Page 55 of Hot Response
It had to be a mistake, he thought. Or maybe the heart was meant as a thank-you because he’d told her to enjoy her time with her friend. Cait wasn’t the kind of woman who’d rush into things and throw theL-word around too soon.
Love.
He sucked in a breath and forced himself to focus on the text at hand. It was definitely too soon for theL-word, even if the thought of a just-right moment being in their future made his pulse pick up speed.
Are you awake yet?
He tried not to look at the heart while he typed. Hopefully it would scroll up and out of sight soon.I’m awake. Are you here yet?
On my way.
By the time she buzzed at the door, Gavin had gotten his mind straight. It had to have been a mistake or a thank-you, and if she didn’t bring it up, neither would he. If the heart popped up again in future conversations, he’d know it wasn’t a mistake.
When he opened the door and Cait pressed her body against his for a hello kiss, he stopped caring about emojis entirely. “Good morning.”
“Good morning,” she said, holding up a bag. “I grabbed some muffins on my way because I walked by the bakery and the smell was too good to resist.”
“Healthy muffins or good muffins?”
She laughed and walked past him to set the bag on the table. Then she slipped off her coat and went to hang it in the closet. “Are healthy muffins even a thing?”
“I don’t know. My mom said something to my dad about bran muffins, but I tuned it out.”
“These muffins are not the healthy kind, I don’t think. Although, someday we’re going to have to start eating better or I’m going to have to order new uniforms in a bigger size. Trust me, no woman likes doing that.”
“But we burned a lot of calories last week, even if I didn’t get to see you over the weekend,” he pointed out while he peeked into the bag. “Oh, I think we’ll have to burn a little extra today.”
They ate the apple cinnamon muffins drizzled with a sugary white glaze and drank coffee, debating on what to do for the day. In the end, they came up with a crazy plan to bundle up and find a beach to explore on the South Shore. They both loved the ocean in winter and there probably wouldn’t be a crowd.
Despite a frigid winter wind blowing off the water, it was damn close to a perfect day for Gavin. They found a little mom-and-pop-type diner for lunch and then walked the beach for as long as they could stand the cold. Every so often she’d turn her face up to his for a kiss or burrow her face against his neck to warm it up.
With his arms around her and her breath against his skin, he couldn’t believe what a lucky bastard he was.
And it was time to maybe step up his game a little. They weren’t justdatinganymore. They were a couple—she was his—and he hoped it was going to stay that way for a long damn time.
They thawed out in his truck and stopped on the road for a quick bite to eat. And once they were on the highway, heading back into the city, he decided it was time to broach the subject that had been in the back of his mind all day. Or for days, really.
“So... Wednesday is Valentine’s Day.”
“I’ve heard the rumors.”
That didn’t give him much to go on, as far as her expectations. “I, uh... Maybe we could go out for a dinner. Someplace that has food you eat with a knife and fork instead of your fingers?”
She widened her eyes in exaggerated shock. “No paper-lined baskets?”
He squeezed her hand, which, as always, was laced with his between them. “I haven’t heard you complain, smart-ass.”
“Just so you know, I’m not big into Valentine’s Day. I mean, dinner sounds great. I just don’t want you to feel any pressure to make it a big deal.”
“I’m a little more into it this year than usual,” he admitted, earning him a warm smile that encouraged him to take the plunge. “Actually, I’ve been thinking all the hearts and romance stuff might be hard on your mom, so maybe I could take all three of you out.”
She got very still and that made him nervous. And then she sighed, which made it worse. He knew meeting her mom should have been her idea, but he was hoping including her would make the date more special for Cait.
“That’s really sweet, but you don’t have to do that.”
“I wouldn’t have offered if I didn’t want to, Cait.”
“I don’t know how it’s going to affect her. She hasn’t said anything, but I know Duke used to always get her a little something. So she might be good company or she might sit and be miserable the entire time. Or burst into tears.”
