It was such a bad idea. Kissing Gavin was like winning the lottery. I wanted to jump up and down, specifically on him. How was that even fair?

He sat there with a half-smile as if he knew how wet I was from a kiss, no less. I was afraid to glance around. It had gotten quiet for a second. More than likely people had noticed our makeout session.

“So what’s your senior project on?”

Yeah great Megan, like that segue wasn’t obvious.

His perfect brow lifted in question. I took my napkin and unfolded it in my lap. When I looked up, his tongue peeked between his teeth but didn’t go past his lips. I wanted to groan because that tongue was enchanted. It had spelled me from our first kiss.

“I’m building an engine.” Although I was impressed, his next words floored me. “I’m creating a hydro engine for my car.”

“Hydro? It runs on water?” His head bobbed. “Seriously? How is that even possible?”

My eyes bugged out.

“Anything’s possible. I did it for a science project back in middle school.”

“You built a car engine in middle school?”

Who was this guy?

He chuckled. “Not a car engine. It was middle school. I built a hydro engine for a toy boat. One day, I hope to build one for my dad’s fishing boat.”

“Wow, I’m super impressed. How close are you to completing?”

“Close. The car moves. It’s not going to drive at eighty miles per hour or anything. But it will go. Right now it’s a hybrid and will need another source of power to turn over. But I hope to design solar panels in conjunction with the hydro to completely remove the need for nonrenewable resources.”

“That’s amazing.”

“It’s a dream partly realized by Elon Musk.”

“Who’s that?”

“The founder of Tesla.”

“Isn’t that the all-electric car?”

He nodded and tapped the table with his hand. He’d done it before. I wondered if he had a nervous need to do that.

“It’s more than that. It doesn’t use all the parts that other cars do, therefore creating a seamless design that isn’t wasteful and leaves a smaller footprint on the world.”

“You sound passionate. Did you intern for them?”

His head drifted side to side. “No, but I admire the man.”

“You should apply. It sounds like they could use someone like you.”

“Nah, they’ve already revolutionized the car. Besides, I’m going to work for my dad after college.”

His smile didn’t quite reach his eyes.

“There is nothing wrong with fishing, but something tells me you’d be wasted there.”

He didn’t answer—just smoothly switched topics.

“Tell me about your project and why I have to take off my clothes for it.”

Did he just wink at me? And why was everything he did sexy? Focus, Megan.

“I going to prove that sex sells.”

His lips twitched and I could tell he was trying not to laugh.

“What?” I said, trying to contain a giggle. “I have an ad campaign that will require a print model. I plan to use different models in the same ad and ask a test market of people their reactions to each. When I’m done, I plan to show that a sexier image will entice the potential buyer into paying more attention to the ad or convincing them the product is worth a buy.”

He stared at me so intently, I felt like I was on the hot seat. As it was, I was already hot and bothered by him. I wasn’t sure how much more I could take.

“What theory do you have about my image?”

Was he smirking? Of course he was. Damn him and his confidence. Whatever. I’d be honest anyway.

“You’re the sex that sells.”

“Am I, now?”

Thank goodness for the waiter. He arrived with our food and I didn’t have to feed his ego anymore tonight. After our steaming plates were set before us, the man added, “Buon appetito.”

As if he spoke fluent Italian, Gavin said, “Grazie, altrettanto.”

“Grazie” I knew from hearing it on TV or elsewhere. That was “thank you” or something close. The other word, though, I had no idea. Our waiter nodded and left.

The food was sinful it was so good.

“Oh my god,” I said as another delicious bite hit my tongue.

“If you keep moaning like that, we aren’t going to make it through dinner.”

If my mouth wasn’t full I would have gaped and then reminded him that this night was not ending in sex no matter what my treacherous body wanted.

Instead, I cast my eyes down and continued to eat. When dessert came, I knew I would have to spend a week on the treadmill to make up for all the calories I’d eaten, but it was so worth it.

After our empty plates were taken away, I asked, “How’d you know about this place?”

“I eat here a lot.”

His answer was far too cryptic and piqued my interest.

“Yeah, but how did you find it? This strip mall doesn’t exactly scream fine dining.”

And that was just what this experience had been.

“I’ve been coming for years. My dad and I eat here a lot.”

