Текст книги "Pulse"

Автор книги: Gail McHugh

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Текущая страница: 5 (всего у книги 26 страниц) [доступный отрывок для чтения: 10 страниц]

Sitting straight up, movements calculated, Emily massaged her hands against his as he caressed her breasts. “These are yours, Gavin. Only yours.” Arching her back, Emily slithered one hand down her stomach and rubbed her clit. Eyes locked on Gavin’s, her hips bucked slightly faster, her breathing picking up. “This is yours. No other man will ever touch this.” Her voice trembled as a fiery ache shot, tingling through every nerve. She watched Gavin drag his bottom lip between his teeth, felt his body go rigid. She reached around and grazed her fingernails under his balls.

Pleasure broadsided Gavin. “You feel so good around me.” He sucked in a harsh breath, his hands dropping to her thighs. He gripped them tightly, guiding her body up and down his cock. Her slick, wet pussy was hot, turning him harder than ever. “I fucking love you, Emily. You’re mine. You’ve always been mine.” Bucking his hips up, he thrust her down onto him. “Tell me you love me.”

She started riding him faster, harder, her need to get him to understand driving her to the brink of insanity-filled desire. The feel of him inside her drugged her system beyond words, beyond coherent thought. “Goddamn you, Gavin, I love you! I love you so much. I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to do this to us. Do you understand me? I’m sorry.” With tears slipping down her cheeks, she dug her nails into his shoulders and pulled his body flat against her sweat-dampened chest. He buried his face against her breast, his mouth sucking and swirling her beaded nipple. Her body burned as she gripped his hair. His neck went taut as a bow, his eyes boring into hers. “You’re all I see. All I hear. All I dream about. I came here for you. I’m not leaving. I’m not going anywhere. It’s you, Gavin. Only you.”

She crashed her lips to his, their pounding hearts and short, panting breaths in sync. Gavin curled his hands around her nape, his hands fisted in her hair as tight as hers were in his.

The sound of wet flesh smacking together echoed through the room as their orgasms hit. Their every sense attuned to one another like never before. In each of them, fire danced into a violent explosion of pleasure, and every stolen moment, hurtful word, and accusation fell away, disappearing as their bodies jerked and shuddered together. They were no longer on borrowed time and each of them knew it. Soaked it in. Emily felt Gavin’s strong arms wrap around her waist, his breathing shallow against her chest. As the sensations liquefying them settled, Gavin snagged Emily’s gaze as she looked down at him. Gavin smoothed her damp hair away from her face and guided her lips to his. Deep and passionate, slow and gentle, he kissed her. Warmth centered deep in her womb as she moaned into his mouth.

Lying back, Gavin pulled Emily on top of his chest. Tenderly gliding his hands up and down her spine, he breathed a sigh of relief. For the first time since he’d met her, Gavin felt relaxed. At ease. Emily was finally his.

Other than their sweet breaths starting to calm, the air was filled with the sound of waves crashing in the distance beyond French doors leading to a balcony. Moonlight bathed the bedroom while Emily listened to the steady rhythm of Gavin’s heart beating against her ear. The heart she nearly destroyed. Feeling unworthy of him, she dusted kisses across his chest and looked up at him. “I’m so sorry,” she whispered. “I can’t believe I almost ruined us.”

He trailed a finger along her cheek, his blue eyes intense. “I know you are, and I don’t want you saying it again. We’re not ruined. We’re better. Understand?”

Nodding, she laid her head back down on his chest and clenched his shoulders. “I didn’t think you were coming back.”

“Well, I knew I was coming back the moment I left.”

Emily lifted her head, her hooded stare meeting Gavin’s. “Oh, did you, Mr. Blake?”

“Why, of course I did, Miss Cooper,” he said with a grin. “I figured I’d let you sweat it out for a while.” A slow smile spread across his face. “Apparently, I made you moan while you sweated it out.”

With a pseudo pout, she batted his arm playfully. “Wiseass.”

