His blue eyes swung back to Emily. “I’m happy to see you could make it. Dillon said that you might not have been able to stay both nights.”
“I know people,” Emily laughed, not by her attempted joke, but rather from her soaring nervousness at this point.
“Mmm, it’s very good knowing people,” he chuckled, taking an extra few seconds to stare into her eyes. Drawing in a deep breath, he tossed his hand through his hair. “Okay, let’s go party the weekend away.”
As the two women followed behind the men, Emily shot Olivia a look, knowing that she’d said something to Gavin about their prior meetings.
Olivia laughed and batted her eyes like a true Southern belle as they made their way into the house.
Upon entering, Emily found the home to be shockingly warm and welcoming. At first sight, standing in the two-story foyer with a cascade of staircases on either side, her eyes took in the breathtaking view of the ocean. Sunlight spilled in effortlessly through floor-to-ceiling windows surrounding the back end of the home. A double-sided stone fireplace was the center of attention in the living room. Gleaming, dark cherry hardwood floors led into a gourmet eat-in kitchen that dripped with black granite in every direction. Deep earthy tones scattered throughout a library, billiard room, and dining room.
The amazement in Emily’s eyes was evident.
Olivia squeezed Emily’s arm, her smile wide. “I told you it’s spectacular. And you have yet to see the media room, the second level, or the backyard fucking oasis, chick.”
Feeling almost breathless by her surroundings, Emily nodded to Olivia and followed Dillon up to the room they would share for the weekend. Olivia was right. The upstairs was no less amazing. The same flow of furnishings with warm accents and hues was sprinkled throughout the upper level. Emily felt like she was in a spa when she walked into the bathroom connected to their room. European fixtures and a marble shower encased in floor-to-ceiling glass made her want to skip the pool all together and opt for the hot steam instead.
With a wet bar in the room, Dillon prepared himself a drink and told Emily he would meet her out back. She nodded to him as she rummaged through her belongings. After applying a good bit of suntan lotion, she threw on her black bikini, slipped a sarong around her waist, and made her way into the hall.
Gavin halted midstride, grabbing for his sunglasses on the kitchen island. He spotted Emily coming down the stairs and felt a dizzying force plummet through him. Something inside him twisted, burning in his stomach to the very core of his being.
So much for trying to rid her from his mind.
Feeling depleted of air, he couldn’t concentrate on any one particular thing about her. His eyes passed over her slowly, pausing to regard her beautiful figure. He was sure the sight of her auburn hair draping over her bikini top could send him to his deathbed a happy man. He squeezed his eyes shut, willing himself to breathe. When they snapped back open, his eyes found hers, but she looked away.
He smiled, undeterred, and moved across the foyer to the edge of the stairs.
Standing two steps above him, Emily stared down to him, his eyes alone swallowing her whole. They were vivid, mesmerizing, and surrounded by thick dark lashes.
A timid smile crept across her face. “Hey,” she let out, more breathlessly than she had intended.
The energy flowing between them was palpable. Gavin could feel it, and he was pretty sure she could, too.
He wet his lips and stared at her for a moment. “Hey.”
The overt intensity of his gaze rendered her speechless. Her eyes flew to the ocean beyond the windows as she waited for him to move out of her way.
Gavin could tell he made her nervous and that wasn’t his intention. Sucking his bottom lip between his teeth, he tentatively placed his hand on the banister. “I know this whole thing’s a little crazy,” he whispered. He then paused for a second and smiled. “Well, more than a little, but I just wanted you to know that I’m just as freaked out about it as you are.” His face softened into concern as his gaze became more intent. “But, more importantly, I don’t want you to feel uncomfortable at all while you’re here. I want you to have a nice, relaxing weekend.”
Inwardly, knowing his statement was near impossible, Emily bit her lip as she held steady eye contact with him. She needed something to distract herself from the blazing blue of his eyes.
She moved down the stairs, trying with every bit of her voice and body movements to appear as nonchalant about the whole matter. “I appreciate your concern—and thank you—but honestly, I’m good.”
Gavin placed his hands at the back of his neck and smiled at her. “Are you sure?”
“One hundred percent,” she replied, noticeably glancing around for an exit to the pool.
“Oh, it’s over here.” Gavin motioned with his hand. “I’ll actually follow you out. Some friends of mine are out back that I’d like to introduce you to.”
After retrieving the sunglasses Gavin initially came in the house for, he and Emily strolled outside.
Again inhaling as much as her lungs could hold, Emily let the salty smell of the ocean tickle her nose. An in-ground pool and hot tub overlooked the shores of the Atlantic. The views were spectacular from the hill where the home stood. An outdoor fireplace, a cabana with a built-in bar, and a guesthouse were part of the open-air paradise. Emily followed Gavin over to where Olivia and Dillon were chatting with two men.
Widening his eyes on Emily, Dillon excused himself from the group, letting her know he wanted to talk with her. Cocking her head to the side in confusion, Emily opened her mouth to speak, but then stopped when she saw the look on his face.