Niki

Home sweet home! I leave my bags at the front door and head straight for the shower. There is something about traveling that makes you feel grimy and blah…even if it’s on a multi-million-dollar private jet.

Standing in the shower, I let the water hit me, relishing in the heat pounding on my muscles, working the tension that took possession of my body on the flight home. The flight was long and hard.

That’s what she said. I smile to myself.

You would have thought with the epic night Aiden planned for me that things would be easier, but the truth is, the weight of it all is taking a toll on both of us. Something is going on that has a hold of him, tugging on the strings, keeping him from giving in to his needs.

“Hey, kid. Welcome home.” Gavin busts through the bathroom door, hopping up on the sink, scaring the shit out of me.

“Shit, Gav. Boundaries!” I open the curtain, and peek through. “How did you know I was back already?”

“I didn’t. I thought I would come by, turn down the air and stock your fridge. Speaking of which, the ice cream needs to be put up.”

“The coffee kind with the chocolate-covered beans in it?”

“Yep, so hurry up and get dressed so you can tell me all about New York.” He comes over, reaches his hand in the shower to turn it off and hands me a towel.

“Hey!” I protest, not too upset, though, since the water was already starting to turn warm.

“Missed you, kid.” Gavin winks and is out the door before I can even tell him how much I missed him, too.

Getting out, I dry off and put on the tank top and boy shorts I had planned on wearing when no one was here, but now, I’m wondering if I should put on something else.

What’s changed?

I’ve worn this plenty of times, but suddenly, being around Gavin feels different. He is with Kara, and I’m with…well, I’m not sure what I’m doing, but something is going on. Shrugging it off, I try to not overthink, just going with what we have always done.

Walking into the kitchen, still drying off my hair, I’m brought to a stand-still with the sight before me.

Gavin is on the couch with one leg on the seat, arms stretched along the back, the blanket pulled back, inviting. Pizza and chilled beer sit on the coffee table while the Netflix remote sits on my seat, tempting me to fall into the routine we are used to.

Biting on my bottom lip, a worry habit that I have been doing more often than I should, I debate what I should do.

Gavin…he is a part of me. I need him one way or another, and right now, this is us.

Dropping the towel, wet hair flying everywhere, I take off running, leaping over the table and colliding with Gavin, flipping us and the couch over.

“Oh shit!” Gavin hollers. “I take it you’ve missed me, too?”

“Something like that.”

We get up, pick up the couch and set it back into place. Then, we get into position, Gavin laid out and me curled into him. Our cuddle couch time.

It’s my couch time!

“Dude…I have a bone to pick with you.” I twist around, smacking his chest. “Cuddle couch is our thing. Why did you have to go and find a replacement?” I turn back, not wanting to see the truth. Hearing is one thing, but seeing a true reaction sometimes is harder than the actual truth. It’s amazing how we can broadcast our feelings with one simple look.

“Well, that isn’t exactly what happened.” He reaches over and grabs the pizza box, handing it to me, opens a couple beers and sets them on the end table. “I missed you, plain and simple. I guess when I was training her, we were talking about our favorite things, and I may have mentioned cuddle couch time. So, one night, when we were hanging out, she shouted it out, thinking it was my thing and not mine and yours.”

“Well, it sucks.” I open the box and see it’s my favorite, everything but anchovies. “Do you like her?”

“Do you like your boss?” he counters.

“Are we doing this during cuddle couch?” I hold my hands up, praying, mouthing, “No.”

“I think right now is the best time to clear the air.” He stretches his neck around to gauge my reaction.

“Gavin,” I plead.

Picking me up under my arms, he adjusts me so that I’m sitting on his lap, his arm around me, and the comfort of his security never leaving.

“Niki, something is going on with you. If I wouldn’t have come by, would you have even told me you were home?” He studies my face, searching for the truth.

“Gav…it’s not like I didn’t want you here. I just…I needed a while to think. Things have been so overwhelming lately.”

“It doesn’t have to be.” His words hit home.

Interesting. He’s right. It doesn’t have to be. We talk to each other about everything. It’s almost scary how familiar we are with one another, but this…for some reason, it’s off limits. Well, for me.

“It doesn’t seem right talking to you about Aiden.”

“Seriously?” He seems more hurt than pissed. “We have never had a problem before.”

“This is different.” I try to find the words without upsetting him further. “Aiden’s different. There is something about him that I don’t feel comfortable talking to you about.”

“Holy shit! You’re serious.” He pushes me off his lap, gets up, and starts pacing. “After everything we have been through. After all the couch confessionals and late night phone calls, you are telling me that he’s different. So different that you can’t even talk to me about him.” His hands grip at his hair. “Maybe you should ask yourself why before you explore this further.” He heads for the door, opening then shutting it.

“Gavin, I don’t know what to say, but I do know I don’t want you to leave.” I run toward him, blocking him from trying to leave again.

“Why? Why don’t you want me to leave? Can you answer that?” He leans in, hand braced above my head, his body tensing.

“I missed you.” I look up at his six-foot-plus frame, trying to find the words I need to make him understand.

Closing his eyes, he takes a deep breath, calming himself down. “I missed you, too.” His voice sounds defeated as he drops both hands to my shoulders, “Just, talk to me. I don’t care what it is or who it’s about, but closing yourself off from the world isn’t an option.” He grabs my hand, leading me back to the couch. “Promise me. Whatever it is, whatever is bothering you, you won’t try to figure it out alone.”

“Gavin?” I pull him back to me. Wrapping my arms around his thick, muscular torso, I hold on tight, the tears starting to fall.

“Shhhh!” His body blankets mine. “It’s going to be okay.” His voice is soft, comforting.

“No, it’s not...I think I’m falling for him.”

Gavin

“I think I’m falling for him.” Those six words, each one of them is like a single stab wound to the heart. I’m slowly bleeding out while we lie on the couch, and she fills me in on her New York adventures.

She doesn’t want my advice, thank God, but hearing most of the details almost drives me to my death.

Now, after two years of nurturing our relationship, one man and his empire threaten to destroy it all.