Free His Love by Jennifer Gracen Page A

two cups of coffee and wasn’t fully functional yet. “Joe always sleeps late after a party night. Toni’s probably just taking advantage of her last day off.”
    Gavin nodded and squinted back out to the ocean. He just wanted to see Toni again; that was the simple truth of it. And to know what she would do. Did she still want to be with him in the light of day? Or had he been right to stop her last night?
    The waiting, the speculating, was eating him alive inside.
    The more time he spent with her, the more he wanted her. And not just because she was gorgeous and sexy as hell, but because he genuinely liked her. She made him feel at ease, feel plain good . He basked in the warmth and sunlight of her personality whenever she was near. She made him laugh, she was quick, she was kind, and she just… he huffed out a frustrated exhale and shifted in his chair, rubbing his hands over his slightly stubbled chin. He had to stop acting like an infatuated teen. That’s all this is, an infatuation.
    Right. Just caught up in being away and in such close proximity with a lively, fun, smart woman… who had some interests similar to his… with a blinding smile and knockout body… Toni was different from any woman he’d met before. So it was a massive crush, that was all.
    But, sweet lord, the way she kissed. Just thinking of it stirred his blood.
    “I can feel you thinkin’ from here,” Anna said, peering at him with her big blue eyes. A ray of sun glinted off the tiny silver piercing in her nose as she studied him. “What’s the story, big brother?”
    “No story,” he said, crossing one long leg over the other. “Just enjoying the day.”
    “You’re so full of it,” she accused.
    “What?” He snorted a laugh. “Why do you say that?”
    “Because I know ya.” She stared at him harder, about to press forward with her interrogation, when the glass doors slid open behind them. They turned their heads to see Toni coming out to join them, dressed in her favorite pale pink tank dress. She’d obviously just showered; her long curls were still damp and her feet were bare. To him, she looked absolutely delectable.
    “Hi, you guys.” She darted a quick glance at Gavin and bit down on her lip, unable to keep from smiling.
    His heart expanded in his chest and started to beat faster.
    “She’s aliiiiive!” Anna crowed.
    Toni laughed wryly. “I am, I am. Just had a bagel inside. Now I need some more coffee, and I’ll be one hundred percent human again.”
    “I’ll get ya some, then,” Gavin offered, rising to his feet. His heart felt lighter just to look at her. “Here, you sit.”
    “No, I’ll come back in with you.” Her eyes met his and held, even as she said to Anna over her shoulder, “You want anything?”
    “Nah, I’m good.” Anna stretched her arms, then curled up tighter in her plaid blanket. “Actually, I might go back to sleep right here, right now.”
    “What time do ya have to be at work?” Gavin asked her.
    “Not ’til seven, thank God.” Anna yawned. A warm breeze blew in off the water, caressing all of them. “That feels so nice… aye, I’m just gonna drift in and out here. Don’t mind me.” She pulled her wide-brimmed straw hat down over her face and closed her eyes. “Goodbye, lovelies. See ya in a few hours.”
    Toni’s eyes sparkled as she said casually to Gavin, “Well, guess that leaves just us.” She went to the sliding door and shot him a flirty look over her shoulder. “You coming?”
    He nodded, suddenly too flooded with excitement to speak. Closing the door behind him, he watched her walk into the kitchen, mesmerized by the sway of her hips and her long hair as she moved. The building anticipation threatened to choke him.
    “Is Joe still sleeping?” Toni asked as she set up the Keurig for another cup of coffee. She placed her mug on the little platform.
    Gavin cleared his throat, forcing himself to sound as calm and cool as she was. “Aye. He hasn’t come