“Same here,” he said, the words gruff. The privacy suggestion had been more about worrying he’d picked out a bad gift, but with both of their emotions cranked to high, he was glad they didn’t have an audience.
“Can you put it on for me?” She handed the necklace to him without waiting for the answer, and there was something comforting about that, too. She swept her hair off the nape of her neck, and he focused on working the preposterously small clasp. “Did you know that ninety percent of the body’s serotonin is located in the enterochromaffin cells in the GI tract. You’d think it’d be your brain, but if you ask me, it just proves that true happiness lies in eating yummy foods.”
“I did not know that, but that makes sense. Food and Julie. The best sources of happiness out there.”
A lock of her hair brushed his forearm as she shot a smile over her shoulder, and finally he managed to secure the tiny pin thingy. She slowly pivoted to face him, the glimmering charm still pinched between her fingertips. “Seriously, I love it so much. Thank you, Gavin. From the very bottom of my full, full heart.”
Afraid to step forward or backward, he remained in this limbo where he fought against his urge to kiss her, but not hard enough to shut down the idea entirely.
Then his phone vibrated in his pocket. Reluctantly, he lifted it to check the text.
Niki: FYI, I opened a few bottles of wine and got everyone nice and tipsy. Now I’ll be acting as DD and driving the guests home. Meanwhile, Mom and Dad are headed off to bed to pass out.
For a second, he wondered why his sister was giving him such a detailed rundown, but then her follow-up text popped onscreen.
Niki: Now you don’t have to worry about anyone barging in on you—you’re welcome.
Gavin extended the phone toward Julie, and her lips moved as she read over the message. “Can you find out which clue she and my grams acted out? Curiosity is getting the best of me.”
He did as requested, and a moment later, his little sister’s response filled the screen.
Niki: One horse open sleigh.
He relayed the answer, and Julie’s mouth formed a perfect circle. “Oh, that makes sense. Much more sense than your mom ignoring etiquette and coming up with clues that belong in a Rihanna music video.”
Gavin chuckled, his palm muffling the sound of another incoming text.
Niki: But you two have fun acting out doggy style ;)
Before Jules could see that one, he set his phone to silent and jammed it in his pocket. If only he could erase the words from his own memory, he’d consider their evasion tactics a great success.
But no surprise, trying not to think about sex only ensured it remained at the forefront of his mind.
…
The longer Julie stood there, the weight of the necklace pressing against her sternum, the heavier every moment seemed. As much as she wanted to close the distance, fling her arms around Gavin, and kiss him, they’d drawn lines.
Lines that’d become fuzzy, but the last thing she wanted to do was to throw herself at him and deal with the fallout of him explaining—again—that it was too risky.
She scratched at the suddenly itchy spot on the side of her head. “Well, I guess I should turn in for the night.”
Tell me not to go. Say you want me as badly as I want you.
Gaze glued to the floor, Gavin rubbed his neck and nodded. “Probably a good idea. It’s been a long day.”
Hard not to translate that to being dismissed, but Julie reminded herself she was an adult woman who could freely speak her mind. Then she turned and headed for the door, because she was also a chicken who was too scared to ruin her closest friendship, regardless of how horny she was.
And yeah, it was becoming an issue. The aching spot between her thighs protested every step away from Gavin. Her muscles seized as she wrapped her hand around the doorknob.
No words came from behind her; no plea to stay the night.
The door was too heavy, not budging even as she pushed with all her might, and why was it making this even harder?
“Jules,” Gavin said, and she turned around.
“You need to pull instead of push—looked like you were having some trouble.”
“Oh. Right.” No wonder he didn’t want to fling her on the bed and have his wicked way with her. She couldn’t even open doors.
She charged into the hallway before she lost her nerve—or was it because she’d already lost it? Either way, she’d committed to leaving, so leave she did.
As soon as the door snicked closed behind her, she leaned against the wood and pressed her hand to the aching spot in the center of her chest. While she’d done her best to hide the truth from even herself, that vital organ battering against the confines of her rib cage didn’t comply.
In theory, the Great Fling Experiment involved upping her sex game and nothing more. But walking away from Gavin felt like losing a lot more than passionate intercourse.
If she didn’t know better, she’d worry she’d left behind a literal piece of her heart.
You’ve got a choice to make. Either stride across the hall to mope or take control.
Julie spun and gripped the door handle. Then she rested her forehead against the wood, summoning up every ounce of courage she—
The door fell away, and she stumbled into a hard body that gave her a myriad of squishy feelings.
“I was just coming to get you,” Gavin said as he steadied her. “What are you doing?”
“Seizing the fucking moment,” she said, and then she cupped the back of his neck and tugged his face to hers for a searing kiss.
Chapter Twenty-One
Every time Julie had been brave enough to leap, she experienced a free-fall moment when, despite knowing there was no going back, she also prayed there’d be a safety net at the bottom.
The arms that encompassed her were the best safety net ever, and Gavin towed her into the room and then used her body to close the door behind them. Every groove of the wood grain imprinted itself on her backside as Gavin pressed in to her, deftly pinning her in place.
He took control of the kiss, angling her head with an adamant thumb and sucking her lower lip between both of his. All the heat she’d been missing during that sleigh ride flared, eviscerating every doubt she’d had moments ago, and she gripped the sides of his shirt, sure she’d fall right through the door if she didn’t hold on.
As soon as she convinced herself she could trust the wood, as well as gravity, she yanked Gavin’s shirt from his pants and began undoing his buttons as fast as her fumbling fingers could manage. Her breath hitched as Gavin skimmed his fingertips over the top of her bare shoulder. He skirted the asymmetrical neckline of her dress as he stroked his tongue over hers, up and down, around and around.