Gavin smiled mischievously. “I know, but he deserves it.”
The waiter approached the table with a bottle of expensive bubbly in tow and a towel draped over one arm.
“What would you like to drink?” Gavin asked.
Knowing she and Gavin didn’t mix well with liquor, Emily figured she would keep it light. “Actually, I’ll just take an ice water.”
He creased his brows. “Are you sure?”
With an answering smile, she nodded.
After ordering himself bourbon on the rocks, Gavin leaned back in his chair and looked at her. “I’m happy to see you’re no longer sick.”
“Thank you. That was a rough few days.”
“I’m sure it was,” he replied, knowing they were hard enough for her without adding illness to it. “I stopped by the restaurant to check in on you, and Fallon said you’d already left.”
“I know. I meant to call you, but it completely slipped my mind. I’m sorry about that.”
“No need to apologize. I just wanted to make sure you were doing alright.”
“Well, thank you for checking on me,” she smiled and placed a napkin over her lap. “I truly appreciate it. But I’m okay, honestly.”
She may have smiled, but Gavin couldn’t see a trace of happiness in her eyes. Throughout the evening, he kept the conversation with her on lighter topics, staying as far away from anything that had to do with Dillon. Gavin learned that, although her teaching position was supposed to be full time, it fell through, and she would only be working part time as a substitute for now. Either way, she seemed happy about it. He ribbed on her a little more regarding his Yankees making it into the World Series, promising her that by the end of her lifetime he’d turn her into a certified fan. She begged to differ, but nonetheless, it made her laugh, and that’s all that mattered to him.
After everyone enjoyed dinner, Gavin’s parents approached the table. The stately couple’s arms were locked together, their faces flushed from dancing and champagne.
“Olivia,” Chad said with a smile. “My beautiful wife’s given me permission to dance with you.”
She cocked an incredulous brow. “Oh, has she?”
“Indeed, she has,” he laughed, reaching for her hand.
“Are you sure, Lillian?” Olivia smirked and stood up. “I just may steal him from you.”
“He’s a very debonair man,” Lillian smiled, her green eyes shimmering with delight. “He just might sweep you off your feet, kiddo, so I’d be careful.”
“Can’t say I’d disagree with you on that,” Olivia laughed and strolled over to him. “Come on, old man. I’ll show you how we younglings do it.”
Chuckling, Chad placed a kiss upon his wife’s cheek and led Olivia out onto the dance floor.
“You look beautiful this evening, Emily,” Lillian said, taking a seat next to her. “I hope you’re enjoying yourself.”
“Thank you, Mrs. Blake, so do you. And I am enjoying myself. Everything’s spectacular.”
“Tsk-tsk,” she laughed, patting Emily’s hand. “Remember, Mrs. Blake makes me feel old. But I’m happy you’re having a good time.”
Emily smiled. “Thank you, Lillian.”
“You do look beautiful tonight, Mom.” Gavin rose from his seat and placed his hand on her shoulder. “I may have to keep an eye on you to make sure no other man steals you away from Dad.”
Looking up to him, she cupped her hand over his. “You’ve always been my biggest fan, Gavin,” she trilled with an adorning smile. “But, really, sweetheart, after thirty-five years of marriage, I’m not going anywhere. It’s pretty safe to say your father doesn’t have to worry about that.”
“Doesn’t have to worry about what?” Colton asked, approaching the table with a drink in hand.
“Oh, it’s nothing. Your brother’s just being overprotective,” she laughed, rising to her feet. “Where’s Melanie?”
Colton pointed over his shoulder. “She’s out in the lobby, calling the babysitter to check on the kids.”
“Perfect timing then,” Lillian replied as she locked arms with Colton. “Care to dance with the woman who brought you into this world?”
“Certainly.” He tossed back the rest of his drink. “I’ll try my hardest not to step on your toes.”
As son and mother whisked off to the dance floor, Gavin looked to Emily. “Would you like to dance?”
Biting her lip, Emily glanced around the ballroom and then back up to him. “Dance, huh?”
“Yes, dance,” he chuckled. “I promise I’ll be good.”
“That I highly doubt, but I’ll trust you this one last time.” He laughed as she removed the napkin from her lap. Standing up, she smiled. “But I must warn you, I’m probably no better than your brother is.”
