He tucked a lock of hair behind my ear. “Sometimes you’re hard to read, babe.”
“Really?”
“Really.”
A warning alarm sounded inside my head, and I sat up. “Did I do something wrong?” We’d been social nonstop since we’d arrived in Boston. Introverted, uptight nerd that I was, I’d probably said or done the wrong thing. Maybe I’d embarrassed him.
“Of course not—boy, I am messing this up.”
I sat there, my brow furrowed.
“My family loves you, Lauren. You can relax your forehead.”
That made me feel better, but I continued to scowl, waiting for him to continue.
He sighed. Then he lay back, putting his hands behind his head, and stared at the ceiling for what felt like forever. I wasn’t sure if he was going to
say anything else.
All of a sudden, he laughed—a deep, guttural sound that seemed out of his control.
“What’s so funny?”
He stopped laughing, but it took him a minute. “I’m nervous.” A funny look crossed his face, as if he smelled something repugnant or had a sour taste in his mouth. “This is a first for me. Obviously, I’m not handling it well.”
“You’re going to have to elaborate. I’m totally lost.”
He propped himself up on one arm to gather his thoughts—at least I got to admire his sculpted bicep while I waited.
“You know how my mother was whispering to me earlier? That’s what I’m nervous about.”
I still had no idea what was going on. “Okay…”
“Although she wanted to talk about logistics, and I’m more nervous about the actual execution—and the outcome, of course.”
“Of course. But can you tell me what the heck you’re talking about?”
He laughed again. “This isn’t going how I’d planned.”
I said nothing, waiting for him to make sense.
Gabe sighed, raking his hand through his hair and getting up from the bed. He dithered around—at least I got to admire his ass and his muscled thighs for a moment, until he pulled his boxer briefs on. “Why are you getting dressed?”
He held out one of his old Harvard T-shirts for me. “Put this on. We can’t do this naked.”
That didn’t sound promising. My scowl deepened. I wanted to stay in the warm bed, but I pulled the T-shirt on.
He patted the edge of the bed. “C’mere.”
I suspiciously went and sat near him. He knelt on the ground in front of me, raking his hands through his hair, making it spike. I longed to smooth it, but I held back, waiting for him to speak.
“So—logistics. I need to get this out of the way first.” He grabbed my hands and looked up at me. “I don’t think this is the best timing, but in other ways, it’s the absolute best timing—because it’s now, and I don’t want to wait anymore.”
I nodded, swallowing over a sudden lump in my throat.
“But my mother said this was all she wanted for a wedding present, so I consider that her blessing.”
I opened my mouth and then closed it.