Page 72 of Stealing Home

For a few seconds, Gavin forgot about the phone completely. “Is that what you want it to be?”

Color climbed up Dom’s neck, but he didn’t look away. “Don’t start answering questions with another question.”

Gavin shifted his chair closer, the legs scraping softly against the concrete until their knees nearly touched. “Yes, Dom,” he said, holding his gaze. “This is a date.”

Dom didn’t look away, even as the color in his face deepened. “You could have said that when you asked me.”

“I thought inviting you out on your first free day made it obvious.” Gavin smiled and leaned back in his chair.

“You asked if I wanted to get coffee.”

“That’s generally how coffee dates begin,” Gavin said.

“It’s also how regular coffee begins,” Dom pointed out.

Gavin’s smile spread into a grin. “Would you have come if I’d called it a date?”

“Yes.”

The answer came without hesitation and pulled at something low in Gavin’s chest. “Then I should’ve been clearer,” he conceded. “I’ll remember that next time.”

Dom’s eyebrows rose. “Next time?”

“If this one goes well.”

“How’s it going so far?” Dom leaned toward him.

Gavin had shifted toward Dom, and they were close enough that Gavin could see the faint flush along his cheekbones and feel the warmth of his breath. For one reckless second, Gavin considered closing the distance between them, and when Dom’s eyes dropped to his mouth, the temptation became almost impossible to ignore. Gavin curled his fingers against his knee and forced himself to stay where he was. This was not the time or place.

“Well enough that I’m already considering a second.”

“Considering.” Dom’s eyes narrowed. “What else do you need?”

“I don’t know,” Gavin said. “Make your case.”

A smile tugged at Dom’s mouth, then he reached beneath the edge of the table and slid his hand into Gavin’s. Every clever response Gavin might have made disappeared. Dom’s grip was loose, giving either of them room to pull away, but his thumb moved confidently over Gavin’s palm. Gavin closed his fingers around Dom’s and watched the color deepen along his cheeks. He wondered how many different ways he could find to make Dom blush.

“How am I doing now?”

“It’s looking pretty good.” Gavin’s voice was hoarse, and he cleared his throat. It was his turn to flush when Dom laughed.

Gavin couldn’t help but smile. He had missed that sound during the weeks they hadn’t spoken. He’d missed Dom altogether, more than made sense for someone he hadn’t known long enough to miss like that. Now Dom was sitting across from him, and they were calling this a date, and Dom had looked at Gavin’s phone like it might take the whole thing away.

“I don’t know how to do this part,” Dom said after his laughter faded.

Gavin’s smile faded. “What part?”

“The ex-husband part. The part where you had a whole life before me, and it still calls you.” Dom sighed. “I’m sorry. I know how ridiculous that sounds. I don’t have any claim to you yet.”

The admission was so open that it took Gavin a moment to answer. Dom didn’t seem to realize what he’d said. Or maybe he did because his fingers tightened around his cup again and he wouldn’t meet Gavin’s eyes.

“I did have a whole life before you,” Gavin said.

“I know,” Dom replied.

“You had a whole life before me.” Gavin looked pointedly at the stroller.

Dom frowned as if the thought hadn’t occurred to him.