All Chapters of Afraid to Love Again: Chapter 11 - Chapter 20

"My dad passed Thomas Corporations down to me, the family company, last spring. He’d been priming me for it since I was fifteen years old. I own and operate it now, along with my mom, of course, who runs the offices and legal aspects of it."My breath catches. I struggle to imagine how much money he must make, owning a growing computer technology corporation like that. Mom always told me to follow the men with gold, but it doesn’t make me want him any less or any more. It’s just a surprise."Wow. I mean I figured you had a pretty high-end job to afford your Jaguar, but I didn’t expect that. What do you do? It’s computer technology, right?" He nods and leans back a little so his eyes meet mine in the setting sun."We try to innovate mobile and computer technologies for modern-day society. After Windows 8, our system was in almost every PC in America."I give him a smile, reassuring him that I’m only curious about his work and not trying to pry."Windows 8?""Yeah, once we put together

GavinThe cup of steaming hot coffee meeting my taste buds could be described as the highlight of my day on most days I spend in the office. Today was different. Meeting Sophia Jones was the highlight, and if I could have spent more time with her today, I would have jumped at the chance. I haven’t truly thought about a girl or rather, a woman, in any way other than an easy fix at the end of a very long day in I don’t know how long. Back in college, it had been different. I was convinced that my girlfriend at the time, Jasmine, was the one. The one. As I think about it now, I have to laugh at myself.I didn’t know how naive that sentiment was. As if there was one woman that would stay by me through thick and through thin. As if there was a woman out there that could look past my name and the number attached to my bank account. Maybe even past the dollar signs on my paycheck each month. I’d thought she was that one woman. Shit, was I wrong. I sip my coffee slowly, closing my eyes f

As I slip my ballet flats on and fasten the ribbons of my leotard, my cell rings. I skip over, almos falling as I’m reaching for it. I see Gavin’s name on the screen and smile. It’s been about a week since the night he held me, comforted me after that horrible dream. We’ve gone out to lunch almost every day, growing closer and I’ve found so many things I like about him. His laugh when I try to impersonate my family members or friends as I’m telling a story. His passion for the work his father has done in the technology world, the fierceness in which he speaks when we talk about his sister, Callie. I’ve learned he’s very protective of the only daughter of James A. Thomas. I’ve learned he will only drink when in the company of people he trusts, for some people will stop at nothing to get close to him and his family. When he told me that, I was intimidated. The lavish life style he has is something that is not new to me and though it is a lot to take in, Gavin is much more than a bil

He kisses me back, his hand anchoring my head to his mouth, gripping my hip with the other. I feel the tightening in my core, wanting to kiss every possible surface of his skin, but knowing I can’t yet.I’m breathless, forcing myself to pull away, my mouth tingling in aftershock from the kiss. "How did you know?" I ask as he leads me up the walkway, his hand in mine. "What?" I lean down and pick up a lilac, cradling it in my palm. "That this is my favorite flower. Did Kel tell you?" He takes a step back, his eyes first filling with confusion and then with sheer excitement. "Really, beautiful?" I nod, my face stretching in happiness. His eyes lock on to mine and he pulls me into him, wrapping an arm around my waist. The sweetest of kisses is pressed to my temple. "Ever since yesterday, I’ve noticed you always smell like lilacs, Sophia. It’s intoxicating and sweet, making it impossible for me to stay away from you." Oh, my. How can a guy like this exist and actually like me? My

"Can we watch a movie?" I ask, hoping he doesn’t notice my uneasiness. He nods and brings me over to the couch. He sits behind me, so his arms wrap around my stomach and I can feel his warmth. Without a word, the remote is placed in my hands. "You don’t want to pick?" My eyes go to his, narrowing in suspicion. "All yours, beautiful." His warm voice encourages me. As I flick through the movie listings On Demand, I see Marley and Me and click on it. "Will you hate me if we watch a chick flick?" I tease, enjoying the feel of his arms. Gavin chuckles softly. "Not at all." I start the movie and rest my chin against his chest, curling into his side. “Hmm, I like this,” I whisper, looking up at Gavin through my eyelashes. A slow, sexy smile spreads across his handsome face and he wraps his arms around my waist and nuzzles his nose against my neck. Soon the movie begins and we both turn, watching the screen. By the middle of the movie, my eyes start to get heavy so I rest my head on