Love & Loyalty by Tere Michaels Page A

years.”
    That pleased Griffin immensely. He waved the cupcakes under Jim's nose, that look of goofy swagger reappearing.
    “Eat your cupcakes.”
    “Don't you get one?”
    “Nah, I'm just gonna watch and be all pleased with myself, and then I'm going to lick the chocolate off your mouth.” Jim blinked; his hand stopped midway to the chocolate treat.
    “I'm a very neat eater.” He smirked, taking the cupcake in hand. Bits of chocolate on his white sheets gave him a twitch normally, but he might just make the exception tonight.
    “Then maybe I'll bounce on the bed to create smears.” Griffin stripped out of his unbuttoned jeans and got back into bed—with an extra bit of effort to try and dislodge the cupcake.
    “Smears is not a sexy word.”
    “Neither is crumbs, but admit it—the licking of the chocolate line, that was hot.”

    Love & Loyalty
    73

    “Mmmph.” Jim bit the cupcake in half, the taste of artificial sugar exploding on his tongue. Heaven. And a good call. Most people would take a look at him and think all soy and no play, but nothing beat a chocolate treat made in a chemical plant sometimes.
    He gave Griffin a sideways look and offered him a bite as he chewed.
    “Okay, maybe just a taste.” Griffin smiled, leaning in to lick the bits of chocolate crumbs off Jim's fingers before biting into the moist cake.
    Jim smirked as Griffin chewed with a blissful smile of his own. “Okay, the French food was nice, but damn if these cupcakes aren't good.”
    “Little did you know, I'm a cheap date.” Jim broke the second cupcake in half and handed the other piece to Griffin, who didn't even protest.
    “Eh, next time I'll let you take me to that diner.” Jim pondered the “next time” as he ate, careful not to spill any crumbs—
    then realized that Griffin was watching him out of the corner of his eye.
    “What?”
    “What what?”
    Jim put the plate on the nightstand and licked the chocolate off his fingers. Griffin was sitting there, still with the cupcake in his hands. “Why are you sitting there like that? Eat the cupcake before I reconsider my generous sharing and take it back.”
    Griffin put the chocolate cake in his mouth, throwing Jim looks now and again.
    “What?”
    Griffin swallowed. “Just wanna make sure it's cool if I stay here tonight.” Jim snorted. “No. Get your shit and get out.” He snapped the new sheet over them and contemplated another blanket.
    Griffin didn't lie back right away, even as Jim restacked the pillows and lay down.
    “That was a joke.”

    74
    Tere Michaels

    “I know.” Griffin sounded a little defensive, but he lay down anyway, rubbing his hands over his hair.
    “I'm having a good time. Wasn't what I expected at all, but it's…fun.”
    “You sound surprised.”
    “I thought we established I don't know how to have fun. Or date,” Jim said drily.
    “Oh, right.” There was a pause. “So this is a date.”
    “Well, technically. Unless all your business dinners end this way.” Jim turned his head to give Griffin a stern look. “Do they?”
    “God, no.” That finally elicited a laugh from Griffin.
    “All right, then.” Jim folded his arms behind his head and contemplated another blanket for a second time. “So we had a date. And it, uh…went well, I think.”
    “I think so.” Griffin coughed theatrically.
    “Are you ready to sleep?”
    “You're the one with the actual job that requires an alarm clock. I'm gonna sleep until you kick my ass out. This bed is amazing.” Jim threw back the sheet and slid out of bed, his muscles echoing that yes, this was a date, and it was a good one. He walked to the closet to grab the second comforter and heard a wolf whistle. And snickering.
    “Shut up. Just for that, I'm waking your ass up at five a.m.” Jim threw the comforter over Griffin, then climbed back into bed.
    “Five? That's like—six hours from now.” Griffin sounded horrified. “That's not enough sleep.”
    “I have to be in by eight,”