Page 78 of Hitting the Gap

Fifteen minutes later, Bailey walked into the living room. Gonzo’s eyes flared when he saw her and she bit back a grin. It had definitely been worth it to take the extra five minutes on her face.

“Jesus, you look hot,” Gonzo muttered as he stepped toward her. His gaze dragged down her body, then back up to linger on her face. “All that just to drive me to the airport?”

“Well, you know.” She flicked her hair over her shoulder. “Gotta look good to drop off my man.”

Gonzo wrapped his arms around her waist. “Your man, huh?” His mouth curled up in a cocky grin. “I like it.”

Bailey smoothed her hand down his chest. “Me too.”

His brown eyes narrowed as he looked at her mouth. “You put that lipstick on just so I wouldn’t fuck up your makeup, didn’t you?”

Bailey laughed. “I put it on because I like it.” Honestly, the idea of him wanting her so badly she needed a barrier in place to hold him off had never occurred to her. It was a heady feeling, knowing he wanted her that much. No one had ever made her feel as desirable as Gonzo did. A little surge of feminine power swept through her, and she liked it.

“Oh no, I’ve created a monster.” Gonzo chuckled.

She smacked him on the chest. “Shut up.”

He grabbed her hand and placed a kiss against her palm. “I appreciate you going to all this effort for me, Bay. It means a lot.”

“Of course.”

Gonzo stepped back. “Alright, let’s get out of here, so I don’t catch shit for being late.”

They rode the elevator to the basement parking garage. At Gonzo’s SUV, Bailey paused. “Do you want to drive?”

“Heck no. If my girl’s driving me to the airport, then she’s driving.” He threw his bags in the trunk, then walked to the passenger side and climbed in.

Bailey slid behind the driver’s seat. It was a little strange driving Gonzo’s vehicle with him in it. Normally, when they went anywhere together, he drove. She hit program two on the door panel and the mirrors and seat slid into her programmed position. After checking to make sure everything was in place, she glanced over at Gonzo. He sat there watching her with an amused smile on his face.

“What?” she asked.

“Nothing. It’s just kind of nice having you chauffeur me.”

“Chauffeur?” She pretended to be offended.

Gonzo chuckled. “Just saying you look good behind the wheel.”

“Mmm-hmm.” She turned the car on and backed out of the parking space.

Gonzo leaned forward and was just about to punch a button on the stereo when he paused. “I’m guessing you don’t want to listen to the sports channel.”

“Not even a little bit.” She flicked the blinker and changed lanes.

Gonzo pushed a button and classic rock pumped through the speakers. He adjusted the volume to a level that was conducive to having a conversation, then turned to her. “So, what are your plans this week while I’m away?”

“I need to start planning out my classes for September. I haven’t taught first year since I was in grad school, so I need to update a few things.”

“I thought you were teaching your gender-based stuff.”

“I am, but in order to be full time, I had to pick up an extra class and that was all that was available.” She glanced in the rearview mirror. “I’m hoping next year to be exclusively upper-level classes, more in line with my specialty once they’ve seen for themselves what I can do.”

“I have no doubt you’ll knock ‘em on their ass.”

She glanced at him. He’d always had so much faith in her. Even when she hadn’t had it in herself. “Thanks, Gonz.”

“For what?”

“Believing in me.”

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