by Becca Dale
Gavin snorted. “I never said that.”
With a shake of his head, Connor stood. “All right, but you don't trust them. So answer the question.”
What could he say? He didn't trust women, not most of them anyway. Savannah seemed different. He tipped his head back and drained the water bottle before answering. “She knows the score. I think we would make good partners.”
Connor's eyes widened. “Do you want to marry the woman or just set up a portfolio with her?”
“Don't be a smartass. It makes sense to look at it like a merger.” Gavin stood to stretch away the cramps gathering in his muscles. “Faded love and broken promises lead to misery and distrust. I want kids, but I don't intend to subject them to the environment I grew up in.”
“What's that, a cold and loveless home? How is what you're suggesting any different?”
Was it the same? Was he setting them up to fail? “Going into the whole thing with my eyes open will ensure that won't happen. Besides, as long as she doesn't turn out to be a liar, Savannah and I will have mutual respect between us. Dad and the bitch never had that.”
Connor sighed, turning to stare across the open expanse of the park. “So what should I tell Kate?”
“What would you tell her if you didn't know me?”
“That you had grown too hard for marriage. That your stepmother ruined you for nice girls.”
Gavin tossed the plastic bottle toward the garbage and stared at his cousin's back. “But since you do know me?”
Connor turned and threw away his own bottle then stepped onto the path. “I'll give her your overall background and tell her you're an honorable guy who's careful with his heart. She'll have to fill in the rest of the blanks herself.” He pulled his cell phone from his pocket and glanced at the time. “I gotta go. I have a meeting in a half hour, and I still have to get across town.”
“Con, wait.” Shaking off rising dread, Gavin fell into step beside him. “If Kate's worried, tell her I wouldn't hurt Savannah intentionally.”
With a chuckle, Connor slapped him on the back. “All abusive bastards say that.”
“She's not going to cut me any slack, is she?”
Connor full out laughed. “If I know my Kate, there's not a chance in hell. Not a chance.”
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Chapter Seven
The doorbell rang just as Savannah dropped her purse and a pile of letters on the kitchen counter. Her friends all came to the back of her small townhouse where there was decent parking, rather than the street door. She didn't have the patience for a salesman or a political poll so she ignored the chime. Gavin's question had ricocheted in her head since Kate woke her. She'd burned eighteen of her forty-eight hours and still had no clue what she would tell him. She wanted to say yes so badly she hurt, but reason said the whole idea was preposterous.
Kicking off her shoes, she grabbed a glass of iced-tea and picked up the mail to sift through it.
The bell buzzed again. Whoever was on her front porch held down the button, creating a prolonged and annoying hum.
“Damn it.” She tossed the bills down and stormed through the living room to yank open the door. “Didn't your mother teach you manners?”
The rest of the tirade died on her lips as she stared at Gavin's broad chest covered in a navy blue F&B Construction T-shirt. White lettering emphasized the breadth of muscle. She knew it was him. Didn't even have to look up to his unsettling gaze or the full lips of his talented mouth, but she did anyway.
Amusement sparkled in his eyes. “I was going to ask the same thing. It's rude to ignore someone.”
She stepped back and gestured him inside. “I assumed you were a salesman.”
Taking the door from her, he closed it before invading her personal space. “So I shouldn't be offended then?”
“Um...ah...of course not.” Why was he there? How had he found her home address? What the hell had she done? Fighting the urge to step into his sexy embrace, she slipped around him and hurried to the nice, safe kitchen where she could at least keep the table between them.
“Would you like some tea or maybe a beer? I think I have a couple. I'm not much of a beer drinker, but I keep some on hand just in case. You know for when friends stop by. Kate likes a beer now and then. Maybe it's old. Does beer get old? I think I have some wine, too. Guys don't like wine though, do they? Not guys like you, anyway. I don't have whiskey or anything, but I have juice.” She laughed at the stupidity of the last offer. “Yeah, I don't suppose apple juice does it for you either. I could—”
“Savannah.” Long fingers closed over her hand as she tugged on the refrigerator door and gently pushed it closed again. “You're rambling.”
