Page 156 of Into These Eyes
His fist unfurls and engulfs my hand, his eyes shining with unshed tears. “Yeah. That’s because you’re amazing.”
I give him a lopsided smile. “I seem to remember a pretty incredible person telling me that while he wasn’t defending my father for allowing him to go to prison, he understoodwhy. If you can understand my father that way, maybe you can understand yours too.”
His eyes flick between mine, then he shakes his head. “Well played.”
“I’m not trying to play you.”
“I know. I just … don’t know if I’m ready. It’s all so sudden.”
“You don’t have to do anything you’re not ready for. But,” I say, brushing the hair back from his forehead, “would you feel like I’m being disloyal to you if I go with Anika tomorrow?”
“Of course not. You should be there to support her.”
“That’s not the only reason. I want to meet the man my mother was in love with. I want to meet Anika’s father. I want to meetyourfather. Because Gavin … he raised you, shaped you into the man I love. He did all that before he fucked up.”
Pulling me in tight, his lips graze my ear. “Like I said … fucking amazing.”
We spend the rest of the day absorbing all the new information by lazing about in and around the pool. With Gavin deciding to make up his mind in the morning about coming with us tomorrow, I leave that topic alone.
After taking a shower, I head down the hallway to join Gavin and Anika in the kitchen, ready to help with dinner. As I enter the kitchen, I’m acutely aware of their conversation coming to an abrupt stop. I glance from one to the other, watching as Gavin busies himself at the stove, while Anika quickly opens the cutlery drawer in an obvious effort to avoid my scrutiny. It’s unsettling knowing the two people I love have been talking about me, but I refuse to pry.
Sidling up beside Gavin, I nudge his arm. “Anything I can do to help?”
He presses a pair of tongs against each sizzling steak in the pan. “If you want to get the salad out of the fridge, these’re almost ready.”
As I move away, I let my fingers trail across his back. When I return from the fridge with the large bowl in my hands, he’s staring at me, heat in his gaze. I rest my hand on his back and glance at Anika, who’s now engrossed in her phone.
Bending his head, he presses his lips to my forehead. “Damn, you smell good,” he murmurs as he puts his free arm around me and pulls me into his side.
“I don’t know how you can smell anything over these mouthwatering steaks, but I’ll take it.”
Reluctantly easing away, I try to concentrate on making drinks, but our gazes constantly clash with longing, our bodies brushing against each other for no reason whatsoever.
Anika suddenly announces, “I’m going out with my friends.”
I freeze mid-step, my eyes shooting to Gavin before I turn them on my sister. “Sorry?”
She glares at me. “Oh, sonowyou’re listening. Apparently, I’ve been talking to myself for the last couple of minutes.”
“You’re going out?” Gavin asks with a spark of hope as he plates up the steaks.
“Bet you’d like that, wouldn’t you?” Anika answers.
“Yeah, I’d fuckinglovethat. How about you, Jamie?”
“I think it’d be great to catch up with some of your friends,” I encourage, knowing damn well she’s only baiting us because we were too caught up in each other to notice whatever it was she’d been saying.
“Well, there you go,” Gavin says, as if it’s all decided.
As I carry the drinks over to the dining table and Gavin follows with the steaks, Anika takes a seat. It’s not lost on me that this is the first time the table’s getting used for its intended purpose.
Because there’s an actual family here to use it.
“On second thought,” Anika says, stabbing a steak with her fork and plating it, “I think I should stay in. I mean, I only have two more nights here. I really should spend them with my new brother. And my sister, of course.” She nods enthusiastically. “Yep, better to spend time with my brother and sister. That’s what families do, right?”
“Please don’t say that,” I implore.
“Say what?” she asks innocently. “That I’m hanging out with my brother and sister? It’s the truth. You wouldn’t want me to lie, would you?”
