When It's Right(84)
“He still looks for you to be with him all the time. Don’t worry, he’ll get there. He spends more and more time at my place during the day when I’m there.”
“How come he’s invited over, but I’m not?”
Blake turned his gaze from the road and stared at her. “Are you serious? You don’t need an invitation to come see me. Besides, I spend most of my time up at the house with you.”
She touched her fingers to his cheek to make him look back at the road.
“You’re right. Sneaking in and out of my bedroom.”
“I feel like a thief in the night,” he admitted.
“Stealing kisses.”
“That and little pieces of heaven.”
“Aw, look at you, Mr. Romance.”
“Just be thankful I walked you to the truck for dinner and not back upstairs to ravage you when I saw you in that dress.”
“You’re too used to sneaking in through the back door anyway.”
“You know that’s to keep Justin from knowing I’m sneaking into your bed. Your grandparents know we’re sleeping together.”
“No way.” The blush washed up her breasts and flushed her cheeks.
“Bud gave me a very stern lecture about treating you right and protecting you.”
“Are you telling me he gave you the talk?”
Blake chuckled. “It was like the same awkward conversation I had with my dad.”
Gillian covered her face with both hands. “Oh God. This is not good. How can I ever look at them again?”
That made Blake laugh even more. “Don’t worry about it. I told him exactly what I told you. It’s fine. Though he made it clear—again—that my job and life depend on your happiness.”
“Wait, what did you tell him?”
“I love you.”
“That’s kind of sweet.”
He tugged her ponytail. “You know I love you.”
“It’s sweet that he cared enough to talk with you.”
“Yes, the grandfather threatening to kill the boyfriend if he hurts his little girl is very sweet.” Blake’s words dripped with sarcasm.
“I don’t think I’ve ever had a boyfriend.”
“I can confirm you’ve had at least one,” he grumbled.
She laughed. “That one had more to do with teenage hormones, movie night at a friend’s place, and tequila. Pretty much one of the few times I acted out all my teenage angst and rebellion.”
“Are you serious?”
“I thought we were doing this whole tell-the-truth-about-everything deal. If you want me to lie, I’m happy to tell you about Tom, Rick, Ja—”
“Shut up. I got it. Besides, I like being your first and last boyfriend.”
“Is that right?”
Blake pulled into the parking lot outside the steak house and parked the truck. He leaned over, kissed her socks off, and leaned back with a stern look. “Yes.” He kissed her again. “My life is on the line here, you know?”
He might be teasing, but the truth behind those words always stuck with her. “Blake, I’m sorry there’s so much pressure on you for this to work out.”
“Gillian, what does or doesn’t happen between us is our business, and no one else’s. If it doesn’t work out, it’s a big ranch. I’m sure we can stay out of each other’s way. But, sweetheart, that’s never going to happen unless we let it. I plan to make you happy every day of your life so you’ll have no reason to want to leave me. To that end, let’s go have dinner. I have a surprise for you.”
“Really?” She couldn’t help the giddy smile. No one ever did nice things for her the way Blake did for no reason.
“I love it when you smile.”
She leaned in and kissed him softly. “You make me happy, Blake. I’m worrying over nothing.”
“Yes. You are. You never had very many good things in your life. When you did, your father ruined them. That part of your life is over now. Nothing but happy and good things for you from now on.”
One day, she’d stop waiting for something bad to ruin all the good. That’s not the life she lived anymore. Right? She hoped. Still, she had yet to shake that sense of doom following her around everywhere. She couldn’t outrun it or hide from it. It loomed.
She turned to get out of the truck, but he stopped her with a hand on her thigh that sent a shaft of heat right to her center. That always happened when he touched her. She hoped that good thing never stopped.
“Wait. Let me get the door for you.”
She appreciated his manners and waited for him to come around, open her door, take her hand, and help her down from the truck. She turned to him and found him staring.