Collide (Collide #1)(68)

He propped his hand just above her shoulder, angling his head to the side as he ducked down to stare into her eyes. "It's just lunch," he said, his voice low, seductive even. "Friends have lunch together all the time."

Closing her eyes, Emily tried to concentrate on the distant echoing of Dillon's voice in the other room, but Gavin's sweet breath so close to her was making it difficult. Goosebumps erupted all over her skin.

"You're f*cked up," she breathed, her heart ricocheting in her chest so hard she swore he could see it.

"You think so?"

Swallowing hard, she opened her eyes and nodded.

He caught his bottom lip, dragging it slowly between his teeth. "Then, can I make a confession since I seem to be a pretty f*cked-up guy to you?"

The husky sound of his voice made a fresh round of butterflies explode within her stomach.

Another speechless nod.

Softly running his fingertips down her bare arm, he slipped a bottle cap into her hand. He leaned in inches from her ear, his voice nothing but a whisper. "I completely forgot to give you this when you walked in."

Smiling, he backed away and walked into his room, closing the door behind him.

Emily let out the breath she was holding, trying to restore her jumping pulse to a normal rhythm. A knot swelled in her throat. After shoving the damn bottle cap into her purse, she made her way back into the living room and sat on the couch next to Dillon. Over the next fifteen minutes, while waiting for Gavin to get ready, she endured Natasha's mind-numbingly detailed explanation of her recent plastic surgery endeavor to lift her ass higher. Even though Natasha seemed to be a nice, slightly confused girl, by the time Gavin walked into the living room, Emily was more than happy to get the hell out of there.

If it were even possible, the elevator ride down was more torturous than the ride up. The sexual tension in the small space was so thick that Emily could feel it slithering across her skin. The two couples stood across from one another on each side. Dillon and Natasha talked about stock options that he felt she should look into purchasing. Smiling, Gavin casually leaned against the wall, snaking his arm around Natasha's waist, his eyes never wavering from Emily. She watched him just as intently. He was decked out in a form-fitting black shirt that strained around his muscled forearms and black slacks that snuggly hugged his tapered waist. When the cheery ding of the elevator rang on the bottom floor, Emily slipped out as fast as she could, finding retreat in the open-aired space of the lobby - away from him.

Stepping out from the building, the couples decided that they would all drive in Dillon's car over to the restaurant. As Natasha and Gavin sat in the backseat, Emily lost track of the amount of times she rolled her eyes at every giggle that escaped Natasha's lips, caused by something whispered by Gavin.

No doubt something sexual in nature.

When they arrived at the restaurant, Dillon helped Emily out from the car as Gavin did the same with Natasha. Although the savory smell of the Greek food lingering in the air surrounded Emily's senses, she didn't have much of an appetite once the host showed them to their table.

"So, Emily, you're really beautiful," Natasha remarked from across the table. "Have you ever, like, thought about getting into modeling? You're over eighteen, right?"

"Um, yes, I'm twenty-four. But I've never thought about doing anything like that. Besides, I like food too much," she laughed, handing the menu back to the waiter.

Dillon reached for Emily's hand and looked to Natasha. "I wouldn't want her modeling anyway."

"And why is that? She'd, like, make totally awesome money, and I have the best agent in New York that I would totally introduce her to."