“Lost, Riya?” Gavin’s voice breaks into my plans for all the crime I was about to commit.
“I live in a two-bedroom condo in Midtown Manhattan, this is a bit much.” I turn to face him.
And realize I’ve made a huge mistake.
Chapter Fifteen
Gavin is in a tight-fitting suit that I stupidly had someone make even tighter. His dinner jacket is pulled tight over his shoulders, making it look like the man is hulking out of his clothes. The shirt is stretched even tighter across his chest, buttons straining to do their job. One deep breath, and they would be defeated.
And then I would see. All. That. Skin.
I want him to breathe deeply.
“Don’t you guys have a house in the Hamptons too?”
I swallow and need to remember how to speak English again after the sight in front of me shocked it out of me.
“Um. Yes. Yes, we do.” The more I talk, the more English comes back to me. “But lately I try to avoid it since we just throw parties to network and go to parties to network and if I’m going to work on vacation I may as well just stay home and do real work. Ajay has more fun with the Hamptons networking than me anyway.” I overshare in my attempt to get back to normal.
Gavin nods and I hold my breath, waiting to see if the buttons will pop, but they don’t so I can resume breathing again.
“Yeah, it’s exhausting to pretend to be on vacation with people actually on vacation, while working them for leads,” he says.
“I’ll have to get a vacation home in Antarctica, somewhere with no art or buyers so I don’t have to feel bad about taking a break.”
“There must be somewhere closer we can go to get a break.” He thinks about it, stealing my hand and tucking it into the crook of his elbow, directing me to the other side of the house.
Silence reigns as both of us legitimately try to think of where else has no art or buyers. “You know, penguins are very charming animals,” I say.
“I’ll start looking into yachts that can make the trip.” He gives up with me, finding no other place that meets the requirements.
“Your bougie ass has to go on one of those scientific research vessels that are made for the trip with the professional crew, who know where all the cutest penguins are.”
“How pedestrian.” He shakes his head in disappointment and stops in front of a partially open door, the sounds of conversation filtering through. “Ready to get back to work?”
“Back to work destroying you.” I immediately smile over my shoulder to take the sting out of my words.
“Back to trying, at any rate.”
We’re both incapable of not having the last word. Which prompts me to scoff. If I can’t get in the last word, at least I’m getting in the last sound.
I ride that victory wave through the doorway and into the next fray.
“Excellent. Now that the last guests are here we can start dinner,” Harrison says from the head of the table. It’s a struggle to see him through the decorations—elaborate, sparkling silverware and vases loaded with colorful flowers.
“That’s on me, I got lost.” I take the first empty seat I see, which happens to be next to Naomi.
“Don’t worry,” she lets me know. “The first time Nate visited, he got so lost he didn’t make it to dinner until dessert was already served.”
I send her a warm smile.
“Thanks, squirt,” the man of the story says from across the table.
Gavin takes the only other open seat, the one next to Nate and directly across from me. The flames from the candles on the table flicker over his golden hair like it’s struggling for every opportunity to throw itself at him but keeps getting pulled back from its goal by the jealous wick.
I get it. He has nice hair.
Harrison calls for the dinner service to start, which gives me a convenient excuse to sublimate my newfound desire for Gavin into something a lot safer: food.
