Emily watched Javier bolt down the steps and across the driveway. After placing her luggage in the trunk, he opened the door to the limousine for her. Still standing on the porch, Emily hesitated. Her mind was spinning over every possible reason she shouldn’t show up in a public place to see Gavin. She couldn’t. It wouldn’t be right. They needed privacy to discuss everything. Though pain of waiting to see him, even just a little while longer, throbbed in her chest, Emily decided she would get settled in her hotel room and come back later in the evening. With that, she started making her way over to Javier to let him know her plans.
As she neared the limo, she snapped her head in the direction of the sound of a vehicle’s tires kicking up gravel in the distance. Holding her hand up to shade the sun from her eyes, she squinted and watched the charcoal gray sports car cut a hard left into the driveway. With its windows tinted as black as an iron kettle, Emily couldn’t make out who was driving. That didn’t prevent her heart, which was beating like a drum, from coming to a complete stop for a long second. As she tried to pull in a breath, the organ stuttered back to life when Gavin stepped out of the vehicle, a grin on his face. Emily’s eyes flickered with uncertainty at his demeanor, considering he hadn’t looked in her direction yet. In a complete fog at what she was witnessing, chills shot and prickled across Emily’s skin as not one but two reasons for Gavin’s jovial mood slid out of the car. Taking an unsteady step back, panic flooded Emily’s limbs when Gavin’s gaze caught hers. His grin disappeared immediately. She could read the question in his eyes, and she was sure she was about to pass out.
Tilting his head in confusion, Gavin halted mid-stride. He knew the past few days had taken their toll on him, mentally and physically, and he also knew he had some alcohol running through his system, but he was pretty fucking sure he wasn’t seeing things. “What the fuck?” he whispered. He whipped off his sunglasses and scrubbed the heels of his palms across his eyes.
“What’s the matter?” the auburn beauty asked, grazing her pouty red lips against his jaw. “You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”
Gavin rolled his shoulder, shrugging her off his arm. “I have,” he bit out, cutting his narrowed eyes her way.
The platinum knockout snapped her gum. “Jeez, talk about split personalities. What’s up?”
Gavin tore his attention from the two soon to be “void fillers,” his gaze intent on Emily who was turning to get into the limo. Without saying another word, he jogged over to her, his body reacting to Emily the only way it’d ever known how. Heart in his throat and confusion hammering through his head, Gavin reached out, grabbing her elbow. “What are you doing here, Emily?” The feel of her soft skin seared into his mind, kicking up memories he was trying to forget.
Frozen, Emily didn’t turn around. She couldn’t. Breathing heavily from his simple touch, she nervously swallowed and tried to find her words. “I came to talk to you,” she whispered.
Gavin released her and stepped back. “Turn around and look at me,” he commanded, his voice low.
Pulse quickening, Emily slowly turned, her gaze locking onto his. Staring into his confused blue eyes, she curled her fingers around the top of the door to steady herself.
Her beautiful face nearly stole the breath from Gavin’s lungs. His eyes fell from hers, immediately landing on her quivering lips. Lips God created to fit his. Lips that’d haunted his every dream since he’d left. Her silky auburn hair whipped around in the warm breeze. Hair made to tickle his face as she hovered above him while making love. Gavin tried to breathe while his need for her snaked through every tense muscle in his body, culminating in a torturous, slow burn. His chest constricted with love, but anger at her boiled beneath his skin. A slow smirk curled his mouth. “You have permission from your husband to come see me? I never took Dillon for one who would grant his wife an open marriage.”
Emily’s knees went weak, her eyes steeped in confusion. “I didn’t marry him, Gavin. You know that. I… I called. I left you messages.” Though she tried, she couldn’t keep tears from pooling in her eyes as she stared at his shocked expression. Suddenly, she found her words tumbling from her mouth. “I left Dillon that night and went to your penthouse. I’ve called your phone every day over the past few weeks. Colton called and left your housekeeper messages. Trevor, Olivia, we all did.” Emily looked away, her eyes locking on Gavin’s two companions. Leaning against his Jaguar, they peered in Emily’s direction as she shook her head and brought her gaze back to his. “I don’t expect you to take me back, but I needed to come here and tell you how sorry I am. I needed to tell you how much I love you, Gavin. How much I need you in my life.”
Looking at the ground, Gavin grabbed the back of his neck with both hands. He snapped up his head and looked at the driver. “Javier, dame sus cosas.”
Javier nodded. “Por supuesto, Se?or Blake.”
Emily watched Javier retrieve her luggage from the trunk and pass it to Gavin. After thanking him, Gavin grabbed Emily’s hand, his grip tight as he led her toward his car. Struggling to keep up, Emily’s heels clicked frantically against the pavement. She stared at the two women.