out a T-shirt and tossed it to her. “Put this on. Then we’re going downstairs to eat dinner and watch TV and talk. We’re going to have an evening like a normal couple.”
Oh, boy. She held the shirt against her. A normal couple.
There was that love-panic combination fluttering in her chest again.
But she exchanged her shirt for Gavin’s T-shirt.
“Lose the pants,” he said.
Now that sounded promising. “You got it.” She stripped the pants off.
“Now let’s go.”
“Go?”
He took her hand and headed for the stairs. Him in only his sweatpants—and she’d noticed he was going commando—and her in his T-shirt and a pair of panties.
Okay, at least it was sexy.
“Lyd! We’re here!” he called.
The first floor smelled amazing once Allie actually paid attention. Garlic and tomato sauce and… Her stomach rumbled.
“Yeah, and no more skipping meals,” Gavin said, leading her to the couch.
She started to reply and then thought better of it. It wasn’t worth arguing with him. She had skipped lunch and he really wanted her to eat and have healthy habits. Fine.
Lydia came in with a big tray. There were two plates, a bread basket, and a bottle of wine with glasses. She set it down in the middle of the coffee table without a word and headed back for the kitchen.
“Thanks, Lyd,” Gavin called after her.
Allie watched her go with a frown. She didn’t need to be Lydia’s friend, but she did kind of wish that she didn’t annoy the girl so much.
Then she looked at the tray.
They were having lasagna.
And if it tasted even half as good as it smelled and looked, it was way better than Allie’s.
Score one for the moody assistant.
Allie took a seat, then pulled her feet up onto the couch, tucking her knees under the shirt. Gavin handed her a plate, poured the wine and settled back, flipping the TV on. “I know you like this movie,” he said, cutting into his own dinner.
Allie had her first bite of lasagna in her mouth and wouldn’t have cared if he turned on a war documentary. The lasagna was that good.
But it wasn’t a documentary. It was The Bodyguard.
She looked at him. “Ha-ha.”
He grinned. “What? Obviously this movie means something to you.”
“You just love that I called and sang that song, don’t you?” she asked, reaching for the wine.
“I do. It was a stirring rendition.” He chewed with a smug look on his face.
Allie drank, then said, “I was drunk, you know.”
“Oh, I know. But the fact that you were thinking of me, when your inhibitions were down and with everything going on around you, meant a lot.” His eyes were on the screen.
She studied his profile. He was so damned good-looking. Sexy. And talented with that mouth that was now closing around his fork tines.
They’d spent plenty of time perfecting their skills on one another, and he knew exactly how to get her going exactly where he wanted her.
She knew his buttons too—though today she’d been wondering if she’d lost her touch. Earlier that morning she’d stood naked in front of him and begged him to take her to bed and he’d said no. Because of her tears. Because she’d lost her mind and cried after an orgasm.
Then again, just a little bit ago, the tears had moved him. She drank again and thought about that. No, it hadn’t been the tears. Well, they’d started it. She’d been fighting them all afternoon, and then when she’d turned and seen him standing there all she could think about was being in his arms. The moment she’d felt his strong, solid body against hers, she’d lost it again. She’d cried on his shoulder for the first time ever. And wow, it had felt good.
And speaking of feeling good…the bathroom counter and shower and floor had all felt pretty damned good too.
Thank god, he’d relaxed his rules about talking first. Or forgotten his rules. Or said “to hell with the rules”. Whatever had happened, she was thankful.
Looking at him now, she felt that tug in her chest. He wanted to be a “normal couple” with her. He wanted to get married. He wanted to show her he wanted all of that.
How was that going to work? Alaska was a long way from Promise Harbor. Was he saying he’d consider moving home now?
Her heart tripped at that. Could she really have Gavin? Her chest felt tight as the hope welled up. Hope she hadn’t even realized she’d had deep down.
“My brothers are a mess,” she said, watching carefully