Can't Help Falling In Love (The Sullivans #3)(27)

“Sorry!”

The girl shrugged. “I’ll tell your server you’re thirsty.”

Megan felt hot all over—not the good kind of hot, but at what an idiot she was making of herself around Gabe.

“So you’re a big drinker, huh?”

She looked up at him in surprise, before realizing he was teasing her.

“No.” She licked her lips, made herself hold his gorgeous gaze. She was only getting herself into trouble by trying to act like this dinner was no big deal.

By trying to feign not wanting him.

“I only drink when I’m nervous.”

“Do I make you nervous?”

She refused to look away. “You know you do.”

He didn’t look away, either. “If it makes you feel any better, you make me nervous, too.”

Bad. This was bad. They were both heading down the wrong path.

So even though she had trouble taking her next breath, she made herself say, “Tell me about the snow. How was it out there today?”

He continued to stare at her for several long moments. Please, she silently prayed, please follow me away from temptation. They both knew platonic was the only thing that made sense.

Finally, he said, “The snow is good. Perfect powder after the recent storm. Should be great conditions to learn to board tomorrow.”

“About that. It’s really sweet of you to agree to teach Summer—”

“—and you—”

“—and me to snowboard. But I know you came here to—”

“—have fun with friends on the mountain. That’s what we’re going to do tomorrow. Be friends, having fun.”

But, thought Megan a little wildly, what about when she had a little too much fun? What about when she lost all control and couldn’t bear to be just friends for another second?

The waitress came with her drink and took their order. As soon as the woman left, Megan knew it was time to say, “I’m beyond mortified about what Summer did. I haven’t actually figured out how she got wind of your trip here. If you’re upset with us, I completely understand.”

He shrugged, not looking too concerned about the machinations of a seven-year-old with a case of hero worship. “I’m sure she overheard me talking to someone at the party. And I’m not upset about seeing you.”

“But she shouldn’t have done this, shouldn’t have made us barge in on your vacation like this.”

“She’s a really sweet kid.”

“I know that, but…” She shook her head. “Summer’s too young to understand the reasons why two people might not want to be together.”

“Do you think she’s hoping you and I will start dating?”

Megan felt her face grow terribly hot again. “I’m afraid so. She already thinks you’re the greatest thing since that firehouse girl and Dalmatian you sent her for her birthday. Even more than her Rapunzel doll with the long—”

“—hair,” he finished for her. “I had two little sisters, so I know way more about fairy tales than any guy is supposed to.”

He was so charming that she had to clear her throat to get back on track with the difficult—but necessary—conversation they were having, “Anyway, I’ll find a way to explain to her that you and I are just going to be friends. I just wanted to apologize to you for screwing up your vacation. I swear I had no idea you were going to be here and I’ve already decided that Summer is going to be grounded for life when we get back home.”

“Megan.”

She’d dropped her eyes to lap by the end of her apology, but the way he said her name had her lifting her eyes to his face.

“I’m glad you’re here.”

“That’s really nice of you to say, but—”

“Really glad.”

The really stopped her protests cold. He didn’t look like a man who was lying to preserve her feelings.

And, oh, she liked it too much, knowing he was glad they were in Lake Tahoe with him. It would have been so much easier if he had been upset with them, if he felt like they’d stalked him, or something. Then he’d steer clear of them, rather than give dinner invitations and offer to take them snowboarding in the morning.

“Still,” she had to say, “I wish Summer had been honest with me about what she was doing.”

“Would you have come in that case?”

Megan had to smile and admit, “No. We definitely wouldn’t have come.”

“You should have seen the stuff I pulled when I was seven.”

Glad for the shift away from the two of them, she took a sip of her drink and relaxed a bit. “I can’t even begin to imagine—a thrill-seeker like you surrounded by five older brothers that I’m guessing weren’t exactly angels.”

“You’d lock Summer in her room until she’s eighteen if I told you some of the things we would attempt.” He held up his bottle of beer. “How about a toast to a brilliant seven-year-old who knew just what she wanted and pulled it off without a hitch?”

Even though she was shaking her head, Megan couldn’t help but laugh, realizing just how right he was considering it was just the two of them having a “romantic” evening together.

She raised her glass. “She is pretty darn smart, isn’t she?”