He slowly dragged his bottom lip between his teeth, ending it with a luscious popping sound. "Well, the same goes for you then. "
She kinked her head to the side and let out a sigh. "Such a smart ass. You've already warned me about not bringing any attention to my lips. " She covered her mouth with her hand, the rest of her words coming out muffled from beneath. "Is this better?" He nodded and laughed. "But I don't look at you like I want to rip your clothes off, and surely, I don't touch you. "
He shrugged casually. "Since we're being honest, you have no idea how I would love it if you touched me again. "
She dropped her hand from her mouth and let it hang open for a second. "See, this is exactly what I'm talking about," she said, turning on her heel to walk away from him.
Letting out a full throaty laugh, he jogged over to her and gently grabbed her elbow. She eyed his hand. He quickly let go and smiled. "Emily, I'm just kidding with you. Come on, it's just jokes. . . it's who I am, really. "
She cocked a brow, unable to keep the smile off her face as he stood there with an innocent boyish grin. She knew he was anything but. "If you want me to go with you today, you keep your hands to yourself, Blake. Got it? If not, I will make you pay severely for it. "
"Sounds kinky," he smirked. She sighed. "However, I'm nothing but a peasant to your request of being a gentleman," he playfully bowed. "Now let's go. We need to catch the number four. "
"Wait, we're taking the bus?"
"Uh, no," he laughed. "The number four's the subway. "
"Oh, I thought we would drive?"
"Hell no. " He took the backpack from her and tossed it over his shoulder. "We're doing this certified New York, doll. "
Despite her surprise that she was actually going to spend the day with him, Emily followed, and a couple of city blocks later, they hopped onto the subway. Between a teenage couple making out as if they were at a house party, a guy in a flowered sundress talking to himself while eating Chinese food with his hands, and the mass of overly aggressive Yankees fans chanting "Let's go, Yankees," Emily was more than thrilled when they finally arrived at the stadium.
Once there, they both got something to eat. Emily ordered a hot dog and a bottle of water, and Gavin chose a bag of peanuts and a beer. He showed Emily to their seats, which happened to be right behind home plate. Gavin looked like a kid in a candy store, and Emily found it cute to see a man of such power getting so excited over being at a baseball game.
Gavin glanced at his watch as the stadium slowly started to fill. "We have some time. The game will start within thirty minutes. "
Emily nodded and looked down to her phone, noticing she had a missed call from Dillon. She shifted in her seat and began to rethink what she had actually gotten herself into - now that she found herself alone with Gavin at the game. She debated whether or not to tell Dillon where she was, but before she could delve too far into her self-imposed dilemma, Gavin spoke up.
"Let's play fifty questions while we're waiting for the game to start," he popped a peanut into his mouth. "I get to go first. "
"B
ullshit, you went first the last time. I get to go first. "
He laughed. "You don't miss a beat, do you?"
"Not usually. "
"Okay, seems fair. Ask me something. "
Emily's mind roved over what she knew she wanted to ask him but was unsure if she should. Nonetheless, it was her turn to let her curiosity get the better of her. "I want to know why you and your ex-fiancee broke up. "
His expression became guarded for a moment as he stared off into the stands. Emily saw the bright blue of his eyes change as though a cloud passed by overhead - and in that moment, she regretted bringing it up.
He leaned forward, placing his beer on the ground, and then looked back to Emily. "Hmm, my first question addressed to you the last time we played was about your favorite ice cream flavor. You're going straight for the kill, I see. "
"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have asked that," she whispered, looking down to the ground.
"No, it's okay. I just wasn't expecting that right out the gate. But I feel comfortable talking to you about it. "
Emily's head snapped up. "You do?"
"Yeah, for some reason, I do. " Pulling in a breath, he leaned back in his seat and hesitated for a few seconds. "She left me because Blake Industries was going under at one point. My father offered Colton and me the funds to keep it afloat. But us Blake boys tend to be a little stubborn, and we refused his help, knowing we would get it back on track on our own. " He ran his hand through his hair. "I explained everything to her, letting her know that we needed to cut back on some of our spending until I could resurrect the company. She argued with me that I should accept my father's money and called me crazy for thinking we could get back on our feet without his help. Along with Colton, I was firm on my decision not to take the money though. She was living with me in my penthouse after we got engaged. I came home one day after work to a letter - in beautiful handwriting, I have to add - saying that she couldn't take the risk of not living the life I had afforded her. " He reached down for his beer, took a sip, and exhaled a breath. "Five years together and her goodbye to me. . . was a letter. "
Emily searched his eyes and was able to see the pain that swirled beyond them. "You loved her," she whispered.
