Six
Even after the movie ends, we sit and cuddle and stare at each other, not saying anything. A hand rests at the small of my back when he takes a big breath and I feel him stiffen a little as he holds me.
"What happened earlier?" I murmur, trying to read his expression.
"I don’t want to scare you off with what I’m about to say."
I gaze up at him, a little uneasy about what he could possibly say to scare me away.
"Look, if you’re changing your mind after last night, Gavin, I’d completely…"
He interrupts with an index finger to my parted lips. His eyes blaze and I can’t take mine away from his.
"I want us to be exclusive, baby."
My heart stops and then immediately speeds back to a rapid beat, soaring at the sound of those words. He hasn’t changed his mind. He really wants to be with me, and I can see it in his eyes.
I gasp, rendered speechless, and his hand comes up to my cheek, his eyes clear of the darkness I saw before.
"Are you sure?" I whisper, my palm resting over his heart where I feel it beating just as fast as mine.
My chest fills with the desire for more with him. I skate my other hand to rest beside my left against his chest, just feeling his heart beat, his breaths.
Gavin smiles then, genuinely and places his hand over mine where they rest.
"You feel that?"
"Yes."
"You have such an effect on me. When I’m away from you, all I think about are your emerald green eyes and soft, vibrant smile. I want to be with you in every way possible. I don’t want you to do this with anyone else, just me."
I can’t help the way I smile at him and I grasp his hands in both of mine, hastily nodding my assent.
"No one else, I promise."
Then he kisses me. With a hand at the back of my neck and his arm wrapped tightly around my waist, he consumes me with his mouth, groaning when I suck on his bottom lip, nipping at it before I pull away.
"Ready for dinner?"
I grin, not being able to stop the joy this man incites within me. He helps me to my feet and holds my hand until we reach his car. God, I love this car.
"Jasmine, right?" I ask, running my hand down the hood of the car.
I see something pass over his features, telling me he doesn’t want to talk about it. Maybe the car, but not the girl.
"Hey, will you tell me about her?" I ask, squeezing his hand in mine, gauging his reaction.
Gavin slowly turns to me and runs a hand through his hair, opening the passenger door for me like a gentleman. I can't help thinking that his mother must have raised him right.
"Soon, okay?" I nod, sitting in the seat before he closes the door, and a minute later the engine revs to life. It vibrates underneath us and it elicits a shiver of excitement to spread up my back and to my fingers.
What would it feel like if I unbuckled my seat belt and slid over his lap right now, with the rumble and tug of a Jaguars engine underneath us? I find myself biting my lip as the fantasy takes hold of my mind and my body.
"What are you thinking about, baby?"
"Hang on tight, Ms. Morgan."
A delicious shiver runs through me at his deep voice, and the engine beneath us just excites me more.
When we pull onto a dirt road off of Eastern Avenue in South End, my eyes dart to Gavin, who has one hand on the steering wheel, the other interlaced in mine across my lap.
"What are you up to?"
He grins, not taking his eyes off the road.
"I’m taking my beautiful girl to dinner."
My heart skips a beat and I smile, biting down on my lip, his touch against my hand revving me to life.
"Oh, okay. I was just making sure you weren’t taking me down a deserted road to hack me to pieces like in The Texas Chainsaw Massacre. " He throws his head back and laughs, his eyes briefly flicking over to mine when we enter a clearing covered with green grass, and I see lilacs spread around the property.
I gasp, wondering where we are and how he knew what my favorite flower was.
A small brick building comes into view. It has a white door and small-town charm. There’s a gravel walkway leading to the door, and the glass windows reaching the entire height of the building tell me that the lights inside are dimmed and it most likely has a romantic feel.
The sign above the entrance is in the shape of an Italian pasta dish with twinkling lights hanging from it and it reads Amore per La Casa. I’m speechless, my eyes blinking in disbelief as I take it all in.
Gavin looks over at me, smiling in amusement and using his hands to hold my face. I close my eyes and open them again, leaning up and pressing my mouth to his in thanks.
"This is beautiful, Gavin," I whisper, leaning away and gazing into his eyes.
He chuckles and kisses my hand softly.
"Wait till you see inside, Aria."
I grin and kiss him again, deeper this time.
He kisses me back, his hand anchoring my head to his mouth, gripping my hip with the other. I feel the tightening in my core, wanting to kiss every possible surface of his skin, but knowing I can’t yet.
I’m breathless, forcing myself to pull away, my mouth tingling in aftershock from the kiss.
"How did you know?" I ask as he leads me up the walkway, his hand in mine.
"What?"
I lean down and pick up a lilac, cradling it in my palm.
