by Natalie Ann
My jaw dropped, and for a second, I was speechless. Trevor pulled out of the parking space and began to drive. His hand reached over and pushed my chin up. “You are going to drool on my upholstery.”
I smacked his hand away. “You think I kissed you because I wanted to?”
“Hey, if the shoe fits, wear it.”
“Trevor Vaughn, I kissed you because, at that moment, it was a better option than opening the door. I would have kissed a frog if that had been the offer.”
He chuckled. “Okay, Davina Daniels, if that’s what you want to tell yourself.”
I crossed my arms over my chest and glared out the side window. How dare he say that to me! Strangely enough, I think I was more upset about the fact that he seemed to know me slightly better than I knew myself. Damn him! I had wanted to kiss him.
From the moment he had shown up at the door, it was practically all I could think about. While we’d eaten, I’d kept looking at his mouth as it moved, and the longer we sat there, the tenser I became. I’d begun to relax when he’d held me, and I treasured being in his arms. The way he held me was like nothing I had ever experienced before. The soft kisses to my brow made my knees weak.
It was just better to forget it and move on. “Yeah, well, it won’t happen again. I learned my lesson. From now on, I’ll jump into the snake pit before I kiss you.”
He chuckled but didn’t say anything. So I could ignore him more, I retrieved the book from the floor and started at the beginning. There was a page for each of her years from birth through her early years of high school. Then there were pictures of the two of us, and I sucked in a sharp breath.
“You okay?” Trevor asked quickly.
“Yeah, just found some pictures of us in high school,” I murmured to him before I began to read the captions she’d added beside the pictures. “Aunt Davina was my best friend from the moment we met. We did everything together, as you will soon see. She’ll be able to share lots of stories with you of the stupid things we did growing up.”
Trevor chuckled. “I’d like to hear a few of those.”
“I don’t think she was talking to you. I do believe that this information is for Devon only.”
“Hey, why are you mad at me?” he asked.
“I’m not.”
“You sure sound like you are. It’s not my fault you kissed me and enjoyed it.”
“Will you just let it go?”
“Nope. Not until you admit that you enjoyed doing it.”
“Not going to happen.”
“Yeah, it will.”
I glared at his handsome profile. “You are so sure of yourself, aren’t you?”
He winked my way. “I know the way a woman responds to someone they want. You want me, Davina.”
And just like that, I no longer wanted him. Being reminded of his playboy ways helped justify my reasoning for not kissing him again. “You know, I never pegged you for being arrogant.”
“I’m not arrogant.”
“Ha! I know the way a woman responds to someone they want. You want me, Davina. If that’s not arrogant, I don’t know what is.” I shut the book and set it back down. “And for your information, I do not want you, Trevor Vaughn. It might have been a long time since I have been with someone, but I’m not that hard up to jump in bed with a playboy.”
“Ouch,” he muttered but didn’t say anything else. In fact, he was quiet until we reached our destination. “Do you want to come in, or should I just drop him off?”
“I’ll stay in the truck,” I said softly, feeling bad now for what I had said. It was all lies, and I knew it. Okay, so maybe some of it wasn’t. He did have a past, and he’d obviously been with a lot of women, but I didn’t have to smack it in his face like a whipped cream pie.
Hmm, whipped cream. The thought made me slightly hungry, and part of me craved a big helping smothered over his amazing chest. I put my face into my hands and groaned. Why did I say I would come with him? I would have been less tortured packing Carol’s room.
Trevor was back a few minutes later. “Lexi said hello.”
“That was nice of her.” I smiled at him.
He stared at me for a moment. “Do you want to come with me, or do you want me to take you back home? If you don’t want to hang with me, I can drop you off on the way to the first address.”
I sighed. “I owe you an apology.”
“Because you want me to take you home?” He seemed confused.
“No, because of what I said. I’m sorry I called you a playboy. That wasn’t very nice.”
“Davina, you might think that I have slept with a lot of women, and maybe I have over my thirty-nine years, but I haven’t been with that many. I admit that I haven’t been in a relationship in a very long time, but that doesn’t mean I have been with a different woman every chance I’ve gotten.”
I studied him and saw the truth in his eyes; sadly, I couldn’t help myself as I asked, “How many women?”
His brows jumped. “Well, shit. I don’t know. I’ve been having sex since I was fifteen. I was with a lot of women when I was younger, but I guess in the last few years, five or six maybe.”
“How many since Carol?” I asked.
He seemed to be thinking over that answer for a few seconds. “I went out with three women, but only slept with one of them, and it was only once.”
“Are you being serious?”
“Yes. I would not lie to you, Davina.” He put the truck in drive and pulled away. “Because I travel, and I’m overseas a lot, I didn’t want to leave someone behind in case I don’t come back.”
“I guess that makes sense, but didn’t you want to fall in love?”
“Maybe, but I never found the right woman.”
“Don’t you think you’d have to date them more than once or twice to know if they were the right woman?”
He pursed his lips. “I live my life on instinct, Davina. I always have.”
