Derailed

Chapter Ten

Gavin was out of the car and on his way to meet me before I even got off the porch.

He looked me over and smiled. "Hey, Molly, you look amazing."

"Thanks. You don't look so bad yourself." Gavin was in slacks and a light green dress shirt. He didn't seem like the type of guy to dress up much, so I hoped he wasn't taking us anywhere too fancy.

"So where are we going to dinner?"

"I've been meaning to try Nicola's in Wilmington." He held open the passenger door for me, and I climbed up.

I waited for him to get in before continuing the conversation. "Wow, all the way down there."

He laughed. "All the way down there? It's only twenty-five minutes. Besides, it'll give us some time to talk." He patted my leg, a gesture that was a little too friendly for me.

"You do remember that this isn't actually a date, right?"

"Sure. I'm the one who suggested the friend dinner."

"Okay. I was just checking." I felt so guilty about going to dinner with one man when the night before I'd been intimate with another. I could play the casual game all I wanted, but I wasn't going to be seeing two guys. Great, just another thing to feel guilty about.

"What's going on in that head of yours?" he asked as he drove through town.

"Honestly?" Gavin talked like he'd known me for years rather than a few days. I wasn't really sure how I felt about it.

"Of course, who wants the non-honest version?"

"I'm kind of involved with someone. It's nothing exclusive or serious obviously, but I wanted to be upfront considering I told you I wasn't ready to date. I wasn't lying, I'm not ready for that, but—"

"Involved with someone? Is that what you're calling it?" Gavin cut off my rambling.

I looked over at him, not sure what to expect. "Umm, what do you mean?"

"Have you forgotten how small this town is? You think I don't know you've been sleeping with your ex?" His eyes looked amused more than anything. I didn't get it.

"You know? It hasn't been happening a long time."

"Jake Mathews was blabbing about it last night at Gill's..."

"Oh. I didn't realize Jake knew." I could not believe this conversation was happening.

Gavin chuckled. "What does that kid have against you, anyway? The way he described it, you were some witch bewitching his brother into bed."

I groaned. "You do realize I'm the same age as him, right?"

"Sure, but you're more mature. By the way, I told him to go to hell. Besides, witch or not, I don't know why a man would have to be bewitched to sleep with you."

"So, you really don't care? I just thought this whole friend-dinner thing was a pretense."

"Oh, I didn't say I didn't care. I also didn't say I liked it. But I get it. You're using Ben as a rebound. He's safe and familiar, it doesn't take effort to be with him, and you aren't making yourself vulnerable." He placed his hand on my leg again, this time leaving it there. "This dinner might be as friends, but I have no intention of letting it remain that way. I just don't plan on being your rebound."

"Then what do you intend?" I hoped the question didn't come across as flirty.

"You'll get tired of Mathews, and I'll be the one you come to. You don't want familiar and safe—you want exciting and safe. I can give you that combination."