Page 10 of Say Yes

“Ah…somehow I don’t think it’s quite the same.”

“Yeah, well. It’s a sure bet an animal would be more fun than a husband. More loyal. Steadfast. As long as you’re good to an animal, they won’t ever leave you.”

That was not what he wanted to hear. He chewed his upper lip, contemplating her stubborn expression. He hadn’t calculated on quite this attitude. For as long as he’d known her, Sara had talked about getting married and settling into domestic bliss. “I can see where you might be a little more reserved now, but it’d be ridiculous to judge every man by Ted.”

“I wouldn’t do that! I’m not dumb.” Then she said in disgust, “But it’s not just Ted. I’ve never seen one really successful marriage. I’m not sure there is such a thing. But I do know I don’t intend to waste my life looking for a husband. Ha! No sir. Not anymore. Pets are less mess, and they’re guaranteed to be more trustworthy.” She punctuated that statement with another long drink, finishing the glass and promptly refilling it. “It was past time for me to reevaluate and alter my thinking. I did, and I decided marriage is a waste. At least it seems to be for me.”

Now he needed the drink.

But Sara had become vehement in her speech, and in-between stating her newly revised plans, which from what he could tell meant avoiding any kind of human commitment, she practically guzzled the wine. Her cheeks were flushed and her eyelids were getting heavy. Bemused, Gavin sat back to watch her.

She made a face with each drink she took, until finally the glass was empty again. She obviously wasn’t used to drinking and didn’t care for the taste. He didn’t want her flat-out drunk, only relaxed. So he snatched up the bottle before she could take it, then pried the empty glass from her hands.

“I understand why you’re bitter, Sara, but good marriages do exist.”

Flopping back against the couch, she rolled her eyes, then directed her gaze at him. She was sprawled against his side, effectively caught in the curve of his arm. She crossed her legs and swung one small foot. Her words were low and cynical. “Sure they do. Maybe one out of every hundred. And even those aren’t really happy, they’re just making do. I don’t like the odds. Now, a cute little puppy—I could handle that. You make certain they have food and water, clean paper to piddle on, and you can cuddle with them all you want. Done. There’s nothing else to it. You love them and they love you. Unconditionally.”

It was such a change in attitude for her, he was temporarily thwarted. He wanted to get married, dammit, wanted to settle down for the first time in his life, and now the woman he wanted was dead set against marriage. After all the empty relationships he’d had, he didn’t intend to get involved in another. He’d just have to find a way to put Sara back on the straight and narrow.

A good example couldn’t hurt. “My parents have been happily married for forty years.”

A strange look crossed her face, and her smile wobbled.

“What?” Gavin felt a little uncomfortable with her intense study. She seemed to be contemplating the wonders of the world. “Sara?”

She shook her head, and one lock of curly dark hair fell across her eyes. “Nothing. I just hadn’t thought of you that way.”

He smoothed the hair back behind her ear, enjoying the intimate contact, the tender touching. It beat the hell out of a handshake any day.

He coasted his fingertips over her fine, soft skin, then continued to cup her cheek. He liked the feel of her, warm and soft and so damn feminine. He liked having her so close and comfortable with him. He could build on that. Friendship was a great start to deeper things. “What way, Sara?”

“You know. With a family.”

“Oh?” He touched her ear and the curve of her chin, the sensitive skin beneath it. “You thought I was found under a rock?”

She smiled. “No.”

“So how did you think of me?”

She gave his simple question a great deal of consideration before answering. “The eligible bachelor. A playboy, maybe. But definitely not a family guy.” She frowned, then snuggled against his palm. “Do you have any brothers or sisters?”

She looked very content, curled up by his side. He wanted to kiss her again, but held himself back. He wanted her to know about his family. He wanted her to meet his family. “No brothers. Three sisters. All older than me.”

She giggled, something he’d never heard her do before. Usually her laughs were deep and throaty and full, not teasing. “You were the baby?”

He tried to look indignant and failed. “That’s right. And it was pure hell fighting for any rights in that house. Do you have any idea how much time three teenage girls can spend in a bathroom?”

“No.” She looked away, then reached up to cover his hand with her own. “I was an only child.”

“Hey.” The way Sara pouted was more enticing than a hot kiss. Damn, he hurt with lust. He looked away from that tempting mouth and stared at her ear instead. It was a cute ear, but it didn’t send him into a frenzy of lust. “I’ll gladly give you my siblings. All three of them.” He forced a laugh. “Actually they’d love you. So would my mother.”

“I don’t know, Gavin. My own mom isn’t all that fond of me.”

He felt something freeze inside him at the sincerity in her eyes. Lust was forgotten. “That can’t be true.”

She nodded her head in sharp response. “Yes, it is. She and my dad fought all the time. They were divorced, with joint custody, but they both had busy lives and I…well, I guess I just interfered.”

Frowning, Gavin asked, “So you got shuffled between the two of them?”

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