Changing the Game (16 page)

“Hi, Gavin.” Nathan offered up a wide grin.

He seemed to have grown a foot since Gavin had seen him last, and had filled out some muscle, too.

“You look great. Doing some workouts?”

“Yeah. Football keeps me busy. And working with Dad . . . Mick . . . Dad has really helped a lot.”

Gavin shifted his gaze to Mick, whose eyes filled with pride when Nathan called him Dad.

Son of a bitch. His big brother was a father to a teenager now. Things sure had changed a lot. “I’m sure it has. I’ll bet you’re happy your mom and Mick are getting married.”

“I am. I couldn’t ask for a better father. He’s what I always wanted in a dad.”

“And you’re the son I always dreamed about having.”

Gavin’s dad cleared his throat, looking a little teary-eyed, too. “Okay, fellas, before we all break down and start sobbing and end up in a group hug, let’s get back to talking about baseball.”

“I’ll leave you all to talk about me while I’m not here,” Gavin said. “I need to go find Elizabeth. Mom ran off with her.”

“So you actually brought her here.”

Gavin stopped. “Yeah, I did.”

“I can’t believe you, man. You’re still seeing her?”

Gavin’s gaze skirted to Nathan, who cast a frown in their direction. “Let’s not do this now.”

“Why? This affects Nathan, too.”

“Mick. You need to be polite to your brother,” their father said.

“Oh, I need to be courteous to Gavin. What about how he treats me? Where’s the respect?”

Right. Because it had always been about Mick. What was best for Mick. Be careful what you say to Mick. Don’t upset Mick. Mick has a problem, so we need to be extra nice to Mick. Look up to Mick. Be like Mick. Stand in Mick’s shadow.

Shit.

His whole life had been about Mick.

But not anymore.

He turned and walked out of the kitchen.

“Hey, we’re not done.”

“Michael!”

Gavin’s father must have gotten Mick’s attention, because Mick didn’t follow his brother down the hall.

Fine with Gavin, because in his current mood there was no telling what would happen between the two of them. And birthday or not, he’d had just enough of his brother telling him how to live his life. He hadn’t asked for advice on who to choose to date, and he sure as hell wasn’t taking unsolicited advice from Mick.

Now he just had to go find Elizabeth before any more trouble stirred up.

Like her running into Tara.

ELIZABETH LOVED KATHLEEN. SHE WAS THE CLOSEST thing to a mother she had, and Kathleen had always made her feel welcome in the Riley home.

That of course changed when Elizabeth screwed up and Mick fired her.

Losing Kathleen and Jimmy Riley had been harder on her than losing Mick as a client.

She’d missed spending the holidays with the Rileys. Over the past few years it had become habit for her to spend Thanksgiving and Christmas at the Riley home.

Last year had been brutal. She’d spent the holidays alone.

She’d never felt more alone, had never realized how much she’d come to think of Mick and Gavin’s family as her family until she didn’t have them anymore.

Stupid. And what had she gone and done? Started sleeping with Gavin, which would only end up permanently severing her relationship with the Riley family when things ended with Gavin.

Kathleen had pulled her upstairs, away from the crowds, and took her into the master bedroom, sat her in one of the two old chairs nestled into the corner of the crowded room.

“Now that it’s just the two of us, why don’t you tell me what’s going on?”

“You mean what went on with Mick?”

Kathleen waved her hand. “No. I think what happened there is clear. You made a critical business error, and you paid a very dear price for it. You lost Michael’s business. I trust you’re smart enough to have learned something from that.”

“Yes, ma’am.” Kathleen had the ability to say very little and mean a lot when she said it. Elizabeth felt about two inches tall at the moment. “I’m very sorry I hurt Mick, Tara, and Nathan.”

Kathleen took her hand. “I know you are. But you had to suffer the consequences for what you did, didn’t you?”

“Yes, I did. Mick wasn’t only my client. He was my friend. And I lost his friendship, too.”

“Well, I hope not forever. My son is a stubborn mule, but he’ll come around soon.”

