What he’d seen earlier had ripped his insides to shreds.
Defeat.
It had taken every ounce of willpower he could muster not to keep her in his arms. To shield her, protect her from harm.
Instead, he’d lied to her.
Gavin sighed and drained the scotch from his glass, the burn oddly comforting considering the stuff tasted like shit. On a normal day, he’d order a beer and be done with it.
Not today.
Fuck. Not today.
Gavin stretched his legs and signaled the flight attendant for another drink. If he kept this pace, he’d be flat-assed drunk by the time he got home. The idea appealed to the guilt churning, along with the cheap scotch, in his gut.
Damn it. He should’ve told her.
A pretty young woman handed him a new drink. He thanked her politely, but didn’t hold eye contact. No point encouraging the interested gleam in her baby blues when Gavin preferred the honey gold of Lauren’s eyes. They complimented the rich chestnut hair he imagined would feel soft as spun silk between his fingers.
He’d love to find out.
Her reminder that they weren’t friends pissed him off. They hadn’t been, so he really shouldn’t care. But he did. A lot.
She was amazing. Time and time again, he’d seen her in action. He’d seen contract negotiations go south, only to have Lauren walk in and tame a boardroom of unruly executives with the patience of a kindergarten teacher and the quiet dignity of a saint. Within minutes, men and women alike would kneel at her feet and eat out of the palm of her hand.
That was Lauren. Focused, calm, cool. She didn’t blow her own horn or demand credit. Like him, her satisfaction came from a job well done.
She’d make a great mom.
Christ. Where had that come from?
“Excuse me, sir. The captain is about to turn on the fasten seatbelt sign for our descent. Are you finished with your glass? Is there anything else I can do for you?”
The pretty flight attendant leaned over a little too far, telling him with her eyes and ample cleavage she was interested in more than whether or not he strapped in.
He should forget about Lauren. She’d hate him for what he’d done.
Gavin downed the rest of his scotch and handed her his glass. He reached in his pocket and brought out some bills. He pressed a folded-up hundred into her hand and kept his tone professional. “Thank you for a great flight, ma’am.”
She glanced at the bill, disappointment marring her features for a second before her game face returned. “My pleasure, sir.” She offered him a tight smile. “Welcome to Houston.”
Chapter Four
It was dark by the time Lauren arrived at the house on Galveston Island.
Gavin hadn’t been kidding about it being secluded. Pinpricks of light indicated houses in the distance, but she felt certain she could scream her head off and no one would come running.
True to his word, Gavin had sent the address to her phone. Just the address. No personal words to assure her, not even a hello. So, she hadn’t responded.
She didn’t plan to stay long anyway. A day or two, tops. Long enough to satisfy Faith’s drivel about signs, and her own curiosity about Gavin’s life away from the office. Then she’d text him, thank him, and send his key back.
She pulled her bag from the back. The gentle melody of waves caressing the shore accompanied her as she walked to the front door.
After living in New York City for so long, being out here made her feel cut off. Alone. What had she been thinking? She couldn’t even cook. Not well, anyway.
Momentary panic made her chuckle. She had her phone and laptop; she wasn’t exactly cut off. If she started going through withdrawals, she could always use the Internet on her phone. This was her first vacation in … well … ever. She no longer had a job or a team to interrupt her every waking moment. She should take advantage of it while she could.
She felt more than a little ridiculous at the way her nerves shook as she let herself in. It wasn’t as if she was breaking and entering for chrissake. Gavin had invited her. She had the right to be here. Her breath caught as she got her first glimpse. And here was magnificent.
The lights were apparently on some kind of timer, because soft light glowed throughout the room, giving it a candlelit, romantic feel. An oversized couch and chair surrounded a massive fireplace. The room was warm, inviting. She could definitely see herself curled up on that couch with a book and a glass of wine.
A round table with four chairs separated the living area from the kitchen on her left, where the modern, stainless steel appliances glimmered against the night. But, it was the view that caused her to drop her suitcase and move forward, as if in a trance. The wall of windows, broken only by a large sliding glass door, enticed her with a stunning landscape. The moon reflected off the water like a beacon, calling her to come and let the waves wash away the last twenty-four hours.
All of a sudden, she was tired. Tired of not taking risks, tired of not experiencing her life outside the boardroom. She wanted to be impulsive and free.
She had plenty of time to investigate the house later. Right now, she wanted to dig her toes in the sand. She tossed her luggage to the couch and threw it open. She stared at the contents. Did she dare to skinny dip? It was dark, and she hadn’t seen any houses close. No one would see her, right?
Jerking her bikini from the case, her laugh startled the quiet from the room. Her bravado only went so far. Maybe tomorrow night, after she’d had time to check out the area in the light of day.
She turned her back to the windows and shimmied out of her slacks and panties. The bikini bottom she settled over her hips didn’t cover any less, but wearing it made her feel infinitely sexier than the plain cotton panties she’d shucked. Its sapphire blue hue sparkled in the light and her chest warmed with pleasure. Her body was probably too soft for something so decadent. Not soft, curvy. That’s what she was. It didn’t matter how many crunches she did, her belly would never be completely flat, nor could she change the flare of her hips.
