by Becca Dale
“Come on!”
“Maybe it's none of your business?”
The scowl deepened. “What's that supposed to mean?”
“You won't tell me about the guy who puts a purr in your voice, so why should I tell you anything about Gavin?” Feeling like a first class bitch, Savannah grabbed a bottle of water from the small fridge in the corner of her office and dropped in a chair.
“You mean Connor? He does not put a purr in my anything. He's a pompous short guy with a stick up his ass more often than not. Now, you know everything.”
“Sure. That's why he's the first man to come to mind. I never said I was talking about Connor.”
Kate continued to scowl but didn't budge from the room.
“Fine. Gavin brought the contract over, and while he was there, he offered a sample of what it would be like if I married him.”
If Kate's eyes got any wider, they would overtake her entire face. “Oh my God! Did you sleep with him?”
“Nope, no sleep involved.” Savannah turned away to hide her grin. She'd always wanted to say that.
Grabbing her arm, Kate jerked her back around. “Tell me. What made him change his mind about doing it? Did he at least get you off?”
“Wow, I'm not sure what to say.”
“Oh.” Her petite friend looked crushed as she sank onto the edge of the desk. “I'm sorry. I should have warned you that it's not always good for the girl, at least the first time or two. It'll get better unless he's a complete asswipe.” The scowl returned. “Is that the problem? Is he an inconsiderate bastard?”
“No. In fact, I'm not sure I'd survive if he were any better at it.”
“Well, that's promising. So you're okay then? Being your first time and all.”
Savannah gave in with a sigh. As much as she wanted to keep Gavin all to herself, she couldn't worry Kate. “We didn't actually do it. He...” She looked down with a grin as she remembered Gavin's hands and tongue. “He just showed me what it could be like.”
“Oh my God! You're seriously thinking about marrying him, aren't you?”
“Considering it.”
“Have you told him yet?”
“No.” Savannah walked to the window to stare into the small garden she'd set up for client meetings. The Stargazer lilies had just begun to bloom, their hot pink and white blossoms hanging in almost indecent splendor. “I have no idea how to be the kind of wife he says he wants.”
“He says? You make it sound like you don't really believe him. What aren't you telling me?”
“Gavin is a softie no matter how hard he tries to be the tough guy all the time. Whenever he talks about his sister or his grandfather, he's so sweet. It's just...”
“Just what?”
“It's like he's determined not to let anyone close, even though he claims his family falls hard and fast.”
“Do you think he's fallen for you? Is that what this is all about?”
“I don't know. Sometimes I wonder.” Like every time he touches me. “But, if he did, he's doing a damned fine job of hiding it.”
Kate joined her at the window and put her hand on her shoulder. “Go with your instincts, Savannah.”
“What if I'm wrong?”
“Then you'll be in the same boat as the rest of us. You'll just have a contract that says you need to be civil when your heart breaks.”
Turning to lean against the window, Savannah stared down at her friend. “Not all men are heartbreakers, Kate. I bet your Connor isn't.”
“He's not my Connor. Hell, he's not even my type. I don't know where you get these ideas.”
“Maybe from the fact that you blush whenever you talk about him. You even stand different, straighter, maybe?”
Kate ignored her and glanced at the large clock above the door. “You have a nine o'clock appointment. Don't you have a design to review before they get here?”
“No. It's a preliminary meeting. They're coming in to discuss the possibilities and show me the lay of their property. You have plenty of time to tell me about Mr. Short-But-Adorable.”
“No, I don't. Do something constructive.”
Savannah chuckled as Kate stormed from the room. She leaned out the door of her office. “I shouldn't have to share if you won't!”
Kate didn't even turn around.
After a long day, Savannah wanted to flop on the couch and say screw the world, but she expected Gavin shortly after she got home. She risked getting caught in the shower only because the idea of him catching her all wet thrilled her a little bit. When he didn't show, she dressed in faded jeans and a modestly revealing, scoop-necked top without a bra. The outfit said she hadn't worried about what she wore around him, but the worn material of her jeans clung to the curves of her backside the way he seemed to appreciate, and the shirt followed the swell of her breasts and the dip of her waist to perfection. It wasn't fancy but it would do the trick. She could too easily imagine the way his deep brown eyes would darken as he splayed his hands over the material hugging her ass.
Six then seven o'clock came and went. By eight she'd nearly given up hope. She paced her living room in a desperate attempt to remain calm. What would she say to him? The reasons for and against his insane proposal had circled in her head for days. The contract didn't help, merely reinforced the fact that any emotion was all on her side. She should walk away from the whole thing or find a way to persuade him to give them more time. But he'd warned her from the start that he wouldn't expect an answer after midnight, and she didn't doubt he meant it. Still, his touch set her on fire. He would never hurt her, nor would he fail to be a father to any children they might have together. Many successful relationships started from less.
Pulling aside the curtain, she stared down the empty street again, then dropped into the recliner and grabbed a book only to stare sightlessly at the pages. Why would she marry a man who couldn't even show up? Then again, he had never said when he would ask for her answer. Maybe he planned to call at midnight.
