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?

“Come sit by me on the couch, Gavin. Let’s chat.” Piper sat and patted the spot next to her.

Zoe sighed. “To what do I owe the honor of your untimely and unwelcome visit?”

“Is that any way to talk to your beloved aunt? I worry for you, being so alone on a Friday night. I was going to invite you out with me and a few friends. But you’re not alone, are you?”

Gavin grinned and sat by her. “So Zoe never dates, huh?”

“I wouldn’t say never, but it’s been a while. The men she works with are in love with her, but she’s too professional to ever make a move in that direction. And they’re doctors. Can you imagine?”

Gavin didn’t much like hearing that. “Doctors. Well, that’s some tough competition.”

“Oh, I don’t know. Let’s see those Guns of Steel.”

Zoe blew out a breath. “Piper, don’t—”

“It’s okay, Zoe.” Gavin flexed for them, mentally thanking Landon for the tight sweater. He did look more buff than usual. He offered his biceps for a squeeze, and Piper did it, delighting him while Zoe stood away from the sofa, looking like she’d rather be anywhere else. “It’s part and parcel of being a trainer. People want to know if you can back up what you’re selling. I sell fitness, so I should be fit. What do you think?”

Piper nodded, still squeezing. This woman was who Zoe would grow to be some day. Beautiful, confident, sexually powerful. Granted, Zoe seemed like that now. But add in not embarrassed about anything, and you had a real winner. Gavin liked Piper on sight.

Piper Andrews had dark hair with a cool streak of white, a youthful glow, and a killer skirt and designer top that emphasized her lithe frame, accented with heels no one should be able to walk in without dying. She had to be in her late forties or early fifties, but she seemed more like an older sister than Zoe’s aunt.

“I have to know. How old are you?” he asked.

Zoe gaped. “Oh my God. You’re as bad as she is.”

Piper, who had finally quit squeezing his arms, patted him on the thigh, then leaned back. “I’m forty-eight.”

“No kidding. You look amazing.”

“For forty-eight?” She raised a brow—one of Zoe’s mastered mannerisms.

“Aunt Piper.” Zoe gritted her teeth.

“For anyone,” Gavin said, and meant it. “You resemble Zoe enough to be her mom, but you don’t look old enough.”

“Oh, now I really like you.”

“See, Zoe? Your aunt likes me. Now we have to get married and have babies. But not in that order.”

Piper blinked, and Zoe’s lips curled into that smirk of a smile he’d grown addicted to seeing.

“Oh, I don’t know, Gavin. Netflix and chill seems off the table now that my aunt is here.”

“What?” Piper stared back and forth between them. “Did you really invite him over here for that?”

Zoe snorted. “No. Seriously? Do you think I’d be talking this to death if we meant to get crazy all over the house? And how do you know what that means, anyway?”

“How do you not?” Piper huffed. “Well, I can see you two are busy. Not babies-and-marriage busy,” she said to Gavin with a nod and a smile. “Good one. But you’re busy all the same. I’ll get out of your hair. Call me for Sunday brunch, sweetie. I’m heading to New York on Monday and won’t be back for a while.”

Zoe walked her aunt to the door.

“Bye, Piper.” Gavin waved. “When you get back, come to the gym. We can always use the eye candy.”

She blew him a kiss. “I really like him, Zoe.” She said something else he couldn’t make out, laughed, then left.

Zoe had just closed the door and leaned back against it when the bell chimed again. She turned to open it, only to have the pizza guy standing there.

“Ah, now this one I can handle.” Gavin hurried to the door to pay. “Milo?”

He made small talk with one of Theo’s friends before taking the pie and handing Milo his payment with a big tip. Gavin closed the door on the younger man’s thumbs-up in regards to Zoe.

“You know everyone in town, don’t you?” She took the box from him and headed into the kitchen.

“Just about, because at one time or another, they’ve all worked with my younger brother.”

“Landon’s the oldest, right?”

“Right.” Gavin stood with her at the counter while she divvied up slices and served a decent beer, still chilled and bottled. “Um, could I get some water or something else to drink?”

She nodded, not making a big deal of it. “How about a home-style root beer?”