“It’s part of my charm.” He chuckled and skimmed his fingers down her back. Pulling her closer, Gavin fastened his mouth to hers. Emily’s lips went pliant and goose bumps rose over her body. “Get used to it. You’re stuck with this wiseass.”

She nipped at his lip and smiled. “I’ll take you whatever way I can.” After indulging in his kiss a little longer, Emily rested her head against his chest, her body deliciously sore.

A stretch of silence filled the room as Gavin sank into the sensations of Emily tracing his tattoo. Her touch tossed him into heaven, yet his thoughts cast him into hell. Guilt hit him and decided to play a little game. He’d planned on telling her right away about his brief encounter with the woman he’d met a few days before on the beach, but God help him, he couldn’t when he’d arrived at the hotel. Seeing Emily in the hallway with her luggage, ready to leave his life again, sent his intentions flying out the fucking window. Hell, he knew he had every right to do what he did, but that didn’t stop it from weighing heavily on his chest. Gavin cleared his throat and brushed his hands through Emily’s hair. He cupped her face, bringing her gaze to his. “I have to tell you something.”

She blinked, met his stare for a moment, and then laid her head back down on his chest. “How old were you when you got this, and why did you choose to get it on your ribs?” She grazed her fingers along the dragon’s wings.

Head downcast, examining her delicate fingers flowing over the black ink, Gavin stroked the long line of her back. “I got it right out of college, so around twenty-two or twenty-three.” He ran his hand through his hair and released a breath. “I decided to get it there because I wanted it hidden from eyes I didn’t want to see it and traced by beautiful fingers that I did.”

She peered up at him, her smile soft and her touch softer as she skimmed the dragon’s body. “These fingers?”

“Yes,” Gavin whispered. “Those fingers.” He watched Emily smile at his words and lay her head back down against his chest. Hesitation rolled through him for a second, but he knew if he didn’t tell her, it would eat away at him. “I have to talk to you about something.”

“Did it hurt when you got it?” Emily didn’t look up as she continued to trace the art.

Gavin lifted her chin, his brows furrowed. “Emily, I did something I have to tell you about.”

Swallowing, Emily nodded. “I know you slept with those two girls.” She touched his cheek with the back of her hand and stared into his eyes. Those beautiful blue eyes, edged by thick, dark lashes holding her future. “And I don’t care. You thought I married Dillon. I know you wouldn’t have if you knew otherwise.” She placed a soft kiss on his lips and nuzzled her face in his neck.

Gavin caressed her hair and pulled in a breath. “I didn’t sleep with them.”

“You didn’t?” she asked, shock evident in her voice as she pulled her head back.

“No. You thankfully intercepted that train wreck when you showed up.”

She let out a sigh of relief. “So you won’t have any children running around in Mexico. Thank God.”

Gavin watched her expression ease, and fuck if it didn’t seize his heart in a single second. Bringing her face closer to his, he ran the pad of his thumb across her lips. “No. I won’t have any children running around in Mexico because I used protection with someone you didn’t intercept.” He paused, his eyes searching hers. Emily bit her lip and nodded. “I’m sorry,” he whispered, his voice riddled with guilt.

Emily swept her gaze over his face and found nothing but regret. Guilt of her own tripped through her stomach, knowing she was the reason for it. As she searched her mind for a way to free him from his remorse, to show him it didn’t matter to her, a devious smile crept up the corners of her mouth. Sitting up, she straddled his lap, pinned his hands behind his head, and brushed her lips against his. Staring at him, she spoke against his mouth. “Gavin Blake, I love you so much, it’s literally dangerous to us both. You know that?”

He cocked an incredulous brow. “Dangerous?”

“Very,” she purred, raining kisses along his jaw.

Freeing his hands from her hold, Gavin threaded his fingers through her hair. A grin touched his mouth. “Mmm, I like a naughty Emily. You can be as dangerous as you want to with me.”

Emily’s stomach rolled with heat as Gavin brought her down to his lips. While kissing him, she heard Gavin’s stomach roll with a growl of hunger. She laughed. “Hungry?”

“What?” he asked innocently. He turned on his megawatt smile.

