Trouble and the Wallflower Read online

  “Dude, really? Ohmigod! This is so great! I knew it!” Devon set him back down. Gavin straightened his shirt, flustered, as Devon continued pounding him on the back. When Gavin noticed Ray, he was practically glowing. That seeped deep into Gavin’s soul. He knew Ray had been worried about him a lot lately, but he didn’t realize just how much until he saw how Ray was reacting to him finally getting his head out of his own ass. Ray gave him a pleased nod.

  “And Davy? What does he say?” Gavin realized he’d almost forgotten Devon was still there until he spoke again, even though the guy’s hand was still on his shoulder.

  “Oh, uh, I haven’t told him yet.”

  “What?” Devon punched Gavin in the arm.

  “Shit, dude!” Gavin rubbed his shoulder and flicked Devon’s nose.

  “You two are idiots,” Ray grumbled.

  “I just figured out that’s what it was, okay?” Gavin defended.

  Devon looked properly apologetic. “Oh, I guess that’s why you looked all dreamy sitting out there in your truck.”

  “I was so not ‘dreamy.’”

  Ray harrumphed again and Devon objected with a “Whatever.”

  “You were mooning over the boy all night. Janie couldn’t stop going on about how cute you boys were.”

  “How enlightened,” Gavin said drily.

  “Stop being a di— Well, stop being yourself,” Devon said. “We are just all really happy for you. You’ve been so down since you moved here.”

  “Everybody needs love,” Ray said as though the subject was closed. “So, Devon, how’s school?”

  “Well, it’s okay. Gavin’s been a big help in Macro….”

  Gavin sat, listening to them catch up. He felt all warm and tingly, and a huge part of him wanted to wait for the other shoe to drop before doing anything drastic like admitting anything other than what he already had to Davy. But Gavin felt surprisingly calm for what he’d just admitted out loud for the first time. So today he’d admitted it to two of the most important people in his life, as well as himself. He supposed even with the good stuff, admitting it was the first step.

  Gavin tapped his pen against his desk in class, eventually calling enough attention to his impatience that his Art History professor paused her lecture and peered through her half-moon glasses at him. “Somewhere more pressing you should be, Mr. Walker?”

  Of course he’d call attention to himself in in his one class that was small enough that the professor knew him by name . He gave his most charming smile and apologized, which she didn’t buy at all but she continued on. He checked his phone every two minutes. He was ready to get out of the lecture hall. He was meeting the boys and Davy for dinner, and it was going to be the first time they’d all hung out since he and Davy had patched things up a little over a month earlier. Sure they’d all seen each other in groups of three or four at a time, but nomore than that because Gavin was obviously not hitting the clubs with the guys anymore, which shocked the hell out of them. But, at this point everyone knew the score between Gavin and Davy.

  He was eager to see how everyone handled the situation. He’d not had anything resembling a relationship since he’d moved to Seattle three years earlier. Everyone seemed to be okay with the idea of him and Davy being a couple, and why shouldn’t they? But Gavin was still nervous. And Davy was never nervous. This was all new to him, completely beyond his ken.

  He still hadn’t even admitted to anyone other than Ray and Devon that he was in love with Davy. And at this point, he could say that he was in love with complete certainty. In the last two weeks they’d spent nights together both at Davy’s apartment and Gavin’s house. Davy had come to a few more boys’ nights and had even driven Janie to church the previous Sunday when neither her grandson nor Gavin were available.

  Gavin was still in awe of Davy and how easily and quietly the man fit right into his life, his arms, and his heart. But how wouldn’t he? The guy was all patience and calming steadfastness. Davy had stopped being awkward around Gavin long ago, speaking openly and animatedly about his interest in his studies and his family. It was as though something had totally changed, and Gavin was still a little afraid to admit that the very hidden romantic in him wondered if Gavin might not be The One. He knew that was an antiquated ideal and that guys his age didn’t usually think that way, but what could he say? He was raised old school.

  But to think Davy was The One seemed a bit much, especially with having only officially known each other a few months. But Ray didn’t seem to think so when Gavin had admitted it during one of their whiskey heart-to-hearts where Ray had also shared that his prognosis was worse than they thought, only months left and the clock ticking fast. Ray had said with eyes a bit too bright for Gavin’s comfort that he was happy for Gavin and that of course he’d want to find The One, not because he was old school, but because he had an old soul. And for all of Davy’s innocence and naïveté Gavin thought much the same of him.

