Cupid's Guide to Murder

Chapter 29: Kisses & Scandals

The following day, sunlight peeked through the blinds. I tried to stretch but couldn't. I almost smiled, realizing I couldn't move because Griffin's legs were tangled with mine and his arm was still around my waist. His eyes fluttered, still shut.

I shifted, making him groan as my soft black hair curtained his face.

"Go back to sleep, Grey."

"We're going to miss the bus," I tried to insist, wriggling out from underneath his grasp.

"I'll get us a ride back," he said, digging his face into my neck and pulling me back closer to him.

I laughed, shaking my head. The scent of his woodsy cologne and proximity to his warm skin was comforting, making it harder to get out of bed. "I promised Taylor I'd sit next to her on the ride back."

"You're ditching me again?" he said sleepily, his eyes fluttering open as he gave me a lazy smile.

"You'll just have to get through the ride without me," I teased.

"I get you for a sleepover again soon then," he said, using his hand to trace lines on my bare skin.

"Promise," I said, feeling a thrill of excitement run down my spine as I realized we had all the time in the world to lie together.

"And an actual date," he said, observing my reaction. For the first time, I think I saw a flicker of shyness across Griffin Keely's face. "So, do you think you can save some time for me, Haven Grey?"

"Always," I said, trying not to beam like an idiot.

Griffin gave me a boyish grin in return.

I didn't want to leave. I wanted to keep looking at that smile, saving it until it was a memory. If I could, I'd lay in bed all day with him, talking about constellations and daydreams, wondering how I had gotten so lucky.

"Did you talk to Luce?" Griffin said, still trailing his fingers on my palm.

Her reflection flashed in my mind. "What happened to Darian was an accident," I said. "There was no foul play involved. She felt terrible knowing he was Natasha's brother, but she's doing okay."

Griffin nodded, bringing my hand to his lips before kissing it softly. "And you?" His voice was husky as he looked at me under dark lashes.

"What about me?"

"Are you okay after finding Natasha's secret after all these years?"

"It explains why she didn't trust anyone," I said. "Part of me feels like I won't be okay. Like she took that chance away from me the moment she left."

It would be easy to write off Natasha's death as a suicide.

A girl, broken by her brother's death, ends her life to join him.

Too easy to be true.

But what was I going to do? Find her alleged killer from the depth of nowhere? Every time I found a suspect, they weren't guilty. All it did was send me into a rabbit hole of more lies, more secrets.

"Maybe everyone else was right." I let out a sigh. "Maybe I'm chasing after something that doesn't exist."

Griffin played with a strand of my hair before tucking it behind my ear. "That doesn't mean we stop looking. We're so close, Haven. Remember what we said in the beginning?" His gaze was serious. "No backing down."

"No backing down," I repeated, leaning in to kiss him. I felt him smile against my own, pulling me closer until all thoughts of anyone else evaporated. His hand gently grazed my back, and I shivered slightly.