“Yes.” And no. Because after dinner, class might be in session and she wasn’t sure she wouldn’t embarrass herself again.
“Are you working this weekend?”
“Yeah.”
“That gets you out of Sunday dinner, then,” he said.
“I didn’t realize I was invited.”
“You have an open invitation.” He smiled. “My mom is hoping I’ll bring you back again.”
“That means they didn’t hate me.”
“Are you kidding?” He shook his head. “They thought you were great.”
Courtney wanted very much to ask if he shared the family opinion but held back. For some reason, she just didn’t want to hear about being nothing but a means to an end.
“I think they liked my daughter and I’m just getting positive feedback by association.”
He grinned, turning his beer bottle. “They loved Ava and want to make her an honorary Blackburne. She fit right in. According to my mom, that’s because you must be a fantastic mother.”
“Stop, you’re making me blush.” She wasn’t lying about that. “Ava loved them all, too, especially the twins.”
“They’re pretty cute.” Gabe’s expression turned serious as he studied her. “You’re looking pensive about something. What’s on your mind?”
Kissing class. But that could wait. “I feel sad that Ava has never had a traditional family. No grandparents.”
“Do you regret not reconciling with your folks?”
She shook her head. “When Ava started asking about them, I got in touch one more time. They’re divorced, and we visited each of them. They don’t speak to each other, and both of them independently believed the visits were about dumping Ava on them.”
“You’d never abandon your child,” he said firmly.
“You’re right about that. Obviously you know me better than my own parents.” She picked up her glass and sipped some of the cabernet. “We don’t need that kind of negativity in our life.”
“It’s their loss.”
“Is it really only theirs, though?” She met his gaze. “Ava is missing out on grandparents to spoil her and tell her she’s perfect.” She looked away for a moment. “And what if she gets attached to your family? When we end this, she could get hurt.”
Gabe toyed with the fork on the table and looked thoughtful for a few moments. “I don’t have all the answers, Courtney. Wish I did. But I think the scenario you’re describing comes under the heading of borrowing trouble. Let’s just take this one step at a time.”
“Yeah. You’re probably right.”
If she ended this charade right now, Ava would accuse her of not trying. Being too picky. With Gabe, what was not to like? He checked a lot of the good boxes. But there was one he didn’t check—looking for a relationship. His family was happy that he was moving forward, but they didn’t know this was all a lie designed to not get back in the saddle.
Just then their dinner arrived, and this time they’d both ordered the same thing—a big, juicy steak, medium rare, baked potato and broccoli. The server suggested they cut the meat to make sure it was cooked to their satisfaction, then said simply, “Enjoy your dinner.”
After chewing a bite, Courtney said, “This is really good.”
“Mine, too.” He looked around. “I like this place.”
“You’ve never been here before?”
“No. I think it’s pretty new.”
“Are you checking it out for Make Me a Match?”
“Not formally. But I’m always looking for new ideas. Sometimes clients ask for recommendations. I’ll keep it in mind. Maybe a promotional change from Patrick’s Pub at some point to bring in clients.”
In spite of her nerves, Courtney managed to eat half of her dinner and requested a to-go box for the rest. Of course the waiter asked if they’d saved room for dessert, and she said yes. Anything to delay part two of this “date.” Again Gabe split it with her—this time a caramel cheesecake.
After taking the last bite, Courtney licked the spoon. “That was so worth it.”
“The calories?”
That, too, but she meant a delaying tactic. It was both successful and scrumptious. “Yeah,” she said, “the calories.”
The check came, and the waiter assured them there was no rush. Courtney couldn’t agree more. She wasn’t sure what lesson she’d learn in kissing class, but no doubt awkwardness would be involved somehow. And the devil of it was, she really wanted to kiss him. That could be part of her problem, because it wasn’t part of their agreement.
Her preoccupation was a distraction that gave Gabe an advantage, and he grabbed the check before she could. Again.
“This one was supposed to be mine,” she protested.
“Yeah.” He shrugged. “About that... Let’s call it a thank-you for putting up with my family and pulling the whole thing off successfully.”
“Right,” she said wryly. “Because they were so darn hard to take.”
“They can be intimidating. Just the sheer number of them. And you handled it beautifully.” He was looking straight at her, and on the last word, his voice was as dark and smooth as the caramel in the dessert, and his eyes were smoky and exciting.
“Well—okay. Thanks for dinner, then.” Her heart tripped, and she sounded a little breathless even to herself.
They walked outside, and he settled his hand at the small of her back, even though there was no one around to pretend for. What was up with that? She wondered about it, at the same time liking the gesture very much. Too soon the valet brought the car around, and Gabe opened the door for her. When she was safely inside, he tipped the guy, then slipped into the driver’s seat.
He put on his seatbelt and said, “Where to?”
“Home, I guess.”
“It’s pretty early,” he pointed out. “Won’t Ava wonder about that?”
“I do have to work tomorrow.”
“But do you turn in this early?” he asked.
“No. I’m a night person. All those years of work, school and raising Ava turned me into one.”