  Then he wondered when the hell he’d become such a sap.

  Finally, the professor called an end to the class. Gavin was the first person to bolt from the building and rushed to his truck. When he got to the restaurant they’d agreed on for lunch, he was the last to have arrived. Of course. He made his way to the very large corner booth they’d managed to snag in the back of the restaurant. Everyone at the table had a large margarita in front of them and enough chips and queso for three families.

  “Gavin!” Mason was the first to notice him as Gavin approached the table. Davy looked up with such open adoration Gavin’s whole world zoomed in on him. Gavin slid into the seat beside Davy and placed a peck on his cheek. The whole table erupted in “Awwww.” Gavin didn’t give a shit. Davy blushed furiously but he never lost his smile.

  Fucking beautiful.

  Gavin directed his attention to his friends. “What’s up, guys?” He noticed Sean had his arm around Mason’s shoulders but somehow that didn’t surprise him. He and Davy had discussed the possibility of them getting together. It was pretty damn obvious they were getting closer and closer lately. Devon was beaming at Gavin, his pretty face the shade of red that was the telltale sign that he was well on his way to intoxication.

  Then there was Nate. His face was set in a sneer and he looked away as soon as Gavin made eye contact. Gavin felt kind of bad. He considered Nate a friend, but the guy knew the score between them. There was no reason to be a dick.

  Gavin couldn’t have been more pleased with how the lunch went. His nerves had been for naught. They’d all joked and had an awesome time. They’d embarrassed Davy after a few margaritas, trying to get info about his and Gavin’s sex life. Then the tables got turned on Mason and Sean, who suddenly got very coy. Gavin knew when Devon had gotten reduced to his random drunk giggles when no one had said anything funny that the night was drawing to an end.

  The only one who’d seemed not to be enjoying himself was Nate. He was a bitchy guy but not usually this bitchy. Nate had ignored a few direct questions from Davy and made digs about PDAs when Davy had put his hand on Gavin’s knee under the table. Gavin got annoyed, but Davy had squeezed his knee and shook his head whenever Gavin had begun to say anything. That hand on his knee made Gavin’s whole body calm, as if Davy’s touch were a mood stabilizer. Gavin would deal with Nate later, regardless of what Davy thought on the matter. Everyone had given Nate the stink eye at some point for some of his rude comments because it was just weird to see anyone be rude to Davy.

  “Dude, lay off,” Gavin snapped at Nate. Nate just acted like he had no idea what he was talking about. “Whatever. Time for the check?” When everyone agreed the time had come to part ways, Sean signaled the waitress for the check.

  Gavin excused himself to go to the restroom. When he arrived back at the table, Davy and Mason were missing, Devon looked stupefied, and Sean was doing his best impression of his Hispanic mother, laying into Nate, who looked entirely unaffected and unimpressed. They weren’t fighting loud enough to draw attention to themselves but G
avin knew them well enough to know shit was going down.

  “What the fuck is going on?” Gavin asked.

  Sean turned on Gavin, pointing at Nate with a growl. “This asshole was a total dick to Davy and it made Davy completely lose his shit.”

  “What?” Gavin snarled at Nate.

  “I was just telling the truth.”

  “Whatever! You’re a total douchebag motherfucker!” Sean yelled. A waitress came over with the check and wisely didn’t bother to get involved when she seemed to notice the tension at the table.

  “What happened?” Gavin snapped.

  “Nate here talked trash to Davy. Total trash. Davy didn’t want us to notice that it hurt his feelings, so he said he’d wait for you at the car and cut out.”

  Gavin got in Nate’s face. The only sign Nate was intimidated was the smallest flinch when Gavin put his finger in his face and said with deadly calm, “You. I will deal with you later.” He turned to Sean. “Davy’s still here?”

  Sean nodded, still looking at Nate in disgust. “Yes. He’s waiting for you at your truck. Mason went to talk to him.” He handed Gavin a wad of cash.

  “What’s this?” Gavin asked.