He gave a quick shrug. "Yeah, she broke my heart. I thought she loved me for the man I was without the glitz and money. I mean, when we first met, I was in my senior year of college, so it wasn't that I was as successful as I eventually became. She betrayed the faith that I had in love when she left. " He pressed his lips into a hard line. "Don't get me wrong; looking back on it now, I know we weren't made for one another. One, she was too concerned about the way we appeared in public - anything from what cars her and I drove to what parties we attended in the city. " He rubbed at his chin absently and continued. "She wasn't like that when we first met; the change was gradual. Our biggest difference was that she made it clear she never wanted children. I loved her enough to consider a life without having any, but like I said, looking back, she wouldn't have been worth giving up the chance to have a family. "
A faint smile touched Emily's mouth. "You want kids?"
"I want bucketloads tucked neatly into a minivan," he laughed.
"Gavin Blake in a minivan?"
"Absolutely," he replied, reaching for his beer. "A funky forest green one, too. "
Emily laughed for a moment at his admission. Out of the corner of her eye, she watched as he adjusted his baseball cap, feeling a little shocked by everything he just told her. She was now starting to understand his need for filling voids.
"So you haven't seen her since?"
"I have actually. I saw her recently to tell you the truth. "
"So how did that go?" she asked reluctantly.
"It was. . . interesting. I ran into her while out with a couple of my buddies. She talked a bunch of shit, saying she was happy to see the company doing well again. She admitted she missed me and still loved me, and then she confessed that leaving me was the biggest mistake of her life. " He popped another peanut in his mouth and smiled. "You can see where I'm going with this, right?"
"Yes. Now that you're financially secure again, she wants you back. "
"Bingo, doll. I knew you were quick. " He took a swig of his beer. "Besides, her name is Gina, and mine, of course, is Gavin - two Gs. I think it was an omen or something - destined to not work out. "
Although he laughed, Emily could still see the leftover pain in his eyes and decided at that point to drop the subject altogether. "I got the invitation you sent to me and Dillon. "
"I was going to ask you about that," he replied, motioning to one of the workers selling beers. He ordered another and turned to Emily. "I figured it would interest you, considering. . . well, you know. "
"Yes, and thank you for the invite, but what is it that your mother does exactly?"
"Since she knows she's blessed being a survivor herself, she started an organization to raise money for those in the New York area affected by the disease - women who are either in the midst of battling breast cancer or in remission and the families of women who died from the disease. The donations collected at the benefit are spread out to help pay for ongoing treatment, follow-up care, or - God forbid - funeral expenses incurred by the families. "
Emily breathed out. "It's beautiful that she does that. "
"Yeah, this will be the tenth year since she founded it. She throws it every October during Breast Cancer Awareness Month. It's pretty spectacular, too. Black tie, champagne, and all of New York's well-to-do gathering for one evening to spend their money on something other than a fucking cruise to Fiji or a new car. "
Emily laughed. "Well, we'll definitely be there. "
"And I'm happy that you will. "
With not a cloud in the sky, the opening ceremony began, and soon after, the game was in full swing. A hard crack of the bat, plunging the ball into the outfield, started the Yankees off on a high note. Throughout the game, Gavin repeatedly brought unwanted attention to Emily, letting every Yankees fan within earshot know that she was rooting for the underdogs, the Baltimore Orioles. Fans from the front, side, and behind them booed her every time the Orioles scored a point. She playfully nudged Gavin, promising retaliation in whatever form she could conjure up. Still hungry and feeling more relaxed with the overall situation, Emily ordered a pretzel and decided to have a beer with Gavin. By the bottom of the seventh inning, the game was tied four-four, bases loaded with the Yankees up to bat.
Gavin smirked in Emily's direction and rubbed his hands together. "Your 'birds' are about to go down. "
"You seem pretty confident about that," she laughed, looking at him. "I wouldn't be too sure though. "
Gavin's eyes flicked down to the corner of her mouth where there was the smallest amount of mustard, painfully awaiting for him to wipe it off. Without even thinking - in one swift motion - he brought his hand up to her lip, and with the pad of his thumb, he whisked it away.
