Chapter 3 - Colliding Hearts by Delaila Adams
Chapter 3
My fingers threaded through Gavin’s hair, thick and just as soft as it looked. His lips pressed against mine, tender yet firm, carrying a raw intensity that made my heart race. I matched his movements instinctively, my lips responding with the same urgency as my legs started to wrap around his waist. A quiet, involuntary moan formed in my throat, on the verge of escaping. But just as quickly as it began, the kiss ended. Before I could even open my eyes, I felt Gavin’s hands carefully unhook my legs from around him, stepping back to put space between us. The warmth of his body vanished, leaving me in a stunned, chilly silence. Wait—what just happened?
“There’s a spare toothbrush in the left drawer. I’ll get you some clothes,” Gavin said, his tone brisk and detached. Without a backward glance, he turned and left the bathroom. I stared after him, baffled. Did I do something wrong? He was the one who leaned in, but now he’d pulled away, made a remark about freshening up, and left. Just perfect.
Sliding off the counter, I felt my feet hit the cool tiles, and I raised a hand to my tingling lips. That kiss… it was something else. I slipped off my shoes, placing them on the counter to steady myself. Taking a deep breath, I finally faced the mirror, and I was glad I’d prepared myself. My hair was a chaotic mess, my makeup smudged, and my cheek and lip were already swelling with a purplish hue. I groaned. No wonder Gavin had pulled away so fast. I wondered what Sadie would say when she saw my face tomorrow. She knew bits and pieces of my story, though not all the grim details of my past. The only reason she even found out was because of a hospital trip years ago. I’d made her promise not to tell a soul, especially her parents.
Through high school, as the abuse worsened, it became nearly impossible to hide the bruises. I’d often leave early, stopping by Sadie’s place so she could help me cover the marks on my face and neck. I’d joke that I was her makeup practice dummy, though she never laughed. Sighing, I shook my head, brushing away the memories.
Following Gavin’s instructions, I opened the drawer he’d mentioned and found a spare toothbrush. As I brushed my teeth, I stared at my bruised reflection, memories of my family resurfacing. It had been three or four years since anyone had hit me. Back then, it happened so often I’d almost gotten numb to it. But now, after years of calm, my cheek ached and throbbed, rekindling old fears. I was so lost in thought that I didn’t hear Gavin knocking or calling my name. I only snapped out of it when he gently shook my shoulder.
“Huh?” I murmured, blinking in confusion.
“I found you some clothes,” he said simply, holding them out. “It’s all men’s stuff, but it should work.”
“Thanks,” I replied, taking the clothes from him. He nodded and slipped out of the room, shutting the door behind him. I glanced down at the clothes—a gray t-shirt and a pair of boxers. Smiling to myself, I placed them on the counter next to my heels and reached back to unzip my dress. My fingers struggled with the zipper, and after a few minutes of fumbling, I sighed in defeat. Wonderful. Opening the door, I peeked into the hallway and called out, hoping Gavin hadn’t wandered off.
“Gavin?” I called softly. Not seeing him, I tried again, a bit louder, “Gavin?!”
A moment later, he appeared at the end of the hall, walking toward me.
“What’s up?” he asked, his brow lifting in question.
“I, uh…” I stammered, feeling heat rise to my cheeks as I bit my bottom lip. “I can’t… unzip my dress,” I managed to say, embarrassed. Gavin just smirked slightly, raising a finger to motion for me to turn around. I lowered my gaze to the floor and turned, my heart pounding as I felt his warm hand press gently against my shoulder blades, while his other hand reached for the zipper. As he began to lower it, I clutched the front of my dress tightly to keep it in place. Gavin’s hand followed the zipper down my back, and I suppressed a shiver that tried to travel down my spine. Mortified by my reaction, I mumbled a soft “Thank you” and quickly slipped back into the bathroom, closing the door behind me.
Leaning against the door, I took a deep, steadying breath, silently scolding myself for how my body reacted to someone I barely knew. After a few moments spent calming down, I slipped out of my dress and pulled on the oversized gray t-shirt and boxers he’d given me. The shirt was loose and cozy, carrying a faint scent of cologne mixed with something undeniably masculine. Don’t get the wrong idea—it was just… intoxicating, in a way that made my heart beat faster. The boxers felt like long, soft shorts, surprisingly comfortable.
After glancing around the bathroom, I spotted a hairbrush, and a little thrill of relief washed over me. I didn’t want to walk out there looking like I’d just escaped a windstorm. Brushing through my hair took some time, but eventually, the tangles smoothed out, and the waves from earlier were almost gone. Giving myself one final look in the mirror, I gathered my dress and heels in hand and left the bathroom, wandering through Gavin’s apartment in search of him.
As I walked, I took in my surroundings. The hallway turned left and opened into a living room I’d seen briefly before. The area had a big, inviting black leather couch, a massive 72-inch TV, end tables with stylish lamps, and walls painted in a deep, calming blue. It made the space feel surprisingly cozy, not what I expected from a guy’s place. I carefully set my dress and heels on the couch and padded barefoot over to a doorway that led into the kitchen. Stepping inside, I couldn’t help but let out a low whistle.