  “Davy being Davy left this ridiculous amount of money that we all know he doesn’t have to pay for the meal, insisting he was sorry for ruining everyone’s night.” Sean finally looked at Gavin, this time with an apologetic frown. “Tell him I’m sorry and that I had a great time. Dinner is on me.”

  “Are you sure?” Gavin wanted to hug his friend. Sean just nodded and patted Gavin’s shoulder. “Just go to him. He was so embarrassed, Gav. I’ll handle this.”

  Before he left, Gavin shot his harshest glare at Nate. “He may handle this tonight, but I promise you have not heard that last from me about this.” With that, he turned on his heel and headed out to find Davy.

  When Gavin made it to his truck in the parking lot, he found Davy leaning against the fender, and Mason speaking calmly to him with his hand on Davy’s shoulder. Gavin sidled up to Davy and hooked a finger through a belt loop on Davy’s jeans. Davy looked so good tonight in a bright-blue polo and what Gavin knew he considered his best pair of dark-blue jeans. Why had Nate fucked up the night? Davy had seemed to really be in his element all night, and that was something Gavin had worked hard to create for him with the guys.

  Gavin pulled Davy to him by the belt loop. “Hey, you.” He nuzzled in the spot behind Davy’s ear that he knew drove Davy nuts. Davy flinched away from the contact. Gavin turned to Mason, who shook his head sadly. “Thanks, Mase. I got him.”

  Mason patted Davy’s cheek. “We had a great time, dude. I’ll see you for lunch next week. Cool?”

  Davy stared at the ground, silently chewing his bottom lip. Gavin could tell he was holding back tears. It broke Gavin’s heart. Gavin waited for Mason to leave before he pulled a rigid Davy into a fierce hug.

  “I’m sorry about Nate, Davy. I know he can be a bitch. I don’t know what he said, but I’m sorry.”

  Davy pushed him away. Gavin could have been stabbed in that moment and it would have hurt less. He grabbed Davy’s hand and used his other to lift Davy’s chin. “Look at me, babe.” Gavin didn’t even stop himself from using the endearment. Davy chewed his bottom lip for a moment, then looked at Gavin. As soon as their gazes met, Davy’s eyes filled with tears and his face went bright red. “Hey, hey. Don’t be like that. It’s cool.”

  “I’m sorry, Gavin. I’m such a freak.” Davy said it so quietly Gavin almost missed it.

  “Stop that. Everyone had a great time.” Gavin stopped one of Davy’s falling tears with a swipe of his thumb. “What’d he say to you?”

  “Nothing. It’s stupid. I’m just socially inept. A spine would help.” Davy tried to look away again, but Gavin made him hold the gaze.

  “You are funny and smart and everyone thinks you’re great. So stop thinking so little of yourself. We had an awesome time. I don’t know what got into Nate.”

  “He thinks I’m a ‘plaything.’” Davy used air quotes, so Gavin assumed that was a direct quote.

  “Say what, now?”

  “He wondered out loud when the ‘plaything,’ otherwise known as me, was going to stop being included. He was sure you were tired of playing doting boyfriend just to ‘get some ass.’” More air quotes. Gavin wanted to roll his eyes because it was a ridiculous thing to say. What was this, eight grade?

  “Do you even hear that? It sounds completely ridiculous. And you’ve said yourself, no one makes Gavin Walker do anything, even playing boyfriend for a piece of ass.”

  “I know that.” Davy’s blush extended to his ears. Gavin knew it was wrong to think it, but dammit, it was cute.

  “Well, then what’s the problem?” Gavin kissed Davy’s forehead.

  “My ex, hell all three of my exes, their friends said shit like that and it was true. Guys use me, Gav. It’s what they do. I’m shy and I’m weird, so I thought I was lucky to have someone around even if it meant I had to stick with an asshole who only kept me around for an easy lay until he found something better.”

  Oh, Davy.

  Gavin placed his lips to Davy’s, putting as much emotion into the kiss as he could without getting carried away. He hoped it was comforting. When he pulled away, he said, “You said to me once that you didn’t know who’d convinced me I wasn’t good enough, and I’m saying that I get who did it to you, but you’re more than good enough. You’re better than I deserve, Davy.” Davy shook his head but Gavin scowled. “Stop. You are. You’re fucking amazing and I love you. You’re not some fucking plaything. You’re so special to me.”

