Love Me

Chapter Eight

Melina made it through work Monday. She planned to go the apartment later, when Gavin would be home. Although, she never knew when that was, and with today being his project deadline, he might be working really late.

“Okay if I leave an hour early?” she asked her boss. “I have a killer headache.”

She expected Gillian to sympathize, but Gillian just smiled and said, “Of course!”

Huh. “Okay…thanks. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

“You bet.” Gillian’s grin widened and Melina left, shaking her head.

The apartment was quiet when she got there. She walked into the kitchen and wrinkled her nose. Gavin apparently had been drowning his sorrows judging by the number of empty beer bottles on the counter. She spotted a crumpled bag of chips and a half-drunk bottle of Coke. Yikes.

She wondered how things had gone for him at work. This project was so damn important to him, she felt nervous for him, anxious about its success. He seemed to think his entire career rested on the success or failure of the project, which she totally doubted. He was damn good at his job, respected, dedicated—even if there were problems, he wouldn’t lose his job over it. She didn’t think so, anyway.

The answering machine was blinking, and just in case there was a message for her, she listened to it. It was Gavin’s boss.

“Just wanted to let you know that we changed the location of the party tonight,” he said. “We’re going to Morelli’s now. Same time, eight o’clock. I know you said you likely wouldn’t make it, but just in case, thought you should know about the change. Wish you could come, Gav! Not every day the CEO takes you out for dinner to celebrate! Call me if you want, and congratulations again.”

She stared at the machine. Well, that must mean that things had gone well today and relief surged through her. That was one good thing. But why wasn’t Gavin going to celebrate? With the CEO! He would think that was the best career move ever! It was just what he wanted—recognition for what he’d accomplished, and by the highest-ranking executive in the company. It was awesome. But confusing.

She went into the bedroom and sat down on the bed. Then she stood up and restlessly wandered over to the dresser. There she spotted a folder from a travel agent. She reached out and picked it up, curious.

There was an itinerary inside, which she unfolded to read. A trip for two people, a flight leaving—holy crap—in two hours, to Quebec City, in Canada. Her eyes widened. Accommodations at the Château Frontenac, that beautiful hotel that did indeed look like a castle. She’d read about it and had told Gavin how much she’d like to go there. The city was so full of history, and looked so beautiful and romantic, it had been her dream destination for months.

She blinked, confused. What was this? Gavin had booked a trip for two leaving tonight? She searched for a date and saw that it had been booked weeks ago. Wow. So that’s why he wasn’t going to the celebration party that night. But…it didn’t seem like he was going to Quebec either. Otherwise, wouldn’t he be there packing, leaving for the airport? Or already on his way?

She sank down onto the bed with the folder in her hands. Thoughts bounced and rolled around in her head like laundry in the dryer, scattered and incoherent. Then she heard a noise and lifted her head. The door.

Gavin was home. Her stomach did a little flip, tightened up. She licked her lips.

Then he appeared in the door. He just stood there, looking at her.

God he was gorgeous, although he definitely looked rough. He had dark shadows under his eyes, which were sad and tired, and his hair was all over the place. He was wearing one of his best suits, but the tie hung loosely knotted, the top two buttons of his shirt undone.

“Hi,” he said.

“Hi.”

“What are you doing here?”

“Um…I came to see you.”

His eyes fell on the folder in her hands. “Uh…”

“What is this, Gavin?” He met her gaze and his mouth twisted a bit.

“What does it look like? I booked a trip. For us.” His voice had a bit of an edge. “We were supposed to go away tonight, to celebrate the end of the project.”

Her heart tightened painfully in her chest, then started thudding slowly. “Really?”

He nodded, eyes shadowed.

“And you were going to miss the celebration dinner with the CEO to go away with me?”

He swallowed and she saw his Adam’s apple bob. “Yeah.”

“But what about my work?”

“I talked to Gillian. I asked her to keep it quiet, but she gave the okay for you to use some vacation time.”

“Oh. Gavin.” She stood up, staring at him. Everything inside her went soft and warm. “I can’t believe you’d do that.”

