Page 19 of Tangled Up In You

She took several steps backward before turning around and walking away.

Gavin caught up with her just as the light rain turned heavier, seeming to mirror his dark mood. “Why’d you come, Sophie?”

Shaking her head, she crossed her arms against her chest and walked faster. She’d never been good and confrontation and her instinct was to avoid it any way she could.

He grabbed her arm, stopping her from that plan. “You shouldn’t have come. And you shouldn’t have fucking stayed and listened. It’s not your business.”

“I’m sorry.” She looked down, alarmed by his fury.

“Don’t come round uninvited, you hear me?”

She knew he was upset with his father and with her seeing how he’d been belittled, but taking it out on her was too much. He had to know that he was unfairly funneling his hurt onto her.

“Don’t turn this around on me,” she told him. “I just wanted to check on you. Because Icareabout you. Because I don’t just disappear when it gets hard.” She looked up at him, shivering both from the rain that had soaked through her clothes and from the raw emotion of standing up to him.

He stared at her but said nothing. His eyes lacked there usual brightness. The scowl hadn’t relented. There was no getting through to him and it made her profoundly sad that he wouldn’t let her in. The only thing she could do was remove herself from his seething presence. And the urge to do so was all she could cling to.

“Okay, great. Good talk,” she said and turned back toward her house. It wasn’t far but she couldn’t wait to get out of the rain. To get away from Gavin, the boy she loved with all her heart. The boy who had just lashed out at her.

She ran.

She ran even when Gavin called after her.

She ran even when she felt him following close behind her.

She only stopped to try to get the front door open, her hands shaking so hard that she couldn’t slot the key in. Not until Gavin reached around and put his hand on hers, guiding the key into the lock. The door swung open, but she didn’t move. She could feel the heat of his body grazing hers. She could hear him breathing. She could hear her own heartbeat as she willed him to make a move, tofixthem.

“Oh, darlin’,” he said and wrapped his arms around her shoulders. “What have I done? I’m so sorry. I was in a black mood and my da only made it worse. But that’s no excuse. I need you, Sophie. You’re all I need. Don’t let me push you away.”

His words weren’t everything. But they were enough because all she wanted was for them to be okay again. She grabbed his forearm with both of her hands and leaned back against him. “I’m here,” she said softly.

He kissed her temple. “You’ll catch your death. You need to get dry.”

“Come in with me.”

Once in her room, she kicked off her shoes and started peeling off her wet layers, tossing aside her sweater, letting her skirt drop, and pulling off her blouse so that she stood before him in only her panties and bra.

“Sophie—”

“Now you,” she said before sliding under her bed covers.

He didn’t hesitate and was soon only wearing his boxer shorts.

“Come here. Keep me warm.”

In the five seconds it took him to get into bed with her, he’d gotten hard. His erection pressed against her abdomen as he pulled her into his arms. But he didn’t acknowledge it or even try to kiss her.

Instead, he rubbed her back to warm her and said, “I don’t suppose you make a habit of getting into shouting arguments with your parents?”

“No, I don’t. But then again, they’d have to be around for that to even be a possibility.” She laughed, trying to disguise the sadness in her voice.

“Sounds like your parents have been missing out on knowing what an amazing daughter they have.”

She tried to look away, but he held her face to keep her gaze.

“I mean it, Sophie. You’re the sweetest, kindest soul I’ve ever known.”

Blinking back tears, she whispered, “Then kiss me like you mean it.”

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