39. Daire

THIRTY-NINE

daire

OF ALL THE stupid things I’d agreed to do in my life, this might be at the top of that list. The reflection from the mirror hanging on my door stared at the stranger standing in front of it, mocking my lust-hazed brain for writing checks I couldn’t cash.

Well, that wasn’t totally true. I had enough actual money to cover any check I’d be cashing tonight, but I was talking more emotional currency.

That, I was dirt fucking poor in. Always had been. And tonight that was going to be as obvious as the tie strangling me.

I reached up and pulled at it, slipping a finger behind the knot in an attempt to loosen the damn thing. But it was no use. It had been tied a year or so ago for an event I’d had to show up at, and after taking it on and off a handful of times since, the material had just cinched tighter.

Fuck it. I’d just have to grin and bear it. Too late to back out now.

Gavin had caught me in a post-climactic moment and sprung this invite when I was too blissed out to say no. Instead, I’d kissed him, promised the world, then fallen asleep—only to find him on the phone the next morning booking a table for four at one of New York’s finest restaurants.

He was a sneaky little shit, something I was coming to realize more and more each day, and the fact he was ballsy enough to pull those stealth tactics on me was all kinds of hot.

But dinner with his parents? That felt like some kind of test, one that came with expectations I knew I couldn’t live up to. What did I know about dealing with parents? It wasn’t like I had any experience to go off.

I sighed and ran a hand through my hair, wondering if I was going to be able to pull this off. I didn’t do this kind of thing. Go on dates, worry about another’s feelings, stress about meeting parents.

How could I, when I’d never had a relationship that went past the time it took to get ourselves off?

But this was Gavin, and things between us were getting…complicated.

What started out as a hot roll between the sheets had begun to feel more emotional over the last few days. I’d never really cared to get to know my hookups in the past, but the more I learned about Gavin, the more I wanted to.

He was quirky and kinda nerdy, but could also give it back as good as he got, and something about that scrappy side of him called to me, made me feel comfortable enough to let my walls down.

There was a connection there that went beyond the physical. One I was shit at navigating, for sure, but if he wanted me to meet his parents for dinner tonight, then I guess that was what I was gonna do.

It wasn’t like I hadn’t met them before. They were members of the Elysium, so I’d spoken to them, shaken their hands. But that was before I was sleeping with their youngest son.

How would they react to that? I didn’t have the best reputation in the group.

“Ah, there you are.” Gavin slipped inside my bedroom and came to an abrupt standstill when he caught sight of me. “Wow.”

I glanced to where he stood just inside my door, and felt my breath get caught in my throat. The picture he made was beyond gorgeous—a white dress shirt and slim-fit tartan suit and vest, a look that only he could pull off. It molded to all his lean lines, and in place of a standard tie he had a black bolo that had a big, puffy black flower at the neck’s center.

He’d swept his hair to one side, leaving all his smooth skin on display, and it was a stark reminder that he came from a family of fashion models. A career he could easily step into with how stunning he looked tonight.

“Wow yourself. Never thought wrapping paper could look so hot.”

“Wrapping paper?” Gavin strolled into my room and did a turn. “I’ll have you know this is an Alexander McQueen.”

I took hold of his hand, pulled him the last couple of steps to me, and kissed his pouty lips. “And I’ll have you know I was joking. You look fucking amazing.”

“Thank you. You look pretty damn amazing yourself.”

Yeah, as long as I don’t pass out from lack of oxygen with this blasted tie. “Thanks. Not my usual getup.”

Gavin smoothed a hand down my lapel. “But it suits you just the same.”

“I’ll take your word for it.”

“As you should. I’m the one looking at you, and”—he leaned back and ran his gaze down my black suit and shirt—“I like what I see a lot.”

“Uh huh.” I shook my head. “I look like a stuffed shirt.”

“Hardly. Try a dark, sexy prince, whose mission tonight is to corrupt me.”

I snorted. “That’s some imagination you’ve got. But you don’t need to kiss my ass, you know. I’m coming tonight either way.”

Gavin smirked. “Well, I thought you’d like my lips on your ass when you come, but if not…”

My cock definitely liked that idea, but since I was trying not to make a total ass of myself in front of Gavin’s parents, the last thing I wanted was for us to show up smelling like sex.

So I removed his hand and took a step back. “Ask me that again later.”