She backed into the counter as he stepped closer. Her knees buckled. Was her throat swelling shut? Good God, how could one person smell so damned amazing?
He circled her waist with his hands and boosted her to sit on the counter, stepping between her thighs. The room dipped and swirled a moment as the man overwhelmed her. A shiver of desire raced up her spine. Leaning even closer, he kissed his way from the slight V of her work shirt to the pulse that raced in her veins. “Did you miss me, beauty?”
Oh, heavens, the man was crazy, but that didn't stop her from shifting to offer him better access to her throat as she swallowed a moan. Her knees tightened against his slim hips and conjured images too hot to handle.
He pushed her collar aside and nibbled his way up her neck to the sensitive spot beneath her ear. Goose bumps rose on her skin, and her nipples tightened as his warm breath teased her. “Answer me, Savannah.”
“Huh?” Did he really expect coherent conversation while his fingers outlined her bra through the suddenly too thin fabric of her shirt?
“Did you think about me today?” He nipped at her earlobe before lifting his head to stare into her eyes. His hand closed over her right breast and heat flooded through her entire body. “Did you fantasize about me when you went to bed last night?”
Her dream replayed like an erotic film in her head. Blinking it away, she fought for some small measure of control, but the heat of his body nestled between her legs added validity to the images and sent desire coiling to her core. “Of course not.”
He chuckled and slid her forward until her butt barely rested on the counter and no space remained between them. “You don't lie well.”
Could he really tell? “Is that a bad thing?”
“Hell no.” He groaned and slid his hand into her hair to hold her steady for his kiss. Like a starving man, he devoured her mouth, talented tongue seeking and tasting, firm lips demanding. His free hand stroked down her back to press against the base of her spine, and she melted. How had she grown addicted to him overnight? She craved the gentle arrogance of his caress and the manly spice of his skin. With a low growl, he severed the kiss. “Touch me, beauty. I've been too long without you.”
Caution told her to be smart, to stop him before things got out of control. Still, her arms lifted around his neck and her legs circled his waist. She buried her face against his throat to absorb him. Broad shoulder muscles rippled beneath her palms and jumped when she flexed her short nails into his back. “This is crazy. We should slow down.”
“Is that what you want?” Pulling her shirt from her waistband, he allowed his hands to wander beneath it and explore her sensitized skin. “Do you really want me to back off when all I can think about is making you fly apart in my arms like you did last night?”
She bit down on a whimper as his hands closed over her breasts and massaged gently. “I can't think.”
Jerking her top over her head, he tossed it aside and turned his burning gaze on her. His fingers unhooked her bra and slipped the straps off her arms, tugging until the satin pulled away and exposed her breasts. “God, you're so beautiful.”
Long hands cupped her, lifting her for his pleasure—and hers. Bending, he flicked his tongue over each nipple in turn before rolling them
taut between his fingers and thumbs. His knowing gaze returned to hers.
Resistance dissolved into a warm and wet pile of goo. She leaned forward pressing into his talented hands.
“Tell me to stop right now, Savannah, or don't ask.”
Tightening her legs, she drew him in. “What if I'm not ready for you to stop?”
“I can't go much further and walk away. I'm not that honorable.”
“Weren't you an officer?” At his nod, she grinned. “Doesn't that automatically make you a gentleman?”
“Only in war.” He kissed his way across her collarbone and down to tease the upper curves of her breasts. “Right here, in your arms, I'm nothing more than a horny bastard with a personal agenda.”
She wiggled against him. If she asked, no matter when, he would back off. He'd proven his honor the night before. It vibrated in his voice and radiated from his tender caress, leaving her eager to experience whatever he offered. Savannah groaned as his lips closed over her nipple. Digging her fingers into his scalp, she pulled him closer still. “Show me your agenda, soldier boy.”
