Page 43 of Body Check
Gavin shrugged, the water rocking a little from the movement. “Schedules willing, but yeah. That was the idea.”
“Not dating, right?”
“Do youwantto date?” Gavin asked, a little surprised. Because he hadn’t gotten that vibe from Dakota at all.
Dakota recoiled. “God no.”
“Well, you’re great for a guy’s ego,” Gavin shot back.
“I didn’t mean it like that.” A faint smile crossed Dakota’s lips. “I don’t actually think we’d be well suited in a relationship either, but my thoughts on dating honestly have nothing to do with you whatsoever. They’re … I got out of a bad long-term relationship last summer. I have no interest in datinganyoneat this point in my life.”
“Believe me, I understand.”
“Yeah, at leastmybreakup wasn’t all over the internet.” Dakota let out a soft huff of a laugh.
Gavin gave him a rueful look. “Googled me, did you?”
“Maybe a little. Sorry.”
“Nah. You’re fine. It’s all out there, so there’s nothing I can do about it. You’re surprisingly hard to find anything out about though,” he admitted.
“You checked?”
Gavin shrugged. “Well, yes, during your interview process. I did run across some articles about your yoga studio in Seattle.”
Dakota’s face tightened. “You know, that’s ancient history. I’m more interested in discussing the future.”
Gavin arched an eyebrow. “Isthere one? Beyond a cordial working relationship and your attempts to get me to stretch and relax, anyway?”
Though, hewasfeeling pretty relaxed at the moment. If not for the constant low thrumming tension between him and Dakota, he could drift off, lulled by the quiet and the gentle bubbles.
“I think you’re incredibly cold-blooded about this,” Dakota said with a soft laugh.
“You said you didn’t like vague,” Gavin pointed out. “But you don’t like the way I cut through the bullshit? Okay, fine. Let’s heat this up again.”
Gavin slid even closer, their hips and thighs tightly pressed together, his lips right up against Dakota’s ear, although there was no one around them to overhear. “Tell me you didn’t enjoy last night.”
“Of course I did. I just don’t know if a repeat is a good idea.”
“Why not?”
Dakota bit his lip. “I don’t know for sure, but I think Thad might have seen us at the club.”
Reflexively, Gavin glanced around, like he’d find his brother lurking nearby. “Why? What did he say?”
“Nothing, really. He just sort of hinted at it. Honestly, it was a vague comment about me having fun or something. It wasn’t so much what he said as how he said it.”
“Okay,” Gavin said slowly. “Well, that is a little weird, but honestly it could have simply been him trying to get a reaction out of you.”
“It could have been,” Dakota agreed.
“Look, if you don’t feel comfortable with hooking up again, I get that,” Gavin said slowly, dragging his thumb along the side of Dakota’s neck and watching his throat bob as he swallowed. “But if Thad is the only thing worrying you, leave him to me.”
“He’s not theonlything,” Dakota said.
“Well, I can handle my brother,” Gavin countered with a scoff. “Don’t you trust me?”
“I don’tknowyou,” Dakota said, turning to look at him. “And I have a lot more at stake here than you do.”
