Page 19 of Say Yes

She seemed entirely too serious, so Gavin handed her a plate of food, hoping to distract her from her thoughts. “Here, eat while we talk. You need some nutrition after your raucous night of drunken revelry.”

She accepted the plate, then breathed deep of the combined scents of scrambled eggs, toasted English muffins and fresh fruit. “It really does smell delicious. I hadn’t realized I was so hungry.”

Gavin watched her taste everything, then nod approval. He said, “My mom and sisters didn’t want to turn me loose when I moved out. It seemed one or the other of them showed up twice a week with homemade meals. I either had to learn to cook for myself, so they wouldn’t worry, or be forever indebted to them. I chose to learn to cook.”

Sara smiled around a mouthful of warm muffin. “They sound like very nice people.”

“Yeah, and I’m spoiled rotten.” He waited until she had another mouthful of eggs, then added, “You’ll get to meet them next Saturday. They’re coming to visit.”

She sputtered and choked and coughed while he patted her back. “Are you all right?”

She wheezed a deep breath. “The damn muffin went up my nose.”

Gavin bent down to look in her face. “No kidding?”

She took several more gasping breaths, a large drink of juice, then demanded, “What do you mean they’re coming to visit?”

With a deliberate shrug of indifference, he said, “Mom always calls on Saturday morning. I knew she’d be worried if she couldn’t reach me, so I phoned and gave her this number. One explanation led to another and now she wants to meet you. And whenever my mom interferes, my sisters are close on her heels.”

“But…but…I can’t meet your family!”

“Why not?”

He watched her search frantically for an answer, and finally come up with, “Because!”

“Because?”

She made an elaborate show of exasperation. “You know why, Gavin. What will they think?”

That I’ve finally met the woman I intend to marry. He didn’t tell her that, of course. If he had, she’d have put a stop to his folks visiting real fast. She was so damn skittish about marriage and family and commitment now. But his family was the better part of him, a real selling tool to a woman like Sara. She wouldn’t be able to resist any of them, and they wouldn’t be able to resist her. He was certain of that.

Hoping to distract her once more so she wouldn’t put up too much fuss, he leaned forward until his mouth was only a hairbreadth away from her lips. “You’ve got a whole week to get used to the idea.”

Her eyelids fluttered, then closed as he kissed her. It was a very light kiss, soft and void of sexual intent.

For about three seconds.

Her soft moan shot his good intentions all to hell. When her tongue touched his lips, Gavin stumbled out of his chair and pulled Sara from hers, all without breaking the kiss. With only two steps he had her backed to the counter, trapped there with his body. She was so soft and sweet from her shower, so warm, he couldn’t resist touching her.

Tangling his fingers in her dark, curly hair, he tipped her face to the side so his mouth could explore her throat. She hummed a small sound of pleasure, her hands gripping his bare shoulders, urging him closer. He felt the slight sting of her nails.

The distraction worked. In fact, he forgot why he was distracting her.

He kissed her again, wet and hot, his tongue sliding in, imitating what he wanted. What she evidently wanted, too, a truth that his carnal side relished. She wasn’t drunk this morning, and she knew what she was doing. That thought kept pounding through his brain, driving him.

She groaned and arched into him. It was too much, and he lost control. He was hard, urgent, and he pressed his erection against her soft belly, hearing her groan again and feeling her cuddle him closer. One hand moved to cup her breast, and her nipple was stiff, ready. He started shoving her T-shirt up. He wanted to taste her, to have her nipple in his mouth, sucking, licking…

“Gavin?”

“Hmm?”

Breathless, she whispered, “Are we going to do a lot of…this, when you move in?”

His brain shut down for a single heartbeat. “Aw, hell.” Reminded of his plan, he shoved himself away from her, jamming both hands into his hair. Immense frustration rode him, along with total disgust. He’d never get her to marry him if he was so easy. How did that saying go? Something about not buying the cow if the milk was free? Not that he liked comparing himself to a cow. A bull, maybe, but still…

He forced himself to take several deep breaths and face her. She looked aroused. Her lips were a little puffy, her shirt half untucked, her cheeks flushed.

But it was her eyes that grabbed and held his attention. They were bright and clear and filled with hot anticipation.

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