Just the Thing

by Marie Harte

  “And?”

  “And it was kind of…I don’t know…close. When she and I kissed, I felt it here.” He tapped his chest. “Not just there.” He glanced down between his legs, saw her flush, and grimaced. “Sorry, that wasn’t me trying to embarrass you. I was being honest.”

  “I know.” She sighed. “Forgive me. I need to readjust my mind-set. It’s different when I talk to an actual client than when talking to my brother.” She gifted him with a warm smile. “I think you like this woman, Gavin. So treat her with respect and go slow. There’s no timetable to keep, is there?”

  “Ah, no.” Which he kept telling his cock. The damn thing refused to stay down in Zoe’s presence. And squatting to dig while erect? Not comfortable. Nope.

  “Listen to your instincts. That’s my advice.”

  “You’re not helping. I find myself wanting to… Never mind.” All of the sudden, confiding his sexual desires to Landon’s fiancée felt too much like talking to Hope. Gross. He rose from the couch and glanced around the pristine room in disgust. “You and Landon were made for each other. Did I see you dusting earlier?”

  “Yes, and you should take note. Most women like a clean house. It shows you care about your environment.”

  “Guess I’ll see if she cares about her environment tonight.” When he met Zoe at her place. She didn’t seem like the type to put out on even the second date. But she’d invited him to her place for dinner—and Netflix. He felt nervous again, not sure what to do or how to behave around her. Should he try for more gentle kisses that sent his heart racing? Or should he be all caveman and bend her over the couch and…

  “Gavin?”

  “Hell,” he muttered and hurried down the hallway toward his bedroom, trying to hide his newly sprouted wood. Frickin’ Zoe. “Yeah, Ava?”

  “Landon said he’d told you about this weekend, but I don’t trust that he did.” He hadn’t. “Your brother and I are going away and won’t be back until Monday morning. So you have the house to yourself. And I heard Theo talking with an old friend of his, and they’re heading to Port Angeles for the weekend.”

  “I know,” he called out, doing his best to focus on not being aroused around Landon’s fiancée. Once he could control himself, he stepped into his room, pretending he’d meant to really go in there, then returned after picking up his cell phone. A good enough excuse. He met Ava again in the living room. “Oh my God. Are you straightening up again?”

  She groaned. “The magazines weren’t aligned. Oh, Gavin. It’s a sickness. Your brother is turning me into an obsessive personality type.”

  He chuckled. “I managed to resist it for years until the Marine Corps got ahold of me. But now I’m back to being slovenly.”

  The front door banged open, and Gavin hurried to lie on the couch and cross his arms over his chest. “So there I was, dreaming about you and me. Is that normal, Doc?” he asked her. “Because we weren’t wearing anything more than Oregon State orange stripes. Oddly enough, Landon was playing referee. He even had a whistle while we—Oh hi, Bro. What’s up?”

  “You’re so not funny.” He glared at Gavin before planting a kiss on Ava that made her unsteady on her feet. She was gasping by the time Landon pulled away.

  “Need…air…” She drew in large breaths.

  “Wow. How romantic.” Gavin nodded. “Getting your woman all hot and bothered. And breathless. Nearly dying.”

  Landon laughed. “She was swooning, weren’t you, babe?”

  She glared. “I couldn’t breathe, you animal.”

  “We’re so in love,” Landon gushed, then lifted her in his arms and twirled her until she laughed. “Now what’s for dinner? I’m starved.”

  “Whatever you’re buying,” Ava responded a bit tartly. “The only thing saving you from an argument about the merits of men versus women in the kitchen is that you look amazing in that suit.”

  Sadly, Landon did. The big guy worked for some business logistics firm managing people. Just what Landon needed. To be in charge. Gavin eyed his brother, those huge arms not in the least camouflaged by some expensive slate-gray jacket. Then he glanced down at his own jeans and T-shirt.

  “So should I dress up, Ava?”

  “I think you look fine. Be yourself, Gavin.”

  “What? Another date for you? Who with this time?” Landon asked. “Not Michelle.”

