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He could handle one more day. “Does she want to meet me—as your boyfriend?” It sounded juvenile, calling himself Stasia’s boyfriend. Lover, yes, somewhat, though the term implied a far more intimate relationship than what they’d shared. Partner was too formal.
None of it fit. Attorney fucking around with his client? That was it in a nutshell.
He felt like a slimy shit just thinking it.
“She does. She’s excited to meet you, so please don’t say or do anything awful.” Stasia nodded as he smoothed his thumb back and forth across the back of her neck. “She promised me she would be at dinner tonight. I hope she shows up.”
“She will. And I may not like this, but I won’t sabotage you, Stasia. I would never do that.”
She offered him a grim smile. “Thank you.”
He whipped her around with a simple turn of his hands so they faced each other. Grabbing her arms, he settled them around his neck so she had no choice but to cling to him. “I’m serious.”
“And so am I.” She tightened her grip around him, slid her fingers into his hair and tugged ever so slightly. “Thank you, Gavin.”
She kissed him. Which sent him reeling, as foolish as that sounded. But God, it was the truth. Her salty sweet lips clung to his in the gentlest of kisses. A simple kiss that had his cock rising and his blood heating, that made him want to fling her over his shoulder and cart her out of the ocean, straight to her little car where he would toss her onto the backseat and push aside her bikini bottom, shove his cock so deep inside her he’d come in an instant.
Yeah. He didn’t do any of that. Merely watched with mute fascination as she disentangled herself from him. Shot a little smile his way before she turned her back on him and headed toward shore. “Are you coming?” she called.
He would’ve been if he had his way. And so would she. “Yeah,” he said, taking a deep breath before he launched himself into the water and went chasing after her.
Chapter Ten
“Your young man is lovely.” Claudia smiled at her daughter as she held her wineglass poised before her lips. “So handsome and articulate.”
“You really think so?” Stasia glanced in Gavin’s direction. He stood at the opposite end of the table, engrossed in some sort of business conversation on his cell. He’d asked for her permission to take the call earlier, a request that had surprised her, and touched her as well. He was showing polite deference, like they were a real couple and he didn’t want to disturb what should be an important night for her. Considering the meal had long been over and they were sitting around chatting outside in the darkening night, she didn’t have a problem with his taking the call.
Considering he wasn’t her real boyfriend, she really shouldn’t have a problem.
“Don’t play coy with me, Anastasia.” The firm tone in her mother’s voice made her jerk her gaze away from Gavin to find her mother watching her with a bemused smile. “You seem quite entranced by him.”
“Well, he is, like you mentioned, handsome,” Stasia said somewhat bitterly.
Her mother laughed. “And he’s quite taken with you as well.”
Stasia waved a hand, dismissing her words yet asking, “How can you tell?” Her mother would concoct some sort of romantic story, no doubt. Of true love and meaningful looks and how they went hand in hand. Utter nonsense, but Stasia would humor her, agree with everything Claudia said because how could she argue?
She didn’t want to arouse suspicion, especially since tonight had gone so well.
“He’s completely smitten, considering the way he looks at you, no? He clearly adores you.” The secretive smile curving her mother’s lips made her nervous. “Are you two in love?”
“Mama,” Stasia quietly chastised, hoping Gavin hadn’t heard that particular question. “We’ve only started dating.”
“Hmm, you’ve said that already. But there seems to be such a strong connection between the two of you. It’s so sweet.” The wistful expression on Claudia’s face was unmistakable. “To be so young and falling for each other, falling in love. There is no other feeling like it, is there?”
Stasia remained silent, believing it best she not acknowledge the statement. Like she’d know. She’d never been in love in her life and she certainly wasn’t falling for Gavin. Oh, she carried a healthy dose of lust for him that she couldn’t deny. Lust mixed with irritation because they still argued.
Argue and arouse. That was their pattern. It set her on edge, made her nervous, made her uncomfortable, made her…feel.
They’d done their best to pretend they were a couple for her mother’s sake, she and Gavin. He’d been agreeable, had even made up a story of how they first met as they drove back to the villa so they could have the facts straight. Pretending to be the attentive lover when introduced to her mother, he never left Stasia’s side throughout the meal, idly touching her in the most casual yet intimate ways. Grasping her hand, pressing his hand to the small of her back, tangling his fingers in her hair at her nape. She’d worn her hair up in a high ponytail, held her breath every time he touched her neck, the stray tendrils that rested there. Having her hair stroked was a secret weakness and it was as if he sensed it.
Lucky her.
She touched him in return, feeling downright possessive as the night went on. Looping her arm through his when they walked outside onto the terrace, resting her hand on his thigh for that one brief moment, feeling his hard muscles beneath her palm. Wishing she were brave enough to slide her hand up further.
Her cheeks heated and she shook her head. That she could have these thoughts while sitting with her mother proved Gavin Westmore held some sort of sexual magic over her. A rather disturbing, potent magic that both captivated and revolted her.
“He’s very successful, isn’t he? I sense he is a young man who’s worked extremely hard to get where he is,” her mother observed.