  Yeah. He’d said it. Not exactly how he’d intended to drop the L word. And Davy was obviously not expecting it, judging by his wide eyes. “That’s right, Davy. I don’t know what you did to me.” Gavin laughed and took Davy’s face in his hands. “I love you, Davy Cooper.”

  Davy blinked.

  Blinked again.

  “I love you too,” Davy said with a shaky voice. Gavin let out a breath he didn’t realize he’d been holding. A part of him knew that Davy loved him too. But hearing the words come out of that beautiful mouth was just amazing, life-affirming. Yeah. Perfect phrasing, that. Gavin felt so fucking alive with Davy. He decided to prove it. He grabbed him by the nape of his neck and pulled him into a fierce, hot kiss. As Gavin slipped his tongue through Davy’s lips, Davy let out a needy sob. Gavin tilted his head and licked as deep into Davy’s mouth as he could. Their bodies came together, Davy’s fists clutching Gavin’s chest. Gavin realized with a start just how close he was to coming in his pants when he felt Davy’s hard cock rub against his leg.

  He pulled away, staring lustfully at Davy’s blissed-out face. Davy’s eyes were wild with need, lips red and shiny-wet from kissing. “We can’t do this here. Let’s go home,” Gavin panted. Home. Gavin realized how right it felt to think of home as wherever Davy was. Everything with Davy was always so right. Davy peeked around, obviously scanning to see if they’d been seen making out in the parking lot. Then he groaned and buried his face in the nook where Gavin’s neck and shoulder met.

  Gavin almost asked what was wrong now until he noticed Sean and Mason giving a thumbs-up through the window of the restaurant and Devon making obscene dry-humping motions.

  Idiots.

  Chapter Fourteen

  Gavin drove to his house since it was closer to the restaurant. Davy was quiet, but didn’t seem as freaked out as he had earlier. Davy had Gavin’s hand clasped on the armrest. He wanted so much to just enjoy the moment, let it soak in and warm him. He refused to let Nate being a total douche bag fuck up the night he’d finally told Davy he loved him.

  And Davy said it back.

  Gavin’s heart was beating like a hummingbird. He just knew it was trying to fly out through his throat. That would explain why he was so choked up. He’d never dreamed that he’d find someone to make him feel like Davy did. After all of Gavin’s fuckups in the beginning, he sure as hell wasn�
�t going to let his dumbass friend fuck up something so good. And Davy was the best thing he’d had in a long time. His friends were great, but Davy was… hope. Davy was hope. And love. And Davy made him feel peace. That was the only thing that could explain why he had no problem accepting that he wanted Davy and he wanted him always.

  Well. That was a conversation for another day. Right now, Gavin’s only thought was getting Davy home to prove just how much he loved him and how much Gavin wanted to be with him.

  Gavin pulled the truck into the driveway to his house and made quick work of hustling Davy in through the private door to his suite. By the time they’d stumbled into the bedroom, Gavin was all hands and Davy was laughing so fucking sweetly that Gavin wanted to burst. Gavin was so happy he could make Davy smile. He thought that was the best talent God had given him. Who needed to know how to play a guitar when you could get Davy to laugh that amazing laugh that bubbled up from such a genuine place inside that wonderful soul?

  Gavin still wasn’t sure when he’d started waxing lyrical over him.

  “What?” Davy asked, obviously laughing at him.

  Gavin couldn’t respond. Gavin had told the man he loved him but the rest of it seemed like entirely too much vulnerability. He was scared. But this was Davy. That seemed to be enough for his brain whenever he started freaking out lately. He just had to tell himself, This is Davy, and the band of anxiety that had started constricting his heart would ease enough for him to spring into action. Gavin didn’t want to think too much on how that could be just as much a bad thing as a good one. The old saying “If someone has the ability to sweep you off your feet, they have the ability to drop you on your ass” tried to edge its way in sometimes. But he couldn’t let it. He couldn’t afford to.

  He wouldn’t let his mom or Max win anymore.

  Gavin smiled back at Davy. He searched Davy’s amused face that was still a bit puffy from crying earlier. “You know I wasn’t fucking around when I told you that I love you, right?”