  Gavin made a face. “No, dumbass. It’s with Zoe.”

  “Oh, the chick who secretly hates you. Go for it, man. She can’t possibly cut you off…again.” Landon snickered. “Kidding. Ava’s right. Be yourself. If she can stand you two nights in a row, she’s probably on her way to falling in love.”

  “That’s what I was thinking,” Gavin agreed. “Chicks. So easy.”

  Ava shook her head and walked away, muttering under her breath.

  He and Landon shared a grin.

  Gavin stood and gestured down at himself. “So seriously. Would you dress this up?”

  Landon considered him, glanced over his shoulder at Ava now puttering in the kitchen, and said in a low voice, “Wear my dark-blue sweater. It’s a little tight on me and will make you look even more buff than you are. Chicks dig that. And put on a little cologne. Look good. If you like this one, play it safe. Take nothing for granted. The women you really want take effort. Hell, look at my doc in there. She’s a handful…” He paused.

  “Please don’t say it.”

  “…in all the right places. Trite, but true. And she’s mine,” Landon reminded him.

  “Whatever. I don’t have time for your macho head games. I have a woman to win over.” He blew out a breath. “She wants to watch Netflix and just relax over dinner. Does that mean what I hope it means?”

  Landon blinked. “Zoe York? Nah. No way.”

  “That’s what I thought.” He glanced at the clock on the mantel. “Well, gotta motor. Wish me luck.” He dashed to the fridge in the kitchen, took the flowers he’d been saving, and saw Ava’s startled gaze. “I’m not totally lame when it comes to wining and dining women, Ava. Geez. Hurt my feelings, why don’t you?”

  “But I—”

  He passed Landon. “Ava’s making me feel bad about myself, Bro. Give her a talking-to, would you?” he asked loudly enough for Ava to hear.

  “Gavin, that’s not true.” She tried to exit the kitchen, but Landon’s wide shoulders blocked her.

  “Doc, that’s just not right. You know Gavin’s got self-esteem issues.”

  “But I wasn’t…”

  Gavin laughed to himself as he raced to Landon’s room to borrow his blue sweater, then left. Yep. Landon owed him one. Now Ava and Landon could do their version of verbal foreplay. And he, bless him, would be far away while they got their shrink on.

  He shuddered at the thought of his brother getting frisky. Now if it were Gavin and Zoe, that would be more than okay. The entire way to her house, he continued to tell himself she couldn’t possibly mean they’d be having sex tonight, all casual and hot. But what if she did? Should he do the gentlemanly thing and say no, or give the lady what she wanted? What he desperately wanted, despite wanting to go slowly with her.

  Decisions, decisions…

  Chapter 6

  Zoe couldn’t stop blushing after she took the flowers from Gavin. Once she’d Googled just what Netflix and chill meant—because Cleo had laughed her ass off but refused to tell her—she’d been flabbergasted. Did Gavin think he’d been invited over for sex? She had ground all over him at the gym. Maybe he now thought her promiscuous and flirty.

  Aubrey would have been all over that. Her twin had liked to go with the moment. But right now, all Zoe felt was embarrassed. She cleared her throat as she accepted the flowers and ushered Gavin into her home. “Thanks. They’re lovely.”

  He nodded. “Nice place. It’s so bright and happy in here.” He looked around, then back at her
. “Not what I would have expected from you.”

  “Thanks.” She huffed, now annoyed. “You were expecting black walls dripping with the blood of sacrificed goats instead? Should I show you my broom in the center of the pentagram in my kitchen?”

  He grinned. “Now that you mention it, that would be really cool. Is it similar to me showing you my etchings?”

  She tried not to smile. “Oh stop.” She hurried into the kitchen and put the cheery bunch of flowers into a vase. Turning to exit she found him right behind her.

  “My bad. Sorry.” He put his hands out to stop her, and they both froze at the contact. His palms rested against her shoulders. So innocent, yet heat blazed inside her. Everywhere.

  He slowly pulled back and stepped aside. “So I think I owe you dinner, but here I am at your place. This is gonna cost me, right?”

