A Sure Thing

by Marie Harte

  “Such language.” Gavin tsked and sipped his water, sticking out a pinkie as he did so. “Ah, water. How refreshing.” His sarcasm was enough to choke a mule. “Would anyone like refills on drinks?”

  Landon choked on a laugh. “You’re a moron, you know that?”

  “Why? Because I think Utah’s got a better defense than your stupid team?”

  “Stupid?” Not funny. He rattled some stats off the top of his head, because he knew Gavin had nothing to come back with.

  Then Theo joined in for another rousing argument while Hope and Ava sat watching them as if baffled by their behavior.

  Yeah, college basketball was the absolute best.

  * * *

  Ava watched the guys argue, volleying back and forth without taking a breath, and getting louder with each statistic and swear word.

  “Then you have people like him,” Hope said, nodding to Landon, “who think anything they say will influence what happens on TV.” She sighed. “It’s sad, really. My brothers always seem much more intelligent before watching one of these games.”

  “Don’t tell, but my cousins aren’t the only ones who like football games for the tight pants and shoulder pads,” Ava admitted.

  Hope laughed. “Don’t forget soccer and their strong thighs.”

  “Good point.” Ava watched the game. “Hmm. Some of those players aren’t bad. Too young and too tall. But not bad-looking.”

  “I like ’em tall. And big.” Hope wiggled her brows and gave an evil laugh.

  “Ha.” Ava had expected to like Landon’s family. But she hadn’t anticipated feeling so at ease with them. It really did feel like being with her cousins at Sunday dinner.

  More, she liked the way Landon behaved with them. He wasn’t showing off, acting any differently than she’d imagined he would, or seemingly trying to impress her. Which in itself impressed her. She’d met too many people who cared more about looking grand or important than being decent. Not Landon.

  As he argued with his brothers, he seemed to be enjoying himself. And that joy was easy to see.

  Ava faced Hope again. “So your brother played college football?”

  “Yep. Full scholarship. He was really good, but he only used college as a stepping-stone to join the Marine Corps as an officer.” Hope eyed her brother with amusement. “He’s a scary guy.”

  “Oh?”

  “All that focus. When he wants something, he goes after it full tilt.” Hope turned to her, the pretty blond with deep brown eyes a carbon copy of the picture of the woman on the mantel.

  Ava glanced at it, thinking Landon and his siblings would age well. What a handsome family.

  It took Ava a moment to realize Hope’s amusement had settled on her. “Why are you grinning at me like that?”

  Hope leaned closer to murmur, “Landon doesn’t bring girls home to watch basketball games. And he sure doesn’t act all goonish around his conquests.”

  “Conquests?” Was Hope referring to her? And conquests, with an S?

  “My brother is a decent guy, but I’m sorry to say women come kind of easily to him.” Hope sighed. “All my brothers are like that. Even Theo, and he’s just out of high school.”

  “Well, you’re an attractive family.” Ava glanced once more at the picture on the mantel.

  “Thanks. We do kind of take after Mom and Dad. Fortunately, we just look like them. If I was a carbon copy of my mother, I’d shoot myself.”

  Ava chuckled. “A common mother-daughter complaint.”

  “You too?”

  “No, but I’m a therapist. I hear a lot of things in my office. And that complaint is as commonplace as fathers and sons butting heads.”

  “That would be Theo and Dad, which is funny because my dad is the easiest guy in the world to get along with.”

  Landon swore. “Theo, you can’t seriously think that. Are you a moron? You—” Landon broke off as his team scored twice in a row. “Yes! Did you see that?” All three men now stood in front of the TV, so Ava couldn’t see a thing. Not that she particularly cared.

  “I have eyes, Landon.” Theo glared. “Now I think I’m going for Utah too.”

  “That’s it.” Gavin hugged him. “Come over to the dark side.”

  Hope chuckled. “Gavin’s a master at getting under Landon’s and Theo’s skin. But not mine.” She took a pizza roll and nibbled. “See how goonish big brother is acting? I love it.”

  “I don’t know that I’d call it goonish.”