“That’s impossible,” he said, smiling. “Just wait here a second. I’ll be right back.”
She nodded and watched as he strolled over to the band. He spoke with the lead singer for a few moments and then made his way back over to her, a mischievous smile running across his face.
“Why do you look like you’re up to something?” she asked, cocking a brow.
His dimpled smile widened as he reached for her hand, tucking it in the crook of his arm. “That would be because I
am
up to something.”
“And what would you be up to?”
Leading her out to the dance floor, he remained silent, but the smile on his face never faltered.
“Gavin,” she laughed.
“Emily.”
“What are you up to?”
He waited until the band struck up the chords to his request. “Do you listen to jazz?” he asked as he placed a hand on the small of her back. Lacing his other hand with hers, he tucked it against his chest and drew her into him.
Taken aback by their very close proximity, it took her a second to gather her thoughts. “Umm, yes, I have before. My grandmother used to listen to it while she cooked.”
“Mmm, are you familiar with this song?”
“I don’t know the name of it or the singer,” she answered, fighting to ignore how enticing he smelled. “But I do recall remembering how beautiful it was the first time I heard it.”
Looking down at her, he smiled as they swayed back and forth. “It’s called ‘La Vie en Rose,’ and the singer’s Louis Armstrong.”
“It’s beautiful.”
“It is. And
this
is what I was up to,” he whispered into her ear.
Trying to catch her breath, she bit her lip. “What do you mean?”
“Well, I’ve pictured us dancing together to this very song.”
“You have?” she asked, attempting to hide any hint of shock in her voice at his confession. She then inwardly laughed at herself, considering the confessions she’d made to him.
“Yes, I have. So thank you very much for this dance.”
“You’re welcome.” She could see the look in his eyes—the same one that nearly drowned her into him every time he stared at her like that. She averted her gaze over to his parents where they, too, were dancing. “It’s amazing that they’ve been together so long. It’s almost impossible to believe a love that strong exists.”
Gavin studied her face as she watched his parents. Something in her voice and eyes ached to have something deeper than what she had with Dillon. It was then that Gavin knew he needed to wake up with her lying next to him, longing to see what shade of green her eyes were when they were still lazy with sleep. He wanted her hair tangled in a mess and draped over his strong arms when he woke up to her smiling up at him. In the coldest of winters where blankets didn’t provide her body enough warmth, he wanted to be that warmth. Most of all, he wanted Emily to fall in love with him. It was more than a desire for her body; it was his need for her heart and soul. If he could have one night with her, Gavin was sure he’d be able to convince her that they were made for one another.
His warm fingers lazily traveled up her spine, coming to rest on the nape of her neck. “You deserve to be loved like that,” he whispered against her hair.
When he pulled back, their lips were close. With the slightest movement from either, they would connect.
With his whisper bracing soft and sexual, Emily pulled in a ragged breath and tried to ignore the electricity tingling over her skin. The combination of his touch and the seductive sound of his voice had her body aching with need. Now she was breathing harshly. She felt her breasts rising and falling and noticed his gaze flick over them as she looked away, not saying a word.
Gavin stopped moving, and Emily brought her attention back up to his face.
His touch was almost unbearable, whispering over her jaw, as his gaze penetrated into her. “I can still taste you on my lips.”
Heart ricocheting through her chest, Emily lost all ability to think and simply drowned in the feeling of his hands, now tenderly floating down her waist. Unable to speak, she simply looked up into his blue eyes.
“I miss the way your body feels against mine.” Wetting his lips, his hands clenched her waist tighter. “I miss feeling the way your pulse accelerates when I touch you.” He swallowed, closed his eyes, and inhaled her scent, the sweet smell of jasmine intoxicating him. Opening his eyes, his voice notched lower, softer even, as his hands framed her face. “I want to take my time with you, brushing my fingers over the spots that he’s neglected. He’s never loved you the way you need to be loved,” he whispered into her ear, pulling her closer. “Let me love every part of you. Your mind…” He trailed his fingers down her neck. “Your body…your heart…your scars…” His hands ghosted back down her waist. “Your quirks…your habits…your thoughts…all of you. Give me all of it, Emily.”
