Collide (Collide #1)(15)

"One Asiago cheese and portabella mushroom panini sandwich with spinach," she said, placing it down in front of him. "And here's a little more coffee for you."

"Thank you." Gavin's eyes flicked to her neck as she leaned over to pour the coffee, the sweet scent of her body teasing his nose. Picturing his lips sliding against her beautiful skin, he brought his attention back to her face and gave her a smile. He cleared his throat, trying to rid himself of the vision.

Emily's heart thumped erratically as he stared at her. "Can I get you anything else for now?"

"Actually, yes. I'm sorry," he said, trying to pull himself from the odd spell she'd cast on him. "I received a call notifying me that I need to get back to the office. Can you bring me a box to put this in?"

"Oh...I'm sorry it took so long," she said, picking up the plate. "I'll just put it in a box for you."

"Don't worry about it. I should've said something earlier." He rose to his feet, shrugging into his suit jacket. "Take your time."

Emily turned away, striding toward the kitchen door.

Gavin took out a business card and two $100 bills. He wrapped them around the card and covered it up with a $5 bill.

Emily returned with the box and handed it to him. "Again, I'm sorry it took so long," she said, staring into his eyes. Her senses automatically became heated again.

Gavin leaned himself in, inches from her face. Reaching for her hand, he placed the money-wrapped card in her palm, his breath soft against her ear. "And I told you not to worry about it."

Emily froze as her breathing became as ragged as her heartbeat. His warm breath so close to her body almost sent her over the edge. He radiated a palpable, sexual energy that she couldn't deny - and she was pretty damn sure that no other warm-blooded female would be able to resist either. Unable to form a sentence, she didn't answer as she looked up into his eyes.

His mouth curved into an alluring smile. "Call me if you change your mind, Molly."

With that, he turned and walked out the door while the eyes of every woman in the restaurant followed him.

Emily let out a breath she didn't know she was holding. She thumbed through the cash not only shocked to see how much he'd tipped her, but that he'd left his card, too. Blank side up, she fought with herself to not turn it over. She let out a sigh, inwardly furious at herself, as she tried to brush thoughts about this man out of her head. It was no use. He was invading every corner of her mind.

She couldn't deny that she found him beyond attractive; she'd been startled into staring the first time she saw him. There was something mysterious about his eyes, which were a shade of blue so light they almost begged her to submit to him, obey him, and do some of the naughtiest things with him that her mind could conjure up. Maybe it was the curve of his cheekbones, which fell slightly short of being too high. Possibly, it was the smooth, raspy tone of his voice, which basically disarmed her every cognitive thought the first time he talked to her.

Of course he has a bedroom voice to go with those bedroom eyes.

He was definitely a f*ckable, bedroom-voice-and-eyes-bearing specimen. Fuckable or not, Emily knew she'd have to resist as long as her sanity ruled over her subconscious mind. It took everything she had in her to make her way into the kitchen without looking at his name and contact number. Against every sexual demon in her head that screamed at her to go for it, she threw the card into the garbage, her fingers tingling from its absence.




Over the next few days, Emily reluctantly unpacked the rest of her belongings that had arrived late from a hold up at the shipping company. Tonight, if it killed her, she would clear out the last of the items. Olivia helped her sift through years of memories. Those memories were all Emily had left, and she clung to them like they were her last heartbeats. The final item in the box took the breath from her, tightening her chest and spinning her emotions out of control. Sighing, Emily slumped on her bed, clinging to a photo showcasing the proud smile of her mother at her high-school graduation. The barrier that she had fought so hard to build over the last few months broke, and the tears came tumbling down. The reality of what had happened - the unwavering fact that she would never see her mother again - hit her hard in that moment.