“I hope so. I need to make amends with him. And with Tara.”

Kathleen nodded. “That you do. But I mean what’s going on with you and Gavin?”

She swallowed. “Oh. That.”

Kathleen leveled very wise eyes on her. “Yes. That. I never realized you and Gavin had a thing for each other.”

Oh, Lord. “Well, it just sort of happened. We’re casually dating, really. It’s nothing serious, Kathleen.”

“Really.”

“Yes.”

“So you don’t care about him.”

She laid her head in her hands, then turned it to the side. “You’d make a great prosecutor, you know that? You really know how to put a girl on the spot.”

Kathleen laughed and patted her hand. “Come on. You know I’m joking with you. It just took me by surprise is all. You’re like a daughter to me. I was shocked to find out you and Gavin were together.”

“It kind of hit me by surprise, too.”

“Not me. I saw it the first night I met you. I knew you were in love with Gavin.”

Elizabeth whirled around and saw Tara leaning in the doorway, Gavin’s sister, Jenna, next to her.

“What?”

“Come in, you two. Did you know that Elizabeth and Gavin were dating?”

Tara took a seat on the edge of the bed. “I didn’t until Gavin told me. But like I said, it doesn’t surprise me. I saw the sparks that night in the bar when I first came to town and met all of you.”

“Sparks? What sparks?”

Tara turned her gaze on Elizabeth. Elizabeth expected animosity, hatred even. But what she saw was just . . . interest. “I saw the way you looked at him. I could see right away that you were in love with him.”

She remembered Tara mentioning it before, but she’d brushed her off, thought she’d minimized it. She thought she’d hid it so well. “In love—oh. No, really. I’m not.”

Jenna snorted. “You’re in love with Gavin?” She twirled some of the many earrings in her ear and flopped belly-first on the bed. “Now this is getting interesting.”

“I’m not in love with Gavin.”

Tara laughed. “Yes, you are. And I’ll bet you have been for some time.”

“Is this true, Elizabeth?” Kathleen asked. “Are you in love with Gavin?”

She looked from Kathleen to Jenna to Tara, and for the first time in her life she had no idea what to do. The room closed in on her, and she found it hard to breathe. This was why she didn’t have female friends. With guys she could bullshit her way out of anything.

Women were tougher. They bore down on her with their steely gazes, and there was no way out. Dizziness made her breathing quicken, and she sucked in air faster and faster, which only made it hotter in there.

“I don’t feel very good,” she said, raising a shaky hand to her sweaty brow.

“Oh, shit, Mom, she looks kind of white,” Jenna said. “I don’t know, but it looks like she’s going to pass out.”

“Someone get her head down. I’ll get a cold cloth.” Tara’s voice sounded like it was far away, as if she was talking from a tunnel. The room had started to turn, and Elizabeth’s fingers felt numb. She tried to suck in air faster because she couldn’t breathe.

“Jenna, close the door. Elizabeth, bend over and put your head between your knees.”

“I can’t breathe.” She wrapped her arms around her stomach, feeling sick.

“Elizabeth. Pay attention.”

She tried to lift her head, but all she could think about was breathing. All she could think about was gasping for air. And she might just fall out of the chair.

Cool hands pressed onto the back of her neck and shoved her forward. She felt something icy cold and wet on her neck.

“Breathe slow and easy honey. Not so fast. That’s what’s making you dizzy.”

Kathleen’s calm voice penetrated. Elizabeth did as requested, and it helped. The pins and needles feeling in her hands and feet started to subside, and eventually the numbness in her face started to go away.

“That’s it. Focus on each breath. Not so fast. Keep it slow.”

She did, keeping her eyes shut so the room would stop spinning.

“Now lift your head. Think you can do that without feeling dizzy?”

“I have no idea.”

“Try. Just try. If you still feel dizzy, we’ll lay you down on the bed.”

She opened her eyes and looked down at her feet, then slowly lifted her head. Still a little dizzy, but not the roller-coaster ride she was on a few minutes ago.

