Rielle scratched behind Sadie’s ears. “I’ll make sure he gets some rest. How is Sierra?”
“Groggy. She’s been out of it most the day.”
“Is there anything I should know that he won’t tell me?”
“No. I’m sure he’ll tell you more than he told me.” Vi reached for her coat. “There’s a casserole in the oven. If you need anything, please call.”
“I will.”
“You’ll probably be seeing a lot of me,” Vi warned before she headed outside.
Shivering, Rielle closed the door behind her. It was much colder here than in Denver the last three days. She scaled the stairs two at a time. The TV was on, but the game wasn’t as loud as usual. She crossed to the couch and saw Gavin stretched out. Poor guy looked tense even in sleep, but she was glad to see him resting and she didn’t want to disturb him.
Turning to go, she heard a hoarse, “Ree?”
She backtracked and crouched beside him. “Hey. I heard it’s been a rough day.”
Gavin dry-washed his face. “Yeah. Hard to believe it hasn’t even been twenty-four hours since I got the call.”
“How’s she doing?”
“She’s in pain, so we’re keeping her pretty doped up for a few days.”
Rielle grabbed his hand and kissed his knuckles. “How are you holding up?”
“Better than I was.”
She waited for him to say, better now that you’re here, but he didn’t. “Can I get you anything? You hungry? Vi cooked supper.”
“I could eat.” He sat up and put his feet on the floor. “Although, I’ll probably bring it up here so I can listen for Sierra.”
“Stay. I’ll bring it to you.”
“Thank you.”
She returned a few minutes later with a plate piled with ham and potato casserole and a slice of seven-grain bread. He’d given her such a weird vibe she hadn’t brought up a plate for herself.
“That looks great.” He dug in immediately. One eye on the food; one eye on the game.
He’s hungry and tired and stressed. Don’t read anything into this.
Rielle started toward the stairs.
“Aren’t you eating with me?”
She faced him. “You didn’t ask and I didn’t want to assume.”
“Please assume that I’d like to eat with you whenever possible, okay?”
That mollified her. “Okay.”
The meal was quiet. Afterward, Gavin pushed back his plate and sighed. “This has been a fucking nightmare.”
“What happened?”
“You don’t know?”
She shook her head.
Gavin relayed the events in a clipped tone and finished with, “I have to live with that.”
“You’re shouldering the blame for Sierra’s mistake? She went to that party, knowing it was wrong.”
“That’s not the issue. I’ve been letting her drive wherever the fuck she wants, in this shitty weather, on these shitty roads, and I couldn’t be bothered to do the maintenance on her vehicle in the last month when she’s been driving all the time? Making sure her vehicle was safe? I should’ve just bought her a new goddamned car instead of a used one. That is totally on me.” He closed his eyes. “What the hell has been so goddamned important in my life that I let that slide?”
Rielle had a pang of guilt. Since Sierra had become mobile, she and Gavin spent all their free time together. Did he blame her?
“Sorry. Wishing I would’ve been more attentive is Monday morning quarterbacking and totally fucking pointless.” He opened his eyes. “Anyway, would you mind sticking around to listen for Sierra while I take a shower?”
“Sure. Do I just check on her?”
“She has a bell to ring when she wakes up.”
Rielle’s eyebrows rose. “A bell? Like a bell an English aristocrat uses to a ring for her servants at tea time?”
“No. A cowbell.”
“You gave a sixteen-year-old a cowbell?”
“Quinn gave it to her,” he grumbled. “I told him I’m buying Amelia bagpipes for her next birthday.”
She smiled. “Go take your shower.”
Gavin didn’t try to steal a kiss or pat her ass—so unlike him.
After the shower kicked on, the sound of a cowbell drifted down the hallway.
Rielle knocked before pushing open the door. “Sierra?”
“Ree? Where’s my dad?”
“He just jumped in the shower. Something you need?”
“A drink of water.”
She grabbed the water bottle off the dresser. She couldn’t help but smooth Sierra’s dark hair back from her pale face. “How you feeling, sweetheart?”
“Sore. I can’t move without it hurting.” She struggled to sit up and Rielle adjusted her pillows. “Thanks. I thought you were gone until Monday?”
“I decided I was needed here. So make me feel needed. What can I do to help you?”
Sierra rested against the pillow. “Everything. I’m helpless. It’s hard to even go to the bathroom. My right hand is useless. How can I wash my hair or even comb it with one hand?”