“Okay.” He pulled out of the parking lot and took a left at the first light.
“So where are we going?”
“My place. Just to kill some time until you can go home at an appropriate hour to avoid suspicion and questions.” He glanced over at her, but even the lights from the dashboard didn’t illuminate his expression.
“Sounds like a plan.”
The drive probably took ten to fifteen minutes but felt like seconds. He lived in a town home complex surrounded by grass, trees, shrubs and sidewalks. There was a security gate and he entered a code, then drove past the various buildings until pulling into a parking space. Inside they took the elevator to the top floor, and he led the way to his unit on the end.
Gabe unlocked the door and said, “Be it ever so humble...”
Courtney walked in and looked around. There was a living room, dining room, wet bar and kitchen with granite countertops and dark cherrywood cabinets. The floor was wood, with expensive-looking area rugs scattered throughout. A stairway to her left indicated another level where the bedrooms probably were located. Straight ahead were floor-to-ceiling windows with a view of the lights in the Huntington Hills valley. It was quite beautiful.
“Nice place.” She was a master of understatement.
“Thanks. But I can’t take credit. This is a rental.”
Besides his two-seat Mercedes Benz, this was another piece of the puzzle that was Gabriel Blackburne. He had zero intention of pursuing a family lifestyle.
She stood in the living room beside the leather corner group. “What are we going to do?”
“I was thinking of opening a bottle of wine. And then we should get comfortable with the things a ‘normal’ dating couple would do.”
; He didn’t do air quotes, but Courtney could hear them in his voice. And now she knew he hadn’t forgotten. “You’re talking about kissing class.”
“Well, we sure didn’t sell that to my family. Along with how much they like you, I heard about how bad a kisser I am. My smooth factor was missing in action.”
“I was right there with you. Hopefully you mentioned that while they were taking you down a peg or two.”
“Absolutely not. I gallantly shouldered all the blame. As well I should. It was my fault.”
“I disagree, but obviously that’s a moot point.”
“I appreciate you trying to take one for the team, though.” He indicated the sofa. “Have a seat. I’ll get wine.”
“Okay.” She removed her jacket and set it on the glass coffee table along with her purse. After a last look at the view, she sat down.
Gabe brought over two glasses half-full of a golden liquid then handed one to her before sitting beside her. Their bodies didn’t quite touch, but she could feel the heat from his. He looked so relaxed and handsome in his dark jeans and pale yellow dress shirt. And there was something very sexy about the way the long sleeves were rolled to mid-forearm. Her hormones started bubbling, letting her know how much they approved of where this was going. But she was nervous.
After taking a sip of wine, she met his gaze. “So, I’m going to be honest. It’s been a while for me. I haven’t really been out with anyone since my marriage broke up, and that was three years ago. That was probably the reason I nearly gave you a concussion at your mom’s. My point in telling you this is to explain that I’m a little tense.”
“I noticed.” He set his wine on the coffee table, then took hers and did the same. “It’s been a while for me, too.”
She would never have guessed. “How do we do this?”
“We’ll start gradually.” He thought for a moment then held out his hand. “Slow and simple.”
She put hers in his wide palm, and he linked their fingers. “Okay, now what?”
“We’ll just do this for a while.” His body language appeared relaxed, but he wasn’t just going through the motions. Not entirely. His voice was a little ragged, and there was a delicious heat in his eyes.
Courtney instinctively moved closer, sliding sideways until their thighs touched. “And how do you think phase one is going so far?”
“Pretty well.” He swallowed hard. “You?”
“F-fine.” She could barely speak, her breathing was so shallow.
“Good. Initiating phase two, then.” He untangled his fingers from hers and cupped her face in his hands before gently pressing his lips to hers.
They were soft, warm and the tender touch made her go up in flames. She put her hands on his chest and sighed at the contour of muscle beneath his shirt. He groaned, and his breathing escalated. He slid one arm behind her back and the other beneath her thighs and lifted her into his lap, never breaking the contact of their mouths.
He kissed her cheeks, her neck and a sensitive spot near her ear, cranking up the heat. Her fingers found the buttons on his shirt, and she undid one, then another. His hand was at her waist and slid underneath her sweater, rubbing up and down her back. When he touched her breast, a moan was trapped in her throat. She desperately wanted more, wanted him touching her bare skin everywhere. The nerves she’d been rocking disappeared, replaced by overwhelming desire. At that moment, she wanted him more than her next breath.
That thought stopped her cold and made her freeze. This wasn’t supposed to happen.
Gabe sensed the change and went still. “Courtney?”
Awkwardly she slid off his lap and turned her back, moving away to get her jacket. She hadn’t been prepared for this, mentally or any other way. “I think I need to go.”
He didn’t say anything for several moments. Finally he let out a long breath and said, “Okay. I’ll drive you home.”
“Thanks. I’m—” Sorry wouldn’t cut it.
She heard the strain in his voice, the ragged edges of it, and felt like an idiot. If only the earth would open and swallow her whole. If only she’d been wrong about the awkwardness factor. Unfortunately, she’d managed to humiliate herself again.
