Unforgettable, page 26
“I will.” Anna smiled. “Give my best to your wife.”
“I will. Bye.”
Gavin asked curiously, “How do you know Anthia Washington?”
“She and my mother are on some of the same charity committees.”
He whispered close to her ear, “How did it go? You okay, sweetheart?” When she didn’t respond quickly enough, he repeated, “Anna?”
“I’m fine.” She swallowed the lump in her throat.
He nodded as he held her chair for her.
Anna sat with her hands resting in her lap as she concentrated on not crying. It was an impossible situation.
There were no speeches and everyone seemed relaxed as they began to serve the meal. The women managed to keep the men off their favorite subject, football. From soup to salad the meal was fabulous, and the prime rib and lobster entrée was a hit.
“You don’t care for your lobster?” Gavin noted the way she picked at the food.
Determined not to cause him any more concern, Anna smiled. “Everything is fine. Relax and enjoy yourself.”
He wasn’t convinced but he didn’t make a fuss. Anna was relieved when the table was finally cleared. The band began warming up in the front of the room as they prepared for the dancing to come.
Anna smiled when Donna and Kelli came over. They greeted Gavin and then invited Anna to go with them to the ladies’ room. Once the three of them were inside the crowded room, they moved past the line to the stalls and stopped in front of the mirrors.
Donna was the first to ask, “Are you all right? You looked upset at the table.”
“I’m fine now, but I have to admit I was feeling a little weepy. I hate being estranged from my family.”
Donna put a comforting arm around her daughter’s waist and gave her a hug. “You are still very much a part of this family. We all love you.”
“I know, Mama. It’s so hard. I didn’t want to speak to my own father, brother and cousin. I wanted to knock all three of their heads together for being so stubborn.”
Kelli whispered, “Well, you got to Wesley. He was very upset and so was Ralph that you didn’t do more than speak to them. And I don’t blame you. They both had it coming.”
Kelli’s dress was pale green and complemented her pale brown complexion nicely. “My husband has been acting like a wounded bear since Thanksgiving. But it got worse after that fistfight he had with Gavin at practice.”
“Fistfight?” Donna and Anna said in disbelief at the same time.
“I thought they just had an argument.” Anna was genuinely shocked.
“They were going at each other until the guys pulled them apart. It got real ugly.”
“This has gone too far,” Donna whispered in outrage. “Those two have been best friends for nearly twelve years.”
“You’re right. It makes no sense.” Anna added, “But neither does treating me like a little girl.”
Kelli smoothed a hand over Anna’s arm. “It’s going to work itself out. It just has to.”
“I hope you’re right. But it doesn’t feel that way now. Should I come by for dinner on Sunday as if nothing happened? I don’t want to get into another argument, especially with Daddy.”
“Whether you argue with your father or not, I am expecting you to come with Kyle just like always.” Donna looked into her eyes. “I’ve tried time and time again to change your father’s mind. It hasn’t helped. But we are still your family and nothing will change that. Is that clear?”
Anna recognized that tone of voice. “Yes, Mama,” she didn’t need to be told it would break her mother’s heart if she deliberately stayed away.
“Ready?” Kelli asked.
The other women nodded. They parted company at the entrance to the ballroom. The band had been set up on a small stage and was playing full blast. When Gavin spotted her he smiled. He’d been standing near their table, talking to one of his teammates. He excused himself and approached her.
“You know we can leave any time you’re ready.” He rested his arm around her waist.
Smiling up at him, she said, “There is no need.”
“Let’s dance.” He slipped her tiny beaded purse into his pocket and escorted her to the already crowded dance floor.
He let out a sigh once he had her in his arms. “I’ve been wanting to hold you like this all evening.” He kissed her temple, saying, “Sweetheart, I know how hard this is on you. I’m so sorry to have placed you in the middle of it.”
“You haven’t. It’s not your doing. The muleheaded men in my family started this, not you.”
Since they were both tall their bodies fit perfectly. This past week had been so hectic, and they hadn’t spent nearly enough time together.
“Let’s concentrate on enjoying each other.” In a rough whisper, he admitted, “I missed you this week. I especially miss sleeping the entire night in your arms, like we did while in Florida.”
“We had such a good time. Did I thank you for the trip?” she teased.
He grinned. “You know you did. And you’re more than welcome to thank me again, later tonight.”
They were laughing when Gavin was tapped on his shoulder. He glanced back to find Wesley standing there. A muscle tightened his cheek, but Gavin didn’t say a word, just handed Anna off to her oldest brother.
As Wesley looked down at her, his mouth was taut with tension. “Sis…”
“Just say what you came to say,” she said frostily.
Wesley looked as if he wanted to shake some sense into her when he said, “What’s going on with you? Why can’t you see that a man like Gavin can never make you happy?”
“A man like what?” she hissed, and then took a slow calming breath, before she went on to say, “For a moment there you forgot something, didn’t you, Wesley? Evidently I’m not the only one who has poor judgment, since Gavin has been your friend and business partner for years. Are you so angry about my relationship with him that you’re willing to put your business in jeopardy?”
“To hell with the business. This is about family. I love you. I want you happy,” he nearly snarled.