Swallowing hard, Emily’s body shook. She backed away from him, not meeting his eyes, her voice low. “I can’t do this with you, Gavin. We…we can’t do this.” He moved toward her, but she stepped away further. “Tell Olivia I’ll meet her back at the apartment. I have to leave.”
She spun on her heel and headed for the table to grab her clutch and shawl.
With tangible shock on his face, Gavin watched as she scurried through the ballroom, making her way through the crowd. However, he wasn’t about to let her go. He wasn’t about to let her walk out of his life.
Not now. Not ever.
In a few quick strides, he made his way through the throng of guests and caught her by the elbow in the lobby. Eyes filled with confusion, he looked down to her, his heart pounding. “Why are you running from me, Emily?”
“I’m not running from you,” she whispered, her eyes brimming with threatening tears.
Sighing, he plowed his hand through his hair. “You are running from me, and I want to know why.”
She looked away. She refused to see the pain evident in his eyes—and refused to feel the pain in her heart. “It’ll never work out. You and Dillon were friends, and he’d never allow this to happen.”
“
What?
” he asked in disbelief, stepping closer. She backed away. “How do you think he’d be able to control anything between you and me?”
“He will,” she said as tears slipped down her cheeks.
“The hell he will,” he breathed out, taking another step closer. Before she could back away again, he gripped her waist with one hand as the other wiped the tears from her face. “You’re supposed to be with me, and you know it. You said it yourself that you feel me when I’m not near you.” Dipping his head, he looked straight into her eyes, his voice low. “God, Emily, please…you have to give us a chance. Let me take care of you. Let me love you.”
She waited for the words—the right words—to come to her, but they didn’t. Cupping her hand over her mouth, she backed away, feeling Gavin’s fingertips fall from her waist. A steady stream of tears dripped from her eyes. She looked at him for a moment while her heart grated to shreds in the process, and without another word, she walked out of the lobby.
Watching her slip into a taxi, Gavin stayed rooted in her wake, his heart sinking as he tried to process what had just happened. He knew Dillon had a hold on her, but Emily believing he would be able to come between them fucked with Gavin’s head—and it fucked with it bad. Before he knew it, he was digging in his pocket for his keys and heading out to his car. After sending his brother a text to let him know that he had left the party, he found himself driving all over the city. Part of him wanted to drive over to her apartment and push the issue further, but logic told him that he had pushed far enough. There was nothing more that he could say to her, so all he wound up doing was going home.
Upon entering his penthouse, Gavin shrugged out of his tuxedo jacket, grabbed a bottle of bourbon, and promptly poured himself a shot. After tossing it back, he ripped the bow tie from his neck, kicked his shoes off, and sat at his kitchen island. He couldn’t help but let out a laugh, although inside he wasn’t laughing. He was sinking—sinking further into what he needed. Pounding his fists on the counter, he damned himself for not going to her apartment. Remembering his brother’s words, Gavin knew right then and there that he hadn’t fought hard enough for her. Standing up, he paced back and forth, staring at his phone while debating what to do. He went to dial Emily’s number but stopped himself. This didn’t merit a phone call. He needed to go to her—and he refused to stop himself this time.
“Fuck it,” he said, digging back into his pocket for his keys.
Swinging the door open, he all but forgot about his shoes, but it didn’t matter—because he was met by the most beautiful green eyes staring back at him. They didn’t say hello. Words were unnecessary. They both knew right then that they would speak volumes through their actions before dawn broke. Spontaneous combustion ignited within both their bodies as they lunged at the same time—colliding—their mouths sliding over one another. Somewhere in between, the door snapped closed, and Gavin’s shirt was ripped off.
Cradling the back of her head, Gavin’s kiss exploded like tracer bullets against Emily’s lips. Before she knew it, he had her lifted up off the ground and pressed against the wall. Placing her arms above her head, he shackled her wrists in his hand as she wrapped her legs around his waist. With the hard, rigid set of his body pushing against hers during their heated kiss, Gavin’s free hand fell to her thigh, sliding her dress up over her waist. The air hissed with the sound of her panties being torn from her body. In anticipation, her wet slick center ground hard against the refined material of his pants. As a deep yearning desire began to blaze through Emily, she pulled her wrists from his hold and feverishly started unbuckling his belt.