I set my mug down. “That’s where you’re wrong.”
Gavin
She’s acting like nothing’s wrong. That I didn’t hurt her when I pretty much ended our correspondence when I left the Army. But I know her well enough to know that she is upset by all of it. “Cassie,” I start, trying to get her attention, but she just holds up her hand, indicating to give her a minute.
“I’ll be right back.”
I sit on the sofa and think back through the day. Her showing up here is the biggest surprise I’ve ever had. She could have left the Christmas decorations, cookies, all of it at home. Her being here is enough to make me happy.
I slide my hands down the front of my jeans and try to make room. That kiss did a number on me. The last thing I want to do is take advantage of her. I need to stick with the plan. We celebrate Christmas together and I let her leave. That’s that.
I’m waiting patiently for Cassie to return when the doorbell rings. I tug at my jeans again when I get up and go to open the door.
I no sooner open the door than I realize my mistake. I should have looked through the peephole. I’ve let my guard down, and that’s just another effect of being with Cassie. She makes me vulnerable. It’s my neighbor from up the road. She must have found out somehow that I was back in town, probably the gossipy old lady at the grocery store.
“Gavin, hey, I wanted to stop by.” I try to block the door, but she pushes past me. “I made you some dinner.”
Shocked, I stand looking at Jennifer—wait, maybe her name was Heather. I met her when I was on leave over a year ago. I took her out and brought her here and I let myself get carried away making out with her. Luckily, I stopped myself before things got too out of hand, but now, by looking at the way she’s dressed, she looks as if she’s ready to pick up where we left off.
“Hey, uh, thank you but we already ate,” I tell her.
She must not have heard when I said we—or she doesn’t care—because she keeps walking toward the kitchen. “That’s okay. I can put it away, and we can catch up.” She turns and lifts her eyebrows at me when she says catch up, and instantly I get her meaning.
Right at the moment Heather—or is it Jennifer?—walks back into the living room, Cassie walks in carrying a big stack of wrapped presents. I take them from her and set them on the chair behind me. “Cassie…” I start, wanting to explain but am interrupted.
“Oh! Hello, I didn’t know we had visitors.” The woman in the low cut dress and bright red lipstick walks toward Cassie with her hand held out. “I’m Jennifer.”
Cassie looks surprised and dare I say a little hurt before she hides the look and smiles at Jennifer. “Hi, I’m Cassie.”
They do a quick handshake before dropping their hands.
I pull Cassie into my side. “My girlfriend.” Cassie tenses under my arm, but her smile doesn’t change.
Jennifer’s lips form a perfect “o,” and with a bitter laugh she says, “I would have guessed niece or daughter. She’s awful young, isn’t she?”
Cassie turns to her side, forming her body against mine. One arm goes around my back, and the other lays on my flat stomach. I pull her in closer to me. Her in my arms just feels right, but I still get a little defensive when Jennifer insinuates that Cassie is too young for me. She’s twenty-five and a grown woman.
“Not too young. I just know a good man when I see one,” Cassie says before lifting up on her toes. I lean down to kiss her lips. One touch is all it takes, and already I’m hard for her again. I pull Cassie around so she’s hugging my front. I don’t need Jennifer to see what Cassie does to me just by being near her.
I look over at the other woman over Cassie’s head. “I don’t mean to be rude, but Cassie and I haven’t seen each other in a while, and we have a lot of time to make up for.”
The woman huffs and stomps toward the door.
5
Cassie
“Is she gone?” I ask Gavin.
I know she is. I heard her heels stomping across the wood floor and the door slam shut. But Gavin still hasn’t moved. I shouldn’t complain. I could stay right here, just like this forever. Wrapped in his arms feels so good. His hands slide down my back, and his lower body bumps against mine. I barely stop the gasp from leaving my lips when I feel his hard bulge pressed against my belly. For just a second I get my hopes up. Could that be for me? Or is it because he’s been without a woman for so long that any woman would do? There’s no way of knowing, and I’m sure as heck not going to ask him.
“She’s gone,” he says, and I can feel his breath ruffling the hair on the top of my head.
There’s a strain in his voice, and I know I should back away, but I don’t. I move closer to him, and a small growl escapes him. I smile against his chest.
I could ask him what’s wrong, but instead I act like I don’t even notice it. I pull back and let my arms fall to my side. I cross my arms over my chest. “Ex-girlfriend?”
He shakes his head, seemingly rattled by all of it. “No. We went on one date. She wanted more. I didn’t.”
I turn away to pick up the packages. “Oh yeah? When did you go on a date?” I ask as innocently as I can. I hold my breath waiting for an answer. It’s really none of my business, but right now I’m imagining all the letters we sent back and forth, and I can’t help but wonder if he was also talking to her all this time. I mean, all we did was email back and forth, but if he has been dating women, maybe that will make it easier for me to walk away the day after tomorrow.
“Over a year ago,” he says, and almost as an afterthought he says, “Before I got your cookies last year.”
I just shrug like it doesn’t matter, but in fact my mind is running a hundred miles an hour. It was before we met.
I turn to him with the packages between us. “So before any more girlfriends show up…”
“I don’t have girlfriends. I told you that,” he says with a blush on his face. At least he’s embarrassed that the woman showed up.
“Right. Well, before any ex one-night stands…”
“I didn’t sleep with her either,” he says, crowding me.
I push the packages into his arms. “It’s none of my business anyway. Here you go.”
He takes the packages, and I walk over to the couch and sit down.
There’s a part of me fuming and wondering if I should just go. If I wasn’t here, would he have asked Jennifer to stay?
Gavin sets the presents on the couch between us. “What are you thinking about?”
I push the hair off my face and look him in the eye. Regardless of how I feel about him, I came here with the main mission of him having a good Christmas. “I’m just wondering if I should leave.” My heart breaks a little even as I say it, but I keep the smile plastered to my face.
“Leave? You’re not leaving.”
I shrug my shoulders. “I mean, I came because I didn’t want you to be alone on Christmas. I wanted you to have a good one. If I wasn’t here, well, if I leave, I’m sure Jennifer would come back.”