Juniper!” they called, lifting their mugs.
“Kiss, kiss!” Kika called, the others joining in.
My stomach twisted into a knot, but I turned to Granik all the same.
“I…” I whispered, then met his gaze, seeing the confused emotions thereon. Oh, gods…If they see that. If they realize… “Well, what are you waiting for?” I asked him with a playful smirk.
At that, a look of relief crossed Granik’s features. Taking my cup and setting both our drinks aside, Granik took me into his arms with a swoosh and dipped me, making me laugh. Then, with a grin, he pulled me upright once more and set his lips on mine.
He tasted of lemon shandy and…that rascal, he’d already eaten some of the raspberry dessert. But more, his lips were warm and soft. I could feel the press of his tusks against my face, but he was gentle, and they didn’t hurt. He held me close to him. Warm sensations swept over me, my body tingling with an unexpected reaction to his touch, the urge of want, the urge for more, coursing through me with embarrassing heat.
This is Granik.
Granik!
And his grandmother is watching you!
A moment later, we pulled apart.
The family cheered.
I met Granik’s eyes as he leaned in close to me. “Sorry, I got carried away,” he whispered.
“You’re forgiven for that, but not for getting into Rosalyn’s raspberry trifle before everyone else.”
Granik chuckled. “Caught. I’ll have to be more careful next time.”
“Next time?”
Granik winked at me.
Feeling dizzy, happy, and entirely confused about my emotions, I turned back to the others. Everyone else had turned back to their dinner, but Granik’s grandmother had set her gaze on us.
I gave her a warm smile, but there was something in her expression. She looked like she was contemplating something. Did she suspect? Did she see something? But the matriarch merely nodded to me and turned back to her ale.
I let out my breath.
We might be able to pull this off after all.
“I think they believe us,” Granik whispered in my ear.
“I know,” I replied. “We must be very convincing.”
Granik laughed. “I guess so,” he replied, then put his arm around me, pulling me close and setting a kiss on the top of my head. “Yep, we fooled them all,” he whispered.
I nodded, but my stomach was twisting. “Sure did… We sure did.”
CHAPTER 12
GRANIK
