Page 28 of Cruel King

“Wow,” I muttered. “Nice digs.”

Gavin peeked into the bedroom, and a slow smile came over his features. “It’ll do.”

I shivered at that look. One bed.

I’d be lying if I said that I hadn’t considered that I’d be in a hotel room with Gavin King, all alone for a couple of days. I wasn’t sure that I’d considered the fact that there would be only one bed.

But of course, there was.

I sauntered past him, brushing his shoulder. “I call the right side. I always sleep on the right side.”

He laughed. “You’ll have to fight me for it, Bowen.”

“I’m scrappy. I’ll win.”

“Maybe,” he said with that unrelenting smirk. “I look forward to you trying.”

I rolled my eyes at him to keep back how good that inviting quality sounded in his voice. “What’s next?”

“My aunt and uncle are throwing a party tonight at their place.”

“Time to meet everyone.”

“Are you ready?” he asked sincerely.

I popped open my suitcase and withdrew a pink sundress. “Going to be fine. I’m great with parents.”

He chuckled. “I have no doubt.”

* * *

Sometimes, I thought I was better with parents than I was with my dates. Maybe because I’d been raised to sayyes, ma’amandno, siruntil it was ingrained in my very being. When I saw an authority figure, my entire body snapped right to attention. This was a hundred percent nurture, and I’d never found a way to get around it.

It was probably the reason that Dr. Varma had decided I should take over his business when he wanted to retire. All thoseyes, sirs had really stuck with him. Even though I might or might not have broken the heart of one of his daughters.

As we drove up the winding drive toward Gavin’s aunt and uncle’s house, that same thing started to happen to me again. I sat up a little straighter. I checked my hair and makeup in the mirror of the Wrangler one of his cousins had dropped off for him to drive around while I was getting ready.

“I never thought I’d see you in a Jeep,” I told him as I snapped the visor back into place.

“I used to drive a truck.”

I leaned my chin on my fist on the center console. “Was it lifted?”

He winked at me. “Not a true West Texas boy without a lifted truck, Bowen.”

“Do you have pictures? I must see this.”

“I hope they burned them all.”

“Aww, I bet you were adorable. Did you have boots and a hat and belt buckles and shit?”

He huffed. “Of course. Who do you think I am?”

“Do youstillhave them?”

“We don’t talk about that.”

I laughed. “Oh my god, you do. Please tell me you’ll wear boots and a hat for me.”

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