“No,” she snapped. “It was a pity date.”
“Bullshit.” He shook his head. “Did I sayhonest? Let me take that back.”
“Stop. Wait.” She decided to lay it out for him. “Fine. You want the truth? I need some changes in my life. And you’re different than what I’m used to.”
“What are you used to? All work and no play?”
“Yes.”
He looked as if he wanted to make fun of her but didn’t. “Okay.”
She didn’t want to go there, but she wanted honesty from him, so she’d give it first. “I’ve recently had something bad happen. Something terrible.” She swallowed, saw his concern, and did her best to ignore it. “A family member passed away unexpectedly. It’s made me reevaluate things. Since I’m the buttoned-up twin who can’t seem to relax, I’m doing my best to be the opposite of me and enjoy life. I mean, I enjoyed it before, but apparently not enough.”
“Twin, huh?” He glanced back at the photo on the bookshelf, the one where she and Aubrey had stood with their arms around each other in Vancouver. What a fabulous trip that had been.
Her eyes pricked, so she cleared her throat and focused on him, not her sister.
Surprised to see the compassion and understanding there, she continued, “So my point is I decided to try you out. Not sexually, I mean.” God, could she take her foot out of her mouth for two seconds? But Gavin didn’t laugh.
“I get it.” He watched her, waiting, then added, “I lost friends not long ago too. It’s tough. Really hard sometimes when the memories catch up with you.”
She hadn’t been wrong about him after all. That emptiness she’d sensed sometimes. He understood. “Yeah. I don’t mean to be a downer. I’m just explaining why I said yes. Toa date,” she emphasized.
He smiled.
“Your turn.”
“Hold on now. You didn’t say what you wanted from me, exactly.”
“I want excitement. Fun. Laughter and great times,” she added with a bit of sarcasm. “Do I need to spell it out? I’d like to date you. And if we connect, maybe sex. After we know each other better. Okay now?”
He blinked. “Yeah. Great.”
“And you?”
“And me what? Oh right. I want you. I mean, I’m attracted to you,” he admitted, not glancing away from her eyes. “You’re sexy as hell. But I like you. You’re funny.”
“I’mfunny?” Was he on drugs? No one had ever accused her of having a decent sense of humor, though she thought of herself as a laugh riot.
“Well, more like biting and sarcastic. But hell, I grew up with that. I’m comfortable with mean chicks.”
She sighed. “Back to me being mean again? I’m assertive.”
“Try aggressive.”
“I’m blunt and honest, remember?”
“Yeah. And blunt can be brutal. But I like brutal.” He winked. “Mistress.”
“You just had to bring that up.” She refused to look at his crotch again.
“Speaking of up…”
“You didnotjust say that.” She kept trying not to look back at his groin.
“Oh, sorry. I don’t mean my dick. It just does that when you’re around. Kind of like an affectionate salute. I was in the Marine Corps, you know.”
She slapped a hand over her eyes.Do not look. Do not look.
