Say Yes & The Cinderella Solution

by Lori Foster

  “They were embarrassed. I can understand how they felt.”

  Gavin kissed her ear this time. “I’m letting you keep me, remember?” Then he added in a rush, “Besides, you’re made of sterner stuff than they were. You’re an iron woman. Shoot, I still remember the way you swung that rake…”

  “Stop it, Gavin.” But she was grinning. “All right. I suppose I can face them. But it won’t be easy.”

  “You don’t know my family.”

  Five minutes later, Sara discovered Gavin was right. He made the introductions with haste, barely giving Sara time to acknowledge each person.

  “My oldest—nay, ancient, sister Pam, and her very brave husband, Gary. The two little rug rats who look alike are their six-year-old twins, Stevie and Stephanie. Then there’s Gina, who’s very obviously pregnant again, and her stallion of a husband, Sam.” The other men cheered Sam and his potency in high good humor. Sara laughed with them. “The curly-headed seven-year-old is their son, Chris. And last is Carol, only two years older than me. She’s married to Roy, and they have the little redheaded girl, Laurel, who’s four. And standing in the corner, smiling at me like I was still twelve, is my mom, Nora. The guy shaking his head—he does that a lot—is my dad, Hank.”

  There was no mention of her earlier entrance, and his sisters appeared to accept her easily enough. They weren’t the kind to crowd a person, but they were open and accepting and as ready to grin as Gavin always seemed to be.

  The brothers-in-law appeared devoted to their wives, attentive and loving. And the children were a boisterous handful. It was interesting for Sara to see the way they all seemed to work as a family. There was no real dissension, but the jokes and teasing were constant. Gina was especially tended to, her husband barely leaving her side, and Sara realized it was because the woman was pregnant. Sam strutted around her like the typical proud papa-to-be, never letting her out of his sight.

  Sara knew it would take her a while to get all the names straight, but she found she was already looking forward to it.

  Having Satan and the dog, which the kids lovingly named Tripod, gave her instant popularity with the children. And the animals seemed to wallow in their attention. Sara gave the kids a cat brush, and before long, Satan writhed on the ground in blissful ecstasy while they attempted to groom him. She saw the children chasing Tripod around a tree, but moments later they circled back, and Tripod had changed from the pursued to the pursuer. The kids squealed in playful excitement, and Sara could have sworn there was a smile on the little dog’s furry face and a look of sheer rapture in her brown eyes as she flashed past.

  “They’re wonderful animals. How long have you had them?”

  Sara turned to Gavin’s mother. Nora was the kind of woman who never aged. Though there were lines on her face, and a few gray hairs mingling in with the dark, she was still attractive and still energetic. She made the perfect counterpoint to her Hank, who seemed an older version of Gavin. Both father and son shared a similar height and strength of build.

  “I got them both from the shelter about a week ago. I knew the dog was wild, but I didn’t think Satan was still this frisky.” They both watched as the cat began chasing the dog and the kids.

  “Cats are like men, honey. They never stop being frisky.”

  Sara chuckled, thinking of Gavin. “Amen to that.” Then she caught herself, remembering that it was his mother she spoke to. Heat climbed up her neck. “Ah, I don’t…”

  “You’re still embarrassed, aren’t you? Please, don’t be. We’re all just so happy to see Gavin happy. Not that I ever doubted he would be. He’s a hedonist by nature. Always has been. But his idea of happy and ours is very different.”

  Feeling uncertain, Sara said, “You want him to settle down?”

  “Gavin told you? Never mind. Of course he did.” Nora looked across the yard to where Gavin stood, tweaking his sister’s hair, then dodging away from her playful slaps. “I was nothing short of shocked when he called to say he’d moved in with a woman.”

  Sara chewed her lip. Nora didn’t exactly sound disapproving, but still… “He’s lived with women before,” Sara pointed out, subtly defending their living arrangements.

  “Yes, but he never called to alert me to the situation, or to tell me about the woman he was living with.” She turned and smiled at Sara. “This is different. You’re different.”

