Smells of breakfast wafted up her nose as she made her way downstairs. Her stomach turned. She padded into the kitchen. Gage’s back was to her, and he wielded a spatula at the stove. Dressed in a T-shirt and plaid lounge pants, he moved fluidly, and she watched him for a moment. He must have sensed her because he wheeled and offered her a tentative smile.
“Better this morning?”
She gave him an overzealous head bob. “All good, thanks.”
His eyebrows knotted. “That must’ve been one hell of a dream. What was it about?”
“Um, nothing.” She let out a nervous laugh. “I mean, I don’t remember. You know how dreams are.”
“Yeah.” He gave her a skeptical look before turning back to his cooking. “You hungry?”
Her eyes caught on his square shoulders. She loved looking at them. Loved running her hands over them. She shook herself from her wandering thoughts. “I could eat a little.”
Soft music played in the background while he plated omelet, potatoes, and fruit. They sat silently at the counter. His plate half-finished, he straightened on his stool, a playful smile dancing on his lips. “I didn’t give you that nightmare, did I? I mean, with how I woke you up …”
Her hand flew to her neck and grasped her chain. His gaze dipped to the movement. “What? Of course not!” Her volume was set to high.
The ghost of a frown touched his brows before he turned back to his meal. “So something we didn’t talk about yesterday,” he paused for a swallow of juice, “is what’s up with the gig?”
She nibbled at her potatoes. “The gig?”
“Derek’s gig?” He used air quotes on the last word, and though his expression was guileless, her temper flared white. She couldn’t say why.
She arched an eyebrow at him. “What about the gig?” She tossed the air quotes right back.
Surprise flitted across his face, and he threw up his hands in surrender. “Sorry. I only wondered if you were going to do it.”
“Why does it bother you?” Her voice sliced through the air between them.
Leaning his elbows on the countertop, he blew out a breath. “I guess it’s the idea of guys—lots of guys—eye-fucking you, lining you up in their sights.”
“I can handle it.”
“I know you can. Doesn’t mean I like it.”
Her temper spiked again, and she felt like a train about to derail, still with little idea why. “You’re talking as if you have a say.”
Something hard passed through his eyes—something she’d never seen before—vanishing as quickly as it appeared.
She cleared her throat. “So what is it with you and Derek anyway?”
“You want honest?”
Did she? She was trying to balance on a teeter-totter of emotions. One false move and she’d be on her ass.
She nodded.
“I’m not fond of the guy, and I’m pretty sure he isn’t fond of me.”
She laughed bitterly. “This would be obvious to a blind person. Still doesn’t answer what you have against him.”
Gage’s blue eyes, different shades today, pierced hers. “Look, I’m glad he’s in your life. It’s obvious he cares about you and Daisy. He’s a stand-up guy.”
“But?”
“But … besides being a constant reminder of his brother, I think he’d like to put the moves on you.”
“You’re crazy!” she yelped. Gage was only saying it because his inner caveman saw everyone as a rival.
“I’m going to fuck you until every man smells me on you and knows you’re mine.”
Last night, she’d reveled in his possessiveness. This morning, it rubbed her like gravel on a raw spot.
He regarded her intently.
She rolled her eyes and threw down her napkin. “I never should’ve told you! You’re just acting jealous.”
“Can you blame me?” he sighed. “Lily, it can’t come as a surprise how I feel about you. Maybe I’m jealous of Derek because I want to be that guy for you—the one you depend on.”
Before yesterday, Gage’s confession would have let loose a squadron of fluttery things in her belly. Today? Today everything was off kilter, and his words had her stomach clenching and her defenses flailing to hoist boundaries. Too little, too late. She’d let it go too far. They were straying into territory she hadn’t paid attention to, and she was suddenly terrified, frantically backpedaling. Confusing emotions roiled inside her, and she fought an urge to run.
She pulled in a lungful of air. “Gage, there’s no denying the physical attraction between us is off the charts. It’s intoxicating. In fact, I might need to check into rehab to get over my addiction to you,” she laughed. He didn’t.
He sat quietly. When he finally spoke, he softly asked, “Where do you see things going between us, Lily?”
Where did she see things going? Not forward, but she didn’t want to go backward either. There was no escaping the bubbling lake of molten fire at her core whenever he was around. She loved how he smelled and tasted and the feel of his heavy body on top of her. Loved running her hands over him, loved the hardness of his muscles, loved how quickly and how big he grew when she touched him. Loved how he held her at night as though she were a treasure. He made her feel things she’d never felt before.
Was it all about sex?
No. Because she loved talking to him, loved how easy it was to be with him. She trusted him. Felt safe with him. Loved how he treated Daisy. How he treated everyone.
But she couldn’t escape the sinking notion she felt too much, that it was too soon.
“Why do things have to go anywhere?” she said in a near-whisper to keep it from coming out in a squawk. “Can’t they just stay the way they are?”
He twirled his now-empty juice glass. “I spoke to Grandma yesterday. She was having a lucid day, and we talked a long time. Before she zoned out, she said something that’s had me thinking ever since.” He caught her eyes with his. “Life’s short. You grab and go, and you hang on. Full-out. You probably know