  “Neither would I,” Landon said, proving he’d been listening to them. “Don’t be a pest, Hope.”

  “Whatever. Look, you big ape, we can’t see the screen. You’re all blocking it with your enormous fat heads.”

  “Another commercial. This sucks.” Theo stomped back to Ava’s side and sat.

  Landon plucked him from the couch, dumped him on the floor, and sat next to Ava instead.

  “Landon, damn it.”

  He put an arm behind her on the couch. “Hey there, Doc. How are you?”

  “Oh, you have time for me now that a commercial is on?” She found him endearing in a dopey, male-stereotypical kind of way.

  “Yep. And these last for at least five minutes. So talk.”

  “I’m using the head,” Gavin announced and darted down the hallway.

  “TMI, dude.” Theo frowned at the near-empty bowl of pizza rolls. “Aw, man. Hope, you ate them all.”

  “Nope. That was Ava.”

  Ava flushed, because she’d done her share of munching. “Um, it might have been me because—”

  Theo shook his head. “Nice try. But I saw you chowing down, Hope.” Theo’s eyes widened. “God. I’m so sorry. I forgot.”

  “What?” Hope sounded wary.

  “That you’re eating for two. Explains why your hips have been getting wider. Better for the baby.”

  “Hope?” Landon’s eyes widened. “Are you—”

  “You’ll pay for that, Theodork.” Hope raced after Theo, who ran laughing all the way up the stairs.

  “Lovely family.” Ava chuckled. “Will she hurt him if she catches him?”

  “He’s big but he’s spry. My sister, however, is evil. She can pinch like nobody’s business. And if you try to retaliate, she runs to Mom and Dad. She’s so annoying.” He wore a wide smile while saying it, then whispered something.

  “What?” Ava leaned closer to hear him and found herself succumbing to a kiss that was over too soon.

  “Been wanting to do that since you walked in,” he admitted and tucked her hair behind her ear. He kissed her again, this time slipping her some tongue. She wanted to protest that his family was too close for this kind of intimacy, but she couldn’t find it in her to deny a simple kiss.

  “Get a room, you two,” Gavin said.

  She could hear his smirk.

  Landon quickly disengaged and stood, glaring down at her. “Seriously, Ava. My family is here. Hands to yourself.”

  Seeing Gavin’s wide eyes, she blushed. “Oh please. He was all over me and I—”

  Gavin yelled for Theo and Hope, who soon appeared. “Hey, guys, Ava’s mauling Landon. Come see.”

  “Gavin, you are an ass,” she seconded Landon’s opinion of his brother, who laughed like a loon.

  “What? What did we miss?” Theo asked, breathless. His hair was askew, his sweatshirt rumpled, while Hope didn’t seem to have a hair out of place.

  “Nothing but your brother bothering me,” Ava growled, torn between embarrassment and laughter.

  “With his mouth,” Gavin emphasized. “No funny business here, people. This is a family party.”

  “Yeah, Ava. Really.” Landon looked horrified. “I mean, not in front of my brothers and sister. Oh, the shame.”

  “I can see why no one likes you,” she said in a flat voice, cau
sing his siblings to burst into laughter.

  “Well, I really like you, Ava.” Gavin gave her a thumbs-up. “It’s like you see the real Landon under all that testosterone.”

  “You should talk,” Landon bit back, now looking less than amused.

  Theo pointed to the TV. “Oh hey, commercial’s over.”

  Like magic, the brothers settled back down to watch and argue.

  She and Hope exchanged a look.

  Hope shook her head. “Men.”

  Ava nodded. “An alien species, all right.”

  Chapter 10

  During halftime, Landon took her on a tour of his place at the prodding of his brothers, who were still whining about all the cleanup they’d had to do.

  Ava thought it was sweet that he’d wanted the place to look tidy for her. “How nice of you, Landon.”

  “Stop calling me nice, damn it.”

  “Nice is bad?”

  “Nice is terrible. Now, the tour.” He grabbed her by the hand.

  She glanced down at it.

  He smiled. “I don’t want you to get lost while you’re here.”