"That this is my favorite flower. Did Kel tell you?"
He takes a step back, his eyes first filling with confusion and then with sheer excitement.
"Really, beautiful?"
I nod, my face stretching in happiness.
His eyes lock on to mine and he pulls me into him, wrapping an arm around my waist. The sweetest of kisses is pressed to my temple.
"Ever since yesterday, I’ve noticed you always smell like lilacs, Aria. It’s intoxicating and sweet, making it impossible for me to stay away from you."
Oh, my. How can a guy like this exist and actually like me? My head is swimming with excitement, and also with worry that somehow I’m going to wake up from this dream tomorrow.
Gavin opens the wooden door for me and we step inside, the southern charm of this quaint Italian restaurant taking my breath away.
"Do you own this?" I have to ask.
He smiles lopsidedly at me, shaking his head.
"I’m a silent owner. My grandmother founded this place and my cousin Anthony and his wife Stella have run it for the last six years. All I do is help keep it thriving financially. It’s amazing, isn’t it?"
I grin and nod, pulling him to the reception desk where an older woman with red curly hair and gray eyes smiles, welcoming us.
"Hey, Gavin. How are you doing, honey?" she says, her smile warm. Gavin takes her hand and smiles endearingly.
"I’m good, Stella. You look happy, as always. How’s my cousin these days?"
She grabs two menus and leads us up the stairs to a balcony table with only two chairs and a black top.
"He’s good, working hard. I swear he never stops!" She laughs lightly. "Will it just be you two tonight?"
Gavin smiles at me, pulling out a seat for me and grasping my hand before I sit.
"Yes, excuse my manners, please. Stella, this is Aria. Aria, this is Stella. She’s part owner of this restaurant."
I smile and shake her hand, amazed at how deep her eyes are.
"A pleasure. This is a wonderful place, Stella. Thank you for having us."
She tucks a loose strand of hair behind her ear, looking back to Gavin who places his hands on my shoulders, massaging gently.
"It’s our honor, Aria. Have a wonderful meal on me, please."
"Thank you, Stella," I say as she places our menus in front of us and heads back the way she came.
"She’s delightful, Gavin."
He smiles, his eyes alight with easy contentment.
"She is. I’m glad you got to meet her, Aria."
I smile back at him and pick up the menu, feeling lighter now that I’ve begun to see into the mystery that is Gavin Thomas. We order from what Stella recommends and I nibble on delicious bread and cheese as we wait.
"Here you go guys. Fresh from the oven. Do you need anything else at all?"
Stella graciously sets two steaming plates of food in front of us and refills our waters.
"No, no, thank you so much Stella. This looks amazing."
Gavin reaches across the table to take her hand in his, smiling at her in that charming way of his.
"Enjoy and please come back soon, OK?"
I nod around my first bite of pasta and hear Gavin speak to her some more.
"You’re quiet, beautiful," Gavin says after she excuses herself to serve another table and I look up from my fettuccine Alfredo with basil and see his eyes looking into mine.
"Oh, sorry, I was just thinking about how much I love this place. It’s so quaint and the food is delightful."
He doesn’t smile like I expected. He puts down his fork and looks into my eyes, taking my hand across the table, making it impossible for me to hide from him.
"I don’t think that’s all there is, Aria. I want us to be honest with each other. This is all so new to me and I don’t want to mess it up with you, beautiful. Please tell me what’s wrong."
I sigh, putting down my fork and wiping my mouth a little before his eyes capture mine again.
"I don’t know, you’re just so...unexpected. You make me feel different, happy, worthy, even beautiful. I like being with you so much, and this is all so amazing, Gavin."
He exhales, a small smile playing on his lips.
"I want to make you feel all those things and more, and I feel the same way. I didn’t plan to be so drawn to you like this, to feel this way, but it’s here and it’s amazing. Can’t we just enjoy it?"
"I want to. I just can’t help feeling like the floor’s going to come out from underneath me at some point. Gavin, good things don’t usually last for me."
Letting my hand go, he places two bills down on the table, then gets out of his seat and kneels beside me.
"Can I take you somewhere, beautiful?"
I nod, getting out of my seat. Gavin takes my hand in his and kisses my palm softly as we make our way out of the restaurant and, instead of leading me to the car, he walks toward the shoreline and onto the beach where I see the low tide.
There’s a white cotton blanket laid out across the sand with a single red rose in the center of it.
When I see it, my lips twitch and a smile is widening my mouth as Gavin lifts me easily into his arms. He sits us down and settles me in his lap so my legs are folded and I’m facing him. The need I see in his eyes takes my breath away.