Gavin tilted his head to side, giving me another once-over. But this time he zeroed in on my fidgeting fingers as I tapped the side of my legs. His eyes saw a little too much, as always. “Are you okay? You seem a little… Are you nervous?”

“I’m about to meet your parents—what do you think?”

A bright smile lit Gavin’s entire face. “But you’ve already met my parents.”

“Not like this.” I gestured between us.

“And what’s this?” he asked, his eyes all but fucking twinkling at me. But I wasn’t walking into that one. I wasn’t putting labels on things, especially not tonight.

God knew I never got things right—what would make him think I knew what he was thinking?

“Nothing, I just meant dressed like this.”

“Uh huh, sure you did. But there’s no need to be nervous.” He stopped by the door and turned back to give me one last look. “You look perfect. They’re going to love you, just like— Um, hurry, yeah? We’re going to be late.”

My heart thudded under his lingering gaze, because for a moment there, I could’ve sworn Gavin was about to say: Just like I do.

But that was crazy, right?

THIS WAS TURNING out so much worse than I’d originally thought. From the moment we stepped out of the Sprinter and I’d seen where we were dining—Le Bernardin—I knew I was screwed.

It was one of the most expensive restaurants in the city, not to mention the most elegant, and even though I moved in circles that expected this kind of a meal whenever they ate out, I felt like a fish out of water.

“Stop fiddling with your tie.”

Damn it.I hadn’t even realized I was doing that. I shook my head, and Gavin leaned in to my side, brushing the back of his hand along mine.

“Breathe, would you? It’s just dinner.”

Yeah, dinner with his supermodel mom and uber-powerful cable network CEO dad, who would expect me to know how to sit and act in a restaurant of this caliber. Problem was, I generally zoned out on formal occasions and spent most of my time at the bar. Something I didn’t think was going to help me a whole lot tonight.

“Maybe I should just go. Let you three have dinner, and we could meet up after.” That sounded like a good idea to me, until I made the mistake of looking at Gavin, whose wide eyes had filled with disappointment.

“Oh, um, well, if you’re really that uncomfortable…”

Now I felt like a total shit. Here was Gavin trying to introduce me to two of the people he cared about the most, and I was once again weighing him down with my baggage.

“Nah, I’m good. Just not used to the whole suit and tie getup.”

His disappointment was instantly replaced by a good-natured smile as he took my hand and pulled me out of the doorway and over to one of the shrubberies lining the front of the building.

“I can help with that.” A second later, he reached for my tie and hooked a finger through the tight knot, loosening it. Then he unfastened and pulled the material free of its stranglehold, sliding it from my neck. “There. How’s that?”

“Better.”

Gavin grinned, then flicked open the top three buttons of my shirt and spread it apart, before reaching up and ruffling his fingers through my hair.

“As much as I liked the slicked-back, chic version of you I found in your bedroom tonight, I’m kind of fond of my rough diamond.”

“Oh yeah?”

Gavin put his palm over my chest, and the tie tickled my bare skin as he moved up to his toes and kissed my cheek. “Yeah, it’s my favorite find ever.”

I cradled his face between my hands and lowered my head, whispering across his lips, “What the hell are you doing to me?”

“Right now? Taking you to dinner.”

I closed my eyes and took in a deep breath, his cologne filling my head with something I wasn’t at all familiar with—hope and possibilities. It was a heady feeling, one that made me feel a little trippy as I gripped the hand on my chest and touched the tie he still held.

“What are we going to do with this?”

Gavin smiled mischievously as he stepped around me, looked both ways, then quickly stuffed it into the shrubbery. “Ta-da. Magic.”

His grin was so ridiculous that I couldn’t help but reach for him and steal a kiss.

“All right, let’s go meet the parental units.”

Gavin nodded and headed toward the restaurant door, and I opened it before he could, catching his eye with a wink.

A pink hue colored his cheeks as he stepped up to the hostess and gave his name, and moments later we were making our way through the tables and chairs toward a table in the back. I immediately spotted Gavin’s mom laughing at something his dad had just said. She had a hand resting over his on top of the table and was leaning in to him with an open smile on her face, love and admiration shining up at her husband.

It was easy to see where Gavin and Donovan got their carefree, loving nature from. Even after all these years, Kimberly Thompson was the very epitome of a woman in love.

