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“Excuse me?”
“You heard me. Go back inside, slip a few bills in someone’s G-string, and leave me the fuck alone.”
He crossed his arms. “No.”
“No?”
“You heard me. I’m not going anywhere.”
“Yes. You are.”
“What, you gonna make me? Throw me over your shoulder and force me back inside?”
“If that’s what it takes.”
The second the words were out of my mouth, Gavin’s eyes heated, and I cursed at his reaction.
“That,” I said, pointing at his face. “Stop looking at me like that.”
He raised a brow and smirked. “Because you like it? Because it makes you want to kiss me again?”
The little shit.I needed to deny it, since nothing would be more idiotic than kissing Gavin a second time, but something kept my mouth shut. Maybe it was the flush creeping up his neck that I wanted to feel with my fingers. Or maybe it was the way I knew his mouth would fit so perfectly under mine…
“No,” I said, slapping myself out of those thoughts. “I won’t be that stupid again.”
A flash of hurt or disappointment, I couldn’t tell which, crossed Gavin’s eyes, and I immediately wanted to take back those words. Not that I didn’t mean them, because I didn’t need to have my lips anywhere near his?—
“Why didn’t you ever say anything about your parents? This whole time I’ve known you, not one word. Not to me, not to the others.”
Instantly, the brick wall I used to keep everyone away and out of my business went back up, and I scowled. “What, you’re gonna feel sorry for me now? Don’t.”
“Why not? You apparently feel sorry all the time for me, thinking I need protection twenty-four seven, butI don’t.”
“Your point?”
“My point is, if your parents are terrible humans—and from what I just saw, you’re not exactly on the best terms—you can vent that shit to yourfriends.” He spread his hands wide. “Likeme. Like Van. Any of us. And don’t tell me we’re not your friends, because whether you like it or not, you’re stuck with us.”
“I’m not spilling my life story to make you feel better.”
“You never spillanything. Not a word. Don’t you get that we don’t have some ulterior motive? We just want to know you.Iwant to know you. I want to understand you.”
Understandme? Why? Giving him my sad little backstory wouldn’t accomplish a thing, and it wasn’t something I wanted to think about anyway. Why bother?
“There’s nothing to know,” I said.
Gavin dropped his head back with a groan. “God, you’re so frustrating.”
“Then do what I said—go away.”
I turned away from him, but his hand landed on my bicep. “I have a better idea.”
“I’m not going back inside.”
“I’m not asking you to. You don’t want to face down your crazy mom? Well, things have been crazy for me too. So why don’t we blow off some steam and have fun for a change?”
“Fun,” I repeated. “You want to punch a few fuckers, that it?”
“No.” A small smile curved Gavin’s lips. “But I do want to go and kick some ass. You in?”