“Okay, I’m not deaf, Blake.” She leaned over and flipped on a lamp. “Either you’ve caught a bug while here in Mexico, or you’re hungry.” After pulling a menu from the nightstand drawer, she handed it to him. “I’m praying for the latter.”

Gavin barked out a laugh and then slowly sobered. “What is that?” He slid his thumb over her eyebrow and placed the menu on the bed.

Emily’s stomach plummeted. She felt all kinds of sick as she curled her hand around Gavin’s wrist, pulling it away from the spot where Dillon hit her. Panic set in, but she covered it up with a smile. “Oh, that? It’s nothing. I was at work, I bent over to pick up something from behind the bar, and I slammed my head against the countertop.”

Gavin sat up, snaked one arm behind her back, and lifted the other to her brow again. He studied it for a second. Something in Emily’s tone didn’t sit right with him. He shifted his eyes to hers. “It happened at work, huh?”

“Yes, Gavin,” she said, mustering up all the confidence she had left. “My moment of grace happened at work. Luckily the place was empty, or I would’ve been even more embarrassed.” She plucked the menu from the bed and started looking over it. “So what are you in the mood for? They have everything from burgers to filet mignon.” She swung her legs off him, pulled the sheet around her body, and stood to go to the bathroom. “Just order me the chicken Caesar salad.”

Emily flipped on the light switch and closed the door. Leaning against it, she drew in a breath, hoping she’d successfully pulled off the lie gnawing away at her. This wasn’t the way she’d wanted to start off with Gavin. Not even close. Keeping anything from him bit at her conscience. However, visions of Gavin going after Dillon tightened her chest, and Dillon’s threats the night of her rehearsal dinner screamed loud in her ears. With that, she settled the internal battle. She was protecting Gavin and wouldn’t say a word about what’d happened that morning. Emily turned the handle to exit the bathroom. On the other side, she found Gavin with his arms crossed, leaning against the doorjamb. His probing blue eyes made her heart lurch into her throat. Though her nerves skyrocketed, she couldn’t keep her gaze from sweeping over his naked form. The utter masculine perfection of his solid body had her instantly breathing faster, unconsciously biting her lip.

“You startled me.” She pushed up on her tiptoes and planted a kiss on his cheek. “But I’ve always known you were a stalker.” She feigned playful and draped her arms around his neck, but his stare was all over her, as if he was waiting for her to tell him the truth. All she wanted to do was ‘fess up, but she wouldn’t. “Speaking of stalker, how did you get a key to the suite?” Emily knew it was a poor attempt at a subject change, but she was grasping at anything to keep Gavin’s attention from Dillon.

“I called Colton from my house and told him to add my name to the reservation.” Gavin leaned down and brushed his lips against her forehead. “So, what happened the night you left him?”

Emily swallowed back the bile rising in her throat and clenched the sheet to her chest. She looked at him from beneath her lashes. “Nothing really happened.”

Gavin pulled back, his expression tight with skepticism. “Nothing? He just let you walk out the door and didn’t say a word?”

She grappled for an answer as she crossed the room. Sinking onto the bed, she slid a stare back at him and shrugged. “Yes. I left his townhouse after he fell asleep, stopped by your place, and then went back to my apartment. He came over the morning of the wedding, and we got into an argument. In the middle of it, my sister and her husband showed up, and Michael made him leave. That’s it.”

Forehead creased, Gavin palmed the back of his neck and stepped closer. “And he hasn’t bothered you at all?”

“No, he hasn’t.” One truth she could admit. Shockingly, other than Joan calling to bitch her out after bailing Dillon out of jail, Emily hadn’t seen or heard from him since the cops dragged him out of her apartment.

Gavin closed the distance and knelt in front of Emily. His hands glided effortlessly under the sheets to grip her waist. “You would tell me if anything had happened, right?”

Nearly paralyzed by her lie, Emily struggled against tears. She lifted her hand to his face, cradled his cheek, and nodded. “Of course I would,” she whispered.