  Yeah, right. Gavin isn’t sleeping with me. But no sooner had she formed the thought, she had to shake her head. Sleep, yes. Sex, no. But that might have changed if the Blake family had arrived an hour later. Gavin had definitely been ready to give in. And she was more than ready for the momentous occasion. Past ready. Desperate. On the verge of… Ah, but there was still the coming night, and Sara intended to force the issue, if it proved necessary.

  “Great news, Sara.” Gavin sauntered up, interrupting her thoughts with a warm kiss to her lips. Her gaze darted to his mother, who stood there wearing an indulgent smile for her only son. “The guys are going to help me move the rest of my stuff down here.”

  “The rest of your stuff?” She knew what that meant, but she could still hope.

  “Yeah. My bed and dresser.”

  Her hope died. Gavin grinned at her crestfallen look, then gave her another kiss. “We’ll be back in a few minutes.”

  Disappointment changed to chagrin when she caught his mother’s amusement. Good grief. Fumbling through her explanations, Sara said, “He, ah…”

  Nora waved away Sara’s concerns. “I know my son very well, Sara. He’s a rascal. Don’t let it bother you.” Then she added, “What do your parents think of your house?”

  “They haven’t seen it.”

  Nora merely blinked. “Oh?” But it was a very maternal inquiry, and Sara found herself drawn in.

  “We’re not really…close.”

  “Oh, that’s too bad. They live far away?”

  “No.” There was something about Nora that invited confidence. Her questions were genuine, prompted by concern, not idle curiosity. Sara bit her lip, then blurted, “My parents live close, but they’re not really interested in me or what I’m doing.”

  Nora studied Sara’s face for a moment, then she shook her head. “Sometimes parents do the dumbest things. But you know, it’s only because we’re human. I can’t tell you the number of mistakes I made with my children. Why, you could fill the Taj Mahal with my goofs.”

  Sara did a double take. “Gavin told me he had a wonderful childhood!”

  “Oh, I’m sure he did. Still, there were plenty of times when he thought I was picking on him. All the kids have accused me of having a favorite, or treating them unfairly at one time or another. That’s all part of being a child, I suppose. Kids view the world through a narrow lens, never noticing all the outlying problems that parents might have to deal with. Their feelings get hurt, and they think we don’t care, when actually, we didn’t even realize how they were feeling.”

  Sara thought of her parents’ divorce, and how distracted they both became after that. Then she shook her head. “I understand what you’re saying, Mrs. Blake. But my parents really didn’t care.”

  “I can’t believe that. No, you’re a very nice girl, and children seldom get to be that way without some love and guidance.”

  The grin tugged at her lips, but Sara held it back. “What makes you so certain I’m a nice girl?”

  “Gavin’s with you, isn’t he? And even though I have to admit to making mistakes, I know I didn’t raise any dummies.” She softened those words by asking, “Have you ever told your parents how you feel?”

  “Well…no. There would be no point to it.”

  “Have you called them and invited them over? Do you try to go see them?”

  Again, all Sara could do was shake her head.

  “You know, honey, they could be thinking back on the past, seeing things now that they couldn’t see then, and wondering if you could possibly still love them.” Nora patted her cheek. “I have no idea what pr
oblems you had with your parents, but why don’t you think about it? And remember that nobody’s perfect, parents least of all.”

  Sara remembered those words the rest of the day. They kept coming back to her, over and over again. She realized she wanted to believe there might be some chance. She wanted the kind of relationship she’d just witnessed between Gavin and his family. That would be stretching it a bit, but perhaps there would be something, some closeness, to work with if she only initiated it.

  She understood now why Gavin was so special, so understanding and accepting and confident. And seeing all that only made her want him more.

  GAVIN HELPED BUCKLE his youngest niece into her car seat, then allowed her to give him a wet smacking kiss on his cheek. Carol stood on the sidewalk, saying her final goodbyes to Sara. Being closest in age, the two of them had really hit it off, and Gavin knew Carol would come calling again. All in all, he was pleased with the way Sara had been accepted.

  His family had spent most of the afternoon with them, and each of his sisters had taken a turn grilling Sara for information. But Sara hadn’t seemed uncomfortable with them. In fact, he’d seen her laughing out loud several times.