“Your gut has never told you that a woman might be worth your time to get to know?” He glanced at me, but I couldn’t read his expression. “I’m not trying to be mean here; I honestly want to know.”
He inhaled long and slow. “Yeah, once.”
“And did you get to know her?”
His hand squeezed the steering wheel. “Can we shelve this discussion for a little while? I need to figure out where I’m going or if I need to take you home first.”
“I’ll go with you.”
“Okay.” He slipped his phone out of his pocket and pressed a button, then handed it to me. “Go into my text messages and get the address where I’m supposed to meet Margo.”
I did what he asked, and for the next few minutes, I gave him directions into a nice neighborhood. In fact, it was a really nice neighborhood, and I completely forgot about the fact that he hadn’t answered my question.
“That’s it, the house on the corner.” I pointed as he slowed down to turn.
“Wow, that’s a nice house.”
“Yeah, this whole neighborhood is nice.” We pulled up to the curb behind another car, and he cut the engine.
“Thanks for coming with me.” He winked my way and then climbed out.
Trevor shook hands with Margo and then put his hand to my lower back. “This is a friend of mine, Davina Daniels.”
“A pleasure to meet you, Ms. Daniels.” She eyed me up and down carefully and smiled as if she approved of something.
She led us to the front door and knocked. “The homeowner hasn’t officially put it on the market yet. It is supposed to be listed tomorrow, but when a friend of mine mentioned this, I knew it was the right house for you. I had to promise him two tickets to the opera for an early viewing.”
We all chuckled, and Trevor responded. “Well, I’m glad you were able to. This is a great neighborhood.”
“It’s prime real estate.” The door opened, and she introduced herself to the man on the other side. “We appreciate you letting us get in before it’s listed.”
&nb
sp; “No problem,” the man said with a kind smile. He was an older man, maybe mid-fifties and in shape with a dark head of hair. “I’m going to be in the back office if you all have any questions. No one else is home, so feel free to look around as much as you want.”
Trevor watched him walk away and then began to scan the entry and the living room off to the side. He was quiet as he moved, and I followed silently behind him. This house was amazing with its brightly polished floors and wide staircase.
“Let’s start upstairs,” Margo suggested, and we followed her up to the second floor. There was a hallway that went both ways, and we went to the right first. There were three bedrooms on that side, all decent-sized bedrooms that would be perfect for children, or a child, a nanny, and a guest room or another office.
There was a very nice-sized bathroom and a large laundry area on that side, and then we crossed back past the stairs and went into the master bedroom. “Holy cow, this is huge!”
Trevor glanced at me and smiled. “It is.” There were four windows in the room, along with a sliding door that led out to a small balcony that faced out back. The backyard was fenced in, and there were young trees that would someday fill the backyard with tons of summer shade.
Trevor disappeared into the bathroom. “Wow.”
I followed him in and found him staring at the shower. “Is there a door or curtain?”
“No,” Margo said with a chuckle. “It’s the new trend. Open and inviting.”
Trevor glanced back at me, and I saw an invitation in his eyes that he quickly tried to hide. I had to admit that I liked the idea; shower sex was fun. You could be as dirty as you wanted and still keep it clean. Images of whipped cream came back to mind.
Before my head could get any further into the gutter, I spun around and left the room. I could instantly imagine how I would decorate the bedroom, not that I would ever have the chance.
We headed downstairs and found the dining room and kitchen. I stood with my mouth open staring at the amount of space it had. Trevor walked by, pausing beside me to put his fingers under my chin and push up.
“You’re drooling again.” He chuckled as he walked away.
“Dude, this is seriously worth drooling over. Holy cow! I’ve never seen a kitchen this beautiful before,” I replied to him, and he glanced over his shoulder with a smirk.
“You like it?”
“Like it? Um, no, I freaking love it.”
He went into the family room and toward the back door. I let him check those out because I was entirely in awe of everything the kitchen had. Two sinks, a six-burner stove, and an industrial fridge, not to mention all the counter space and beautiful bright wood cabinets. I think I just found my dream kitchen.
Trevor and Margo came back a few minutes later, and Trevor looked around the kitchen more carefully, opening cabinets, the pantry, and a few drawers. There was no emotion on his face, and I was dying to know what he thought of the place.
They went toward a small hallway, and Trevor and Margo began to speak with the man who had answered the door. I guess that was the back office.
“There is another suite through that door,” he said, and Trevor turned to look behind him.
“In here? There are two master suites?”
“That is more of a small in-law suite. My wife’s parents lived with us for a while.”
Trevor opened the door and stepped in. I quickly followed as curiosity got the better of me, and I smiled at the man as I passed the office door. One wall that I could see was lined with bookcases, and behind him was a wall of windows. Wow, I’d die for an office like that.
I stepped through the other door and found myself in a small apartment-like area. There was a sitting area, a tiny kitchenette, and then two doors. One looked to be to a bathroom, the other I could see a bed through the doorway.