“Outstanding. Thanks.”

“So, Landon?” she prodded. “And before you ask, I’m not interested in your brother except as how he pertains to molding you into that charming personality you have.”

“Okay then.” Good. “You know Landon. Bossy, big, and blond. Takes after Mom.”

She took a few bites and nodded, so he continued.

“Then there’s me. I’m like my dad—dark-haired, laid-back. But I have my mom’s focus. Linda Donnigan is sharp, let me tell you. Hope is my sister. Not sure if you met her or not, but we used her to demo some of the self-defense moves in class. Sometimes she comes by the gym. She’s three years younger. Then Theo. He’s the spitting image of Dad, a late addition to the family. Not sure, but maybe a mistake.”

“I’m sure you delighted in telling him that while growing up.”

“Well, yeah.”

She shook her head.

“I was twelve when he was born.”

“So he’s how old now?”

“Twenty. I’m thirty-two. You didn’t have to do the math. You only had to ask.”

“Whatever,” she said around a mouthful of cheese.

He liked that about her. She wasn’t trying too hard to impress him. Just being herself.

“Tell me more about the Donnigans. You were pretty close-mouthed yesterday.”

“Only because you wouldn’t stop talking about dirt.” He ate some pizza, disturbed to find his appetite off. Being so close to Zoe, all he could taste was the memory of her lips. Man, what a crock. Had he told Ava he didn’t want sex with Zoe? Right now he had a difficult time concentrating on anything but her fine, fine body. Her scent, the sound of her strong voice. The mouthwatering breasts pressed against the thin T-shirt she wore.

Zoe put the pizza back down on her plate. “Is that right? As I recall, you wouldn’t stop asking me stupid questions about what to do with that dirt. I mean, who doesn’t know what a trowel is?”

“It’s a mini shovel. Why make things complicated?”

“Because they just come that way.”

“Huh?”

“Complicated.” She shrugged and ate, so he continued talking before she blasted him for being ignorant about zone types.

“What about your family?”

“We’re not done with yours yet.”

“What else do you want to know?”

She crossed her eyes, and even purposefully looking goofy, she was beautiful. “Okay, it’s like this. Example: Well, Gavin, my family is pretty tight. My mom and dad live in Portland, and I see them once a month at least. Mom is an artist. Dad owns a natural foods shop. My mom and aunt are twins, which explains how Aubrey and I are twins. I mean, were twins.”

She swallowed but forced herself to look him straight in the eye. He could see so much pain in hers. “Aubrey was in a car accident back in January, and she didn’t make it.”

Hell. When she’d told him there had been a death in the family, he hadn’t made the connection to her twin. That seriously sucked.

“I’m sorry.”

She nodded, seemed to shake it off, and continued. “I work for a major medical group, where I train users on the software the medical staff uses. It’s fun. I’m good at it, and life is great.”

“Well. That was concise.”

She grinned, showing a lot of teeth. “Yes, it was.” She took a large swallow of beer, which physically hurt Gavin to see—her lips wrapped around a phallic-looking object.

He glanced down at his pizza and forced himself to take another bite.

“Now it’s your turn.”

He swallowed and chased the pizza with half his bottle of root beer. “Nice brew. Tastes great.”

“Thank you.”

“Now that I’ve been properly schooled in how to respond to your question—and see, I can totally tell you’re an educator—my family is filled with driven people. My mom is a real estate agent who hates to lose. She’s damn good at her job too. My dad works at a pharmaceutical company. Did twenty years in the Navy, retired, then went to work in the civilian sector and is a bigwig at his firm. I give it another five years until he retires, then spends all his time cooking or playing golf.”

“Cooking?”

“He’s an amazing cook. Always makes our dinners, or did when we were kids. He still dotes on my mom, which is nice. God knows Linda can be a handful.”

She stared, all that feminine energy focused on him, and it made him warm inside. Like, freakin’ hot. He reconsidered his option about bending her over the couch…

“Go on.”

Head out of the gutter, Gavin! “Landon you know. He works out to stay in shape. Medically retired from the Marine Corps after a bullet hit him in the knee and messed him up. Now he’s a manager at some logistics firm bossing people around.”