  Lunch had consisted of takeout chicken, and they’d eaten picnic style on the back lawn. Satan had wandered from person to person, glutting himself on tidbits of food, then amusing everyone with his dexterity as he faced a mock battle with a chunk of chicken. He rolled on the ground, throwing the food in the air and then swatting it around. For a while there, it had seemed the chicken might actually win, but in the end, Satan proved the victor.

  Tripod was just the opposite. She found a lap and refused to leave it. She was pampered and petted and handfed until Gavin feared she might pop.

  When Sara had apologized for not having any lawn furniture, Gavin saw his mother’s eyes light up and knew some would be arriving soon. He wondered how Sara would receive the gift, if she’d understand the spirit in which it was given.

  The cars began driving away in a loud farewell ceremony of honking horns and cheerful children and waving hands. Carol embraced Sara, who looked somewhat startled by the gesture, but she returned the hug. Then Carol came to the curb with Gavin.

  “Don’t blow this one, brother.”

  Gavin grinned. “I don’t intend to.”

  “Ah. So it is like that. Mom said so, but I wasn’t sure.”

  Gavin looked back at Sara. She stood on the sidewalk, watching him and Carol. She was keeping herself apart, he realized. She refused to accept all of him. He hated it.

  Smacking Carol’s backside, he said, “Go on and get out of here. I have things to do.”

  “Uh-huh. In that big king-size bed you had Roy help you move?”

  “Despite being married and a mother, you’re too young to know about such things.”

  Carol merely snorted, then climbed into the car. She waved to Sara and Gavin as Roy pulled away from the curb.

  When Gavin reached Sara’s side again, she said, “Your sister is nice.”

  “Carol? She’s a pain in the ass, but I love her.” He put his arm around Sara’s shoulders and started her toward the house. “So what about the rest of my family? Did they overwhelm you?”

  “Of course. But then, you knew they would.”

  They passed the animals lying beneath a tree. Satan was sprawled on his back, his mouth open, snoring loud enough to scare away every bird in a five-mile radius. Tripod had her head resting on his belly. She watched lazily as the humans walked by, but didn’t bother to follow. Gavin chuckled. “They look pooped.”

  “I think they both had more fun today than they’re used to.”

  “And what about you?” They had reached the porch, and Gavin urged her up the steps. “Did you have fun?”

  They stopped in the doorway. Sunlight slanted over the porch, diffused through the thick leaves of the tree Satan rested beneath. Gavin still had his arm around her shoulders, and he felt as much as saw her small shrug.

  “Sara?” He felt concern, wondering for the first time if he’d done the right thing by bringing his family around so soon. It had seemed a perfect gambit, a way to prove to Sara that happy marriages did exist, that families could and should be a wonderful thing. But now, he wasn’t so sure.

  Sara took a small step toward him and he automatically put his arms around her, giving her comfort if that was what she needed. Maybe his plans had backfired. Maybe his family had only reminded her of what she didn’t have, of how little her parents supposedly cared.

  Hugging her tighter, feeling her body pressed to his from knees to chest, he stroked her hair. “What’s wrong, honey? Did someone say or do something to upset you?”

  She nodded, and Gavin felt his stomach tighten. “Tell me what happened.” If one of his sisters had said something stupid to upset her, he’d…

  “It was the men.”

  “My brothers-in-law?” Now that surprised him. They were all such laid-back, easygoing guys. He couldn’t imagine them treating Sara with anything less than friendly respect. It had to be a misunderstanding. He cupped her chin, then tipped her head back so he could see her face. She wore the most wicked smile he’d ever seen on a woman.

  “Your family is wonderful, Gavin. But I didn’t appreciate the men fetching your bed. I hope you weren’t actually planning on using it, because I’ll have to say right now, up-front, I won’t stand for it.”

  God, she was good. How any woman could look so innocent while she blatantly seduced a man was beyond him. Her cheeks were pink, but her eyes were direct, proving she didn’t intend to back down.

  That suited Gavin just fine.

  “I wanted you to have a choice, babe.” He searched her face, trying to read her expressions. He needed her to understand, to know how important this was to him. Sara wasn’t just another convenient woman, she was his woman. Forever. “I didn’t want you to make love with me just because circumstances had thrown us together.”