The kitchen was incredible—like something out of a dream. A long granite countertop in blended shades of light and dark stretched across the room. Dark wood cabinets lined the walls, complementing the rich red paint, and every surface gleamed. I ran my fingers across the smooth, flat-top stove and cool granite counters, feeling a pang of envy. This was a kitchen you could cook anything in, with every tool and appliance you’d ever need. My own cooking was limited to simple meals, and while I’d perfected the art of making ramen noodles taste gourmet, it was nowhere near as satisfying as a real meal. This guy really had it all, I thought, shaking my head slightly.
Curious, I opened the stainless steel fridge and peeked inside. It was fully stocked, so I grabbed a bottle of water and hoped it was okay. Taking a sip, I decided I should find Gavin and figure out the plan for getting home. I made my way up the stairs, rehearsing different ways to thank him for stepping in when he did. I didn’t want to think about what might have happened if he hadn’t shown up; all I could feel was relief that everything was okay now.
Reaching the top of the stairs, I took a deep breath and called out softly, “Uh… Gavin?”
“In here!” Gavin’s voice called from down the hall. Following the sound, I stepped into a bedroom that looked even larger than the spacious living room downstairs. Just how much money does this guy have? I wondered, feeling a mix of curiosity and awe. As I entered, I saw Gavin standing at the foot of the bed, unbuttoning his shirt. He turned to face me, his shirt already half undone, and I couldn’t help but stare as my mouth went dry. It was so unlike me to be this captivated, yet I couldn’t tear my eyes away from Gavin’s form.
I took a seat on the edge of the massive bed, watching as his fingers deftly worked through the last of his buttons. To say he was fit would be an understatement; his torso was chiseled, each muscle defined as if carved. The suit he wore earlier hid just how solid he was, but now, seeing him like this, he looked even more striking. This felt like a scene from a movie, something I’d never thought I’d witness in real life, so I just kept staring, allowing myself to take it all in.
“Enjoying the view?” His voice broke through my daze, drawing my gaze from his toned abs up to his eyes, which held a hint of amusement.
“I… uh…” I fumbled for words, feeling my cheeks heat up as I tried to speak.
“That’s what I thought.” He raised an eyebrow and, without hesitation, began to tug off his pants.
“What are you doing?!” I yelped, covering my eyes despite the part of me that was tempted to sneak a peek.
“Getting comfortable. You’re the one who walked in while I was changing,” he pointed out, shrugging as he continued. He tossed his slacks in my direction, and they landed squarely on my head. Removing my hands from my face, I shot him an annoyed glare, but he was unfazed, standing there confidently in just his boxers. I tried to keep my expression neutral even as my heart raced. Stupid hormones, I scolded myself.
“These are yours.” I grabbed his pants and tossed them back, trying to play it cool. He caught them effortlessly, one-handed, and smirked.
“Oh, come on, you know you like what you see,” he teased, gesturing to himself. I just rolled my eyes and shifted to make myself more comfortable on the bed, but honestly, the sight left me nearly speechless. Pinching my arm to make sure I wasn’t dreaming, I bit back a small yelp at the sting. Yep, this was real.
“Whatever you say,” I replied, trying to act like none of this was affecting me. Hey, I’m only human, right?
Gavin shot me an amused look over his shoulder as he headed toward a walk-in closet. As soon as he was out of sight, I let out a breath I hadn’t realized I was holding, my shoulders sagging in relief. I could barely comprehend what I was doing here. Eden Clarke would never go home with a stranger, let alone kiss him or have conversations like this. Eden, just keep calm, I reminded myself. Tomorrow everything will go back to normal—he’ll drop you off, you’ll go your separate ways, and this whole thing will just be a surreal memory. Trying to calm my racing thoughts, I let out a long sigh and stifled a yawn.
Glancing at the alarm clock on his bedside table, my eyes widened as I saw the time. It was nearly one in the morning. How long had I been down that alley, and how long was I in the bathroom? No wonder I felt exhausted—I’d been awake for almost twenty hours. Rising early was catching up with me now, and fatigue started to weigh on me. Another yawn escaped as Gavin returned, now dressed in a pair of basketball shorts with his hair brushed back but still shirtless.
“Could you… take me home?” I asked quietly, finding my voice again. I’d known him for only a few hours, but I’d never struggled to string sentences together more than tonight.
“At this hour? Not happening. You’re staying here,” he said with a finality in his tone as he approached. My eyes began to droop as he took my hand and pulled me to my feet. Before I could protest, he shushed me gently and nudged me onto the bed. Too tired to argue, I slid under the covers. The events of the night weighed on me, and my body surrendered to the pull of sleep.
Gavin slipped in beside me, pulling the blankets over us both. I murmured a sleepy thank you as I nestled into the soft mattress, the worries of earlier slipping away. All thoughts of the men in the alley, the unexpected kiss, and now lying in his bed drifted from my mind as sleep claimed me. The last thing I felt was a pair of strong arms wrapping around my waist, turning me on my side as I was pulled back against a warm, solid presence. I sighed in contentment, surrendering completely to the soothing comfort and warmth that enveloped me.
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