And she didn’t care.
The wicked pleasure of wearing something so beautiful overpowered her insecurities.
The sound of waves lulled her as she unbuttoned her blouse. The material slipped from her shoulders and fluttered to the floor. Eyes closed, she breathed deeply. The scent of salt water and fresh sea air held a hint of something else. Something warm and deeply masculine.
Gavin.
She’d known this would happen, so she didn’t fight it. Had spent the entire flight coming to terms with her choice to be in his personal space, surrounded by the ghost of the man when what she really craved was him, flesh and blood.
She unhooked her bra and let it follow the path of her shirt. His scent driving her on, she ran her hands over her breasts, imagining his rough palms caressing her. Pleasure rippled over her skin and her nipples tightened. Lauren puffed out a breath and dropped her hands, poor substitutes for her desires.
Jeez, the water better be cold, because her libido needed a serious time-out. She bent to pick up the top of her bikini.
A throat cleared behind her and she jumped, turned, a scream on her lips as she smacked her palms against her bared breasts.
Holy shit!
Her heart pounded in her chest. A man filled the doorway. Dripping wet. And completely naked.
Before she could stop, her gaze tracked down the hard plane of his chest, his six-pack abs, to the dark patch of hair at his groin.
Oh god, she was in trouble.
She swallowed hard.
Very. Big. Trouble.
* * *
Time slipped away as Gavin made his way down the beach. His muscles ached, but he pressed on, his stride strong and sure. Running helped to clear his head, even if it couldn’t purge his guilt.
What had he been thinking, inviting Lauren here? Not that she’d come. He was sure her embarrassment, her pride, would keep her away. He should be glad. He’d done enough. He
’d be a reminder of what she’d lost.
Fuck, it was all his fault. He should’ve tried harder to talk some sense into those jackasses he worked with. He should’ve made them see letting Lauren go wasn’t the answer. Better yet, he should’ve realized his decision to move home and take over Shadow Maverick Ranch—his family’s livelihood, his legacy—would have consequences.
Gavin cursed and dug in, pushing his lungs to the limit. By the time his house came into view, the night had settled in. He stopped, panting, his legs ready to buckle, and kicked off his shoes. The rest of his clothes quickly followed, thrown to join his shoes as the waves lapped at his ankles.
He loved to swim after a run. The cool water eased his heated muscles, and it gave him an opportunity to stretch his limbs without getting sand in places he’d prefer remained … sandless. The sky was clear, a billion stars and the moon to light his way, but he wouldn’t last long. His legs felt like rubber even as he let the waves carry him away from the shore. He slipped into an easy crawl, letting his arms propel him forward while his legs moved, gently kicking to keep him afloat.
He’d given his notice over a month ago, thinking to give his bosses plenty of time to find a replacement. Had even offered to help in the search. Never had he expected them to sell his contracts to another firm and change the direction of the company.
The higher-ups must’ve been considering this option for quite some time in order to make the change so quickly. They didn’t pull a complete company restructure out of their asses.
That realization didn’t help. In fact, it pissed him off even more.
He wasn’t the one who’d been blindsided. His need to be close to his family, to take over the business operations of the ranch so his dad could finally retire, that had been his choice.
Lauren hadn’t been given a choice. Hadn’t been given time to plan, to have her life packed up and shipped home as he’d done over the last few weeks, with the exception of his office, which would be packed and shipped by his former secretary in the coming week. He’d signed the sale papers on his flat just yesterday.
He’d had time.
Gavin punched through the water, anger and frustration propelling him as though he’d been born with fins.
His reasons for coming home were about more than the need, the desire, to help his family. He was connected to Shadow Maverick Ranch—the land, the cattle, the homestead. London might’ve been where he’d hung his hat for more than a decade, but the ranch was where his heart lived. It was home. He’d grown up there, as had his dad, and his dad before him. Hell, he’d known more about raising cattle than many adult ranchers by the time he was ten.
And he’d lived for the time he could leave it all behind.
Backbreaking days that never ended, pulling fence and wrestling fickle livestock. Oh no, not him. He’d wanted something different, fool that he was back then. So, he’d gone to college, worked hard, got a degree, pursued a career that had left him financially stable, but empty at heart.
His brothers called him a desk jockey. Maybe they were right. He enjoyed his work, but ranching was in his blood. When his dad had asked him to come home, Gavin hadn’t needed a lot of convincing.
He could do both, be a desk jockey and be a part of the ranch. His brothers could handle the livestock, but they needed him to manage the overall operation of the ranch, help them grow, and preserve their legacy for future generations. And when he had the urge to get down and dirty, well, he knew his brothers wouldn’t complain about the extra set of hands.
Circling the buoy, he swam back toward the shore.
Would Lauren understand, forgive him for being the cause of her current situation? She was an only child, loved her parents, but she’d mentioned once they weren’t close. Not like his family, who’d remained a constant in his life even when he’d been overseas.
