opposite sex. But if you like someone else, you really shouldn’t have other girls sitting on your lap.
That’s just my opinion.
However, I don’t voice that right now. Instead, I peer into the bag and see a white oblong box. I lift it out and pull off the box top and find a silver watch. It is relatively simple and slender, with a feminine band and a diamond on the 12 and the 6. It’s gorgeous.
“It’s inscribed,” Gavin tells me. I flip the watch over and on the back it reads It’s always Gavin Time.
I forget my agitation with him momentarily and laugh. I can’t help it. He’s so completely arrogant, but charmingly so. He makes it so hard to stay mad.
“It’s beautiful,” I tell him. “Thank you.”
I start to put it on, but Gavin shoves my hand away and fastens it for me. And then he lifts my hand to his lips and kisses it. He lets his lips linger on my skin, warm and soft. And he’s staring into my eyes and anyone in the vicinity can feel the atmosphere change around us. It’s sexually charged.
I know it.
Reece knows it.
And Elena certainly knows it. I can see the interest on her face now and I doubt that’s a good thing. She has a strange smile pasted on her face as she watches us. But I’ll worry about that later.
For now, I’ve got other things to worry about.
Like how to stay mad at Gavin.
But that turns out to be an exercise in futility. He has me snapped out of my anger within ten minutes and we sit and chat with him for at least an hour more. Elena pretends that Reece doesn’t exist, and Reece keeps her back to Elena. But other than that, everything feels normal.
Gavin has the ability to make anyplace feel like a party. We’re laughing and joking and talking to the strangers sitting around us and I feel infinitely at peace.
That is, until Elena gets up to leave. She tells me goodbye, ignores Reece and then she bends to kiss Gavin on both cheeks in the normal European fashion. But her kisses linger. And her hands brush over his chest. Then she pushes her boobs against him. And when she turns, her eyes meet mine and I see something unsettling there, lurking beneath the fake friendliness and sparkling emerald depths.
A challenge.
Chapter Sixteen
“I don’t know what to do,” I tell Reece on the way home. “I just don’t know what to do. I love so many things about Gavin. I love how he knows me. I love how he gets me. I love how he makes everyone feel so comfortable at any given time. But that same exact thing is a curse, too. Look at this episode with Elena. Rather than push her off his lap, he rolled with the punches and ate it up. Would he be that same way if we dated? Because I wouldn’t be okay with random girls sitting on his lap.”
Reece glances at me. “Okay, is it time for me to answer you now? Because I’ve tried four times and you haven’t stopped talked long enough for me to get a word in edgewise.”
I smile sheepishly. “I know. I think I must chatter when I’m nervous.”
“You do,” she confirms. “But in answer to your monologue, this is just what Gavin is like. You’re right about all of the traits that you just named. And he is very loyal to his friends. That’s something else positive about him. And honestly, I have no idea what Gavin is like with a girlfriend. He’s always been a player- or ever since I’ve known him, anyway. He’s never been serious enough to get involved with a girl for any amount of time. He’s accidentally left a long trail of broken hearts behind him.”
I slump against the seat. “This isn’t helping.”
Reece stares at me sympathetically for a minute before she watches the road again. “I’m sorry. It’s a hard choice. They’ve each got pretty great qualities.”
“Can you tell me more about Quinn?” I ask. “I mean, something that you haven’t told me yet?”
Reece thinks about it for a minute.
“Well, he’s loyal, too. He dated my friend Becca for years. And even though most of the girls in school had it bad for him, he never cheated on her. Ever. He’s good at everything he does. He rides bulls in competitions with Becca’s brother, Connor. And he wins. And of course, he’s a good football player. He’ll probably go to college on a football scholarship. He loves animals, also. He wants to be a veterinarian.”
“So, he must have a big heart,” I muse. Reece nods.
“Very big,” she tells me. “I remember our freshman year. We had this really small kid in our freshman class. He was always getting picked on by the upperclassmen football players. They kept shoving him into trashcans in the locker room, or closing him in lockers. You know, stupid Neanderthal jock crap. Well, one day, Quinn found the kid, Mike, in the office getting an ice pack from the nurse. Apparently, when the older boys shoved him into a locker that day, they had broken three of his fingers. Quinn took care of it the next day.”
“How?” I ask.
“Quinn started walking everywhere with Mike. Through the halls, sitting with him at lunch, etc etc. And when the upperclassmen still tried to give Mike crap, Quinn told them they’d have to go through him first if they wanted to keep messing with Mike. And they didn’t want to. Quinn was a big bruiser even as a freshman.”
“What happened to Mike?” I ask.
Reece smiles.