Rubbing his thumbs in slow circles on her skin, he closed his eyes. “I’m sorry I wasn’t there when you told him. You shouldn’t have had to do it on your own.”

“Gavin, no,” she choked out, standing. She buried her hands in his hair and pulled his face to her stomach. Looking down at him, guilt thudded through her heart as she watched him kiss her flesh. He clenched her waist tighter, his mouth urgent. His guilt seared her stomach. “Please, Gavin, I was fine. You thought I’d married him. Please don’t do this to yourself.” Emily sank down on his lap and wrapped her legs around his waist.

“I’m so fucking sorry, baby.” Gavin kissed her deeper as he scooted back against the nightstand. “I shouldn’t have left. We said we were going to tell him together.”

Emily tore her mouth from his and took his face in her hands. Tears broke loose as she stared into his eyes. “Please stop,” she begged. Heat whipped over her flesh as she fitted his heavily veined dick between her wet folds. A paradox of the worst kind splintered through her as she relished feeling him inside her. Blinding and beautiful, in that moment, Gavin owned her and she owned him, yet guilt held them both captive, its chains heavy, exhausting.

Eyes flaring with hunger, Gavin’s kiss became possessive as he licked into her mouth, taking total domination of her body. His every muscle hardened, tightening his arms around Emily’s waist. He consumed her flesh, pulsing energy colliding with their love and chemistry as he filled her thicker, deeper.

Quickly, with reckless abandon, Emily fell into every sensation Gavin bestowed. His eyes controlled her very soul. His touch filled her inner being. It was then, in that moment, she knew she had to remove every speck of guilt from Gavin’s body.

She only prayed she could.

Sunlight peeked over the horizon and streamed into the bedroom as Gavin lay awake, soaking in the sound of Emily’s sleeping body. She was curled on her side, both hands tucked under the pillow, as his eyes traced every line of her face. God, she looked sweet, an angel so beautiful next to him. Wanting to reach out and touch her, he blew out a breath and resisted the urge, deciding to let her sleep. He watched, mesmerized, his mind replaying the last few weeks as the exhaustion of it all lifted from his chest. Each complicated, tangled layer they’d started off with disappeared. A smile lifted the corners of his lips as Emily burrowed against him. She let out a sleepy sigh and snuggled closer, her leg coming up over his thigh. Fuck. All good intentions of allowing her to sleep were demolished. Gone.

Rolling her naked body into his arms and onto his chest, Gavin fused their lips together and held her tight. “I tried. I honestly did.”

A purr of pleasure crawled up her throat as her eyes fluttered open. Smile on her face, she cocked a brow. “My ass.”

“The ass that’s officially owned by me?” Gavin caressed his hands down her waist, settling on said ass. “This one? Ah, yes. Yes, this one. I love this ass.”

“Owned?” Emily playfully questioned.

“Yes… owned. Never to be leased by another. I’m king landlord, sweets.” He nipped her lip, and she laughed. “I don’t take checks, but I do accept most forms of foreplay and sex as payment.”

Emily filtered her fingers through his hair and shook her head. She wiggled her ass that’d been thoughtfully cupped in his hands. “I only do wild, hanging from a chandelier sex.”

“Mmm, that’s a tough one.” Gavin bit his lip, primal satisfaction glassing his eyes. “I’ll accept your offer as long as I can rope you to the chandelier and have my way with you in whatever way I please.”

Giggling, Emily kinked her head to the side. “Who are you? Christian Grey?”

Hands gliding up her back, a furrow appeared between his brows. “Who’s Christian Grey?”

Eyes wide, Emily sat up and pinned Gavin’s hands above his head. She brushed her nose against his. “You don’t know who Christian Grey is?”

“Not a clue.” Gavin craned his head up, catching her mouth with his. “Is he someone you went to school with?” Before Emily could answer, he gently tugged her lip between his teeth. “Wait. You’ve never been roped up by someone, right?”