Savannah's words dissolved Gavin's reason to hold back. In a single move, he swept her off the counter and set her on the table, putting her at a better height to pleasure them both. Slow down, soldier boy. He chuckled as her foolish nickname echoed in his head. It sounded like an endearment. Something he wasn't ready to think about, but he loved the rhythm of it on her lips. “Let me pleasure you, beauty.”
Her slender fingers curled into his shirt. “You're overdressed for that, Gavin.”
Kicking his shoes and socks off, he quickly striped to his boxers. “Now, you are.”
A soft, sexy smile tilted her wide mouth. She teased him, slowly lifting her hips to squirm out of her jeans. A tiny pair of purple satin panties hid her pussy but could not disguise her arousal.
His hand trembled like an untutored teenager as he traced the low waistband. “For me?”
Sassy and tempting, her grin flashed as she leaned back on her elbows. “Maybe.”
Outlining the delicate flowers of her underwear, he slowly worked his way to the damp evidence of her need. She quivered beneath his touch. “Tell me the truth. Have I been on your mind?”
Her lashes fluttered closed, and her lips parted on a sigh as he stroked her folds through the moist fabric. “Night and day. I put these on this morning in case you stopped by.” Her hypnotic blue eyes opened, and she licked her lips. “Is that pathetic?”
“No more than circling the block until I saw your car drive up.”
“You did that?” When he nodded, she scooted away as if he'd frightened her, and for a fleeting second, his heart dropped in his chest. Then he saw the mischief in her eyes.
“That's really creepy. Almost stalker-like. Maybe I should call the cops.”
He caught her knees and slid her toward him. She squealed and tried to twist from his hold with mock fear. “That might be a good idea.” He tugged until her thighs embraced his hips and then released her legs. Leaning over her, he bumped his eager cock against her satin-covered folds. Despite his boxers, he could feel her pussy tremble. Desire swirled in her eyes. “Run from me before you get hurt.”
Her hands cupped his face and pulled him down until their lips almost touched. “You won't hurt me.” Sensual and innocent, she rubbed against him.
Hooking his fingers under the sides of her panties, he stepped back and eased them off her hips, over smooth thighs, savoring the irresistible silk of her skin. He dropped his underwear before grabbing a condom from his jeans.
Her eyes widened, and her breathing deteriorated to breathless pants. “I didn't think that was on the agenda just yet.”
Suppressing a grin, he held it out to her. “Would you feel better if you put it on me?”
“No.” She glanced at his swollen dick, and her skin flushed dark red. “I don't think—”
“Don't think. Trust me.” He dangled the little foil square above her. “You know you want to try it.”
She sat up and took it from him. Turning it over, she actually read the instructions on the packet. He couldn't stop the laugh that escaped.
Her glare should have tweaked his conscious, but it didn't. “Stop laughing. I don't know what I'm doing.”
“Then it's time you learned.” He took the condom back and tore it open. Centering the ring on the end of his cock, he caught her hand and put it over him. “Roll it down. That's all.”
It sounded like such a simple thing until Savannah's hand circled him and worked the latex to the base. Was she deliberately torturing him? When his dick was covered, her hand drifted up and down the shaft. Gavin bucked against her touch, and she grinned. “How'd I do?”
He caught her wayward fingers and pressed her down on the table, bracing himself above her. “Stop making me crazy.”
“Then stop making fun of me.”
“I would if you weren't so damned adorable.” He kissed her slowly, testing her readiness until she arched and moaned beneath him, then he rose and took his cock in his hand, working it up and down her pink slit, wetting the condom. “Ready?”
She caught at his wrist. “No. Gavin, please. I'm not sure.”
“Trust. That's all I'm asking.” Hesitancy flitted through her eyes, tempting him to explain, but somehow it mattered that she would believe in him blindly. “I'd never hurt you, Savannah.”
Her lashes flutter down, hiding her thoughts for a moment, then she looked at him and nodded. With a groan, she set her heels on the table and allowed her legs to drop to the sides. “Okay.”