Startled by his sudden movement, Emily flinched back.
"There was. . . mustard on your lip," he slowly replied. Quelling the urge to lick it off his finger, he grabbed a napkin.
"You broke the no-touching-me rule," she breathed out, ignoring what her body was fighting so hard to deny. Even as fleeting as it was, his touch felt insanely good in an insanely bad way.
In one quick stroke, he flicked his gaze down to her lips and then back up to her eyes. "I could've let it stay there. "
"And you could've told me about it, too, wiseass. " A smile twisted his mouth, one so contagious that she couldn't help but respond with a smile of her own. "Looks like I have to follow through on my promise and make you pay severely for not playing fair. "
He cocked an incredulous brow. "Not that I'm against public affection, especially with you, but how do you plan on accomplishing that in a stadium filled with people?"
Emily shot him an evil grin and leaned forward, tapping her finger on the shoulder of a woma
n seated in the row in front of them.
The woman and her friend sitting next to her turned around.
"I'm very sorry to bother you," Emily said to the blonde. "My friend here is interested in giving you his number. He finds you very attractive and didn't have the nerve to say anything to you himself. Do you have a boyfriend?"
Gavin smiled, shook his head, and all but buried his face in his hands with embarrassment.
The woman and her friend laughed. "I actually don't have a boyfriend right now. "
"Well, not that it would matter if you did because that doesn't deter my friend here, but it's all the better that you don't," Emily replied coolly. "Do you have a pen and a paper for him?"
The woman dug in her purse, retrieved a pen, and ripped out a piece of her checkbook. She handed it to Emily, and in turn, Emily handed it to Gavin.
"There ya go, pal. Jot down those digits for the pretty lady," Emily laughed and nudged him with her elbow. "And stop being so damn shy when it comes to picking up women. "
With his dimpled smile, Gavin quickly scribbled on the piece of paper and handed it back to the woman.
She took a quick look at it and smiled back at him. "Gavin, huh? Cute name to go with that cute face. You'll definitely be hearing from me. "
Gavin nodded, and Emily laughed.
"You're ruthless," he whispered, throwing a peanut shell at Emily's head.
Laughing, she plucked it out. "I warned you. "
Many chucked peanut shells into Emily's hair later, the game ended with the Yankees winning by three. During the entire subway ride back to Manhattan, Gavin took great pride in reminding her of the score every few minutes. He also confessed that the number he had jotted down for the woman at the game was a fake. His defense was that he was no longer into women with blonde hair. Shaking her head, Emily laughed and sassed him about his little lie. He made sure to see her home, catching a taxi with her back to her apartment building. After asking the driver to run the meter, he walked her up to the entrance.
Once again, Emily offered him her hand. "It was a pleasure hanging out with you today, Gavin. "
"I can shake your hand?" he smiled. "I don't want to break any more rules. "
"Yes, it's fine. "
He obliged and took her hand, experiencing the same rush of heat he had felt every other time he had the chance to touch her. Feeling like a malicious entity - selfish and wanting - he eventually let go. "The pleasure was all mine. "
Drawing in a deep breath, Emily watched as he walked back over to the taxi and drove away.
Riding the elevator up to her apartment, her head grew pleasantly fuzzy, thinking of the wonderful day she had spent with Gavin. She tried to get her nerves to settle because she knew she shouldn't have been with him at all. The balance was hell, but the release was sweet in a disturbing way. She learned things about him that she had never thought possible. Something nudged in her chest, a heightened longing for him mixed with hurt for what he had gone through.
In an effort to take her mind off him, she concentrated on the fact that Dillon would most likely be awaiting her arrival. To her relief, he was comfortably splayed out across her couch when she walked in. Over the next hour, he thoroughly filled her in on his achievement of landing one of the largest accounts his firm had acquired in more than ten years.
Although she debated on whether or not to tell him about her day spent with Gavin, she decided against it, not wanting to dismantle Dillon's happiness. Now all she had to do was convince herself that Dillon's happiness was actually the reason she would hide such a thing. She settled the self-argument firing up in her head as simply as she could.
He didn't ask how her day went, so she didn't tell.