  She blew out a silent breath and forced herself to calm down. Why should her pulse race so fast from just a casual touch? After putting the vase on her dining table, she faced him once more. In control of herself. And the situation.

  “Gavin, there’s something you should understand.”

  “Yeah?”

  She opened her mouth to let him know there would be no chilling tonight when she froze, her brain unable to process more than the sight of him waiting for her answer. So handsome. Dark hair cut short, those gray eyes so brilliant, so smart. And his square jaw, the shoulders begging her to reach out and touch. Then farther down, those long legs and that impressive part of himself she’d felt so intimately against her just days ago. Yum.

  “Zoe?”

  “Gavin?”

  He looked serious. “My eyes are up here.” He pointed to his face.

  She blinked, totally mortified to have been caught leering, for God’s sake.

  He burst out laughing. “Man, if you could see your face.”

  That he hadn’t taken offense soothed her somewhat. “Well, it’s no more than what you do to me at the gym.”

  He calmed down, still grinning like a maniac. “So you caught those subtle once-overs, hmm?”

  “Yep.” And they’d flattered her regardless. “You need to know something important.”

  “Oh?”

  “There might have been some confusion about tonight’s date. But to clear that up, you’re here for dinner and a movie only. No sex. No foreplay or fooling around. Understand?”

  He regarded her as if she were an alien species.

  “What?”

  “You really say what’s on your mind, don’t you? Honest to a fault.”

  “Is that a problem for you?”

  “Not at all. I love it.”

  “Well then. Spell it out. What do you want from me, exactly?” She crossed her arms, waiting.

  “Nope.” He crossed his arms, mimicking her. “You started this. What do you want from me? I’ve been asking you out for months, then you say yes. Out of the blue. Was it because you finally felt what you’d been missing?” He glanced down his front at himself.

  “No,” she snapped. “It was a pity date.”

  “Bullshit.” He shook his head. “Did I say honest? Let me take that back.”

  “Stop. Wait.” She decided to lay it out for him. “Fine. You want the truth? I need some changes in my life. And you’re different than what I’m used to.”

  “What are you used to? All work and no play?”

  “Yes.”

  He looked as if he wanted to make fun of her but didn’t. “Okay.”

  She didn’t want to go there, but she wanted honesty from him, so she’d give it first. “I’ve recently had something bad happen. Something terrible.” She swallowed, saw his concern, and did her best to ignore it. “A family member passed away unexpectedly. It’s made me reevaluate things. Since I’m the buttoned-up twin who can’t seem to relax, I’m doing my best to be the opposite of me and enjoy life. I mean, I enjoyed it before, but apparently not enough.”

  “Twin, huh?” He glanced back at the photo on the bookshelf, the one where she and Aubrey had stood with their arms around each other in Vancouver. What a fabulous trip that had been.

  Her eyes pricked, so she cleared her throat and focused on him, not her sister.

  Surprised to see the compassion and understanding there, she continued, “So my point is I decided to try you out. Not sexually, I mean.” God, could she take her foot out of her mouth for two seconds? But Gavin didn’t laugh.

  “I get it.” He watched her, waiting, then added, “I lost friends not long ago too. It’s tough. Really hard sometimes when the memories catch up with you.”

  She hadn’t been wrong about him after all. That emptiness she’d sensed sometimes. He understood. “Yeah. I don’t mean to be a downer. I’m just explaining why I said yes. To a date,” she emphasized.

  He smiled.

  “Your turn.”

  “Hold on now. You didn’t say what you wanted from me, exactly.”

  “I want excitement. Fun. Laughter and great times,” she added with a bit of sarcasm. “Do I need to spell it out? I’d like to date you. And if we connect, maybe sex. After we know each other better. Okay now?”

  He blinked. “Yeah. Great.”

  “And you?”

  “And me what? Oh right. I want you. I mean, I’m attracted to you,” he admitted, not glancing away from her eyes. “You’re sexy as hell. But I like you. You’re funny.”

  “I’m funny?” Was he on drugs? No one had ever accused her of having a decent sense of humor, though she thought of herself as a laugh riot.