“Gavin.” She got to her feet, coming around the table to greet her son with a hug and kiss to both cheeks before she stood back and gave him a thorough once-over. “Don’t you look gorgeous.”

“As do you.” He laughed, holding their hands out and gesturing to her dress. “Dior?”

“Mhmm. Arrived just in time for tonight.”

Something Mr. Truitt was clearly happy about, judging by the way he couldn’t take his eyes off his wife.

“But enough about that. Daire, it’s lovely to see you tonight. Gavin here told me you’d be joining us.”

“Yes. Thank you for inviting me.” I tried my hardest for a smile, but as out of practice as I was, I wondered if it looked more like a snarl.

“So how long have you two been cozying up with one another?”

“Mom.”

“What? I didn’t misunderstand that, did I? I thought you said you were dating?”

“Oh my God.” Gavin shook his head, his embarrassment a tangible thing as he stood next to me looking everywhere but at me. “We aren’t even sitting down yet.”

His mom’s lips tipped into a coy smile as she gestured to the table. “Then by all means, please sit.”

I swallowed around the lump in my throat, wondering if anyone would notice if I just excused myself for the restroom and never came back.

“Kimberly, get back over here.” Gavin’s dad held his hand out to her, and she scooted in beside him. “You could’ve at least ordered them a drink before you started in on them.”

“Oh, stop it.” She waved a hand through the air. “You know me. When I’m excited about something, I can’t help myself.”

She was excited about the idea of my dating Gavin? Not horrified? I had to have heard that wrong.

“I think I always knew,” she said, grinning at the two of us. “There was just something special there.”

Gavin cleared his throat, and it was as if the nerves I’d been feeling all evening and afternoon were suddenly transferred to him. He was fidgeting with the hem of his suit jacket, and I reached over to put my hand over the top of his.

“I think you might be right,” I finally said, and Gavin’s eyes widened.

Gavin’s parents looked between the two of us with something I’d never expected to see directed my way—approval—and I decided right then the Truitt clan was pretty damn amazing.

“So was it the move that finally brought you both together?”

“Seriously, Mom?” Gavin snagged one of the waiters passing by. “Could I please get a gin and dubonnet, and a—” He looked my way.

“Reposado neat for me.”

The waiter nodded, and Gavin added, “As soon as possible.”

As he hurried off, Kimberly, not to be deterred, picked right up with where she’d left off.

“But it was so nice of Jacques to let you boys switch around like that. Especially with Kelly moving in with Van. This way, you won’t all be tripping over each other.”

Something I’d rather not think about at all. Donovan and Kelly were cool, but the last thing I wanted was an up-close, live version of a porn video I’d already watched. And I knew for damn sure Gavin didn’t want to see that.

So Mr. LaRue—West’s dad, and the CEO of the Towers—had definitely done us a solid letting us play musical apartments. Kind of like the way he’d urged me to take one of them in the first place.

If it hadn’t been for his sizing me up as some loner in the corner at one of the Elysium events and suggesting I move into the Towers, I never would’ve met Gavin or the rest or the group, and I was just starting to realize how boring my life would’ve been.

“Well, I for one am happy to hear about all this,” Mr. Truitt said before taking a sip of his drink. “It makes a father worry a little less knowing his youngest has a strapping young man like you looking out for him.”

Looking out for Gavin? Oh shit, was he talking about what me and the guys had done to Joey and his douchebag friends? Had Donovan told them? No way.

“Gavin explained how you stepped in at the end of the year when he broke up with Joey.” Mr. Truitt’s eyes darkened, and I wondered how much he actually knew about what really happened. “We never got a chance to thank you back then for making sure he was okay, so I’d like to now. Thank you.”

“Yeah, of course.” I nodded. “No one will ever hurt him again.”

I meant every word of that, too. But as we picked up the menu and placed our orders, the table fell quiet, and the same old fears I’d always lived with began to creep back in. The ones that were always there, lurking in the shadows. The ones that told me I wasn’t good enough.

Because while I wouldn’t let anyone else ever hurt Gavin again, that didn’t mean I wouldn’t.

Did it?

Gavin reached under the table and took my hand, lacing our fingers, and I could see pride and respect shimmering in his eyes. And I knew right then that no, I would never hurt this beautiful man sitting beside me either.