“Well, Mikey is now Quinn’s best friend in the world. He actually had a growth spurt so he’s a bit taller than he was. Quinn got him playing ball and now he’s our quarterback, actually. And he never bullies the freshman the way he was bullied.”
“That’s a nice story,” I tell her. “I bet Mike will pay it forward. He’ll probably do nice things for other people because he’ll always remember how nice Quinn was to him.”
Reece nods. “He’s already paid it forward, tons of times. He’s a good guy. Just like Quinn. Quinn is the kind of guy that makes you want to be a better person. He’s got such a… good soul. I don’t know how else to describe it. He’s got a pure heart, through and through.”
“I can see that about him,” I admit to her. “I really can.”
“So, please, Mi. Don’t hurt him. I know he seems like a player. And he’s inadvertently broken a few hearts, but he didn’t mean to. I would really hate to see him get hurt, even if it was on accident.”
“What should I do?” I whisper to her as we turn onto the Giliberti property. She shakes her head.
“I don’t know.”
“What would you do?” I ask.
She shakes her head again. “I don’t know. I’m horrible at this stuff.”
I sigh. “What good are you?” I tease. She shrugs.
“Well, I always know when to bring you chocolate.”
“True. That’s a good enough reason alone to keep you.”
As we pull up into the circular drive in front of the house, I see Quinn sitting on the huge wrap-around porch with Dante. They appear to be deep in conversation and they are laughing. That’s a good sign. And truly, there should be a law or something against two such good-looking boys being in one spot. They make it hard to concentrate.
As we cross the lawn to them, they look up and see us and both grin at the same time. I think the heavens open up and the angels sing.
Okay, that might be an exaggeration. But that’s definitely what happened in my head. Their smiles are just that gorgeous and bright. And Quinn’s is sexily crooked.
“Hey girls!” Dante calls out. “Did you leave anything in the stores or did you buy it all?”
We are carting a lot of bags. I am woman enough to admit that.
The boys get up and help us carry it into the house. As they do, Quinn turns to me.
“You look really pretty,” he tells me. “I’m glad the stripes are back.”
His eyes are sparkling mischievously, but his expression is sincere.
“Thank you,” I tell him. “I feel more like myself. I think.”
He laughs. “You’ve definitely got your swagger back,” he tells me. Dante turns around in front of us.
“I was just saying
that we should have a beach party tonight to try and forget about our stress for a bit. What do you think?”
“I’m all for it,” Quinn chimes in. Reece laughs.
“Quinn, you’ve never met a party yet that you didn’t like,” she accuses laughingly. He doesn’t deny it. Instead, he helps me carry my bags to my room.
As we walk in, he looks around. I’m thankful that I didn’t leave any panties lying around.
“See something you like?” I ask teasingly. He grins.
“Maybe,” he answers. “What do you think about the beach party tonight?”
Short pause. He stares at me. I have no idea what he’s waiting for.
I shrug as I drop my bag on the bag.
“It sounds fun,” I tell him. “You’re going, right?”
He grins. “I’ve apparently never met a party that I didn’t like,” he tells me charmingly.
“I can see that about you,” I reply. “So, you’ll be there?”
He nods. “I wouldn’t miss it.”
Another long pause.
Then he gives me an ornery gaze and then he’s gone.
When Reece and I are ready to leave later in the evening, Dante is waiting for us on the porch. But Quinn is nowhere to be found.
“Where’s Quinn?” I ask curiously. Dante shakes his head.
“He left earlier, but he’ll meet us there.”
“How will he know where to go?” I ask. “He’s not that familiar with Valese yet, is he?”
Dante looks amused. “Well, Elena picked him up. So I’m guessing she’ll show him the way.”
Reece and I both freeze and stare at Dante. He holds his hands up innocently.
“Hey, don’t look at me. He’s a big boy- he can do what he wants.”
Reece narrows her eyes. “But you let him go with her? She’s a viper. She’ll eat him up for breakfast and then ask for more.”
Dante doesn’t seem concerned. “I thought she ate kittens for breakfast?” he teases. “Besides, if he’s still with her for breakfast, I doubt he’ll care if she asks for seconds.”
Reece squeals and smacks his arm and I gulp.
I ignore their bantering as I try not to physically cringe. How could Quinn have gone with Elena? Did he not think it was important enough to mention that when I asked him if he was going? Instead of being quiet and staring at me, he could’ve brought that small fact to my attention.
So apparently, I’m not going to have to choose between Gavin and Quinn. The choice has been made for me.
I’m not sure if I’m relieved about that or not.
I don’t think I am.
I try not to think of it as we drive to the beach and then walk over the sandy dunes. The party is far back from the public beaches, secluded on private property. I’m told that I’ve been to many of these parties. I don’t remember a one.
But when we arrive, it looks like a good time.