Gavin reached the shore and dragged his tired limbs from the water. He snatched up his clothes and walked, naked and unconcerned, up to the house. His legs protested as he climbed the stairs to the porch. Maybe he had overdone it a little, but he resisted falling into one of the deck chairs, instead dropping his stuff outside the door as he slid it open. A quick shower to rinse the Gulf from his skin, maybe a beer or two, and he was done.
As he breeched the threshold, a movement to the left caught his attention and he turned, completely gobsmacked by what he found.
His weakened limbs found the renewed strength to hold him in place, standing completely still so as not to shatter the vision before him.
She was here. She was actually here.
Gavin watched in utter fascination as Lauren slipped the shirt from her shoulders. Inch by gorgeous inch, she unknowingly revealed her back to him. The creamy skin made his mouth water. His body tensed and he yearned to reach out, to touch, to tease, to pleasure.
Obviously, she thought she was alone. He should make his presence known. Shouldn’t stand here and watch as she unhooked her bra. And definitely shouldn’t watch as she … sweet mercy, was she caressing her—fuck.
A flash of lust burned through him. Gavin licked his lips, his tongue suddenly desperate for something to do. His gaze focused on the movement of her arms as she cupped her breasts. He’d give anything to know what, who she was thinking about right now. He wanted it to be him, hoped it was him. It was wrong, so wrong, yet he remained still, transfixed, waiting to see what she did next.
A tiny sound emerged from her throat, and his cock hardened in response. Her arms dropped. So did his gaze. The shimmering blue panties she wore didn’t quite cover her butt cheeks and he groaned as she bent to pick up what appeared to be a bikini top. Not panties then. Jesus, she was changing into a bathing suit. Not performing some kind of erotic strip tease.
Lauren spun, slapping her palms to her breasts. Not fast enough to keep him from seeing her tawny nipples, both drawn up to tight little buds.
Her gaze drifted over him, lingering over his chest before heading lower. Her eyes widened as she took in the rest of him. “W-what are you doing here?”
He made no attempt to cover himself. “It’s my house.” Simple, to the point. Truth. And all he was capable of at the moment.
Her fingers tightened, her breasts threatening to spill from the confines of her small, delicate hands. Hands he’d like to replace with his own.
“That’s not what I meant. You said you were leaving tonight.”
He nodded slowly. “Yes, and I did. You never asked me where I was going.”
“So, you asked me to come, but thought I wouldn’t if I knew you’d be here?”
He could practically hear the gears turning in her head. And he appreciated the fact she was pleased with what she saw, but she was making coherent thought damn near impossible.
“Staring at it like that is only going to make it worse, sweetheart,” he said gently.
Her eyes snapped up, a light blush staining her cheeks. “Like what?”
“Like it’s candy.” She was killing him. He couldn’t remember ever being so hard. The stubborn set of her chin, the darkening of her eyes, everything about her intrigued him, called to him.
“I need a shower.” The saltwater from his swim was already starting to make his skin itch, and he needed to get the hell away before he tossed her to the couch and fucked her blind.
He looked her up and down again, taking full advantage of his first opportunity to see her body, the curves that had tempted him for so long. She was even more beautiful than he’d imagined. Lean, muscular legs, rounded hips and an ass he’d like to sink his hands into. Breasts too big for her smaller hands, but perfect for his.
“Unless you’d like to join me, I’d suggest you put on something more substantial.” He glanced pointedly the apex of her legs. “Because knowing I’m one scrap of material from having you naked is driving me crazy.” As if she hadn’t seen the rock-hard evidence of his arousal already.
Slowly, her lips curled upward. “Well, I seem to remember you telling me I could help my
self to anything I wanted.” She dropped her hands, baring her nipples for his view. “So, yes, Gavin. I think a shower sounds perfect.”
Chapter Five
Did I really just say that?
Yes, yes she did. And as she stood there, half naked and letting him look his fill, she’d never been more sure of anything in her life. She didn’t need a sledgehammer to the head to catch this particular sign from the universe.
There was nothing to stop her from bringing a few of her fantasies to life. They didn’t work together anymore. She deserved a little pleasure after the day she’d had. The way he looked at her, heavy-lidded and hard—Jesus, so hard—promised much pleasure to be had.
It would be the perfect start to her new life.
And she didn’t want to wait all night.
“Gavin?”
As if the sound of her voice kicked him into action, he closed the distance. His expression hungry, he locked an arm around her waist and jerked her against him. She gasped at the shock of the skin-on-skin contact. The rigid length of his erection pressed against her as she pushed to her tiptoes, arms circling his neck. Warm, solid, muscles tensed as if barely contained. She hadn’t realized how badly she’d wanted this. Gavin’s arms around her. Touching, being touched.
“Shower it is, sweetheart,” he rasped. “But, first…”
He bent his head, brushing his lips over hers. She tilted her head, eyes closed, lost in the sensation of his lips. A contradiction of soft and firm, Gavin tasted her as if he were trying to memorize her lips, burn the memory of this first kiss into their brains for all time. Licking, sucking, nipping until she squirmed in his arms.
Shadow Maverick Ranch Box Set Page 3