The unguarded act stole his breath, but her simple word of acceptance smashed through barriers he wasn't sure he was ready to give up. He pulled her to the edge of the table again and caught her knees in his elbows as he leaned over to kiss her. Tension made her stiff, but he could feel her trying to relax. Offering far more patience than he'd given himself credit for, he stroked his cock over her tender folds and clit, mimicking the act of thrusting into her while leaving her chastity intact.
Understanding and relief swept across her face as she angled to meet him. “You really are a jerk, soldier boy.”
“I left the Marines months ago, but I prefer soldier boy to jerk if you're wondering.”
“I wasn't.” Her eyes fluttered open. “Why the condom? Just to make me worry?”
No way was he going to get into the mechanics and mess of everything with her. Not when her willing body was spread beneath him. “Shut up and focus, beauty. Feel the slide and pull of my dick through your folds.”
Rearing up, he caught her hips in his hands and stroked harder. His balls slapped against her ass, tearing at his control. “Put your hand on top of my cock, Savannah.” Her palm settled over him without hesitation, fingers and thumb caressing. Fire raced through his veins. “That's it.” He stopped talking long enough to regain his control. “Now, push down until you like the pressure on your clit, not so hard that I can't move but enough to make it good for you, too.”
Her hold tightened and his willpower crumbled. Lunging over her, he captured her mouth, kissing her, mimicking his strokes with his tongue as he slammed forward and eased back. Her legs circled his hips, hindering his movements but fulfilling his fantasy. Her soft inner thighs cuddled the sides of his ass as he surface-fucked her, and desire nearly overpowered him. He longed to sink into her warm wetness and ride her until she committed only to him.
She tore her mouth from his to gasp for air. He moved to her neck and down to suck and tease her breasts. Tiny whimpers slipped from her throat. His balls tightened. He couldn't hold out much longer, needed her to explode. Lifting his head to study her expression, he searched for signs of the rhythm she liked best before settling into an even pace, just hard enough that her free hand clutched his wrist, nails digging in slightly.
Savannah writhed beneath him. Her bottom lip disappeared between her teeth, and her chest rose and fell in ragged breaths. A rosy glow tinted her skin, and her nipples pebbled to
irresistible tips. He circled one with his tongue, and she came, his name a whisper on her kiss-swollen lips. Her back bowed off the table and shudders wracked her slender frame.
“There's my beauty. So fucking gorgeous when you come.” Just for me.
Kissing her cheek, he held her close and pumped again, once, twice, so close. The world exploded in a blinding flash of white. Cum surged through his dick in searing spurts, and as he clutched her to him, he reminded himself once more it was sex. Nothing more.
The world slowly settled to normal around Savannah, but still she clung to Gavin for support. His forehead rested on her breastbone while he sucked air into his lungs with desperate gasps. Aftershocks rippled through them both. His hair tickled the palm of one hand, and she rubbed his back in soothing strokes with the other. The man blew her mind every time he touched her.
Riding out a residual shudder as he snuggled closer, she kissed his shoulder and smiled. “Is it always like this?”
He didn't lift his head far enough for her to see his eyes, just turned his face to rest against her breasts. “No.”
She waited for a longer explanation. Something, anything to clarify, but the stubborn man remained silent. Had he fallen asleep? Guys were supposed to do that, weren't they? Damn it, she hated being in the dark about such things.
Her legs started to cramp. Sliding them from around him, she tried to relax, to shut off the stupid insecurities racing around in her head. He'd said they were good together, and she sure as hell enjoyed him. But someone once told her, that for a guy, even bad sex was worth having. Should she have done something different, moved differently, or more?
The questions continued as he stood and grabbed his boxers. “Bathroom?”
“Down the hall, on the right.” She rolled to her side to watch him stride away, cocky even naked. Lean muscles defined his back and led to the most perfect ass in the world. Not that she'd really know, but it worked for her. It had bunched and flexed beneath her calves as he rode her, and the strong, sexy thrusts had heightened her need, feeding an animalistic desire that proved impossible to ignore.