Tons of kids are already here, laughing and playing around. I don’t remember any of them, although I do recognize a few from when they visited me in the hospital.
A group of boys is throwing a ball back and forth. A group of girls is watching. Another co-ed group is splashing in the surf. There are huge containers of beer and wine-coolers buried in ice. There are tables of food, mostly fresh seafood and bread. There are bonfires. And I love the atmosphere here. It’s happy and carefree. The flickering bonfires in the dying sunlight provides the perfect ambience for a beach party.
I unfold a chair and sit in it. Reece sticks a wine cooler in my hand.
“Your favorite,” she tells me. “Just don’t have twelve of them.”
She gives me a stern look, making me wonder if I have a drinking problem or something. And then she settles into the chair next to me while Dante gets in on the ball-throwing action. The boys, by this point, are taking off their shirts. And not because it’s hot outside, either. Next to the sea, the breeze is actually a bit chilly today, but they’re stripping down anyway. I shake my head. The male species is so crazy sometimes.
Dante leaves his shirt on though and Reece shakes her head regretfully.
“There comes a time when that boy needs to let loose with the rest of them,” she tells me. “He’s so happy to be home, though.”
“What about you?” I ask her. “Are you happy to be here instead of home in Kansas?”
Reece picks at the label on her bottle and thinks about that for a minute.
“I love it here,” she finally says. “Even though when we were in Kansas, it felt like Dante was removed a bit from the pressures of being who he is, which was good, I think I still love being here more. I mean, of course I miss my mom and Becca and my grandparents, but there’s just something about Caberra that made me fall in love with it. Honestly, though, I would be happy wherever Dante is. I know, that sounds corny. But it is true.”
And I know that Dante feels the same way. I can see it in the way his gaze seems to find her periodically no matter what he’s doing. He checks on her and I think it’s sweet. And once again, jealousy rears its ugly head. I really do hope that someday, someone looks at me the way Dante looks at Reece.
Honestly, no sooner have I had that thought when a pair of dark, twinkling eyes meet mine from across a crowd of boys.
Gavin.
He’s standing against one of the coolers talking with another boy that I don’t know. He’s got on a pair of black shorts and a white shirt, unbuttoned at the neck and rolled at the sleeves. He’s barefoot and he’s gorgeous. He looks like a swimwear model for a European magazine. That’s how gorgeous he is.
I smile automatically as his eyes meet mine.
He smiles back.
And my heart flutters like a thousand butterflies.
“Well, well,” Reece drawls, watching the silent exchange. “Look who is forgiven.”
I roll my eyes at her. “You said it yourself. He didn’t mean anything by it. He’s a natural flirt. He doesn’t want Elena.”
I twist my new watch on my arm. I can practically feel his name pressing into my skin. It’s always Gavin Time. I almost giggle again just thinking it, but then I realize that it’s fairly true. I’m always in the mood for Gavin.
That has to say something, right?
I make my way toward him.
He meets me in the middle.
“Hi,” he says softly. “Nice bling. Was it a gift?” He motions toward my watch. I smile.
“Yeah. This guy I know gave it to me.”
Gavin raises an eyebrow. “Oh, really? Do I need to do some ass-kicking? He seems like a pretty awesome guy. I don’t want any competition.”
I laugh and he laughs and then he links his arm with mine.
“Let’s walk,” he suggests.
As we walk away from the crowd and toward the water, I catch sight of Quinn and Elena approaching the party. She is draped over his arm and he looks to be enjoying it. Of course, to be fair, he’s a red-blooded guy and her boobs are pressed into his arm. Of course he’s going to enjoy it. I swallow hard and try not to plot murderous things against Elena and her boobs.
I’m walking with Gavin, I remind myself.
Quinn and Elena don’t matter to me.
But as we pass them and Quinn’s eyes meet mine in a smoldering stare, I know that he does matter. A lot.
I fight the urge to turn around and look at him again.
And I win. I don’t look.
Take that, self-control.
Somehow, I am able to focus on Gavin and our walk and the beautiful beach. I put Quinn out of my mind. Once or twice, I glance in his direction and find Elena laughing into his ear. Once, his arm is even snaked around her waist and at that, I squeeze my eyes shut and turn away. It’s the last time I peek at him.
Gavin looks at me now, a bit of concern on his handsome face.
“Is everything alright?” he asks me. “You seem distracted.”
He leads me to a huge piece of driftwood and sits me down. He sits so close that his thigh presse
s into mine. I like the feeling.
“I’m fine,” I lie. “It’s weird, knowing that I’ve been to a bunch of these parties and I don’t remember any of them. Not a thing.”
Gavin studies me for a second. Then he brushes a thumb against my cheek. His eyes are soft as he stares into mine.
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