Anna struggled for a calm she was far from feeling. Despite everything that had happened, Wesley was her big brother who had always been there for her. And she loved him dearly.
She also knew he was the one person who could ease the tension in the family. If she could reach him, then the others were bound to come around. She couldn’t just walk off in a huff. She had to make him understand that Gavin was her choice, and he had to respect her decision.
She didn’t like what the angry words spoken on Thanksgiving had done to their close-knit family. The estrangement was hard on all of them, but especially her mother.
“Wesley, if you would only try to respect my right to make my own choices.” She paused before she said, “Gavin is important to me. If we didn’t care for each other, we wouldn’t—”
He broke in, saying. “Women have always found him attractive, even back at State. There has never been a shortage of them willing to do just about anything they could to get him. I don’t want you to be another one on a very long list.”
“He isn’t a saint, I know that. But neither am I. Aren’t you forgetting that I am old enough and smart enough to make my own decisions? If I’m wrong, the only one who will be affected will be me.”
They danced in silence for a few moments, then he asked, “Why are you putting yourself in this position? Can’t you see that you’re setting yourself up for a hard fall? You’re practically living with the man.”
“I never tried to run your life, why are you trying to run mine?”
Wesley wasn’t even close to backing down. “Mama and Dad taught you to have more respect for yourself. You weren’t raised to think so little of yourself. Why can’t you see? Yes, he wants you now, but he won’t ever marry you. Believe me, I know what I’m talking about.”
Anna glared up at him. Suddenly she stopped all pretense of dancing. “I know how Gavin feels about marriage. It’s fine with me. Why am I even telling you this? You’re so stubborn you’d rather lose a friend than admit you could be wrong. You can’t even give me the respect I deserve as a woman who was raised by two very caring parents…your parents. Fine. For all our sakes, I suggest you stay away from Gavin and me.” With that, she walked off the dance floor. Her anger hadn’t cooled one little bit when she saw Gavin talking to Natasha Baker.
Natasha looked gorgeous in a black sequined gown that hugged her curves. Judging by the way the woman hung on Gavin’s arm, and the scowl on his face, things weren’t going well.
Already upset, Anna wasn’t up to more unpleasantness, even though Natasha evidently had no qualms about going after what she wanted. Anna had about as much as she was willing to take for one evening.
Gavin smiled when he saw Anna. He pulled her against his side, wrapping an arm around her shoulders. “You remember, Natasha, don’t you, sweetheart?”
“Yes.” Anna couldn’t help noting the way the other woman didn’t bother to hide her feelings. The look she gave Anna was openly hostile. “Natasha. What a lovely dress.”
“Thanks.” She didn’t return the compliment. “Enjoying your evening?”
The cold look in the other woman’s eyes told Anna that Natasha wasn’t thrilled by the change in Gavin and Anna’s relationship.
Gavin said, “Please excuse us, Natasha. Anna, I believe this is our dance,” before he led her back out onto the dance floor.
Only when she was in his arms, held close to his powerful body, did Anna begin to relax. They held on to each other, enjoying the slow beat of the romantic melody.
“I want you to know that there is nothing going on between Natasha and me. There hasn’t been—”
Anna pressed her fingertips against his lips. “Don’t. There is no need. If you wanted to be with her, you would be.”
He smiled, easing her even more deeply against his chest. When the song ended, they reluctantly moved apart. Gavin was not thrilled when one of Anna’s former bachelor clients, Brad McAdams, stopped them.
“My turn.” Brad grinned at Anna. “May I have this dance, pretty lady?”
“Aw, man, can’t you see we’re busy,” Gavin complained.
Brad laughed, taking her hand and leading her back out onto the floor. Gavin knew better than to make an issue of it. He was forced to watch from the sidelines as Anna danced with Brad and then several of his other teammates and her former clients. A few of the guys came up and teased him about her popularity. He managed to hold on to his temper—just barely.
It was approaching midnight when Anna told Gavin she was ready to leave. He wasn’t about to protest. The entire evening had turned out to be nothing short of a strain on both of them.
They were enclosed in the back of the limousine when he surprised her by acknowledging, “I didn’t enjoy seeing you in other men’s arms.” When she started to interrupt him, he said, “Please, let me get this said.” At her nod, he went on. “I’ve never considered myself to be the jealous type. If I’m with a woman who wants to be with someone else, it’s fine with me.
He stroked her soft cheek before he admitted, “With you it’s different. We’re a couple, and I want everyone to know you are off-limits. And it’s not that I want to wrap you up in cotton wool or anything. Because you are precious to me, I don’t intend to share you either.”
She pressed a kiss into the center of his wide palm. “I understand. I feel the same way about you. Honey, I want you to know you have nothing to worry about. I am also where I want to be.”
He kissed her tenderly, easing her close against his side. She rested her cheek on his shoulder. He said quietly, “I can only imagine how difficult it was for you not being at your family’s table. I just want you to know how appreciative I am that you chose to be with me. It means a lot to me, Anna.”
Anna bit her lips to keep from crying. Instead she pressed her lips against his. “Thank you.”
They spent what was left of the ride in a comfortable silence.