  “Circumstances didn’t throw us together, you threw us together.”

  “I, uh, it wasn’t exactly like that.”

  “Then why do you insist on sleeping with me every night?”

  He ran a hand through his hair in vexation, then tried again to explain. “Because I wanted you to want me. But I don’t want you to do something you’ll regret later, and—”

  “Gavin? Shut up.” She went up on tiptoe to kiss him, and his lungs shut down. He was already hard, had been hard since she’d mentioned the damn bed, and the feel of her soft body shifting against his as her warm tongue stroked into his mouth nearly buckled his knees.

  Pulling away a scant inch, she drew a deep, shaky breath, then swallowed. Her eyes still held his, and her tone was a husky, warning growl. “The only regrets will be yours when I murder you for being a tease. Please. Make love to me.”

  Gavin stared a moment, stunned by her blunt plea. “Now?” Please, let her mean now.

  Without looking away, Sara slammed and locked the front door. “Right now.”

  His breath left him in a loud whoosh. He trembled. He shifted. He grinned. “Okay, woman, you’ve convinced me.” Gavin grabbed her hand and started down the hall at a trot.

  And as he tugged her down onto the bed, his body covering her, she groaned in relief. “It’s about time.”

  8

  SARA CURLED INTO GAVIN, feeling his heat, his hardness. His mouth was hungry on hers, his breath coming fast and uneven. His hands seemed to be everywhere at once, but it wasn’t enough. She clutched at his back, holding on as he rolled on the bed, positioning her firmly beneath him, working himself between her thighs, thrusting against her.

  His hands slid down to her hips and his fingers dug into her flesh. He panted in excitement. “I’m sorry, Sara. Too fast.”

  “No!” She was so afraid he’d draw back, quit again, that she wrapped her legs around him. “Stay with me, Gavin.”

  “Oh, I intend to.” But he pried himself loose, pinning her arms over her head and levering himself
upward. “We have to slow down. I don’t have any protection in here and…” His head fell forward and he groaned.

  “Gavin?”

  “Don’t move, sweetheart. I swear. This time I’ll be right back. Don’t you dare move.” He shoved himself off the bed and jogged out of the room.

  Sara lay there staring at the ceiling. One. Two. Three. Four… Gavin was back. He set a box of condoms on the nightstand then turned to look at her. She remained perfectly still.

  Fascinated, she watched his gaze going over her from her tangled hair to her feet. One of her sandals had fallen off, the other dangled from her toes. They had taken turns showering after his family arrived, and they were both dressed casually in shorts and Tshirts, but now Sara’s shirt bunched up beneath her breasts and her shorts were unsnapped.

  Gavin knelt on the bed, one large, hot hand coming to rest on her bare midriff. He stroked her, his hand trembling, his nostrils flaring as he struggled for breath. When he began slowly lowering her zipper, she brought her hands down to help him.

  “No.” Gavin caught her wrists and returned her arms to rest over her head. “Don’t move. I mean it, Sara. You move and I’m done for.”

  “I can’t just…”

  “Yes, you can.” He sounded very positive. Then he caught her T-shirt and pulled it up until he could twist it around her wrists. He held it there with one hand while he deftly unhooked the front closure on her bra. The material parted and her breasts were exposed, her nipples tight, a light flush heating her skin.

  Gavin stared, then closed his eyes with a guttural groan. “Don’t move.”

  “You already said that.”

  “I know.”

  He went back to her shorts and Sara, though more excited than she’d ever thought imaginable, had to fight her embarrassment. “I had no idea you were so kinky, Gavin.”

  “This isn’t kinky, babe. It’s survival. I’ve wanted you for so damn long I can’t remember not wanting you. And I’ve been disgustingly celibate for too many months. I’m working on a hair-trigger libido here. One wrong move, and…”

  Stunned by his admission, Sara forgot to be embarrassed as he stripped her shorts down her legs and removed her one remaining sandal. She hadn’t been with anyone, but then, there was no one she’d wanted. She’d never considered that Gavin had remained alone, too, since his breakup. She was amazed, and for the first time, she started to believe how much he might care for her. It seemed unbelievable, but also undeniable.