Was she the one chasing fool’s gold?
“Are you praying?”
Startled, Ginny dropped her hands before turning at the sound of his voice coming from the bedroom doorway. “No, I was just thinking,” she said truthfully.
“Seemed to me you were praying.”
Ginny pushed her hands into the overly large silk bathrobe she found in the bathroom. “I don’t pray anymore.”
She noticed a subtle shift in his attitude since he left to take a shower. His face was now impassive, and he had a standoffish attitude she could feel over short distance separating them.
“Because of what Killyama told you?”
“Kind of useless, isn’t it?” Ginny shrugged, removing her hands from her pockets to pick up the remote from the coffee table. Plopping down on the couch, she turned the television on.
Gavin moved to stand next to the coffee table, alternating between watching her and looking at the television as she switched channels. “Why is it useless?”
“Because I’m still working through some issues with Him.”
“Exactly how much did Killyama tell you?” He nodded as if her issue was understandable.
“Are you going to be angry at Killyama if I tell you?”
“Depends on what you’re going to tell me.”
Ginny decided on not telling him, since one of his eyelids was already beginning to twitch.
“You can pick something for us to watch. I’m going to take a shower and get dressed.” Placing the remote down, she started to rise when Gavin sat down next to her and pressed a hand to her thigh, stopping her.
“Were you particularly religious before?”
“Not like Willa—I can’t quote Bible verses—but I believed, if you prayed hard enough, that He would protect you.”
“You don’t believe that anymore?”
“No, I don’t. I thought you were dead, because I couldn’t feel you anymore. I thought He was taking care of you in heaven. He wasn’t. I know you prayed for His help, and He made you wait too long. I’m having a hard time forgiving Him for that.”
“How do you know I prayed to Him?”
“Who wouldn’t in the situation you were in? Even if you didn’t have a ton of faith, you would be desperate enough to pray. Didn’t you?” she asked.
“More times than I can count,” he revealed.
“See? That’s my issue with Him.”
“Ginny, your faith in God shouldn’t be decided on me.”
“Why not? What happens to you happens to me.”
Gavin studied her in silence, his remoteness easing. “Why do you have to make everything so fucking hard?” Giving an overly loud sigh of frustration, he stared at her intently. “Every time I make a fucking decision concerning you, you warp my brain with your cockamamie reasoning.”
The knife in her heart twisted. “What decision did you make about me?” Was he about to tell her that he regretted having sex with her or coming with her to Clindale Island?
“Nothing. It no longer matters.” Removing his hand from her thigh, Gavin reached for the remote. “Go have your shower. I’ll find us something to watch.”
“Okay.” Bending down, she pressed what she intended to be a quick kiss on his lips, only to find herself pulled down until she was straddling his lap.
Opening her mouth with his lips, Gavin boldly thrust his tongue inside. As a kisser, he had what it took to make her mind turn to mush. As the kissee, she didn’t want it to ever end.
Wrapping her arms around his neck, she gave into the demands his mouth made on hers. A rush of warmth repaired the damage her thoughts of Taylor and him together had caused. Ginny knew the relief would be short-lived before more doubt would slice a larger hole.
Easily rising with her weight, Gavin carried her into the bedroom before slamming the door closed with his foot.
“What about my shower?” she murmured against his jawline.
“We can take one together when I’m done.”
“You just had one.”
Laughing when he tumbled them to the bed, she sensually rubbed her palms down his sleek back.
“I’m about to get real dirty.” Reaching between them, he tried to pull her robe free. “Why isn’t it coming off?” he groused.
“It’s tied.”
“That would have been good to know.”
Ginny playfully took little nibbles on his collarbone as he maneuvered her out of the housecoat. Then, one second he was there, and the next, he was jackknifing himself off her and the bed.
“Wha …?”
“Take your shower.” He even sidestepped her when she tried to pull him back down.
Stopping midaction, she saw the pale pallor of his skin. “What’s wrong?” Sitting up, she placed her hands on the mattress where he could see them.
“Nothing. Just take your fucking shower and leave me alone,” he snarled, fumbling with the doorknob to get out of the room.
Ginny quickly bounded off the bed, reaching out to help him open the door. He winced away from her as if he was suddenly afraid of her. Trying not to be hurt by his reaction, she turned the knob and opened the door for him, stepping away to give him plenty of room.
Keeping his eyes on her, he fled through the door.
She wanted to go after him, but instead, she shut the door, giving him privacy. Whatever she had done must have set off a terrible memory.
Despising herself, she wanted nothing more than to go and comfort him, but she forced herself to take a shower to give him time to recover. As she did, Ginny played back what she had been doing before he had freaked out.
Could it have been the love bites she had been placing on his neck? It was the only thing she did differently. Unless she was circling his neck with her arms, Ginny was careful when she touched him. Gavin preferred to do all the intimate touching, even moving her hands away when she tried to touch his dick. A couple of times, she had kissed his chest and tried to move lower to give the same pleasure he had given her, but Gavin would roll away from her or tug her up higher. Ginny received the silent message—he didn’t want oral sex from her. What had been done to him that a little nibble from her could have sent him into a tailspin?
Entering the shower, Ginny saw the towel tied over the nozzle. Leaving the intricate knot alone, she soaped her body before moving under the misty spray. Lifting her face, she let the water wash away any evidence of her telltale tears.
Drying off, she brushed her hair without the benefit of the mirror that was covered before leaving the bathroom, she noticed Gavin had placed her suitcase on the bed. She rummaged through the few belongings and found a pair of faded blue denim shorts and a matching green tank top. Casual and nonchalant were her objectives as she walked out of the bedroom and into the living room.
“Anything in particular you want for lunch?” she asked, opening the freezer.
“No, you choose. Just pick two of the same meal.”
“Can do,” she chirped, pretending normalcy between them. “How about a pizza?”
“That’s fine.”
“Righty ho ….” Taking the frozen pizza out, she set the temperature on the small oven.
“Stop, Ginny. You don’t have to act so fucking cheerful.”