“You don’t have anything to be sorry for. I was the one being an ass. Ginny, there are things I don’t want to talk about that happened to me, not to you or anyone.”
“I shouldn’t have pushed … I was just trying to find out if ….”
“Find out what?” he asked patiently, stroking her back.
“If you consider us a couple? Or sex buddies? Do you even like me as a friend? Couples snuggle; friends don’t. I was just trying to find out which we are. I should have waited until you weren’t so upset about what happened earlier.”
Gavin buried his face in her hair. “You’re so fucking naïve. You turn me inside out. I was the biggest dick in the world to you, and you still want to go on a fishing expedition?”
“Yes, please. A woman needs to know if she’s allowed to snuggle.” Flashing him a humorous smile, she tried to make light of her question while, inside, she was filled with dread, waiting for his answer.
“Woman, I married you. We’ve gone past the snuggling stage.”
“We’re no—”
Gavin kissed her, breaking off what she was about to say.
Playfully, Ginny slid her lips out from under his. “We may be legally married,” she said with a raised voice, showing Gavin she knew why he cut her off, “but we won’t truly be married in the eyes of my church until Pastor Dean gives his blessing. To do that, you have to ask Pastor Dean for permission.”
Gavin narrowed his eyes at her. “You’re kidding, right?”
“No, I’m serious. Razer and Shade both had to ask his permission.”
Gavin burst out into laughter. “Now I know you’re joking. Razer maybe—”
He wasn’t even giving her the benefit of the doubt.
Despite his words, Ginny shook her head at his misapprehension, trying to wordlessly show him that she was serious.
“—but there is no way, and I mean no way, Shade asked for Lucky’s blessing and permission to marry Lily.”
“Lily told me herself.” Ginny playfully punched him on shoulder when Gavin burst into another round of laughter at his friend’s expense. “What’s so funny about Shade being romantic?”
“I wanted proof. I just didn’t expect Shade to be the one to give it to me.”
Ginny frowned at him at confusion. “What are you talking about?”
Gavin had to wipe a tear of laughter away. “There is a God.”
Chapter Sixteen
Ginny placed their lunch containers in the microwave before going to the patio door; she hesitated calling out to Gavin that it was ready. He was staring out at the ocean as if he were a million miles away.
Being alone with Gavin for the last eight days with no one else to keep them company had given her insights into the trauma he continued to suffer through on a daily basis. His air of isolation right now had her aching to go to him, yet she knew he needed this moment outside alone to reaffirm he wasn’t locked inside.
She despised herself for letting him come with her. The mental turmoil of being under someone’s else control, even though Allerton had yet to show himself, was taking a toll on Gavin. He was increasingly more silent and constantly pacing around the bungalow as if it were a jail cell.
While the lack of freedom was getting to Gavin, Ginny wasn’t above using the opportunity to better understand him and to grow closer to the solitary man. She wished she knew what he had been like before his kidnapping. Occasionally, he would make a joke like he had about Shade, and Ginny could see a glimmer of something, or someone, behind his eyes, begging to be let out.
Unable to bear watching him in his isolation any longer, she started forward, then halted at the sound of the phone ringing. It was only the second time it had rung since they arrived.
Taking two steps, she reached for the phone, conscious of Gavin coming through the door.
“I’m afraid to answer it,” she admitted.
“I can.”
Ginny shook her head. “Hello?”
“Allerton scheduled a meeting for this afternoon at four,” Agent Collins informed her.
“We’ll be ready.”
Hanging up without any pleasantries, she turned to Gavin. “Allerton wants to see us at four.”
“Lunch ready?”
“Yes, it’s in the microwave. You’re not worried?” she asked at his apparent indifference.
Gavin took the containers out, dividing the food between the two plates. “I would be lying if I said no, but we’ll deal with whatever happens.”
Ginny took a seat at the table to join Gavin, who’d already started eating. “Maybe I should go alone—”
“That’s not going to happen.” Gavin took another bite of his shrimp scampi before pushing his plate toward her. “Go ahead and eat it. It’s good. Best thing we’ve had so far.”
“I’m not hungry.”
“Eat. Let me do the worrying.”
“That’s not going to happen,” she mimicked him.
Gavin took another forkful of scampi. “You want to fuck, then?”