I was stunned into silence.
“You think Sam would want to work for you for free?” Fox said with a laugh of disbelief.
“I didn’t mean for free, totally,” Gavin said. “Like I said, the connections would be worth it.”
“Connections don’t put food on the table,” Fox said, his eyes like daggers right at Gavin.
Something inside of me rallied up and cheered for what Fox was saying. I didn’t have the energy to explain to Gavin why he sounded so offensive, but Fox had rushed in to protect me.
It was amazing, actually. It made me want to pull him in and make out with him right here and now.
“So what do you do these days, Fox?” Gavin asked, changing the subject.
“I’m in finance,” he said simply. “I live in the city.”
“L.A.?”
“New York,” Fox clarified.
“I’m glad to see the two of you are close these days,” he said, gesturing between me and Fox.
“Oh, we’re not,” I said.
“Hah,” Mom said, coming to sit down next to me at the table. “You should have seen the two of them this morning. They might not be close, but they sure can put back liquor by the pool like two peas in a pod. Want to see the pictures, Gavin?”
“Don’t,” Fox and I both said in unison.
“Must be some good photos,” Gavin said with his plastered-on smile.
“Fox, hun, can we use some of that incredible stuff for the chicken?” Mom asked. “The stuff from the other night? God, what was that called?”
“Aleppo pepper,” Fox said. “I can grab it from the RV.”
“The best red pepper flakes I’ve ever had, I swear,” Mom said.
“I’ll come with,” I said, getting up to accompany Fox on the short walk over to his RV parking spot across the way.
Fox lifted an eyebrow. “Think I can’t handle carrying a bottle of pepper flakes by myself?”
I struggled to come up with some excuse to leave the table. “I think I left my bug spray in your RV. I need to come find it.”
Fox was already taking off toward his vehicle. I followed, and as we walked away, I heard Gavin start telling one of the same celebrity stories to Mom.
When I stepped into the Fox’s RV, he was leaning against one of the counters in the back, pouring himself an Absolut martini.
“Drinking again even after last night?” I asked.
“That name-dropper friend of yours is a real catch, Sam,” Fox said. “What do you think the two of you will wear at your wedding? Do you think Brad Pitt will be in the audience?”
I snorted. “Gag me. I’d rather eat raw snails than ever go on a date with Gavin,” I said. “He does look nice these days, though.”
Fox’s expression darkened, just a little. “That’s the kind of look you’re into, huh?”
“He might be a name-dropper, but you’ve got to admit he’s good looking.”
“He was a fucking asshole to you,” Fox said, his gaze still smoldering. “I couldn’t believe he would treat you like that.”
I shrugged one shoulder. “I’m used to it.”
“You’re kidding.”
“People don’t take me seriously, Fox,” I said. “I’ve told you. I just let it roll off my back, at this point.”
“I take you seriously,” Fox said.
My chest fluttered. I swore I felt myself blush a little. I barely knew how to respond. “That’s news to me,” I said.
“It shouldn’t be,” he told me. “You deserve the best, and you’re great at what you do. Both your work and your hobbies.”
My heart felt like it might burst, now. I was so moved to hear such nice things from Fox, anytime he said them. It was like finding gold where I always somehow still expected a lump of coal.
“You are so nice to me sometimes,” I said gently, meeting his eyes. I was starting to realize might actually really, really fucking like him.
“Get your damn bug spray,” he said, breaking eye contact and waving me off like it was nothing.
“You think I don’t have my bug spray on me already, every hour of every day?” I asked, pulling the little travel size spray from my pocket. “I just wanted an excuse to get out of there.”
“You’re the one who invited him.”
A smile spread across my face. “Jealous again?”
“Sam, get over yourself,” Fox said.
“You totally are,” I continued. “You hate that my mom is trying to play Cupid with me and Gavin.”
“I am not a fan of Gavin, but you can sleep with whoever you want,” Fox said, popping the lid back onto the bottle of vodka before turning to walk out of the RV.
“Get over here and kiss me before you walk away,” I said, an impulsive streak surging through me. I hadn’t planned on saying it, but being in closed quarters with Fox for the first time all day had gone to my head and to my cock.
Fox turned, giving me a smoldering look. “I’m sure Gavin’s a good enough kisser for you, right?”