I sat up straight. “You live around here?”

Okay, his dad was a fisherman and the bay was right here. But I didn’t think he was a local.

“I’ve lived around here all of my life.”

Unfortunately, the interruption from the check arriving wasn’t perfect timing this time around. He put a wad of bills in the small leather binder after only giving it a cursory glance. Then he was up and helping me out of my chair. I hadn’t pegged him for the gentleman type, but he was doing a good job of convincing me otherwise.

Out in the night, a few people hung at the end of the building. I wasn’t scared, but it did reinforce to me that we weren’t exactly in Georgetown in D.C. where the posh people lived.

Though I’d expected him to open the truck door when we came close, instead he backed me into it.

“That kiss inside didn’t count. I’m claiming my winnings now.”

He didn’t give me a chance to protest. His hand was in my hair, angling me up to meet his hungry mouth. The wine and steak on his tongue only added to the experience. He tasted like he was heaven sent. And as cheesy as it sounded in my head, I swear I heard angels singing in the background.

A deep chuckle resonated, and for a second I assumed it was Gavin. Though he’d had to be a ventriloquist to pull it off considering his tongue was still in my mouth.

“My, my, my.”

Gavin’s unreadable eyes met mine. He pulled back and looked annoyed. He turned, blocking my view.

“Jimmy.”

“Didn’t expect to see you tonight.”

“I didn’t think you came out of hibernation in the winter.”

“Funny guy. He’s a funny guy—right, Dave?”

I stepped to the side to see around Gavin. A barrel of a man, who could have been an extra in any mobster movie ever made, stood next to another guy who, in the dim light, could have been his twin.

“Let’s go,” Gavin said.

When he clamped onto my arm, I realized he was talking to me. He had the door opened to his truck in record time.

Before he shut it, the big man said, “Didn’t think you were the dating type.”

“It isn’t a date,” I heard just before the door slammed shut. His next words were muffled. “She’s just a girl from school. A project.”

My stomach sank. But he moved farther away and I didn’t hear the rest. What had he meant by that? A project? I wanted to think he meant we were working on a project together—mine. But the way he’d said it sounded more like I was a hookup. And hadn’t he already warned me that’s all I could ever be?

I pulled out my phone and checked for texts, something to keep my mind from wandering. His door opened and I jumped, not expecting him back so quickly. He didn’t speak to me—only turned the truck on and pulled out as if he was in a hurry.

We rode in silence to my dorm. Once he stopped, I fumbled for the latch on the car door. A perfect night had ended in shattered dreams. Why had I let my heart think that maybe he’d wanted to get to know me more than for just a one-night stand?

“Megan.”

His hand landed on my shoulder, and I realized I was shaking. I forced myself to still and turn to face him.

“I’m sorry about that.”

The old me would have smiled and accepted his apology. But I was done with nice Megan. I was done with guys thinking they could walk all over me. …No, more like I was done letting them.

“Sorry for what?” I snapped.

“Back there. I…” He paused. “I wouldn’t have taken you there if I thought…”

“Thought what? The truth: that your entire plan was to get in my pants.”

He fish-mouthed for a second. “Look, I never lied to you.” He stared up at the ceiling for a moment. “This was a bad idea.”

“Bad idea! That’s an understatement. Here I thought maybe you weren’t the asshole you made yourself out to be.”

He ran a hand over his hair and blew out a breath.

“Look, this was a mistake. I told you before I don’t do girlfriends.”

“And I’m not going to do you. So we’re even. But don’t think you’re getting out of taking pictures for me.”

Pissed didn’t even cover what I felt. An indignant rage where I wanted to truly curse coursed through me.

He actually smirked at me. “You mean where I take off my clothes for you.”

I glared at him and jabbed a finger in his direction.

“This isn’t remotely funny. When I contact you, I expect you on time and without complaint. Meanwhile, when you’ve realized what an asshole you’ve been, you can call and apologize to me. Maybe I’ll forgive you.” His eyes widened. “Yeah, I said it. Asshole, asshole, asshole.”

I got the door opened and bolted out, not bothering to close it. He had to be still watching me stomp away because I didn’t hear it shut before I disappeared under the archway that led to the courtyard of my dorm.