It wasn’t until the outside gates swung closed behind them that he assessed dryly, “A night in hell would have been more fun.”
“No doubt about that,” she said around a long sigh.
“What did he say?”
He didn’t explain whom he was referring to but he didn’t need to because she knew he was talking about her brother. She shook her head. “You don’t want to hear it, and I don’t want to rehash it, at least not tonight.”
The car eased to a stop in the wide circular drive at the front entrance. Gavin didn’t wait for the chauffeur but stepped onto the pavement and held his hand out for her. After he tipped the driver, they walked hand-in-hand up to the front door, and he unlocked it.
The house was quiet. They headed toward the staircase. Ascending them together, he said with a smile, “Wonder how much trouble the boys gave Mrs. Tillman.”
She playfully gasped. “Surely, you’re not implying that our brothers are anything but angels?”
“How much are you willing to bet that they only turned off the lights when they heard the car pull up in the drive?”
She laughed. “You’re probably right.”
“All’s quiet. That’s a good sign.” He lowered his voice to a whisper.
The guest bedroom door across from Kyle’s room was closed with no light showing from beneath it. Gavin put a finger to his lips as he quietly opened his brother’s door.
Wayne was asleep on the top bunk buried underneath the blankets, while Kyle was asleep on the futon. He’d pushed off his blankets onto the carpet. The television was still blaring in the background.
Anna covered Kyle while Gavin switched off the set, sending the room into darkness except for the night light in the connecting bathroom. They tiptoed out, closing the door quietly behind them. With a grin, Gavin took her hand, pulled her to the end of the hall and into his rooms.
“What are you doing?” She smiled, as she slid her arms up to encircle his neck.
“You know exactly what I’m doing.” His voice was husky with need as he nestled her cheek.
Stepping back after only one kiss, she shook her head. “There is no point in starting something we can’t finish…at least not here.”
“Oh, I can finish it,” he assured her as he followed her retreating steps.
“Glad to hear it.” She giggled as she dashed out his door and down the hallway to the stairs.
Striving to be quiet Gavin hurried after her. Their footsteps were cushioned by lush carpet.
“You’re too slow,” she teased.
At the bottom of the stairs, he grabbed her around the waist, lifting her off her feet.
“If you toss me over your shoulder, I promise you that you will be sleeping alone tonight.”
“Aw, baby, don’t be that way. I can move faster than you can, especially in those heels,” he cajoled as he placed her back on her feet.
“I’m not a football, Mathis. I got enough of being tossed around when I was a kid.”
“Yes, sweetheart,” he answered meekly.
They went out the side door and Gavin locked it behind them.
“Got your key?”
“Don’t need one.” She smiled up at him. “You have yours.”
“Are you sure you don’t need a lift?”
She didn’t bother to comment. Her arm was linked through his as they followed the walkway to where it branched off to the right. The exterior light lit the way. The cottage was built out of the same pale stone as the house.
Gavin opened the door. With his hand on the back of her waist, he urged her inside. The drapes had been closed, but she’d left a lamp on in the sitting area of the oversize room. He removed her evening coat and the silk shawl draped over her shoulders, tossing them onto the deep cushioned sofa, along with his own coat and suit jacket.
Anna requested softly, “Unhook me…please.”
Her breath momentarily caught in her throat as he not only unhooked but also unzipped the dress. He soon had it sliding down her hips and onto the carpet. She made no move to cover herself, but stood in nothing more than lace-edged silk stockings, a pair of lacy thong panties, and a strapless bra.
Gavin released a small gasp, his dark gaze slowly traveling from where her long locks were elegantly pinned on her head, to the creamy brown graceful lines of her neck, over smooth shoulders, full breasts, and shapely hips, down to incredibly long legs, a gold bracelet around her ankle, and feet with crimson-painted toenails inside high backless heels.
“See something you like?” she asked breathlessly.
22
“Oh yes. You are so beautiful.” His voice had dropped even deeper than his normal baritone. He cupped her elbows, pulling her against him as he kissed the side of her throat. His arms slid to encircle her waist for a gentle squeeze. “You always smell wonderful.” Then he took a step back.
She watched him practically tear his tie from his throat and then remove the studs from his dress shirt. He dropped them into his pocket before he flung the shirt along with the cumberbund onto the chair. He stepped out of his shoes and pulled off silk socks. She caught her breath when he unfastened his trousers and unzipped them. She couldn’t look away as he pushed them, along with silk briefs, down his long, muscled legs.
Devouring him with hungry eyes, she watched as he approached her with his thick shaft jutting toward her.
“Let me.” He licked the skin at the base of her throat as he turned her and unclasped the bra, letting it fall to the carpet.
He slipped a large finger on either side of the lace-covered panties and eased them down, then off. His hands rested on her waist as he pressed against her. He groaned huskily.
She shivered when his open mouth slowly journeyed along her back to the base of her spine, then over the curve of each hip. He didn’t stop there, but dropped to a knee and continued down the back of one silk-covered leg before he slowly gave the same caress along the opposite leg. She cried out his name at the tiny love bites he gave her along the way. If she hadn’t had a hand braced on his shoulder she would have fallen.