She nearly missed the sound of his truck when he pulled into the parking lot just before ten. He looked tired as he strolled across the pavement to her sidewalk. Grabbing a beer she'd bought just for him, she met him at the patio door with a smile. “Bad day?”
“No, just a long one.” He unlaced his work boots and kicked them off before he pulled her close for a tender kiss. Gavin's lips brushed hers then settled long enough to spark a deeper hunger. When he pulled away, he grinned at the beer she held. “That isn't for me by any chance, is it?”
“Of course.”
“A woman after my own heart.” Taking her hand, he tugged her through the house to the living room. He flopped to the couch and held out his arms. “Come here.”
Savannah snuggled beside him and settled her head on his shoulder as the evening news prattled on about local celebrities and potential rain. The silence felt easy, his arm around her shoulders holding her close while he sipped his beer. They hadn't even been on a real date. No wine or caviar. Not even a movie and popcorn. Nothing more than subs at sunset and a beer with the evening news.
Still, she didn't need fancy or wildly entertaining. Despite the bits of horrible news from around the world, the moment felt right. Gavin offered a stability she had never had, and his strength surrounded her with unwavering peace. She cuddled next to him, certain for the first time of her answer.
The deep draw of Gavin's breath alerted her that he had fallen asleep. The nearly empty beer bottle slipped from his fingers with little effort on her part, but getting his arm to release her was a different story. “Gavin? Come on, soldier boy, you're sleeping.”
She tried to wriggle loose, but he wouldn't let go. Giving up, she wedged the empty bottle into the corner of the couch and lay her head down on his shoulder. A yawn caught her off guard as she remembered how early he had roused her.
Finally, Gavin shifted and stretched out. Still not letting go, he dragged her across his chest and held on as if she were his personal teddy bear. Fumbling
for the remote, she shut off the TV and allowed herself to relax into his embrace.
When Gavin awoke, it took him a moment to clear his head. Savannah slept on his shoulder, her dark hair in a riot of curls, her lips parted, inviting and moist. His dick hardened. How the hell had he fallen asleep when he'd waited days for her answer? The clock above the fireplace read eleven forty-seven, thirteen minutes before the deadline. If she said no, he'd have precious little time to plead his case.
Reluctant to wake her but unwilling to go another minute without knowing if she would be his wife, he brushed a kiss across her mouth, more whisper than caress. Her lashes fluttered but did not reveal her pretty eyes.
“Savannah?” He kissed her again, this one more possessive than the previous. “Wake up, sleeping beauty.”
A smile tilted her mouth, but her lashes remained down. “Does that make you the prince come to save me?”
He chuckled. “Hell no. I'm not pretty enough to be a prince. Would you settle for pretending I'm a guard in the Royal Army?”
She batted her lashes and sighed as if disappointed. “I suppose. If I can't have a prince at least I can have a beefy body guard.”
Gavin pulled her closer and buried his face in her neck, rubbing his razor stubble on her sensitive skin until she squealed. “You're too sexy to settle for snooty. You secretly long for someone who will kiss you senseless and then throw your skirt over your head and fuck you until your bones won't work.”
She giggled, lifting her knee to nudge his cock. “Or until your bone gives out, whichever comes first.”
He swatted her ass and sat up, pulling her with him. “No respect.”
“Nope.”
“All right. I give. You're better at thinking when we're this close than I am.” He swung her astride his thighs and caught her face so she could not look away. “Now that you're awake, tell me the answer to my question, beauty.”
Mischief sparkled in her eyes. “What question is that?”
He shook his head unwilling to see it as a joke. “Don't play right now, Savannah. I need an answer. Will you marry me?”
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Chapter Twelve
Emotions played across Gavin's stern features, a flipbook of confusing and unclear messages. She had to be insane to give him the response he claimed to want. If she said yes, like her heart demanded, would his refusal to share his feelings eventually crush her? Could she live with herself if she missed her chance with him and walked away?
“Savannah, are you going to answer me? The clock's about to strike midnight.”
“One question first.”
He groaned but his mouth quirked upward. “Your questions scare me.”
Ignoring the taunt, she stared at him. “If this is a business proposition, what happens to our kids? Will they just be assets in your home life portfolio?”
The half smile disappeared. “What the hell kind of question is that?”
“A perfectly legitimate one.” She swung off his lap and walked across the room, far enough away that his hypnotic scent could not lull her greatest fear. Staring out the window, she deliberately kept her back to him. It had rained sometime while they slept and the wet pavement shone beneath the yellow streetlamp.
“What brought this on?”
Damn it! Why didn't he just answer the question? It wasn't that complicated unless he didn't want to tell her the truth. She turned to look at him, hands stuck in her back pockets to hide their telltale shaking. “I grew up in a cold house. My mom and dad were too wrapped up in their careers to pay much attention. They weren't bad parents. They came to my volleyball games and put bumper stickers on their cars that claimed they were the proud parents of an honor student.