Tara swiped her hair away from Elizabeth’s face. “Better now?”

Elizabeth nodded. “Yes.”

“Here,” Kathleen said, holding a glass of water in front of her. “Take a couple of sips.”

She took the glass, but Kathleen held it for her while she sipped the water. She tilted her head back and tried for a smile. “Thank you.”

Elizabeth directed her gaze to Tara, then to Jenna, who kneeled in front of her. “Thank you both, too. I’m so embarrassed.”

Tara grinned. “Nothing like a good old panic attack, is there?”

“Is that what it was? I’ve never had one before.” She blew out a breath, then inhaled again, this time not doing it like she was running a breathing race. “Scared the hell out of me.”

“So the topic of my son brings out panic in you?”

She looked over at Kathleen. “Oh. No, not at all. Yes. Maybe. I don’t know. I wasn’t prepared to answer questions about how I feel about him.”

“Obviously,” Jenna said with a smirk. “Who knew my brother incited such panic in women?”

Elizabeth managed a laugh. “No, really, it’s not him. It’s me.”

“I’m sorry,” Tara said. “I didn’t mean to back you into a corner about Gavin.”

Elizabeth leaned back in the chair. “You have nothing to be sorry about. I’m the one who should be apologizing to you. Until the day I die, probably.”

“It’s okay, really.”

Elizabeth wasn’t sure it would ever be okay with Tara. “I really am sorry, Tara. I was so wrong, so focused on my career and Mick’s career that I was blinded. I hurt you and Nathan without thought. I would never use a child like that. I don’t know what I was thinking, and there’s no excuse for what I did.”

Tara leaned forward and grabbed her hands. “Apology accepted. Let it go, Liz. I have. And Nathan holds no grudge.”

She shuddered out a sigh. “Thank you. You’re very generous and much nicer than I probably would be.”

Tara laughed. “Well, don’t go fainting on me every time you see me. That would be a start.”

Elizabeth managed a smile. “It’s a bit disconcerting that you knew how I felt all along.”

“Well, you were kind of obvious. Your feelings for Gavin are written all over your face.”

She put her palms over her cheeks, the flame of embarrassment heating her. “They are?”

Tara gave her a sympathetic smile. “Yes, they are.”

“So, you’re in love with Gavin. Wow. I didn’t see it,” Jenna said. “You two have known each other for years. So is this a recent thing or have you been carrying a torch for a while?”

“For a long time, is my guess,” Tara said.

“Is she right?” Kathleen asked.

Elizabeth nodded.

“Does Gavin know?”

Elizabeth shook her head. “No. God, no. And I don’t want him to know.”

Kathleen frowned. “Why not?”

She looked down at her hands. “This is hard to explain.”

“Because a guy has to fall in love with you because it’s what he wants, not out of obligation.”

Elizabeth lifted her head and nodded at Tara. “Yes.”

“Which means, Mom, that we need to butt out and let Elizabeth and Gavin handle their relationship the way they see fit,” Jenna said.

“All right. But I have to tell you, Lizzie, that I love you and I love my son. And I don’t want either of you hurt.”

Elizabeth reached for Kathleen’s hand. “I love you, too. And I don’t want to hurt him. I just don’t know how this is going to play out. I don’t know what we are to each other yet. So I’m asking you to give us some time to figure it all out.”

She turned to Tara. “And give Mick some space, too. He’s still mad at me, and he has a right to be. And he and Gavin are at odds over it. I’m strong and I can take it. I just don’t want them fighting because of me.”

Tara shrugged. “I’ve already decided to step away from that battle.”

Kathleen nodded. “Probably a good choice. Sometimes brothers need to find their own solutions to their problems. And when a woman—or women—are involved, it’s best to steer clear. They’ll find a way through this. They always have before.”

Elizabeth hoped that was true. She’d walk away from Gavin before she drove a wedge in his relationship with Mick.

She just hoped it wouldn’t come to that.

