Page 38 of Say Yes

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.”

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