Pulse

Page 51

Olivia touched her mouth. “I burped?”

No sooner had Olivia dropped the burp question than, hand in hand, Fallon and Trevor approached the group. Squealing in delight, Olivia clamored them both with an overly drunk, overly tight hug. After answering several questions about possibly knocking up Fallon, Trevor sent Olivia and Jude out to the dance floor, telling them to go burn off some alcohol.

Against a gnawing feeling in his gut telling him not to, Gavin allowed Emily to join the group. Fallon was with her and didn’t plan on drinking because of an early morning communion, so he felt slightly better. Nonetheless, it didn’t sit well with him. With his hands clasped, Gavin leaned his forearms on the railing of the second level. He watched with a hawk’s eye as Emily made her way out onto the crowed club floor.

“I heard what happened between you and Dillon. ” Trevor—also intently watching the girls—spoke up, and Gavin could hear the weariness in his tone. “A couple of guys from the office called and told me about it. ”

Eyes locked on Emily, Gavin didn’t bother turning to look at him. “You fucking hid what he did to her from me. ”

“I didn’t hide anything,” he retorted, adjusting his glasses. “I talked with Emily, and she promised she would say something to you if you guys got back together. ” He clapped his hand over Gavin’s shoulder. “I assumed you already knew. ”

Jerking away, Gavin shrugged off his hand. He dragged his eyes from Emily and pinned Trevor with a look he was sure told him he was about to get knocked over the railing. “You fucking assumed I knew? What the fuck is wrong with you? You came over the day after she moved in with me. That was the first time I saw or spoke to you after we got back from Mexico. You don’t think I would’ve said something if I knew?”

“Come on, man, what did you expect me to do? She promised. I assumed. It was a mistake. That’s all. ”

The more Trevor talked, the more tossing him over the railing became that much more appealing to Gavin. “Yeah. A fucking mistake. What did I expect you to do? You should’ve flown to Playa del Carmen the fucking day it happened. That’s what I expected from a friend I’ve known half my life. Someone I consider a brother. ” Gavin glared at him another second, then focused his attention back on Emily. Watching the woman he’d saved from a lifetime filled with nothing more than pain and hurt, he grit his teeth, trying to calm himself down. “I love her more than anything. I would’ve come back that day had I known. You should’ve done something. End of fucking story. ”

Over the ear-blowing music zipping and pounding through the air, Gavin heard the resignation in Trevor’s sigh. Either way, Gavin wasn’t sure the friendship could be salvaged. Hell, he wasn’t sure it was worth trying to save at this point. Other than feeling as though he could kill him right there, Gavin felt burned.

Before he could dwell over the torn friendship, Gavin watched Emily and the girls exit the dance floor. Making their way up the stairs, human canvas in tow behind them, they stepped into the lounge area. Gavin flicked his attention one last time in Trevor’s direction, paying no mind to the impassive look on his face he could tell was for show. Gavin saw thoughts moving behind his eyes, and he didn’t give a shit. Emily wrapped her arms around his waist, pulling Gavin from the standoff he was having with his former best friend.

Gavin turned, brushing his fingers through Emily’s dampened hair. She smiled, and he was nearly done for. God, between the raging male hormones running rampant through his system and sweat glistening off her body, he could’ve eaten her alive right there. Hungry in more ways than one, Gavin pulled her into his mouth. Wanting to drown in everything that made her, he kissed her hard, his body seeking release. He could feel the vibration of her moan dance over his tongue, and fuck if it didn’t drive him mad. “Have a good time?”

“I did,” Emily breathed, her body tingling. Her skin. Her pulse. Every damn hair on her flesh stood on end. A sizzling, demanding ache started to build between her legs as her eyes stroked from his face to the luscious bump of his Adam’s apple hidden between the collar of his white button-up shirt. Sighing, she ran her hands across his gray, tailored V-neck sweater, her fingers burning to feel his bare chest. She swallowed. “I have to make a quick run to the restroom. I’ll be right back. ” Still holding her, she watched Gavin lift a single brow, his blue eyes slowly fucking her right there. She swallowed again.

He jerked his chin toward the exit. “I’d like to get out of here when you’re done. ”

The intimate edge in his tone said all she needed to know. It surrounded her, pulling her under like a rolling wave. Legs weak and body limp, Emily nodded. “You don’t have to ask twice, Mr. Blake. ”

“Good girl. ” The triumph in his voice pulled her under further, sweetening the surrender to his request. “I’ll see you back here in a few, Miss Cooper. ”

Emily turned on her heels and started for the restroom, only to be stopped a few feet away by Olivia. Swaying more than before, she smiled, and Emily couldn’t help but giggle. Grabbing Olivia’s hand, Emily dragged her toward the restroom only to be stopped by Fallon. Sandwiched, Emily linked arms with them and finally made it to the bathroom. After a twenty-minute wait on a long line snaking through a decent amount of the second level, the girls got in and did their business.

“Country,” Fallon chimed, pulling mascara from her clutch. Looking in the mirror, she swiped it through her lashes. “Did Gavin tell you about the argument he and Trevor just had about you?”

Emily lifted her eyes from digging through her purse for lipstick. Brows furrowed, she tilted her head, confused. “No. What happened?”

“Gavin’s pissed because he never told him what Dillon did to you. ”

Emily sighed. “I told him that was my fault for not saying anything. I’ll talk to him again. ”

“I hope so. ” Fallon tossed the mascara back into her clutch. She fluffed her hair, its fiery crimson vibrant under the overhead lights. “He shouldn’t catch shit for something you should’ve told Gavin to begin with. You need to make this right. ”

Emily jerked her head back. “I know he shouldn’t, Fallon. I just told you I explained to Gavin it was my fault. I also told him Trevor made me promise to tell him if we got back together and I didn’t. What do you want me to say? I’m going to talk to him about it again, okay?”

Fallon blew out a noisy breath and nodded. “All right. I’m sorry. I came off snotty, but I love Trevor, and he’s pretty upset right now. ”

“Trevor’s always upset about something,” Olivia blurted, swinging open the stall. Untangling a necklace that appeared to be growing from her hair, she rolled her eyes and yanked it out. Her expression twisted in pain for a moment before she smiled. “Thank God. That thing was fucking killing me. Don’t ask how it got in my hair, either. I think it happened when I bent over to wipe myself. Oh, and I’m pretty sure I peed on my heels. ”

With her arms crossed, Fallon leaned against the sink. “Trevor’s not always upset, Liv. ”

“Pfft. To hell he’s not,” Olivia scoffed and started washing her hands. “He’s a bitch on wheels. Even my father says I was supposed to be the boy in the family. If he didn’t have a dick, I’d call him a pussy. ”