“Did you talk to your dad about this?”
She shook her head.
“Did he hire a home health aide to assist you?”
“I doubt it. He thinks it’s his job to take care of me.” She started to cry. “There’s stuff I don’t want him to help me with.”
“Oh, sweetie, I don’t blame you. Do you want me to talk to him?”
“Would you help me?” she asked in an unsure voice.
Rielle impulsively kissed Sierra’s forehead and wiped her tears. “Of course. Anything you need, just ask.” She rubbed a small section of Sierra’s hair between her fingers. “It’s been a while since I combed out a girl’s hair. That said…payback will be sweet for the funky hairstyle you gave me.”
That earned her a wan smile even through her tears. She winced. “I can tell it’s time for a pain pill.”
“I’ll let your dad dispense that.” She ran her hand up Sierra’s good arm. “Need anything else right now? Food? Something else to drink? Another blanket?”
“What’s going on?” Gavin said from the doorway.
“Ree’s volunteered to help me with some girl hygiene stuff.”
Gavin stopped beside the bed and looked at Rielle with disbelief. “Really?”
Did he really think she’d just stand back and do nothing while Sierra struggled? While he struggled? Staying out of Gavin’s parenting decisions with Sierra didn’t mean she wanted to stay out of Sierra’s life. Didn’t he see the difference? Didn’t he know how much she’d come to care for his daughter?
Cut him some slack. He’s figuring out a way to deal with all this.
Rielle smiled. At Sierra. “Let me know when you need me. Have a good night.” She brushed past Gavin without a word and returned downstairs.
In the two days since Rielle had returned from Denver, Gavin hadn’t kissed her. Hadn’t touched her. Hadn’t explained why he wasn’t doing any of those things. So Rielle let it ride.
But by the fourth day she wondered if Gavin’s supposed distraction was actually dismissal. Of her. Of their relationship.
Ask him.
That would make her seem needy.
Then seduce him.
That would make her seem needier yet.
Still…that got her to thinking. Why should Gavin have to make the first move? Maybe he thought she wasn’t interested in doing the mattress mambo since she hadn’t made a move either.
So she’d seduce him tonight. Take his mind off his worry and make him mindless—if only for a little while.
Plan in place, Rielle helped Sierra until Vi shooed her away. She tackled her to-do list, but didn’t accomplish much since various McKays traipsed in and out of the house all day.
By the time the clock struck ten, she ventured upstairs. Sierra’s light was off. Gavin had stretched out on the couch to watch yet another sports game on TV.
Rielle straddled his lap and he smiled at her. “Hey.”
“I missed you.” She slid her hands under his T-shirt and leaned forward to kiss him.
Gavin emitted a deep, sexy rumble and kissed her back.
She touched him, teased him and felt his cock harden beneath her ass. “Come on. Let’s go to bed.”
“Okay.”
In his bedroom, she stripped off his sweatpants, boxers and T-shirt. He sat on the edge of the bed, staring at her…expectantly? She peeled off her thermal T-shirt and stepped between his thighs, rubbing the upper swell of her breasts against his jawline and chin. He groaned and buried his face in her cleavage. She loved the feel of his rough whiskers on her tender skin. Still teasing him, she stepped back and her bra fell to the floor. She shimmied out of her jeans, hooked her fingers in her panties and eased them off slowly, then kicked off her socks.
Gavin wore a sexy, half-lidded, keep going look.
So she did. Rielle dropped to her knees and enclosed her mouth around his cock. Sucking and licking the hard shaft. Fondling his sac, then using her lips and teeth on just the wide head. She glanced up at him.
He’d closed his eyes, but he made soft growling noises.
Blowing him always got her hot, so she was wet and ready for the next stage of seduction. She chuckled at Gavin’s sound of disapproval when she released his cock from her mouth. Pushing him flat on the mattress, she crawled over him. Her hands followed the contours of his muscled biceps and forearms. Then she pressed his arms above his head and warned, “Keep them there.”
“Mmm.”
Rielle rubbed her face over Gavin’s upper body, inhaling his clean and musky scent. Nuzzling his neck and sliding her nipples against the hair on his chest. Rolling her hips and rocking her clit into the hard muscle of his lower abdomen.
She put her lips on his ear. “You can touch me now. I know how much you like to have your hands on my ass as I’m riding you.”