Chapter 12 #2
Carly pulled in a deep breath of salty air and studied Gage’s form.
She had to admit that seeing him apply techniques of his own, face hard, eyes focused as he got up on the board, all of it made him even more attractive.
Especially when he broke into that triumphant grin upon finishing.
She liked other sides of him too. His ambition for architecture, the way he came to life whenever he spoke about the sunlight pouring into a certain structure, or the way the pillars seemed nearly invisible due to some genius design element.
She liked that side of him most, Carly decided, since it spoke to a life outside of Hollywood.
A life where he could possibly be someone’s devoted husband.
She pictured him hovered over blueprints in the lamp’s light, going over the home he’d designed for their future family.
“Did you want an extra window here in the baby’s room?
” he’d ask while kneading a putty eraser in one hand.
It might be early to think of things like that, but really, why consider investing if that wasn’t in the cards? Carly knew what she wanted. Even more, she knew what she would never accept again.
“Carly, did you hear me?”
Carly pulled out of her daze to see Gage standing on the beach, board in hand. “Let’s go. Everyone’s clearing the beach.”
She lifted her chin, caught a dozen drops of rain on her face, and looked over the horizon. Clouds. Lots of them. At once she snatched her board and climbed to her feet. “Where do you want to go?” she hollered. The combined ruckus of building waves and pouring rain added to the chaos.
Gage shielded his face with a lifted hand. “My place?”
Carly did the same. “Okay.” They dashed over to the board shack first, handing their boards over to Logan before hurrying to the boardwalk.
As they came to the smooth cement leading to the modern beach homes, she recalled what she’d teased him about—using the flower he’d bought her as an excuse to get her back to his place.
Please say he’s not only interested in a good time.
Gage pushed open the door and motioned for her to step inside. Carly used the greeting mat to wipe the remaining grains of sand off her feet. A plush, white runner rested on the wide-slat beach wood floors as she stepped inside at last, Gage just behind her.
The door closed, trading the blanket sound of white noise for the tinny beats of rain on the roof.
Pitter pat pat. Pitter pitter pat.
It reflected the chaos in her head. No doubt Gage could tell she was off this morning. Would he assume that his declaration last night had scared her away? A shiver rocked over her body, and Carly rubbed her hands over her arms in response.
It was warm in there, and soon to be even warmer, she realized, as Gage flipped on the fireplace. She lifted her chin to take in the high ceiling and metal beams.
“I’ll get us some towels,” Gage mumbled a moment before disappearing into the hallway.
Finishing touches in the furniture kept the spacious beach house from feeling sterile and cold. A blend of shaggy rugs, textured throw pillows, and soft, leather couches, all in shades ranging from white and cream to pale gray.
Carly neared the fireplace while holding her hands toward the flames. The heat felt amazing. She closed her eyes, letting the warmth soak into her palms, and tried to find her mental footing.
The pendant on her neck grew heavy. Perhaps the storm had been a good thing; it would give them a chance to talk.
There wasn’t much else to do while it poured outside.
A recollection of his mouth on hers seemed to challenge that thought, making her face grow warm in a blink.
Yes, there was that too. But Carly had some things to get off her chest first. Maybe then she could be sure that Gage was in it for more than some meaningless hookup.
“Here you go,” Gage said as he hurried back into the room.
“I’ve, um, got a dry shirt if you’d like to put it on.
” He lifted an ashy gray tee shirt with one arm, then tucked it into his hand to show the rest of his spoils.
“Got a couple of towels. A blanket…” He rested them on the rug before the fireplace.
Carly held his gaze for a moment. He’d replaced his wetsuit with a pair of khaki shorts, but he hadn’t put on a shirt.
His skin was still damp, the muscled contours of his chest reflecting the golden light from the fire.
His hair was still drenched, causing the dark strands to drip along his temples, down to the base of his chiseled jaw.
Carly reached for one of the towels, dabbed her face with it, then tipped her head to the side and slid the band from her ponytailed hair.
She ran her fingers through it and lowered herself onto the rug.
Gage did the same, quietly, studying her as she combed through her hair. She felt shy suddenly, found herself biting her lip as she glanced up at him through her lashes.
The cool, outdoor glow was a contrast to the warm, colorful flames. Gage emanated a warmth all his own, and it was magnetic.