  “So thoughtful of you.” Ava bit back a grin, surprised to find herself having a fabulous time. “You’re not taking me to see your etchings, are you?” His palm felt warm around hers.

  He chuckled. “Nah. I’ll show you something much better.” They walked up the stairs.

  “You mention the words banana or hammock and I’m out of here.”

  He laughed long and loud. “Jesus, you’re funny. Come with me, Doc. I’ll show you around.” He stopped at the top of the stairs. “This is our hallway. Note the clean carpet. That’s all me. I love to vacuum.”

  “I’m not surprised.” Landon was a discipline-and-order kind of guy. She couldn’t see him living in a mess. They walked down the hall.

  “And here, the guest bathroom. The clean bathroom, unlike the one downstairs known as the pigsty Gavin funks up on a daily basis.” He opened another door to show a room full of boxes. “Gavin’s crap. He’s temporarily staying with me until he gets his own place. His room is downstairs. He and Theo are sharing right now.”

  “Theo lives with you too?”

  “We’re giving him a break from Dad.” Landon shook his head. “Family drama. It’s tiresome.”

  “But someone’s got to handle it, so why not you, hmm? I’m sensing that’s your role in your family. The peacemaker.”

  “You are good.” He gave her a look she had a hard time deciphering.

  “I am.”

  “Okay, Doc. Just no shrinking me unless I ask for it.”

  “You’re always asking for it,” she said under her breath.

  He must have heard her because he laughed. “I am, aren’t I?” He paused in front of a closed door and turned the knob. “And this, good doctor, is the ultimate in bedrooms. A master for the master. A glorious area for my splendor to be showcased, where my magnificence is only matched by the size of my—”

  She shoved past him into the room and froze.

  They stared, her in amusement, him in shock that soon turned to anger.

  “Gavin! Hope! Theo! Get your asses up here.”

  “Do you really want your family seeing this?” She had difficulty keeping a straight face. “I mean, your proclivities are nothing to be embarrassed about.”

  “It’s not mine, damn it.”

  “But still, you’re sharing the house with Theo, and he mostly likely hasn’t been exposed to these kinds of things.”

  “I have no idea who put this here.”

  His cheeks rivaled the red of her favorite apple.

  “Are you sure? It’s nothing to be embarrassed about. And if you think about it, using…that…is a way to promote safe sex.”

  “Christ.” He dragged a hand through his cropped hair, and she coughed so as not to laugh.

  What sounded like a herd of elephants tramped up the stairs before Hope, Gavin, and Theo rushed in behind them.

  “What…?” Hope was aghast. “Oh my gosh, Landon. What is that?”

  Gavin and Theo started laughing. Hope joined in.

  Ava could no longer contain her mirth. “No wonder you think you’re popular with the ladies!” She held her ribs. “They never say no, do they?”

  “Ew, that thing looks like Ava,” Theo said when he could catch his breath.

  Ava wiped tears from her eyes. “Well, this is awkward.”

  The blow-up doll in the middle of Landon’s bed had long dark hair and neon green eyes. It wore a pair of shorts and a Jameson’s Gym T-shirt. And by its left hand was a flyer for the self-defense class that had written in marker over it, “SIGN ME UP.”

  “Man, Landon. I had no idea.” Gavin shook his head.

  Landon glared. “You did this.”

  “Not me, Bro.”

  “Hope, Theo?” Landon stared with suspicion at his brother and sister. Then he turned to Ava.

  “Whoa. I certainly didn’t do this. I mean, I guess I should be flattered. She’s oddly attractive in a rubbery kind of way.”

  Landon clapped a hand over his eyes.

  Ava bit her lip not to laugh again. “Do you do this often? Substitute dolls for real women? Because, Landon, that’s not exactly a healthy relationship in the making. I could recommend someone you could see if you wanted to talk about—”

  “Out. Everyone—out.”

  Ava followed his family down the stairs, watching them high-five each other.

  “Hey, I didn’t do it,” Gavin said, “But that was hella funny.”

  “Bust-a-gut funny,” Theo agreed. “But it wasn’t me.”