  “Well, more like biting and sarcastic. But hell, I grew up with that. I’m comfortable with mean chicks.”

  She sighed. “Back to me being mean again? I’m assertive.”

  “Try aggressive.”

  “I’m blunt and honest, remember?”

  “Yeah. And blunt can be brutal. But I like brutal.” He winked. “Mistress.”

  “You just had to bring that up.” She refused to look at his crotch again.

  “Speaking of up…”

  “You did not just say that.” She kept trying not to look back at his groin.

  “Oh, sorry. I don’t mean my dick. It just does that when you’re around. Kind of like an affectionate salute. I was in the Marine Corps, you know.”

  She slapped a hand over her eyes. Do not look. Do not look.

  “I meant you bringing up us not having sex tonight. See, I wasn’t planning on it, as much as I’d like to.”

  She lowered her hand. “Really?”

  “Yeah. You confuse the shit out of me, and that’s the truth. At first I wanted to make you laugh. ’Cause you’re this hot chick all the guys want to bang, but you look like you tame lions when you’re working out. All intense and pissed off at the world. Except you’re like that when you’re done too, and I think you scare people.”

  “You are not helping my self-esteem any.”

  “Nah, see, you’re confident. And that’s a turn-on in my book. So I wanted to see that beautiful smile. Then bang the hell out of you.”

  “Gavin.”

  “You smiled. And then I wanted… Hell, Zoe. I don’t know what I want. And that really confuses me. I was in a bad place for a long time when I got back to the States. I drank more than I should. Slept with people I regret. And I’m not totally together now. But I’m good enough for some laughter and great times.” He shrugged. “I can’t tell you what I’m after until I know. But I’d never do anything you didn’t want me to.

  “And, well, hell, this will sound stupid. I actually had a lot of fun last night digging in the dirt with you. And kissing. Yeah, that was amazing.” He blew out a breath. “So that’s my take. Oh, and though I was hoping like hell you wanted to fuck while listening to a movie in the background, I also kind of didn’t want to. I’d like us to be something more. But I
don’t know what that more is. It’s weird as hell for me.”

  She stared at him, not sure what to think. This Gavin Donnigan was layers—worlds—deeper than she’d assumed.

  “If what I said isn’t what you wanted to hear, I can go. You can keep the flowers.” He didn’t blink, and she wasn’t sure if he was teasing or not.

  “I plan to.” She nodded to the kitchen. “You still owe me a dinner.”

  His slow smile melted those icy corners of her heart. “I do.”

  “So when the pizza guy comes, you’re paying.”

  He laughed. “Sounds like a plan. So what movie are we going to watch and not have sex to?”

  She couldn’t help laughing with him. “You are such a pain. What would you like to watch? And for the record, porn, soft porn, and topless collegiates are off-limits.”

  “Well, hell. That blew my wad.” He sighed. “How about Guardians of the Galaxy then?”

  “I’ve only seen it five times.” She pointed to the cabinet that held her movie collection in the living room. “How about we make it six?”

  “Did you say sex?” His eyes grew wide.

  “Gavin, I—”

  “Kidding, Zoe. Just…chill.”

  She groaned.

  The front bell chimed, and he laughed as he went to answer it. “I got the pizza guy.”

  “I’ll leave the tip,” she offered.

  “Nah. Dinner’s on me, remember?” He opened the door. “Well, hello there. You don’t strike me as the pizza delivery type.”

  “You got that right.”

  Zoe froze. Disaster loomed.

  “Well, well. You must be the Marine,” her aunt said with way too much enthusiasm.

  “I am he.” Gavin stood back from the door and bowed. “And who are you?”

  “That one’s favorite aunt,” she said with a nod at Zoe. “I’m Piper Andrews.”

  “Favorite?” Zoe said. “Try only.”

  “So you’re Guns of Steel.” Piper entered and greeted Zoe with a kiss to the cheek.

  “That would be me.” He glanced at Zoe to see her red in the face. Hmm. What had she been telling her aunt?