Chapter Four
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Hands aching as they gripped the iron bar above him, Gavin clenched his jaw and powered through the last few pull-ups, the muscles in his arms and chest screaming. He’d been so keyed up about Autumn all day through the endless meetings for the upcoming summit, he’d needed the punishing workout to burn off the restless energy.
“You about done there yet, tiger?”
Arms quivering, Gavin gritted his teeth and forced his exhausted muscles to propel himself up the final few inches until his chin cleared the bar. Immediately, he swung down and dropped to the mat, could barely get his hand up in time to catch the towel Tris chucked at his face. “Thanks.”
“Sure.” His twin perched on the edge of a weight bench and took a long swig of water, eyeing him. “You good?”
“Yeah, why?”
Tristan didn’t answer. Just kept looking at him with that measured, X-ray stare that silently called bullshit.
Technically, they were identical, but they were different enough to be told apart if people paid attention, especially where their personalities were concerned. Tris was quiet and contained. Wound a little too tight, truth be told. Gavin leaned more in the opposite direction. And that was partly why people had tended not to take him seriously in the past.
It had always rubbed him the wrong way, so over the last few months he’d begun working hard to change that. He needed Autumn to notice.
“You don’t know what’s going on with you?” Tris finally asked. “Or you don’t wanna talk about it.”
“Nothing going on, so nothing to talk about.” This was one of the rare times he didn’t want his other half to know something.
“’kay.” Tris got up and walked away. “I’m hittin’ the shower. Better get your ass in gear. You know how Marls is with being on time.”
Maybe it was their military background, but in their family, if you weren’t ten minutes early, you were late. And then you got chewed out. Their sister had always been strict, though to be fair, she’d had to be, considering she was only two years older than them and had been forced to take on the role of their mother as a teen. Although compared to their big brother, she was a softie.
Decker was a total hardass, didn’t like anyone knowing he was actually human. It was a damned miracle that any woman would fall in love with him, but somehow he’d managed to snag Teagan. Though she was a badass in her own right, and Gavin had never seen Deck so settled or, dare he say it, happy.
He hustled to the fancy shower room, sighed as he stepped under the warm spray in the spacious luxury cubicle. The showers here in the company gym at Crimson Point Security had awesome water pressure. He quickly scrubbed himself down, then let his mind wander as he washed his hair. Inevitably, it wandered to a vision of Autumn, standing in here with him, water sluicing over her naked curves while he traced every single one with his tongue.
He went rock hard instantly.
The one and only time he’d seen her naked, they’d been eighteen. He’d been drunk as shit, not expecting her to suddenly flip the script on him, and more than happy to lie back and enjoy the ride once she had.
He regretted that now. Wasn’t proud about how it had gone. If he could go back and do it again, he would handle it so differently. Take charge, make sure he took care of her needs. Make her come at least twice before he’d climbed back out that window as rays of dawn light lit the eastern sky.
If he got another chance now... He would give her everything.
Ignoring his raging erection because there wasn’t time to deal with it, he roughly dried off and took out the dress shirt and pants he’d hung up in his locker. Tris’s eyebrows shot up when Gavin walked out rolling up his cuffs. “What’s happening?”
“With what?”
“I thought this was just a family dinner. Who you tryin’ to impress?”
A certain someone he’d taken for granted for way too damned long. He wanted her to see him differently. Dressing sharply would help. “No one. Just felt like classing things up a bit.”
“Well, now I look like a bum compared to you,” Tris complained.
He shrugged. “Then swing home to grab some different threads if you think you can still make it to Marley’s on time. Easier for Warwick to tell us apart this way though.” Their Brit brother-in-law was former MI6. Retired now, but volunteered his time helping Ivy, another badass female in the Crimson Point circle, run a charity with one of her sisters to protect vulnerable orphans from trafficking. In his free time, he did occasional consulting work for Crimson Point Security. Helluva good guy to have join their newly reunited, albeit somewhat dysfunctional family.
But what family didn’t have some level of dysfunction? His was better than most, and Gavin loved all his siblings despite their unconventional familial roles. Decker forced to be the reluctant father figure way before his time, Marley the willing mother-slash-big-sister figure, and then Tris, Gavin’s self-appointed keeper. Much good that had ever done him.
His twin grunted and headed for the door. “Loser.”
“I’m telling Warwick you said that.”
Tris threw him a dark look over his shoulder. “Not him. You.”
Gavin stopped and put a hand to his heart. “Ouch. Dude, it’s my birthday.”
“It was my birthday first.”
He snorted. “Because you’re a whole seventeen minutes older?”
“Damn right.”
“‘kay. Hope you’re in a better mood by the time we get there. Nobody likes a party pooper.”
