But by the fourth day she wondered if Gavin's supposed distraction was actually dismissal. Of her. Of their relationship.

Ask him.

That would make her seem needy.

Then seduce him.

That would make her seem needier yet.

Still...that got her to thinking. Why should Gavin have to make the first move? Maybe he thought she wasn't interested in doing the mattress mambo since she hadn't made a move either.

So she'd seduce him tonight. Take his mind off his worry and make him mindless-if only for a little while.

Plan in place, Rielle helped Sierra until Vi shooed her away. She tackled her to-do list, but didn't accomplish much since various McKays traipsed in and out of the house all day.

By the time the clock struck ten, she ventured upstairs. Sierra's light was off. Gavin had stretched out on the couch to watch yet another sports game on TV.

Rielle straddled his lap and he smiled at her. "Hey."

"I missed you." She slid her hands under his T-shirt and leaned forward to kiss him.

Gavin emitted a deep, s.e.xy rumble and kissed her back.

She touched him, teased him and felt his c.o.c.k harden beneath her a.s.s. "Come on. Let's go to bed."

"Okay."

In his bedroom, she stripped off his sweatpants, boxers and T-shirt. He sat on the edge of the bed, staring at her...expectantly? She peeled off her thermal T-shirt and stepped between his thighs, rubbing the upper swell of her b.r.e.a.s.t.s against his jawline and chin. He groaned and buried his face in her cleavage. She loved the feel of his rough whiskers on her tender skin. Still teasing him, she stepped back and her bra fell to the floor. She shimmied out of her jeans, hooked her fingers in her panties and eased them off slowly, then kicked off her socks.

Gavin wore a s.e.xy, half-lidded, keep going keep going look. look.

So she did. Rielle dropped to her knees and enclosed her mouth around his c.o.c.k. Sucking and licking the hard shaft. Fondling his sac, then using her lips and teeth on just the wide head. She glanced up at him.

He'd closed his eyes, but he made soft growling noises.

Blowing him always got her hot, so she was wet and ready for the next stage of seduction. She chuckled at Gavin's sound of disapproval when she released his c.o.c.k from her mouth. Pushing him flat on the mattress, she crawled over him. Her hands followed the contours of his muscled biceps and forearms. Then she pressed his arms above his head and warned, "Keep them there."

"Mmm."

Rielle rubbed her face over Gavin's upper body, inhaling his clean and musky scent. Nuzzling his neck and sliding her nipples against the hair on his chest. Rolling her hips and rocking her c.l.i.t into the hard muscle of his lower abdomen.

She put her lips on his ear. "You can touch me now. I know how much you like to have your hands on my a.s.s as I'm riding you."

He didn't answer. Didn't move at all. Then he made a noise. But not the noise she expected. She heard it again.

Wait. Was that a...snore?

"Gavin?"

No response.

Rielle placed her hands by his head, lifting up to look into his face. It was d.a.m.n dark in here, but she couldn't believe what she was seeing.

Gavin. Asleep. And snoring softly.

Apparently his d.i.c.k wasn't tired because it was still fully erect.

What the f.u.c.k?

Was her seduction technique so bad, he'd just conked out?

Tempting to slap him awake. But then...no. This was far too humiliating.

She got dressed and slunk out.

Gavin showed up in the kitchen early the next morning, whistling for Christsake. "Good morning, Rielle."

She slammed the cupboard door. When she turned around he wore the oddest expression.

"Did I do something to p.i.s.s you off?"

Oh, I don't know, maybe, possibly, I'm just a teensy bit upset because you f.u.c.king fell asleep asleep when I seduced you. when I seduced you.

The oven timer went off. Slipping on her hot mitts, she pulled out the dinner rolls, setting the pan on the cooling racks. She lifted the towel on the next pan and slid it into the oven. When she turned around, she saw Mr. Narcoleptic had helped himself to a cup of coffee.

Too bad you didn't drink some coffee last night, buddy.

"So...I had the weirdest dream about you. I was watching TV upstairs and you showed up. We started going at it hot and heavy. Then you dragged me into my bedroom, where you stripped me and pushed me onto the bed. The way you sucked my c.o.c.k..."

"Almost like it was real?" she supplied sweetly.

"Yes! I watched you perform a strip tease, then you were crawling all over me, rubbing on me, and..."

"And?"

"That's it. I woke up."

"Huh. Too bad it ended there." She headed out the swinging door, but Gavin caught her wrist and pushed her against the wall. "What the h.e.l.l are you doing?"

He got right in her face. "No other comment on my dream? Like maybe...it wasn't a dream but a hazy memory from last night? A very hazy memory."

"Let me go."

"Why? Got cold feet?"

Why would he say that? "Have you been drinking?"