“Still, I don't remember my mother ever hugging me for no reason or my father caring enough to ask who I hung out with. That's one of the reasons I signed the pledge. I didn't want to ever put myself in a position where I had a child before I was ready to love him or her with my whole heart. It's also why I am nearly thirty with no husband and no kids. I will love any child I have, but I am not sure that a mother's love is enough. A little boy needs a father to show him right from wrong and how to survive in a man's world. A little girl needs a daddy she can rely on, one who will always be there to scare away the monsters under her bed or the freaky boyfriends who might not respect her enough.”
She swallowed the anxiety rising in her throat and stepped closer to the sofa. “Can you do that, Gavin? Can you love a child even if you don't love his or her mother?”
He rose to pull her into his sheltering arms. A big hand held her to his chest as if he could not bear for her to look at him as he spoke. “We'll have something better than a greeting card sentiment, Savannah. I respect you. The desire I feel for your body is merely a bonus, a perk above and beyond the heart of the matter. I need you to go into this eyes wide open, but a child is different. He doesn't have a choice of who raises him.”
Gavin's embrace tightened almost painfully before he stepped back far enough to let her breathe. He tipped her chin up. “I will be there. I can't wait to take the whole family camping or read a story to my kids at night. I want to be the father that my son can respect, and God willing, my daughter will use as a guide when she chooses a boyfriend so I won't have to terrify some jerk who won't respect her enough.” Long fingers traced the curve of her face. “Say yes, Savannah. I can't promise that I won't make mistakes any more than I expect you to always be perfect. Just trust me enough to know that I'll do my damnedest to be the man you need.”
Perhaps it was wishful thinking on her part, but the flipbook suddenly made sense. Emotions based on a child who felt abandoned by a mother who had made his life a joy and a father who had been there for his children until the day he had to raise them alone. She drew a steadying breath. Doubts melted away as the mantel clock chimed the midnight hour. “Then yes. I will marry you, Gavin. Eyes wide.” Heart open.
Gavin fought down the elation thundering in his skull and swelling his chest. It was a business arrangement, just like he'd told her. Nothing more. The fact that his foolish heart raced like an adolescent giddy with his first crush was merely a physical response to the end of anticipation.
He pulled her close again, sucking up the gentleness that was his Savannah. He dropped a hand down to the curve of her sexy ass. The worn denim of her jeans mocked his good intentions as he lifted her against his erection. The woman didn't have to do a damn thing to flip his switch to high. “Tomorrow.”
She shook her head looking somewhat dazed. “What?”
“Marry me tomorrow.”
“No.” She laughed and tried to get down, but he held her close. “Gavin, I don't want a courthouse wedding. I have a gorgeous dress and a handsome husband-to-be. I want my friends and family there to see us make a commitment to one anther. Please?”
“All right. I know people, guys in a band, a friend with a huge barn converted to a convention center for the reception. I'm even related to a minister. If you can get your friends and family together by the weekend, I will ensure you have the wedding of your dreams. How's Friday night sound?”
“Insane.”
He grinned as she weakened. “No more than the rest of this. Come on, beauty. I'll lose my mind if you make me wait much longer than that?”
“Do you happen to know a good caterer?”
“Darcy can cook and organize like nobody else I know.”
Savannah scowled. “You said your sister is sick.”
“She was. The doctor said it wasn't food poisoning.”
“Gavin, you can't expect people to just drop what they're doing because you ask them to.”
“Why not?”
“It's rude.”
He took two steps to press her back against the wall. “It's romantic.”
“You're beyond crazy.”
He kissed her slowly, savoring the way her lips clung to his and the scent that was uniquely Savannah. “Yo
u know you want to, so why are you fighting me?”
“What if we can't get everything together?”
Nibbling the tender flesh of her throat, he flexed his hips, bumping his swollen cock against her. “No one but us will notice what's missing.”
She groaned, her hips rubbing eagerly against his groin. “Why do I listen to you?”
Because you love me already? “Because you're as eager for the wedding night as I am.”
A serious look settled on her face, but laughter danced in her eyes. “No, that's not it.”
“Don't make me prove it.” He nuzzled her shirt aside and nipped at her collarbone. “You'll be begging me to fuck you by Friday.”
“Why wait?” She reached between them and tugged her shirt over her head. Her naked breasts budded in the slight chill of the room. “We're engaged, Gavin. Surely that's enough.”
“No.” He swung her to her feet before catching her hand and leading her behind the couch. “When we're married, it will be enough. Until then, we wait.”
Before she could protest, he pressed her butt to the back of the sofa and pushed gently until her head rested on the seat cushions and her back curved almost painfully. Her legs did not reach the ground, caught between his muscled thighs, leaving her effectively trapped and exposed to his hungry gaze. Blood rushed to her head, inhibiting her ability to process the moment. When she tried to sit up, he placed his hand on her stomach and held her down.
She propped herself on her elbows so her head didn't explode. “What are you doing?” The breathy question rang with eager anticipation that she could not control.
“Stay put and I'll show you.” At her nod, he loosened her jeans and tugged them off her hips. Her thin white satin panties hid very little from his burning gaze. Closing her eyes, she tried to be still, but her hips moved toward him without conscious direction. He chuckled and slid her underwear down her legs slowly. The calluses on his fingers offered an erotic caress that raised goose bumps. “Do you know how gorgeous you are?”