SIXTEEN

GAVIN SEARCHED THE WHOLE DAMN HOUSE FOR ELIZABETH, wondering if maybe Mick had found her and stuffed her in the trunk of a car.

Okay, he wouldn’t do that. Or at least he didn’t think his brother would go that far.

As he made his third pass through the house, he saw Elizabeth coming down the stairs with his mother and Jenna—and Tara, of all people.

They were all smiling, chatting away, seemingly at ease with each other.

That he hadn’t expected.

“Hey, I’ve been looking everywhere for you,” he said as she reached the bottom of the steps. “What have you been doing?”

“It’s a secret women’s society. We’re plotting the demise of the male species,” Jenna said.

“Smart-ass.” He kissed the cheek Jenna presented to him, then she walked away.

Tara came up to him and hugged him. “Girl talk. You don’t have to monopolize all of Elizabeth’s time, do you?”

He looked to Elizabeth, who seemed just fine. “I guess not.”

“Then I suppose you can have her back. Your mother and Jenna and I have to go get Mick’s cake ready. Did you and your dad grill the meat?”

“Yeah,” he said, unable to take his eyes off Elizabeth, wanting to make sure she was all right. “It’s on the counter in the kitchen.”

Elizabeth looked at Gavin’s mother. “Do you need help?”

“No,” Kathleen said. “You catch up with Gavin. We have it under control.”

They walked off, and Gavin led her out the front door so they could have some privacy.

“What’s going on? Why were you upstairs with Jenna, Tara, and my mom?”

She shrugged. “Nothing. We were just talking.”

“Did Tara grill you or give you a hard time?”

Her lips quirked. “No. We talked. It was good. It cleared the air. We’re fine now.” She laid her hand on his arm. “Really, it’s okay.”

“You sure?”

“Positive.”

“Okay.”

“So can we go inside and help out instead of skulking around avoiding everyone?”

He put his arm around her shoulder. “I guess so.”

She slid her arm around his waist. “Really, Gavin. I can take care of myself. Even with Mick.”

Who was at the front door with Tara when they opened it. Elizabeth gave him her biggest smile.

“Happy birthday, Mick.”

Gavin could tell Tara had talked to him. “Thanks. Glad you could make it.”

Elizabeth’s lips curled. “No, you’re not, but thanks for being civil about it. I’ll try to stay out of your way.” She let go of Gavin. “I’m going into the kitchen to help your mom.”

“Me, too.” Tara leaned up and kissed Mick. “Behave.”

“When have I not behaved?”

Tara rolled her eyes, then switched her gaze at Gavin. “You, too.”

Tara left and Gavin stood there with Mick. “Thanks for not jumping on Elizabeth.”

Mick shrugged. “I don’t have anything to say to her as long as she doesn’t fuck with my family. She’s already done enough of that.”

There was a lot Gavin wanted to say in reply, but it was Mick’s birthday, and his mother would probably smack him on the head if he punched the birthday boy. Which was probably why Mick figured he could get away with saying whatever he wanted.

The free pass would only last so long. Like today was the only day.

“I think we should see what Dad’s up to,” Gavin suggested, swallowing his anger.

“That’s probably a good idea.”

Dad was neutral territory. He was outside, surrounded by the smoke of the barbecue pit and a handful of Gavin and Mick’s uncles. Gavin heard the tail end of a story about this year’s Super Bowl game, about one of Mick’s outstanding plays and how there was standing room only at the bar that Sunday.

Mick groaned. “Like Uncle Robert and Uncle Matt haven’t heard that story a hundred times already.”

“Heard? Hell, they were at the bar that night. We all were. Doesn’t mean Dad isn’t going to tell it over and over again.”

There were a handful of neighbors surrounding Dad, and they’d all been at the bar that night, too. So had Gavin, who’d seen all the plays, heard all the cheers, and still had to listen to the replay.

Not that he was jealous. Winning the Super Bowl had been a damn big deal for his brother. He didn’t begrudge him the glory at all. If the shoe had been on the other foot, Gavin would be reveling in the glory and milking it for as long as he could.