“That would suit him.”

He shared a grin with her. The kitchen felt intimate, just the two of them standing at the counter and eating. “Hope works for my cousin at his private finance company. Cam is smart and obnoxious, but he takes care of my baby sister. Plus he’s the easiest of my cousins to tolerate.”

“Your cousins?”

“Yeah, my mom’s sister and her husband live in town. She’s got four boys. I spent my childhood with Landon competing to be better than Aunt Beth’s crew. Well, technically only three are Aunt Beth’s, but they took Brody in when he was little. He’s just as annoying as the others. A real McCauley.”

“Wow. Big family.”

He nodded. “So where was I? Oh right. Theo. My poor baby brother isn’t sure what he wants to do now that he’s out of high school. I think he wants to join the Corps, but with Landon and me coming back kind of screwed up, he’s not sure.”

She studied him. “You’re screwed up?”

She had no idea. And he wanted to keep it that way. “I was shot and medically retired from the Marine Corps too. Saw some shit overseas. Not good. Anyhow, it’s done. So I’m back here, trying to figure out what to do. I work at the gym because it de-stresses me and I’m good at it. Being physical, I mean.”

Before he could fall into the memories, Zoe distracted him. “Oh, I bet you’re good at being physical. Or so I’ve heard from Michelle and Megan. And a few others.”

He flushed. “Yeah, well, I made some dumb choices when I first got back. I drank a little too much, so I don’t like to drink anymore.”

“Are you an alcoholic?”

“Didn’t you just minutes ago yell at me for asking your aunt blunt questions?”

“I didn’t yell.”

“It felt like it.”

“Yeah, but I’m mean and aggressive, remember?”

“There is that.” He took another swig of root beer, grinning. “No, I’m not an alcoholic. But the fact I was starting to drink too much scared the crap out of me. Now I stay away from it. I don’t want my thinking impaired. So yeah, no drugs either. And no cigarettes. I have no vices.”

“Except your poor taste in women.” She paused. “Present company excluded.”

“Oh, that was a nice add-on.”

“I thought so.” She smirked.

He couldn’t help it. He put down his root beer, took her beer from her hand, and caged her against the counter.

“Gavin, what are you doing?” she sounded breathy. Aroused.

Lord knew he was.

“I just need one kiss. Then we can go watch the movie. Okay?”

“O-one. I guess.” She licked her lips.

He leaned down, feathered his breath over her mouth, and kissed her. The taste of warm beer and woman went right to his head, making him drunk on her in a way he’d only ever felt with Zoe. The kiss last night hadn’t done them justice. This one just…

He slanted his mouth over hers, deepening the kiss when she put her hands on his waist and tugged him closer. She had to be feeling him hard and thick against her, but she only gripped his belt loops and refused to let go.

Zoe participated in everything. She followed his lead, stroked his tongue with hers, and shoved those amazing breasts against his chest. Nothing with her was tentative or half done. She gave him a full-body kiss that threatened to undo him the longer it lasted.

Gavin yanked his head back and leaned his forehead against hers, trying to regain his control. Right now, his body screamed at him to satisfy his needs by sinking inside her. She’d be hot, tight, wet.

But his brain warned him to slow down. To not rush or scare her, because they had so much more to share.

And his heart…the damn thing did nothing but race in his chest and ache for a woman he still barely knew. Except he felt like he knew everything about her. Which made no sense.

He pulled back and met her gaze. She seemed as bewildered and turned on as he was.

He had to do something, or he feared listening all too well to his baser instincts.

“So no sex tonight, right?” His thick voice attested to his desire. “Bending you over the couch is a no-no?”

She blinked, blushed, and scowled. Instead of berating him for being crude, she yanked him back for a kiss that about blew his mind—and his balls clean off. “Nope. Not even close.”

She was breathing hard, her eyes straying to his mouth time and again, her hands still clutching his sweater. She stroked his chest, brushing her hands over his tight nipples.

“Not even close,” he agreed. “Not thinking about it at all.”

“Not at all.”

And they both knew they were lying.