Placing her back down, he gazed down at her. “See you at home.” Dawn blinked up at him, and he felt smugness wash over him at her dazed look.
Walking away, he fought himself not to turn around and look at Dawn. He knew if he did, he wouldn’t leave. Dawn was out with her friends, and she didn’t know what he wanted. He’d tell her though. He had to figure it out first.
****
All week, Gordon had been acting strange, well, stranger than usual. He’d kissed her at the club and hadn’t said a word about it or done anything else. It was driving her crazy, and Dawn didn’t know how long she could handle it without cracking and either yelling at him for confusing her or just jumping on him and pretty much raping him.
Gordon was touching her more than usual, and she was hot and turned on all the time. Like now, they were sitting in a café that overlooked the beach, and Gordon sat across from her and his feet kept brushing hers. That small contact shot a tingling up her legs and straight to her core. He’d insisted when they went out that she wore her hair down, and he hadn’t stopped touching it, and every time, shivers of need coursed through her. She could handle the contact at home because one, she wasn’t on display to others and two, she was in her own place, her comfort zone. This was a place she could always find something to distract herself, and three—well, one and two were enough. Every time he touched her, she kept replaying the kiss at the club and slowly, she was going crazy.
“Is black your favorite color? Is that why you wear so much of it? Would you consider wearing purple or a deep rich red?” Gordon’s gaze bore into hers as he waited for her answer.
“No, black isn’t. Blue is my favorite color, and sure, if I found clothes in purple and red I liked, I’d wear them.” Wait, blue wasn’t her favorite. No, it was dark purple. Damn, his eyes.
“Blue, I’ve never seen you wear blue.”
Ha, when did he start taking notice of what she wore? He only came to see her for her food and cable, or so she continued to convince herself. “I have clothes that are blue.” Great, now she’d have to go buy some new clothes in blue. Maybe a dress? Amber had been wearing some really nice ones at work, and she’d told her the brand had larger sizes.
“Have you ever thought of expanding your business to America?”
Argh, why was asking these questions? “Not really. I suppose if it really took off, I would.” He was full of questions today, and it was really unnerving her.
“You’re really good with Dillan. Have you ever thought about having a child of your own? I don’t know, like now or in a year or so?”
Having just taken a sip of milkshake, she almost sputtered it out. “Why would you ask me that? I don’t even have a boyfriend, let alone married and ready for a child.”
“So you’re saying you want to be married before you have kids?”
“Yes. Eh, what’s this about? Oh, God, have you knocked one of your play things up?” Her whole body tensed and she said a mini pray that he hadn’t. Her heart didn’t need breaking right now.
“What? No. I was just curious if you wanted children. I, um… You’re so good with your nephew, Dilan.”
Letting out a deep breath, she relaxed back into her seat. “Of course, I want children. I just… Well, I don’t want to make the mistake my sister did. Poor Dilan doesn’t have a father. When Destiny told the guy, he told her to get rid of him, and he didn’t want a kid. I don’t want to chance having that happen to me. I want to be married. I want to know the guy I’m with wants children. I want to know he’d be stable and a good father.”
“I want kids. I’m ready now.”
Holy crap, what was going on? This was not what they did. They didn’t go out. They didn’t talk about things like this. Gordon came over, he ate her food, they chatted about their day, he told her about the women he was seeing, and they watched TV together. That was all they did. No matter how much she dreamed and wished, nothing had changed since she realized she was starting to have feelings for him. The kiss flashed before her, and she fidgeted in her seat as heat pooled between her legs.
This was not good. If she stayed right now, she would get her heart broken. Getting up, she grabbed her bag and stumbled back. “Speaking of my nephew, I need to go. I’ll see you later, maybe.” Practically running out of the café, she got in her car and drove straight to her sister’s flat and let herself in.
Destiny was on the floor with Dilan in their lounge room playing with Legos. “Hey, Dawn.”
“Heya, Destiny, Dilan. What ya building?”
“A Star Wars Ewok village,” Dilan said as he jumped up and down with excitement.
“Cool.” Plonking down next to Destiny, Dawn threw her arms around her.
“What’s up?” Destiny knew her so well Dawn didn’t need to say anything for her to know something was up. Destiny patted her back. She pulled me up and nodded to the balcony before focusing on Dilan. “Baby, you keep building. I’m just going to have an adult talk with Aunty Dawn.”
“Okay, Mummy.”
As soon as they sat down, Dawn spilled her guts telling Destiny everything. Her mouth spewed even the dreams she’d been having about Gordon. When she was done, she’d eaten a whole packet of Tim Tams and had two hot chocolates.
“I don’t see what the problem is. I think you should go for it.”
Dawn rolled her eyes. It was so Destiny to take a chance. “Destiny, he’s a slut. He’s almost forty, still works as a bartender, can’t have a relationship with a woman longer than a couple of months, and he can’t cook for himself. He isn’t the kind of guy I want.”
“Oh, yeah? By what you told me, you want him. You just don’t want to want him.” Destiny chuckled.
Dawn groaned because she hated it when Destiney was right. “I hate you.”
“No, you don’t.” Destiny hugged her, and Dawn clutched her tightly back. “Not everyone is like Dilan’s father or our parents. I say try something with him. You love him. Don’t let that slip away. What could it hurt?
Her, she thought. It could hurt her.
****
Gordon had wanted to go straight to Dawn’s house when he’d heard her car pull into her garage. He’d been sitting in his backyard and working out in his gym, trying to decide what he should do, and if he was willing to do what he now wanted to do. Argh, he’d never been so indecisive. He was always sure of what he wanted, but Dawn had him tangled in knots. He worked himself hard until all his muscles ached. Tired, he’d showered and finally did what he wanted and let himself into her house. She was in her usual spot at her computer, but Gordon could tell something was on her mind because, after watching her for a good ten minutes, she hadn’t done a thing.