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“No, I don’t,” I say finally. “I don’t know everything about you.”
His gaze locks with mine. I’m glad his arms are still crossed in front of his chest, otherwise I would be tempted to reach out and touch him. He leans closer still. His lips brush my ear. It’s not a kiss, but a subtle tease.
“Gavin,” I exhale his name. This can’t happen, not here in the bathroom at Cipriani’s, or anywhere else. I can’t fall for him. I spent the pa
st three years building a life for myself, and learning to respect my own needs. And we want very, very different things out of life. I can appreciate his drive to succeed, while also realizing I don’t want to be a long-term part of his climb to the pinnacle of billionaire tech gods. I was a fool to even suggest this crazy plan.
“I hope you know me well enough to guess that I’m disappointed I will never get to hear you make that sound in my bed.”
My breath quickens, my chest rising and falling with each ragged inhale. He’s teasing me. I stole away his control when I dragged him in here. Now he’s reclaiming it by tossing me off balance.
“Gavin,” I say, my voice heavy with warning. “That would be against the rules.”
“We wrote the rules,” he murmurs again my ear. “I think we can break them.”
“But we can’t risk our friendship,” I whisper.
I can feel his arms move as he unfolds them. His hands find my waist. But he stops short of drawing me close. I place my palms flat against his chest, and my fingers slide under the edge of his lapels.
What if we’ve already gone too far? Can we return to the way things were before I pretended to be his fiancée? Do I want to keep our relationship securely in the friendship space?
“I would never hurt you,” he whispers.
He can’t keep that promise. I’m one kiss away from falling in love with Gavin Black. But when this charade ends, I’ll return to the country alone. Another woman will take my place in this bathroom. She’ll eagerly hand over her panties to New York’s most eligible bachelor. And I’ll—
Gavin’s lips intercept my thoughts. His mouth presses a soft kiss to my ear. Then I feel his subtle against my cheek. A trail of kisses sweep across my jawline until he reaches the corner of my mouth.
He draws back slightly. “May I kiss you?”
“Yes,” I whisper. For all the back and forth ping-ponging around my head, the answer is simple.
His hands pull my hips close against him as his mouth claims mine. He deepens the kiss, his tongue dancing with mine. I sink into the sensation, trying not to think, or worry about the repercussions.
I want this kiss. I want him.
Wildly … Desperately …
Knock. Knock. Knock.
“Excuse me?” A woman’s voice calls through the door. “Are you alright in there?”
I jump back from Gavin, my eyes wide as if we were caught naked. The woman on the other side of the door can’t possibly know I just kissed my best friend for the first time. I mean really kissed him.
“Fine,” Gavin calls back, his tone filled with the same authority he carries into a business meeting. “I will be out shortly.”
“Yes, sir.” The voice on the other side of the door responds.
“Go,” I say. “I’ll wait a few minutes before I follow and draw out the ruse a bit.”
Still holding my hips, Gavin guides me away from the door. Then he releases his hold. He reaches for the lock and then pauses and turns to look back at me.
“For the record, we just broke a rule,” he says. “I kissed you because I damn well wanted to, and the sky didn’t fall.”
He turns the lock and opens the door. It closes behind him and I quickly slide the bolt into place. One minute and I’ll leave this bathroom. One minute and I’ll slip back into my part.
“But damn you, Gavin, the sky might not be falling around you, but it has me surrounded,” I whisper. “And I’m not sure I want to turn back.”
CHAPTER 13