* * *
Five days later, Gabe still couldn’t get that kiss off his mind. Too many times to count, he’d found himself staring into space and seeing Courtney’s face, her lips parted, chest heaving and a shocked expression in her eyes. The consuming need he’d felt had been totally unexpected. He didn’t know what to say to her, and she’d been very quiet after telling him she needed to leave.
Later the anger hit him, familiar and fierce. Wanting Courtney so badly felt like a betrayal of the wife he’d sworn to love forever. That night he hadn’t thought about Margo at all. Not until he’d returned to his empty condo and saw her photo on the end table, beside the couch where he’d nearly had sex with Courtney.
“Damn it. The ground rules should have included what to do about sex.” He slammed his desk drawer shut.
“Knock, knock.” Aunt Lil stood in the doorway. “Can I come in? Or are you still busy venting? Yes, I’ve noticed. So has Carla.”
“It’s fine. Have a seat.” With an effort, he pushed the anger away and forced a smile as she sat in one of the club chairs. The concerned expression on her face was a clue that his heated outburst would not be ignored. “What’s up? I thought you went home for the day.”
“No. I was about to head out right after Carla left, but I got a phone call.”
He noted the change in her expression—in a good way. “I say again. What’s up?”
“Do you remember Nicole and Dan?”
He thought for a moment. “Sounds familiar, but I can’t quite pull the information from my memory banks.”
“If only you could get your head out of the iCloud.” Her grin was just a little wicked.
“Very funny, Aunt Lil.”
“I think so. You young people are so smug about your superior computer skills, but don’t forget who taught you how to use a spoon.”
“That will never happen,” he assured her. “Not with you and my mom around to remind me.”
“Okay then.” She had an “I told you so” look on her face that had nothing to do with computers or puns. “Nicole and Dan are the first match you and I disagreed about when you came to work here. You thought she had no distinctiveness, too bland. And he was a blowhard jerk.”
“Okay. Yeah. You thought she needed time to come out of her shell and would be the perfect complement to his big personality. I remember now.”
“Well, he just called with the good news. He proposed, and she accepted. He was very grateful. And humble,” she added.
This conversation made Gabe cautiously optimistic that she would overlook his fit of temper. He so didn’t want to talk about the reason for it and might just get out of this without a chat. “Wow, I can’t believe they’re engaged.”
“Believe it. You scoffed and mocked me, but my instinct is taking on legendary proportions. And I say that with all humility.”
“Yeah, I noticed.” He didn’t hold back the sarcasm. With her he didn’t have to. “I would not have put money on those two making a match.”
“Oh, ye of little faith. When are you going to listen to me?”
“From now on,” he promised, then realized his mistake. He should have qualified his answer and made it just about her business.
“Then, as they say, I’m going to strike while the iron is hot.” Now her concerned look was back. “Are you and Courtney having an issue?”
“Why would you ask that?”
“Correct me if I’m wrong, but did we not just talk about my relationship instincts being right on?”
“We did, but Nicole and Dan are strangers, which is why your gift is so remarkable. Family is quite a different thing.” It sounded moronic e
ven to him, but he was going to defend the position until hell wouldn’t have it.
“You are so wrong.” She crossed her legs and gave him a pitying look. “And this is me. I took you under my wing. You were such a quiet, sensitive boy and got even more quiet when your mother was on bed rest during her last pregnancy. You needed attention, and with everything going on, you were overlooked. But I saw.”
“You did.” Gabe loved that about her—at the same time, he hated this conversation and where it was going. “Do we really have to talk about this?”
His aunt stared at him as if she could see his thoughts. “I’m sensing your frustration.”
He took that as a yes. “Really? I don’t know why.”
“Maybe because you said something about sex before slamming your desk drawer.”
“Well, crap.” He’d been hoping she hadn’t heard that.
“I might be old as dirt, but there’s nothing wrong with my hearing.”
“You are ageless and beautiful, inside and out.” He sincerely meant that.
“And you are a shameless flatterer. I love you for it, Gabriel.” She sighed. “And don’t think I’m not aware that you’re trying to distract me. It won’t work.”
“Bummer.”
That got a smile, but it was fleeting. “Something happened with you and Courtney.”
“I will neither confirm nor deny.”
“Lovable nephew turns into stubborn, infuriating man,” she said almost to herself. “Something happened to put you in a mood. Just tell me about it.”
Courtney had shut down the kiss and couldn’t get away fast enough. At first he’d been relieved, partly because his anger had come back. It was trusty and familiar. Nothing got through when his old friend anger was firmly in place. But it was nowhere to be found when he really needed it—when he’d kissed Courtney and gave in to the wanting. One touch of his mouth to hers shut down common sense, and he couldn’t keep his hands off her. He’d been kicking himself ever since.
The thing was, she’d gone radio silent and it felt over. He didn’t want things with Courtney to be over. He needed more time. Time to convince his family it would take more than a couple of weeks to get over her. That had been the mission’s objective. And he’d built an impressive business reputation on achieving objectives.
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