"No. But do you want to explain these?" He eased back, pulling a sock out of his right front pocket, then his left pocket. "I thought your feet might be cold since you forgot your socks in my room last night."

"Gimme those." Rielle s.n.a.t.c.hed them and quickly ducked under his arm.

But he caught her, shoving her back in place. "Ah ah ah, not so fast. Tell me that I just had an incomplete dream and that I didn't conk out while you were-"

"Naked? Rubbing myself all over you like you were my personal stripper pole and then you started snoring? Yes, that did happen."

"Jesus, Rielle. I...I don't remember anything from last night after I checked on Sierra. I sat down to watch ESPN and I woke up this morning, naked in my bed."

She studied his eyes. Were they dark with guilt? Remorse? Disbelief?

"I'm not making an excuse, but this type of...thing has been happening to me."

"Oh really."

"Really. Two days ago I woke up in the middle of the afternoon on the toilet."

"You fell asleep on the toilet?" she asked skeptically.

"Evidently, for about thirty minutes." His cheeks colored and he looked embarra.s.sed. "And that is the most mortifying thing I've ever had to admit."

"Why-"

"Let me finish. I haven't been sleeping. I figured as long as I was up, listening for Sierra, I might as well be working. I've been catching up on projects every night since Sierra came home from the hospital." He framed her face in his hands. "Do you really think I'd check out when you were having your wicked way with me if I wasn't suffering from sleep deprivation?"

"So you're not avoiding me?"

"G.o.d no. Why would you say that?"

"Because you haven't touched me, or kissed me, or talked to me much since I came home from Denver."

Gavin frowned. "Yes I have."

"No. You. Haven't." She poked his chest with each word.

"Then I'm sorry." He sealed his mouth to hers, kissing her in the deviously languid way that nearly melted her fillings. "How many days of missed kisses do I have to make up for, my love?" He brushed his lips across hers. "Six? Seven? Because I can't have you feeling neglected." Another soft smooch. "Unwanted." He rested his forehead to hers. "I love you. And I'm starting to think the reason I haven't been sleeping is because you haven't been in my bed."

"That comment earns you total forgiveness."

"Good. Now if you'll listen for Sierra, I might slip back into bed for a few hours to try and get my sleep schedule back on track. Because tonight?" He sucked on her lower lip. "You're mine. As many times as I want you, any way that I want you."

Chapter Thirty-One

Early February...

Boone appeared a week after Sierra's accident. Waltzing into her family room like it was no big deal, as she tried not to think about the fact she looked like h.e.l.l, felt like h.e.l.l and was embarra.s.sed as h.e.l.l.

Then he directed that breath-stealing smile at her the instant her dad was out of range. "McKay, you're looking a whole lot better than the last time I saw you."

She played it cool rather than breaking down in grateful tears the second she saw his face. "Oh, I don't know. I hear blue lips are the fashion color for spring."

He laughed. "I take it you're on the mend?"

"The pain isn't as bad. Sit down. Or aren't you staying?"

"I can stay." He settled next to her, draping his arm along the back of the couch and propping his feet on the coffee table. "Two weeks out of school, huh?"

"At least two. Probably three." She groaned. "I'm trying to keep up, but I'm so slow and I can't write anything with my left hand anyway."

"I'm left handed, so it wouldn't be a problem for me."

She stuck her tongue out at him. "So what's new with you? Saved anyone else from rape, drunk driving and a deadly car accident?"

"Sierra-"

"Please let me say this, okay?"

He nodded.

"Thank you for all you did for me that night. I vaguely remember you letting me squeeze your hand when the pain was too much as we waited for the ambulance. You made me talk to you and wouldn't let me fall asleep."

"You're welcome. But I figure we're even now in the life saving department."

"I heard my dad accused you of some stuff in the hospital and he got a little violent. I'm sorry you had to deal with it after..." She cleared her throat. "I know he's apologized to you and tried to make amends-"

"Hey. I don't want anything from either of you, understand?" His fingers traced the bruise on her cheek and the bigger one on her neck. "You have no idea what I..." He refocused on her eyes and stopped touching her. "Anyway, I'm glad you're all right."

"I'm getting there." Her cheeks grew hot. "Also...thanks for not telling my dad everything that happened before the accident. At the party. Especially that thing with Tyler...I can't believe I was so stupid."

"We all do stupid s.h.i.t." A strange expression crossed his face and vanished. "Did you get in trouble for drinking?"

Sierra pleated the folds of the blanket. "Yes. I'm not supposed to drive for a while but it doesn't matter since my car is totaled. I'm back to where I was just before Christmas. Carless." Friendless. "So entertain me. Any good gossip at school?"

He frowned. "Hasn't Marin told you?"

"Marin hasn't come out to see me." And Sierra wasn't about to call her first. She hadn't heard from anyone, not even Angie and Kara. So much for all the great friends she'd made in the last month.