“Mick, my boy, come on over and tell the guys about the winning touchdown pass.”

“Again,” Gavin murmured.

Mick rolled his eyes. “They don’t want to hear it.”

“Probably not, but Dad wants you to tell them. Maybe if you’re lucky, they’ll take up a collection for you not to tell it.”

Mick snorted and headed into the throng. Gavin stayed back and sipped his beer, listening to the story he’d heard many times before.

“Your season is looking good so far.”

Gavin hadn’t heard Tara’s son, Nathan, come up behind him. The kid was always so quiet. Of course a fifteen-year-old amidst the boisterous Riley clan could get swallowed up like a small fish in a shark tank.

“Thanks, Nathan. How are you doing?”

“Pretty good.”

Gavin knew there was something Nathan wanted to talk to him about.

“Is there something on your mind?”

Nathan glanced over to where Mick was mimicking the throw of a football.

“Yeah, kinda.”

“Go ahead. We’re family now. Tell me what you’re thinking.”

Nathan paused for a second, then said, “It’s about your girlfriend.”

“Elizabeth.”

“Yeah.”

“Are you mad at her?” Gavin asked.

“No. But Mick still is. And he thinks I should be, but I’m not.”

Gavin swiveled on the steps to face Nathan. “No one should tell you how you should feel, Nathan. Not your mom or Mick or me. If you’re pissed off about what Elizabeth did to manipulate the media that day, that’s your right. If you’re over it, that’s your right, too. If Mick is still angry about it, that’s his problem to deal with.”

“I guess so.”

“You don’t have to feel whatever he feels about anything. He’ll still care about you. It’s kind of like when two people love each other, but they’re on different sides in politics.”

“You mean when one’s a Democrat and one’s a Republican.”

“Exactly. They don’t have to agree to still love each other, right? Even though they might not agree on some serious fundamental issues.”

“We talked about that in my government class. That it’s our right to stand up for what we believe in, even if we’re in disagreement with the people closest to us.”

“Exactly. Your grandparents oppose each other politically.”

Nathan’s brows popped up. “Really?”

“Yup. But they love each other like nobody’s business. And I’ve never seen two people who can argue so fiercely, especially around election time. It’ll make your ears burn. But pick on one, and the other will defend them to the death. It’s kind of like that with how you feel about something. Just because you love Mick doesn’t mean you have to agree with everything he believes.”

Nathan stared at Mick, then nodded. “That makes sense. Thanks.”

“You’re welcome.”

“I kind of like Elizabeth. She came up to me today, and we sat down, and she told me how she screwed up and how sorry she was. I think that takes some guts.”

“Yeah, I guess it does.”

Nathan tilted his head up at Gavin. “I think she’s really trying, Gavin.”

Gavin bumped his shoulder against Nathan’s. “I think she is, too, Nathan. Maybe your dad will figure that out someday soon.”

ELIZABETH WAS DRAINED. PHYSICALLY, MENTALLY, AND emotionally exhausted.

First the meltdown in front of Jenna, Kathleen, and Tara, and oh, God, could that have been a more horrifying moment? And then she’d sat down and had a heart-to-heart with a fifteen-year-old boy, who’d handled her apology with a maturity she hadn’t expected.

And to top it off she’d had to spend the rest of the night doing her best to dodge Mick, which wasn’t easy considering it had been his birthday party.

She wanted to strip down, crawl under the covers, and end this day.

Gavin had brought her home and had gone to take a shower. He had worked up a sweat with an impromptu game of football with his brother and his soon-to-be nephew, along with the various cousins.

While he did that, she opened a bottle of wine and poured herself a glass. She headed upstairs, stripped off her clothes, and fell face-first onto the bed.

She was almost asleep when she felt strong hands sliding down her back, followed by warm lips pressed against the nape of her neck.

“I’ll give you an hour to stop that.”