I could hear Trevor and Margo speaking softly, and after peeking into the rooms, I made my way back to the kitchen that I had fallen in love with. Trevor’s voice grew louder, and I heard him talking to the man again. I was shocked when I heard him make an offer. An offer that I could never in my wildest dreams have imagined paying for a house.
How did he have that kind of money? Why was he living in a one-bedroom apartment if he did have that kind of money? I was flabbergasted as I waited in the kitchen.
A few moments later, the three of them came into the kitchen talking details, and I stared at them all. Trevor was going to buy the first house he looked at?
For a few minutes, they conversed, and I found my head spinning as they went through a tirade of details. I was a really intelligent person, but I was overwhelmed by what was happening.
After they finished, Trevor and the man shook hands, and we left. I stood beside Trevor as he said goodbye to Margo, and then he walked me to the passenger door of his truck.
“How can you buy the first house you look at, Trevor? Don’t you want to see more?”
He gave me a lopsided smile, leaning down into my face. I was too surprised by what had happened to say anything as he leaned forward and placed a tender kiss on my lips before he replied softly, “Instinct, Davina, raw, primal, gut instinct.”
Chapter 17 – Trevor
When we arrived at the house, I grew quieter than normal. It wasn’t that I had nothing to say; it was because I needed to let myself go and see how I felt about it. Before now, I hadn’t known anything about this property. The other houses I’d seen pictures of, and none of them had done the whole knocking on my head with a ‘this is it’ kind of vibe.
This one wasn’t just knocking; it was banging with a two-by-four. I stepped into the house, and the first thing I could picture was what I would need to do to block off the stairs to protect Devon. Then as I climbed the stairs and looked at the bedrooms, I could instantly picture one of them as a nursey that would one day have the walls covered with posters and whatnots.
But it was in the master bedroom where things started to fall into place. The large king-sized bed called to me, but not alone. No, it screamed for two. I went into the bathroom, and my gaze zeroed in on the shower. All kinds of incredible fantasies were flashing through my mind, but I sure as hell wasn’t alone in there. No, Davina was in those with me.
One look at her, and I knew that I wasn’t the only one picturing something happening there. She bolted from the room as quickly as she could, and I followed her out a moment later.
When we hit the kitchen, I stepped around her, noting the amazed expression on her face, and when she said she loved the place, I already knew what I was going to do. After checking the backyard and the other rooms, and then sticking my head into the office, I was sold on the place.
The added benefit of the in-law suite was perfect. A live-in nanny could have her own place right here away from my living quarters. Or better yet, I might be able to talk Davina into moving in with me and living here. She could have the office too.
Martin Brooks was surprised that I wanted to put an offer down, and when I told him I would pay full price for it and give him seventy-five thousand down in cash, he was on his feet and putting his hand out to shake on it. Margo was rather shocked, and I’m sure she thought I was eccentric to make such a decision that quickly, but I knew. I just knew.
I also noticed the shocked look on Davina’s face, but I’d have time to talk to her about it later.
As I walked Davina back to the truck, I felt like I was walking on air.
“How can you buy the first house you look at, Trevor? Don’t you want to see more?”
I felt so good that I leaned down and kissed her and didn’t give a rat’s ass if she cared. “Instinct, Davina, raw, primal, gut instinct.”
I pushed her to get into the truck and then climbed in beside her. “If it’s alright, I’m going to drop you off at your place before I go fill out all the paperwork. I know that won’t be very fun for you to sit through.”
“That’s fine,” she said softly and then turned to me. “I thought you wanted my
opinion?”
I put the truck back into park and shifted so I could see her better. “I did.”
“But I didn’t give you an opinion.”
I grinned at her. “Yes, you did.”
“I did not.”
I laughed. “Your expressions were enough for me to know what you thought, but do you want to give me a vocal one?”
“I think you are crazy to go off some gut instinct that says this is the house for you. It’s the first one you looked at.”
“And it has everything and more that I wanted. It’s the perfect house to raise Devon in.”
“But you don’t know anything about the neighborhood, the schools.”
I chuckled. “Actually, I do. I grew up a few streets over in the older side of the development. Devon will attend the same schools that I did.”
“You grew up here?”
“Yes. Anything else?”
“Why do you want something so large?”
“Because I can afford it.”
“How can you afford a place like that? I heard the numbers you were throwing around in there. I know you can’t make that much doing the job that you do.”
I reached over the console and took her hand. “I appreciate the fact that you are concerned, but I can afford it.”
“How?” She pulled her hand back and held it up. “Wait, that is none of my business.”
“Are you asking as a friend?”
“What? Yes, of course, I’m asking as a friend.”
I grinned at her. “Remember that I went into the military right out of high school. I lived in barracks most of my time. When I wasn’t in barracks, I was sharing a place with buddies, or I crashed at my parents’. I didn’t have my own apartment until I retired, and when I did, I wasn’t ready for a house and all that went with it. I wanted to live someplace where I didn’t have to worry about being gone or about the lawn care and trash. So for all those years, the majority of my paychecks have gone straight into the bank, and I have invested well.”
She stared at me, seemingly amazed.
“Is that so hard to believe?”
She shook her head slowly.