Page 39 of Loving Wild

“You really do have tickets on yourself, Wild.”

“You just told me I look as hot as fuck in a suit, my daughter wants to spend more time here . . .”

“And?” I prompt as he trails off.

“And a woman at the servo asked if I was single when I stopped for diesel this morning.”

My brows rise before I can curb any kind of reaction. I keep my smile plastered to my face, despite feeling a stab of fear, jealousy? I’m not sure what it is, but it’s sharp and it’s painful.

“Oh, did she now?” I question.

“She did, and I told her I was not, and she said that was a shame because she needed a date to take to her son’s surprise sixtieth birthday Saturday night.”

“Wow, she actually—wait! What? Her son’s sixtieth? How old was this woman?”

“About eighty, but you know I like them older, baby,” he drags his teeth across my neck as he talks, and I hate but also love that it makes me shudder.

“Cool, well, at least I know you’ll still be into me when I get to that age,” I feign indifference.

“I’d like to be into you right now, balls deep into . . .”

“Lauren?” Ava’s voice sounds from behind Gabe, and we spring apart, both hissing out a “shit!” at the same time.

“Hey,” I greet her with a smile and flushed cheeks.

Her eyes slide between me and Gabe, a smile spreads across her lips, and she quirks a brow. Shaking her head, she settles her gaze on me and says, “Thank you so much for my room, it’s totally amazing.”

I smile back. “You like it?”

“I love it. It’s seriously the best bedroom ever.”

I don’t know why I do it, but I look from Ava to Gabe. He’s watching our interaction with a smile, by the time I look back to Ava, she’s moving in for a cuddle. Remembering all that Gabe’s just told me about the way she’s been feeling, I open up my arms, wrap them around her slim frame and give her the biggest squeeze.

“That makes me happy to hear, and you are so very welcome.”

“So, where we eating, anyone decided yet?” Gabe interrupts our exchange.

“Chinese would be good.” I nod in agreement at Ava’s suggestion.

“I’ll give them a call and book a table. An hour okay? I need a shower,” Gabe asks.

“Works for me,” Ava responds before heading back down the stairs to her own bathroom. When my eyes move from her back to Gabe, he’s watching me.

“What?” I ask with a smile.

“She likes you.”

“We just met and have only spent five minutes in each other’s company.”

“I know my kid, she likes you. You need to shower?” Not giving me time to debate his observations any further, I shake my head at his question.

“No, I just need to change.” Grabbing my hand, he helps me off my stool and pulls me towards the bedroom where he makes me dirty and in need of another shower before we leave for the restaurant.

* * *

I stareat my newly painted fingernails as my toenails get painted in a matching shade of watermelon. Ava is in the massage chair on one side of me, Gabe’s sister, Dani, on the other.

Dani arrived at the house a little after nine this morning. Despite having never met me, after letting herself in, she came to the bedroom, climbed onto the bed, and laid between me and Gabe as she introduced herself. Five minutes later Ava joined us. Five minutes after that, it was decided that Ava, Dani, and me were going to head into town for a girlie day. Gabe had just looked at me and shrugged, and so now, here I am.