  Hope frowned. “It wasn’t me either.”

  They all turned to Ava. “Don’t look at me. I just came for the game and the pizza rolls.”

  Theo looked back at Gavin. “You’re lying. It had to be you. But don’t worry. I won’t tell.”

  “Narc, of course you will. My money’s on you, though.”

  “Me? Why make trouble? I don’t want more prank wars.”

  Hope shuddered. “Not that.”

  “Prank wars?” Ava settled back on the couch with the group. Her cousins would love these guys.

  Hope explained, “It used to happen when we were all living at home together. Someone would prank someone else, then the jokes would get embarrassing and out of control. Pantsing someone in high school, writing weird notes about them in the school paper. Once, Theo blamed Gavin for something Landon did—for five bucks—and my parents grounded Gavin for two weeks.”

  “I’m still not over that either,” Gavin groused.

  “It’s funny, but evil. I want no part of it.” Theo shook his head. “I’m not looking for a buzz cut or a mohawk, and I sure as heck don’t want my hair dyed pink again.”

  “Seriously?” Ava gaped.

  Theo rolled his eyes. “When I was a kid, I wanted a mohawk. Mom said I couldn’t get it. Then I woke up one morning missing most of my hair except for a long strip in the middle. I was eight, and it grew back fast, but man, I was in so much trouble. Dad just laughed.” Theo grinned, then frowned. “Back when he was a forgiving man. A decent father and nice guy.”

  “So dramatic.” Gavin put Theo in a headlock and gave him a noogie, ignoring his younger brother’s protests.

  “Before you ask, yes, they’re always like this,” Hope admitted.

  Landon came down the stairs with a deflated doll in his arms.

  “Oh look,” Gavin said, “Landon sucked all the air out of her. Where was the valve? Where did you put that mouth, Bro?”

  Ava had been taking a sip of soda, and when she heard that she choked.

  “Asshole,” Landon growled and disappeared into the garage.

  They laughed so hard they were crying by the time Landon returned. It took much cursi
ng and threats of violence before they settled back down to watch the rest of the game.

  An hour and a half later, Ava followed Hope to the door.

  “See you, squirt.” Landon hugged his sister, then shoved her out with a push to her butt.

  “Hey. I’ll get you for that.”

  “You and what army?” he sneered. Then he turned to Ava.

  “Ava, I…” He paused, glaring over her head.

  Ava looked over her shoulder to see Theo and Gavin standing there, staring at them.

  Landon pulled Ava with him through the house to the garage and slammed the door behind them. “So.”

  “So.” She grinned.

  “You know, it’s really annoying when you do that.”

  “I know.”

  “You’re so cute one minute, then sexy and evil the next. I like it.”

  “Evil?” That was a little harsh.

  “Conniving. Better?”

  “Not much.” She wondered if she should ask, then went for it to see his expression. “Landon?”

  “Yeah?”

  “Was that doll really a prank? Be honest. It was yours, wasn’t it?”

  As expected, he turned bright red. “Oh my God. It was not mine,” he ended in a low growl. “That was one of my idiot brothers or sister pulling a fast one. Trust me. I don’t use a doll. I used this last night.” He held up his hand, and now it was her turn to blush.

  “You do tend to overshare, you know that?” Now she couldn’t stop thinking about him masturbating, and she shivered.

  His slow smile made her warm all over. “Yeah? Well let me share some more.” He brought her hand to his crotch, and she felt him huge and hard. “I’ve been on fire for you since you showed up. But I’m keeping it in my pants, under control.” He leaned closer and nipped her earlobe, then whispered, “I keep thinking about going down on you. How fucking good you tasted. I want more.”

  He leaned back, and she wished she could control her breathing better.

  “You said it was my choice when.”

  “It is. No harm in letting you know I’m game. The earlier the better.” He gave her a shark-like grin. “But I guess you should go. I wouldn’t want to keep you when you need to get ready for your big date tomorrow. You know, with Charles?” His grin turned malicious. “Be nice when you dump him, Doc. You wouldn’t want to cause irreparable harm.”