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I meant every word of that, too. But as we picked up the menu and placed our orders, the table fell quiet, and the same old fears I’d always lived with began to creep back in. The ones that were always there, lurking in the shadows. The ones that told me I wasn’t good enough.
Because while I wouldn’t let anyone else ever hurt Gavin again, that didn’t mean I wouldn’t.
Did it?
Gavin reached under the table and took my hand, lacing our fingers, and I could see pride and respect shimmering in hiseyes. And I knew right then that no, I would never hurt this beautiful man sitting beside me either.
FORTY
gavin
FOR A GUY who said he didn’t do well with parents, Daire had sure as hell won mine over. Bringing him to officially meet them was already a huge feat for me, considering I’d never brought Joey around. Maybe there had been something deep inside me, even then, that knew he was bad news and my family would see right through him.
Daire, though, they’d embraced immediately. Even though he’d been hesitant and nervous when we arrived, once he realized he didn’t have to play defense, that he was accepted as he was, I could see his shoulders visibly relax.
A couple hours later and we were both back in our element, commandeering the bar at Church, an exclusive members-only nightclub we frequented that used to be something much holier. From the outside, you’d think the Gothic revival building with its stained-glass windows was still hosting Sunday services—notthe debauchery that ensued late into the night.
Dirty deeds were already going down in the green velvet booths lining the room, while burlesque dancers performed in the center.
But I only had eyes for one man.
Daire had gotten rid of his jacket on the way over here, and with the buttons undone halfway down his shirt, the sexy, tanned skin it revealed had me two seconds away from dragging him into the confessional booth.
The only thing that stopped me was that one of the guys had ordered us a round of shots—and the hot remix that pulsated through the club. Daire wasn’t a dancer, but I was, and he didn’t seem to have a problem letting me grind all over him.
Oh how far we’ve come since the yacht...
As I shimmied down his body, I let my hands trail over him, making sure everyone could see that this man was mine.
It wasn’t just amusement on Daire’s face as I slowly rose back up, keeping my body pressed against his as I swayed my hips to the beat. If the semi in his pants didn’t tell me, the predatory look in his eyes did.
He was enjoying this as much as me.
“This is freaking me the fuck out,” West said, shaking his head at us. “Daire hasn’t growled all night.”
“Not true.” Travis shook his head. “Someone looked a little too long at Gavin a second ago, and that familiar snarl came out.”
Their words only made me hotter for the growly one now smoothing his hands over my ass, because damn if I didn’t love the way Daire wanted to rip out any eyes that lingered on me too long.
“Yeah, but it’s weird, right? Dancing,talking, drinking with us other humans as though he’s actually enjoying our company?”
Travis snorted. “Well, I don’t think he gives a fuck about your company. But Gavin’s? I think he wants to enjoy more than his company, if you get my drift.”
When they all went a little too quiet, my eyes shifted to the bewildered faces watching us.
But Travis wasn’t wrong. I did want to enjoy every bit of Daire I could get. Especially when he leaned down, put his lips to my neck, and kissed a scorching path up under my ear.
“Mmm,” he said, and the sound vibrated through me much the same as the throb of the bass thumping through the speakers. “You keep rubbing your dick all over me and we’re gonna finish this dance somewhere private.”
“Is that supposed to make me wanna stop?” I tipped my head back, allowing him access to my throat.
Daire trailed his teasing tongue down to my primly buttoned shirt, and when he got to my designer bolo, he nuzzled his nose into the black flower at the base.
“Later, I wanna see you in this, andonlythis.”
I gripped the back of his hair, yanking his face up so I could look him in the eye. “Around my neck?”
“I was thinking a little lower.”