He lifted a shoulder, broke eye contact and turned to the closet. He shrugged out of his suit jacket and reached for a hanger.

Kylie’s words came back to her, about how guys measure how much they love a woman by the sacrifices they make for her. And this one was huge. So huge it brought tears to her eyes.

“I’m sorry,” she whispered. “I’ve been a selfish, spoiled bitch.”

He turned to her, eyes full of questions. “You’re not a bitch, Melina.”

She nodded, ashamed of herself. “I have been. I’ve been so wrapped up in what I want, I wasn’t even thinking about what you need. I knew you were stressed about work, and I just kept bugging you about me, me, me.” She rolled her eyes. “And then pulling that stupid stunt with Abby…God.”

His gaze sharpened. “Yeah…about that. Is that really why you left?”

“Well, partly.”

“Are you…seeing her again?”

She frowned, taken aback. “Uh…no. Of course not. What do you mean by that?”

“I mean, your note said after that night you realized things wouldn’t work with us. I was afraid…I thought you meant you realized you were…that you and her…”

Realization smacked her in the back of the head. “Oh my God! No!” She laughed. “What I meant was, I realized that if I had to go that far to get your attention, there wasn’t much hope for us. Jesus. I can’t be going out and making out with girls just to get you hot for me. If you aren’t interested without that kind of thing, then…we’re done.”

He was slowly shaking his head. “That’s not what it was.”

“It’s not?”

“No. Of course not. I’m always hot for you, Melina. I love you.”

“You’re not always hot for me! You fell asleep while you were going down on me!”

He closed his eyes, took a breath. “Yeah. I’m sorry about that. I know it was a shitty thing to do, I just couldn’t help it. I was so exhausted. I apologize a million times over for that, Mel. I really do. It doesn’t mean I don’t love you or don’t want you.”

“You’d rather masturbate than have sex with me.”

He rubbed his face. “That’s not true either. Sometimes I just need a quick release…you know…for stress relief.”

She nodded slowly. “Okay. But you didn’t even care when I got my Brazilian.”

“My laptop had just crashed! I had twenty things that needed to be done by the next morning, my boss was pressuring me, and I had no computer!”

She rolled her lips in, hot shame washing over her. “Yeah. See what I mean? I knew it, but I didn’t realize how much it was stressing you. I’m sorry.”

“Aw, Melina. I just wish I could have made you understand.”

She smiled. “You’re not real good at that kind of stuff. But I think I understand better now. Kylie filled me in. She really knows men.”

Gavin smiled crookedly. “She has to, to put up with Duncan.”

“Yeah.” They smiled at each other. “She told me about the times you didn’t go out with Duncan and the guys so you could stay home with me. I didn’t know about that.”

He shrugged. “Whatever. I’d rather be with you. Normally, I’d go out with the guys once in a while, but I was working so much, whatever time I could, I wanted to be with you.”

Shame heated her cheeks. “And I didn’t even appreciate it when you did. Just wanted more.” She closed her eyes momentarily. “I’m sorry again.”

“Melina.” She opened her eyes, looked at him. “Don’t leave me. Please. I love you.”

“I love you too.” Relief made her feel lightheaded, floaty. “So much.”

“C’mere.” He held out his arms and she flew into them, buried her face against his hard chest.

“Can you forgive me?”

“Of course. If you can forgive me, too, for being such a jackass.”

“We’re both just learning all this stuff,” she said, her mouth muffled in his white shirt. “All this relationship stuff. Just, please, Gav, talk to me. About what’s going on with you. And tell me if I’m acting like a spoiled brat.”

His arms wrapped around her tightly and it felt so good. “I’ll try, baby. I will. And I’ll try not to take you for granted.”

They stood like that for a long moment, and she could feel his body getting harder. “Um…Gav…are you going to go to the party?”

“No.” He lifted a shoulder. “I told them I wouldn’t be there.”

“Oh.” She inhaled the scent of him, warm, spicy and masculine. “’Cause we could probably still make it to the airport.”

He lifted a wrist behind her back to check his watch. “You’re right,” he said, his voice deep. “How fast can you pack?”