“Hi,” he rasped.
Carly grinned, feeling like a swooning actress from some timeless romance, shyly crushing on the hunk every woman wanted for herself. “Hi.”
“You are so beautiful.”
A deep blush rose to her cheeks. Her heart skipped at least three beats. “So are you. In a masculine way,” Carly added with a laugh.
He chuckled under his breath and set those baby browns on her. “Thanks.”
She had to admit, the flirtation was boosting her confidence.
Gage offered the tee shirt to her. “Did you want this?’
“Sure. Thank you.” Carly hadn’t worn a wetsuit or swim top over her two-piece suit today, but she might have if she’d have known a storm was on its way.
Quickly, she shrugged into the cotton tee.
It was warm, soft, and, smelled like Gage’s spicy cologne.
She hid a grin, wondering if he’d sprayed it before bringing it out to her.
“So,” he said in that low, husky voice. “Should we get back to our studies?”
Her mind went blank. “Studies?”
“Each other,” he reminded. “We’re studying one another so we can outsmart Christian. Remember?”
“That’s right,” she said.
“So, how do you take your coffee,” he said. “Cream, sugar, or black?”
She smiled, loving how easy Gage was to be around. How quick he was to settle her nerves. “I like mine with sugar, cream, chocolate drizzle, you name it. What about you?”
“Sugar, no cream. How do you like your eggs?”
“Over easy. I don’t hate scrambled, but I don’t prefer them either.”
“Same,” Gage said, a satisfied grin on his face. “And eggs on toast—”
Carly nodded. “Oh my gosh, the best.” She tried for a moment to think of another one, but she had too much on her mind. “I’m sorry about last night,” she blurted. “I chickened out.” Her heart picked up that hectic beat once more, the rain overhead doing the same. The sound of it was nearly angry.
She studied his perfect face for a breath, daring herself to speak the truth. “It’s not that I don’t feel the same way. I do. I just…well, this dream I had last night sort of explains it.”
Gage’s brow had been furrowed in concentration, but his expression shifted as she spoke. He lifted one brow. His mouth, still drawn in a hard line, showed no sign of a smile, but his eyes revealed hints of a grin all the same. “I was in your dream last night?”
She covered a grin of her own as another dose of heat filled her face. “Yeah, but it was a bad dream. Like a nightmare, I mean.”
The mischievous gleam was gone. “Really?” Gage lifted a hand to touch the side of her face. He searched her eyes, his expression so earnest it tugged at new spots of her heart.
“Yeah. I, um, you were talking to me the way Jimmy does. Sounding like you weren’t able to commit either.
You’d written me this crazy poem. I told you that Jimmy thinks of himself as a cowboy poet, right?
Well, he writes these sorry poems that…that sort of warn me about his inability to love me the way he should, while somehow asking me to accept that and love him anyway. Even if he never can love me back.”
Gage nodded. “And in your dream, I was doing that too?” His voice was low and even, matching the concern she saw in his eyes.
“Yes.” She dropped her gaze, ran her fingers over the feathery soft tassels of the rug.
“It was horrible, and I just tried to forget it. But then I was watching you this morning and thinking of how every woman in America will be watching you one day and falling all over you…” She managed a one-shoulder shrug.
“It would be hard to even want to tie yourself down at a time like this. Not that I’d even expect you to, it’s just… ”
“I do want that.”
Carly had another word poised on her tongue, but she closed her mouth as she registered what he’d said. “You want what?”
Gage rubbed a thumb over her cheek and sighed. “I don’t want to scare you away again, but if you do actually feel the same way, then it’s something we should talk about. And maybe it can put your doubts to rest.”
Carly gave him a slight nod, wondering if she was hearing him correctly.
“I’ve never felt this way before. I’m not interested in dating anyone else, and I absolutely want to commit to dating only you. If that’s something you feel ready for.”
Whoa. This would take a moment to sink in.
She hit the mental pause button in her head, allowing it to do just that.
News had already carried to her heart, evident by the rapid thumps echoing clear to her ears.
She could almost feel the warmth of his words filling the void in her chest. She held his gaze, awed by how certain he’d been in saying it.
She’d never had a man do that. Declare that he wanted to pursue her and no one else.
“You’re asking me to, like, be your girlfriend?” The question sounded like it came right off the middle school playground.