Total pages in book: 59
Estimated words: 55458 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 277(@200wpm)___ 222(@250wpm)___ 185(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 55458 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 277(@200wpm)___ 222(@250wpm)___ 185(@300wpm)
“It’s against the law,” I assured him in a serious tone. The smile Gavin sent my way had my blood boiling in my veins to the point I felt beads of sweat pop up on my forehead and all around my hairline. “Maybe I shouldn’t, though,” I told him as I had an attack of conscience. “You’re a patient of the hospital.” It was an excuse and we both knew it.
But Gavin wasn’t the kind of guy who would let that kind of statement go unchallenged. He scoffed and shook his head. “The whole damn town is a patient of your hospital—doesn’t stop you from fraternizing, does it?”
I shook my head.
“Besides, I have a doctor and you’re not him, so enjoy having a meal with me. Please.”
It was the please that got to me, and I nodded. “Fine, but only because you asked so nicely.”
“And because I’m so handsome and charming?”
My eyes rolled on their own and he let out a loud laugh that suffused my blood with even more heat. “You’re so modest, Gavin. Has anyone ever told you that before?”
Not that I can remember, and I have an excellent memory,” he joked and poured the wine.
“You’re not going to tell me all about the vintage and the grapes and the uniqueness of the soil this wine was harvested in?” It was a cynical question, but Gavin wouldn’t be the first man to show off his limited wine knowledge.
Gavin shrugged. “No fucking clue, honestly. I get tons of swag bags and I usually let my assistants and staff have everything but the booze.”
“Really? That’s sweet.” It wouldn’t do me any good to think of Gavin like a human, a real person. He was a celebrity, a world-famous rock star who would book it out of town the first chance he got.
“What can I say? I’m a sweetheart.”
I pointed a fork at him and couldn’t stop smiling. “There’s that modesty showing again.”
Gavin ate like a man, not a gentleman. He held his fork like he knew how to eat in good company, but he dug in, taking big, manly bites until almost half the lasagna was gone. “Damn, that’s good. What do you think?”
“I think I’d better invest in a treadmill.”
“No way. I think you ought to take a long hard look in the mirror, babe, because you are a hot fudge sundae with nuts. And a splash of extra caramel.”
I didn’t know how to respond to such a compliment from such a potent man like Gavin, but my body stood up and took notice. My nipples were hard, my thighs clenched tight, and my breathing sped up to the point I was almost hyperventilating. “Why did you decide to live with your grandfather?”
He blinked and I wondered if I over stepped. “Easy. My parents were a train wreck. They weren’t abusive or anything like that, but together, they just couldn’t seem to make it work and they spent so much time fighting and making each other jealous they often forgot there was a kid in the middle of it all.”
“Damn, that sucks. I’m sorry. Are you close to them now?”
“Not really, but I’m adult now so I don’t have to be in the middle of their drama. Dad is on his fourth marriage, but this one has lasted for more than a decade so I suppose he’s found a good match.”
“And your mother?”
“Ah, Mom is on marriage number six to some kind of rich telecommunications guy down in Argentina. They were good people, but Granddaddy offered stability and I took it.”
That was sweet. “You needed that stability to live the life of a rock star?”
“I’ve got layers,” he joked. “Besides, with my grandparents, I was able to focus on the music. I learned to play a few instruments and spent hours writing songs in a notebook. I probably would’ve been out starting trouble if I’d stayed with either of my parents.”
My brows rose in surprise and I lifted my half-empty wine glass in the air. “To having layers.”
“To unexpected gems in the strangest places.” His green eyes held mine for a long moment and I felt my heart skip a beat.
He wasn’t talking about me. No one ever called me a gem before.
“What about you, Suzie? Tell me about your family.”
I frowned. “My family, why?”
“Because I’m curious to know more about you.”
He seemed sincere enough so I took another sip of wine and started talking, pretending this didn’t feel like a first date with a rock star. “My parents, the ones who gave birth to me, died in a fire when I was three years old. I don’t remember them at all, not even what they look like.” I hated that not one photo survived. I’d spent a long time searching for one before it was just too heartbreaking. “When I was five I met the Wrights, Olivia and Ephraim. After trying for years to have a baby of their own, they gave up and adopted me. I was the luckiest girl in the world. They were kind and smart, and everything was perfect. Three years after I arrived, Mom got pregnant with Drew.”