“No, not yet.” Emily laughed, lacing their fingers. “And I didn’t go to school with Christian Grey. But I’m pretty sure there’s not a woman on earth who hasn’t heard of him.” Gavin sent Emily another confused look. “Never mind.” She sat up, wrapped the satin sheet around her body, and slipped off the bed. “I’ll explain it one day.”

“Wait. Where are you going? I hope you’re not thinking about showering without me.” Wearing a grin, he leaned up on his elbows. “Remember, I’m the landlord. You need my permission to do anything.”

Eyes piqued in humor, Emily watched Gavin swing his legs over the bed and take a ground-eating step toward her. “Caveman much?”

Gavin didn’t reply. Nope. Instead, he swept her off her feet. Slanting his mouth over hers, he kissed her hard, inhaling deeply, as if trying to breathe her into him. He carried Emily into the bathroom and set her on the vanity.

Gavin’s hard body instantly sent a welcomed shiver up her spine, making her forget about the cold granite under her ass. Her blood sang, and she felt a blush creep up her neck as he slowly pulled the sheet away from her.

His gaze trekked over her body before settling on her lips. “God, you’re amazing.” He positioned himself between her thighs. Gripping her legs, he drew them up and wrapped them around his waist. “A certified fucking wake up call.”

Pleasure to come clouded Emily’s mind as she watched him shove his fingers into his mouth. Achingly slow, with his eyes pinned to hers, he pulled them out and trailed them down her stomach. Goose bumps erupted, dancing all over her skin. The breath left her as he palmed her pussy and slid his fingers deep inside. A whimper escaped her as he curled his other hand along the side of her neck and eased her back against the mirror.

“I want you to finger yourself with me,” he roughed out, his breathing ragged.

“What?” Emily moaned, unable to keep her voice from shaking. “I’ve never—”

“Fingered yourself?” He circled his thumb around her clit.

Arching her back against the mirror, Emily started to pant. “No, I’ve only used a vibrator.”

Gavin bit his lip and closed his eyes. A groan rumbled in his chest as he pumped his fingers in and out, their fluid motion slow and steady. Opening his eyes, he dragged his hand from Emily’s neck and reached for her wrist. Guiding it down between her legs, he placed her fingers over her clit. “No vibrator today. Rub it for me.”

Emily batted her eyelashes shyly but found herself doing what he’d asked. She sucked in a breath as she slid two fingers over her swollen flesh. Lips parted at the multiple sensations, she stared at Gavin and clenched down around his fingers. With every nerve ending awakened and a burning urge for climax nearly disintegrating her, she moaned as she circled her hips. “Oh my God, Gavin,” she breathed, rubbing harder.

Gavin stroked himself with his free hand, ruthless arousal flaring in his eyes. “That’s right, baby,” he grunted, “now push them in with mine.”

His demand, so raw and primal, had Emily surrendering. Sinking two fingers in with his, she trembled and shuddered. Her blood rushed with the force of a freight train, shutting down her thoughts. The faster Gavin stroked himself, the faster he worked his fingers inside her. Gazes locked, both of their breathing erratic, their faces twisted in total ecstasy.

“Christ, your pussy’s so perfect.” Gavin’s head fell back for a second, a groan pushing up his throat. Bringing his eyes back to hers, pleasure surged and seized deep within his balls as Emily sank farther against the mirror. She unwrapped her legs from his waist and planted her feet on the vanity. Completely exposed, she continued to thrust her fingers inside herself with his. The hard stalk of his dick pulsated in his hand as he watched her eyes flutter closed. “Fuck. I have to taste you,” Gavin bit out, his nostrils flaring. “Take your fingers out and rub that hot clit for me.”

Aching for release, Emily gasped and removed her fingers, sliding them over herself. She watched Gavin kneel. Clenching her hips, he pulled her ass to the edge of the vanity. He latched his mouth to her pussy, his tongue laving urgently. Instantly, need grew, magnifying in Emily’s core. Tightening, her body was totally lost to the passion of the intimate act. She’d never opened herself like this with anyone, but it felt so natural with Gavin. Rubbing herself faster, her breathing grew choppier and then completely stopped. Gavin brushed her fingers out of the way and stroked his tongue over her, pulling her clit into his mouth, nipping, sucking. She melted. Done.