Tris held up a middle finger as he hit the bar on the steel security door. “See ya there.”
They’d driven here separately because Gavin wanted to drive Autumn and Carly back to his place later—alone. “Not if I see you first.”
Tris stopped in the open door to look at him, challenge stamped all over his face. They both bolted at the same time and ran for their vehicles, but Tris had a second’s lead time.
Gavin reached his SUV just as Tris’s truck peeled out onto the street. Gavin raced to the lot entrance and turned the opposite way.
He sped up the hill away from the water, took an alternate route across town and—would you look at that—Tris’s headlights turned onto Marley’s street a few seconds after him.
Grinning smugly, he took his sweet time parallel parking in the single remaining spot out front of the sweet little cottage. Tris pulled up beside him on the street, rolled down his window and gave him a long glare. “ How ?”
“Magic. See you inside, but I guess you’ll be a while, huh? Prolly have to park a block or two over at least.”
Tris stared at him another moment, then pulled up slightly so that his truck was exactly aligned with Gavin’s in the right-hand lane and turned off the engine.
Gavin couldn’t even open his door now. “You can’t park there.”
“Watch me.”
“Okay, well, enjoy getting towed out of spite.”
“I will.”
Chuckling, Gavin did up his window and climbed across the front seat to get out the other side. Tris’s pounding footsteps came behind him. Gavin put on a burst of speed. He beat Tris to the door by a few steps, was the first to walk inside.
“Happy birthday!” a chorus of voices shouted.
Carly rushed toward him, arms held out expectantly. “Happy birthday, Gavvy.”
Aww. Grinning, he picked her up in a bear hug. “Hey, squirt. Thanks.”
“Welcome.” When he set her down she reached for Tris, who was still standing behind him because he’d made a point of blocking the doorway. “Happy birthday, Trissy.”
“Thanks, cutie.” Tris shoved him aside to hug her, and Gavin moved to greet their sister.
“Look at you, all shined up and looking so handsome,” Marley said as she embraced him.
“What? I’m always handsome.”
“Happy birthday, mate,” Warwick said beside her, extending his hand.
“Cheers.” Gavin shook with him, his gaze moving to the others hanging back by the kitchen doorway. Decker, Teagan...and Autumn. He received a shake and a back slap from his eldest brother, a hug from Teagan, then turned his full attention on Autumn, who still hadn’t made a move his way. “Hi.”
She smiled up at him. A real one that set his heart thudding. God, she was beautiful with her sandy blond hair curling around her shoulders, pale green eyes sparkling, a purple wrap dress emphasizing her sweet curves. “Hi. You look nice.”
“Thanks. You look beautiful.” Good enough to eat, and he wanted to do just that. Desperately.
Finally, she stepped forward to hug him. The moment her arms came around him, everyone else in the room seemed to disappear.
Gavin pulled her close and squeezed her, burying his nose in her hair to fill his lungs with her clean, feminine scent. Christ, she smelled good, and the feel of her all soft and curvy nestled against him like this had a low growl forming in the back of his throat. How the hell had he taken her for granted all these years? She was everything he’d ever wanted. Kind, constant, loving, smart, hardworking. Down to earth. Independent. Always put Carly first, making countless sacrifices as a single mother. He was in awe of her.
“Quit hogging her. I already gave you the prime parking spot.” Tris gave him a push. Gavin reluctantly released her, a startling possessiveness streaking through him.
He’d never wanted anyone the way he wanted her. Needed her. He had to make her his. Because she’d always been his, he’d just been too fucking blind to realize it.
He stepped back but kept his attention on her. Drinking in the sight of her, the sound of her laugh at whatever his twin was saying, then glanced around. Marley had his and Tris’s favorite meal waiting on the carefully set table.
She was an incredible cook. Growing up, she’d sometimes seemed to conjure meals out of thin air when money she and Decker earned ran out. She’d done her best with whatever they had on hand, which often hadn’t been much, and that was why cooking was such a core part of her personality now that she could afford whatever ingredients she wanted. Now food was one of the ways she nurtured the people she loved.
He eyed the presents and cake sitting on the kitchen counter. “Oh, yeah, you made the cake.” The amazing chocolate cake she’d made for them every year without fail. That included the times she’d had to go door to door up the street or to Autumn’s mom to ask for the eggs, cocoa powder, and mayonnaise to make it. Making them that cake had been more important to her than her pride.
“Of course, I made the cake,” she said with a laugh. “There’d be a revolt if I didn’t.”
“Damned right.” He looped an arm across her shoulders and kissed the top of her head, contentment and pride filling him. Everyone he cared about most was in this one room. Autumn and Carly fit in so seamlessly with the others, had always been accepted as part of the family.
And if birthday wishes came true, he would be making that official in the very near future.