Page 87 of Stealing Home

“Are you okay?” he asked.

The question caught Gavin completely unprepared. “I’m fine,” he answered.

“That wasn’t convincing.” Dom sounded slightly amused.

Gavin let out a tired laugh. “No?”

“Not even a little.”

Gavin ran a hand through his hair and stared through the windshield at the coffee shop. “I don’t know if I’m okay.”

“Come over.”

“You have an early game tomorrow,” Gavin said.

“And I made enough baked ziti to feed the entire team. Twice.” Dom’s voice softened. “Come eat. You can tell me more about the company if you want, or we can sit here and not talk about any of it.”

“Are you still hurt?”

“Yeah,” Dom said. “But I still want you here.”

Gavin nodded even though Dom couldn’t see him and slid the key into the ignition. “I’m on my way.”

16

DOM

By the time Gavin’s truck pulled into his driveway, the baked ziti was done, Lucia had grown increasingly unhappy about something he couldn’t identify, and Dom had decided three separate times that he wasn’t going to kiss Gavin when he arrived. The third decision lasted until he heard footsteps on the porch.

Dom opened the door before Gavin could knock, Lucia propped against his shoulder with one hand gripping the collar of his T-shirt. Gavin stood beneath the porch light, hands buried in his pockets and his shoulders up by his ears. The uncertainty on his face made Dom’s stomach twist. He’d been invited, but he still looked like he wasn’t sure Dom really wanted him there.

He did. He hadn’t realized how much until Gavin appeared on his porch and the tension began to ease from his chest. The hurt was still there, but it was suddenly overshadowed by the relief of seeing Gavin. He wasn’t going to think about why.

“Hi,” Dom said.

“Hi.”

Neither of them moved. It seemed wanting him there didn’t help him figure out what came next. Lucia turned her head toward Gavin and made a wet, gurgling sound. Dom shifted her so she faced him. “Apparently, she has something to add.”

Gavin smiled at her. “Sounds like someone else I know.”

“That was a bold choice from someone still on my porch.” Dom raised an eyebrow, then stepped back. “Come in.”

Gavin stepped inside and bent to untie his boots, but he paused with one boot half loosened and looked up. Dom was still standing near the open door.

“You can tell me to leave.” Gavin straightened slowly. “I don’t want you to be uncomfortable.”

“I’m not.” Dom studied him. “I’m trying to decide if I’m too annoyed to kiss you.”

Gavin went still and his gaze dropped briefly to Dom’s mouth before returning to his eyes. “What did you decide?”

Dom’s pulse beat harder, then he hooked his free hand into the front of Gavin’s shirt and pulled him down. Dom kept the kiss deliberately brief and firm, just enough to make it clear he still wanted Gavin there.

“I’m still annoyed,” he said when he released Gavin.

“Fair.”

Gavin rested a hand lightly against Dom’s hip. The touch made Dom want to close the space between them again, but he held his ground.