She gasped a long, shocked intake of air. “Oh my God, Gavin… I’m… I’m… coming.” She couldn’t breathe. Couldn’t think. Lost to the sensations crashing through her system, her body quivered as she reached for Gavin’s hair, tugging him against her as she rode out the last bit of her climax.

Standing, Gavin continued to stroke himself and grabbed Emily by her nape, pulling her against his lips. He swirled his tongue over hers. The taste of their juices mixing nearly sent him over the edge. Emily moaned into his mouth, and it was the hottest fucking sound Gavin had ever heard. She slid her fingers under his and started stroking him, their hands gliding in unison along his cock. Gavin surged his tongue deeper into Emily’s mouth and groaned, his entire body tightening as his orgasm wracked through his muscles.

With a snarl, he lifted his hands and fisted Emily’s hair as he let her finish him off. And she did. Every last bit of what he had to give flowed over her fingers, their breathing heavy as Gavin ripped his mouth from hers. He buried his face in the crook of Emily’s neck. A moment later, Gavin pulled back and found Emily’s gaze, her green eyes sated as she kissed his lips. Soft and gentle, bodies relaxed, they fell deeper in love as they slowly absorbed one another; as if in shock that now, time… time was on their side.

Time was all they had.

An hour and a long, hot shower later, Gavin and Emily stepped from the hotel into the afternoon warmth. As they waited for the valet to bring his car around, Emily sent Gavin a wide smile that made his heart ache. Her eyes glowed with happiness, and it did things to him he never imagined.

He moved behind her and draped his strong arms around her stomach. “Thank you,” he whispered against the back of her neck, reaching for her hand. He brought it to his mouth and kissed it.

Emily craned her head toward him, pushed up on her tiptoes, and brushed her lips along his jaw. “No. Thank you.”

Gavin smiled and leaned over to kiss her. They both sank into the drugging feeling until the valet pulled up with the car.

The driver stepped out and approached Gavin. “Muy bonito carro.”

Reaching for Emily’s luggage, Gavin looked at her and back to the driver. A reverent smile broke out across his face. “Muchas gracias. Además de esta hermosa mujer que tengo a mi lado, los carros son mi segunda pasión.”

The man glanced in Emily’s direction, nodding enthusiastically. “Claro que si, los dos son muy hermosos.”

Emily looked at Gavin. “What are you two talking about?”

“Cars and you. My two favorite things.” Gavin shot her a wink as he placed her luggage in the trunk. Emily shook her head and smiled. Walking over to the driver, Gavin dug in his pocket, fished out his wallet, and handed him a tip. “Gracias de nuevo.” The driver nodded his thanks and went to give Gavin the keys, but Emily plucked them from his hand.

She looked at Gavin and shot him a wink back. “So I assume you won’t mind if one of your favorite things drives your other favorite thing?”

Gavin’s lips slid into a grin. “It’s a stick, doll.”

With a little cock of her head, Emily’s mouth dropped open. “You just assume I don’t know how to drive a stick?”

Gavin wrapped his arms around her waist and whispered into her ear, “Well, I know you’ve mastered driving a certain type of stick.” One eyebrow crept up on Emily’s face, and Gavin chuckled. He cupped her cheek and kissed the top of her head. “But yes, I naturally assumed you didn’t know how to drive the other.”

“Well,” Emily purred, slinking her arms over his shoulders, “one of your favorite things knows how to drive stick, and she knows how to drive it very well.” She brought his lips down to hers. “I also like to drive fast.”

“That’s pretty fucking hot.” He grazed his lips against her ear. “You can drive every stick I own whenever you want.”

Excitement bubbled in Emily’s stomach as she turned on her heel and headed for the driver’s side. Opening the door, she slipped in and adjusted her seatbelt. When Gavin sank into his seat, Emily looked over at him, a smirk on her face. “Now it’s my turn to tell you to get your seatbelt on.”

