The Better Brother

“What?” Lila asked.

“Over there,” I whispered. “It's Gavin.”

I briefly considered ducking underneath the table, but knew he'd already seen me. And doing something like that would only draw more attention to me—something I desperately wanted to avoid. Instead of diving beneath the table, I quickly got to my feet and rushed off toward the ladies’ room. Lila tried to follow me, but I turned and gave her a small smile.

“I'll be right back,” even though I wasn't sure I actually would be.

I breathed a sigh of relief as I locked myself inside the bathroom stall. Maybe I could feign sickness and sneak back to the room. Maybe I could order room service instead, I thought. That sounded like a great idea and the more I thought about it, the more appealing it became.

With a plan firmly fixed in my mind, I finally brought myself to take a deep breath and exit the stall. I sent Lila and quick text, claiming that I wasn't feeling all that well and that I was going back to the room to go to bed. I knew she'd see right through it. But then, maybe she'd also appreciate a little alone time with her boyfriend. I just needed to get out of there and do everything in my power to avoid Gavin.

Just seeing him again sent shivers down my spine and a flutter through my heart—not to mention through my more intimate parts. Seeing him brought back so many memories, all of them good.

My insides tightened as I remembered the way he'd made me feel that night—the way it felt to have him inside me, and his lips on mine. God, it had been amazing, and I wasn't sure any man would ever live up to him. But, considering the fact that I was pregnant, I wouldn't be getting another chance. Not with Gavin, and likely not with anyone for a good, long while. My child would have to come first.

I opened the bathroom door and slipped out, my eyes on the entrance of the restaurant. Because I was so distracted with trying to keep out of Gavin's line of sight, I wasn't watching where I was headed and ran smack dab into someone—a tall, firm body that smelled eerily familiar.

As soon as the musky scent hit my nose, I knew. I knew I was in trouble even before my eyes moved up to his face.

“There you are,” Gavin said. “Wow, it's so good to see you again, Josie.”

He remembered me. He actually remembered me. I was convinced that I'd been nothing more than a one-night thing and that he'd have forgotten me long before the ship pulled out of port for its next run. Clearly, I'd been wrong. I swallowed hard, and tried to smile, knowing it probably looked as fake as it felt on my face.

“Hi, Gavin,” I said. “What a surprise.”

Gavin took in my face before his eyes moved down the length of my body. I covered my belly with my arms protectively, crossing them in front of me and hoped it was sufficient to hide the growing bulge. He had a curious look on his face when he met my gaze again.

“I spoke to Lila, while you were in the restroom,” he said. “She invited me to join you. I hope that's okay?”

I shot a look in Lila's direction and she waved, a knowing grin on her face. I scowled at her. I would have given her the finger, but that probably would have been more than obvious.

“Oh yeah? That's great,” I forced another smile.

Gavin took my hand in his, which made my pulse race. My heart was beating so hard, I was sure he could feel it through my ha

nd. We walked back to the table together and Lila put her phone away, giving me a wink as we sat down. She'd received my message. She knew I'd been trying to slip away, and that's also probably why Gavin was now sitting at our table.

“Lovely to see you again Gavin,” she said. “And my, what a coincidence.”

However, there was something I could see in her eyes. Something I was having a hard time figuring out. It was kind of a look that said this was far less coincidental than she claimed. Now, though, wasn't the time to ask about it. It was something I'd have to deal with later. The waitress came back with our drinks, “A beer for you,” she said, handing Jason his drink, “A mai tai for you, and just a water for you, miss.”

As she put my water down, Gavin looked at me and cocked an eyebrow, but no one said anything.

“And, Mr. Lemar, would you care for your usual?” she asked him.

Gavin nodded. “That'd be great,” he said. “Thanks, Suzie.”

“Anything for you, boss,” she said before turning to walk away.

Chapter Eleven

Gavin

She was every bit as beautiful as I remembered her to be and my breath caught in my throat the moment I looked at her. Josie's auburn hair was longer now than it had been the last time I saw her. Now, it reached nearly to the middle of her back, and wasn't done up like she'd had it before.

Her natural curls were a bit wilder than the tame ones she'd sported last time, but I liked them better that way. She wore less makeup, which meant her true beauty shone through. Her freckles weren't hidden by concealer, and her clear skin looked clean and soft.

In most every way, she looked remarkably the same. And yet, something was different about Josie. I noticed it when she rushed into the bathroom. My first thought was that she'd put on a little weight. It wasn't until she was standing before me, though, that I noticed all that weight was centered in her belly. She had a bump. Now she was sipping water and avoiding eye contact with me.