He didn’t speak, just conducted a very sensual assault over her shoulders with his hands, massaging the tension away from her shoulder blades, the middle of her back, her lower back, and lingering at her butt—which made her giggle. He compressed the spots that needed it and used whisper-light touches on the places that weren’t so tense. He followed his fingers with the barest touch of his lips as he mapped a trail from her back to her butt to her thighs to her calves, then lifted her feet and kneaded the arches.

She moaned as he massaged her feet, a weak spot since she spent all her time in heels.

“God, that feels good. Please don’t stop.”

He pressed his thumb on the arch of her foot, and he surprised her when his tongue wrapped around her toe. She gasped, the dual sensation of comfort and sensuality shooting right to her pussy. Wet, hot flames of arousal licked at her, made her lift her butt in the air and slide her hand between her legs to massage the ache in her clit.

“Stop,” he said. “I’ll get there in a minute.”

She laughed. “I can’t wait. I want to come.”

“You don’t have much patience, do you?” he asked, then slid her big toe in his mouth and sucked it.

Oh, damn. She lost all track of what she was about to do with her fingers, mesmerized by his talented tongue and mouth. And when he slid his tongue across the bottom of her foot, she jerked her foot away.

“That tickles.”

“We can’t have that.” He licked his way over her ankle, up her calf, and lifted her leg, then laid it down on the bed, kissing the back of one knee, then the other, parting her legs to crawl between them. He pressed his lips to the backs of her thighs and where her butt cheeks met her legs, then massaged her buttocks.

She moaned again when he started rubbing her lower back, especially the one spot that . . .

“Ohhh . . .”

“Really.”

“Yeah.”

“It’s because you insist on wearing those four-inch heels. Bad for your back.”

“Yes, Doctor. Whatever you say, Doctor. Just keep rubbing there.”

“You sure you want me to rub here? Or maybe here instead.”

He let his fingers drift lower over her ass again, then between her legs to tease her pussy.

“Well, that’s nice, too. Rub there instead.”

He did, using three fingers to part her pussy lips and spread her juices over her clit. She followed his hand by lifting her butt and rubbing against him like a cat craving attention.

Hell, she might even be purring. She knew she made some kind of noises but had no idea what they were. She was lost in sensation, her mind focused only on his touch and the feel of his body as he moved over her and slipped his cock inside her, then reached under her to continue to sweep his fingers over her clit.

He swelled inside her, thickening, stretching her, taking her to the limit and back again. She fisted the sheets and buried her head in the covers, shutting out everything but his breathing as he whispered dark words in her ear. She turned her face to the side, catching only a glimpse of his tightened features as her lips met his in a fevered kiss when he thrust deeply inside her.

Pressed to the mattress, she was powerless, giving up total control to him as he whipped her into a fevered state. Tension turned her muscles to steel as she fought the explosion that hovered so close. She wanted to prolong this ecstasy, where every stroke of his cock was bliss and every whispered word he uttered was sweet heaven.

“Let go, Elizabeth. Let me feel you come.”

She shook her head, holding on for just a few seconds longer as he wound her tighter into a ball of the sweetest pleasure imaginable.

But when he bit down on the nape of her neck, she was awash in heat that she couldn’t survive, and she climaxed, crying out and meeting his lips as he ground against her, his balls slapping against her clit. He groaned and spilled inside her. He was glued to her, shuddering against her, and she wanted this to go on forever, just the two of them connected like this.

Gavin dropped down on top of her and rolled to the side, bringing her with him, stroking her breasts as she came down off the high.

She always gave so much to him in sex, so much of herself. She laid herself open and gave him everything, held nothing back. She had never been like that with other men.

She had never loved other men.

She wondered if he realized how much she gave him, or if he thought she was simply like every other woman he’d been with.

She’d never ask. She didn’t want to know. There was only right now between them. She’d never tell him how she felt. He had too much power as it was.

And every day that passed he gathered more.

She sighed and snuggled against him. He stroked her hair in the darkness, and she allowed a single tear to slip down her cheeks.

Little by little she was losing herself in Gavin.

She was never going to win this game.