“A dominant woman. I love it.” Gavin reached for the seatbelt. “Just don’t get us killed.”

Emily playfully smacked his arm. Keys in hand, she frowned when she couldn’t find the ignition. “How do I start it?”

Gavin couldn’t hold back his smile. “Miss Indie 500, the car’s already on, and it’s a push button.”

Emily rolled her eyes, stepped on the clutch, and eased out of the parking lot. “Don’t make fun of me, wiseass.”

Her cute, sassy words made Gavin chuckle.

“This Indie 500 woman’s not used to driving expensive cars like this. The ones I’ve owned usually yell at me when I start them up.”

Gavin mocked shock, his blue eyes wide. “They literally yell at you? Bastards.”

Glancing in the rearview mirror, Emily smiled and nodded. “Actually, they curse me out.” Gavin barked out a laugh, and Emily stopped before turning onto the highway. She looked at him. “How did you get the window fixed so quickly?”

“Money has its advantages, sweets.” He grinned, curling his fingers around the nape of her neck. “Now turn your landlord on and show him what you got, speed demon.”

Emily smiled like the Cheshire cat and pulled onto the highway.

Gavin watched soberly as her shapely legs, belonging to him, moved under her silk sundress each time she pressed down on the clutch. Her delicate fingers curled around the shift as she glided through the gears. Her auburn hair falling in loose curls had him shifting in his seat. Fuck. He was getting turned on. Heat sliced through his stomach. But hell if she wasn’t driving like his grandmother.

He cleared his throat and hit a few buttons on the touchscreen panel to turn on the satellite radio. “You can drive a little faster.”

Emily sent him a questioning stare. “I’m doing the speed limit.”

“I thought you liked to drive fast?” Gavin lifted a confused brow.

“I said that so you’d let me drive, considering how fast you drove yesterday.” She shrugged. “I never speed.”

A wicked grin twisted Gavin’s mouth. He leaned over, rested his hand on her right thigh, and pushed down. To add a little fuel to the fire, he caressed her flesh in a slow, circular motion. He had her now. The car sped up, jolting forward and passing other vehicles. “I feel like I’m in Driving Miss Daisy. You’re supposed to be showing this landlord what you’ve got, and so far, you’ve fallen flat on your ass.”

“Gavin,” Emily gasped, her eyes wide as she tried to ignore just how enticing his hand felt. “You just told me not to get us killed, and now you want me to speed?” Emily pressed harder against the gas, feeling as though she had to prove herself to him. “Fine. To our deaths we go.”

With the Lumineers ho’ing and hey’ing from the speakers, an unmistakable air of satisfaction crossed Gavin’s features as he watched the odometer climb. Hand still on her thigh, he propped his feet on the dashboard and pressed the button to roll down the window. A rush of warm air flew into the car. He pumped the radio louder. Tapping his other hand on his knee, he looked at Emily, his full tooth, sexy smile wider than she’d ever seen.

Emily giggled and started tapping the steering wheel in unison with him.

“Wait! Pull over here.” Gavin dropped his legs to the floor. He put his hand over Emily’s and threw the gear into neutral. Reaching for the steering wheel, he yanked it to the right, and the car rolled onto the side of the road. Gravel crunched as the car screeched to a stop.

Confusion peppered Emily’s face. “What are we doing?”

Staring into her eyes, expression serious, Gavin didn’t answer. Instead, he leaned over the console and gently brushed his lips against hers. Emily closed her eyes and tried to breathe. Voice low and lips on hers, he cupped her face. “Get out of the car.”

Eyes still closed, Emily sighed when she felt his hand and lips leave her face. With Etta James streaming out of the speakers now, she watched breathlessly as Gavin ducked out of his seat. She tried to regain her sudden spiked composure as she followed suit and slipped from the car. One foot in front of the other, she moved around to where he stood. Capturing her gaze, Gavin stepped closer, reached for her hand, and slowly swept her against his body. In the heat of the late afternoon sun, Emily nearly froze. Gavin slid his arm around her waist, took her hand, and cradled it to his chest.