Born to Make You Smile

TWENTY-ONE

Gavin reserved a table for dinner at the French restaurant we’d missed the other night. He was the perfect gentleman, which of course, wasn’t a surprise. He opened doors, took my coat, and even held my chair out for me at the dinner table before we sat down.

The restaurant was beautiful and charming. The twinkling of candlelight, white tablecloths, soothing sounds of a live band playing classical music—ultra fancy and romantic.

Gavin ordered a bottle of red wine and the venison steak with frites and green beans. I decided on the Cornish hen with russet potato wedges. The last time I’d been in a fancy restaurant had been with Ethan. But sitting before Gavin was an entirely new experience, like we were the only ones in the room. Part of me felt like royalty. His princess . I shook my head to rid the thought. I didn’t want to get used to any of this special five-star treatment.

We clanked our wineglasses together with a cheers.

I took the first bite of my food and moaned at the bursts of flavors. I just about had an out-of-body experience.

“Good?” Gavin asked, his right brow lifted.

“Delicious. This place is amazing,” I gushed. “I’m glad we didn’t miss our reservations this time. How’s your steak?”

“Excellent. Want to try?” He gave me a slice of venison as well as some frites. “Oh, and here, you can have these as well.” With his nose wrinkled, he moved his two small spears of asparagus on my plate.

I gave him a piece of hen and a potato wedge. The act of sharing food was intimate, something I’d never done before on a date. It made my chest flutter.

“These potatoes are incredible,” he said.

“They are,” I agreed. “I wish I knew what they used to season them.”

“You know, that reminds me of a joke.”

Oh God . “What is it?”

“Why do dentists love potatoes?”

I rolled my eyes. “Why?”

“Because they’re so filling.”

I chuckled. “That was actually funny. I’ve never heard that one before.”

He told a few more dental jokes, one about plaque, another about braces, and finally, a really dirty one about filling all her cavities.

“Admit it, Dr. Brinley. You became a dentist just for the jokes.”

He laughed heartily. “Ahh. You caught me.”

“But seriously. What drew you to dentistry in the first place?” I said, taking a sip of wine.

“Well. The idea of working at a desk, glued to a computer from nine to five, is a bloody nightmare to me. I’d considered medicine at one point, but something about dentistry drew me in. I loved the hands-on aspect, the artistry of it all, working and helping people every day. Of course, the pay doesn’t hurt, either.” He nodded with a smirk. “I also love being so specialized, so knowledgeable in one area of the human body. I find it all so rewarding.”

I smiled. The passion he had for his work warmed me.

“What about you? Why dental assisting?”

Truthfully, I had plans to go to university and get my Bachelor of Arts. But everything changed after Mom died. I needed money right away. So I found a job at the front desk at the community center. There I met Jessica, who was a part-time dental assistant. When she told me about the reasonable length of the program and the job security, especially the pay, I looked into it and applied for classes a week later. I didn’t want to admit all of that to Gavin, especially the needing money part. I could just imagine the look of pity in his eyes.

“A friend of mine was a dental assistant. She recommended it to me.”

“I’m very glad she did.” He smiled warmly.

“Sometimes I think I was born to be a dental assistant. I love it so much.”

“I don’t doubt that. You’re incredible, Grace. My office wouldn’t be what it is today without your help. You helped transform my practice. And I’m so very grateful for you every day.”

Heat crept over my cheeks.

The duet played a song, and my ears perked up. I could have sworn they played an instrumental version of Bee Gees' “More Than a Woman.”

I quickly mentioned this to Gavin.

“Good ear,” he said with a nod. “It is, in fact. Shame we can’t get up and dance.”

I looked around the quiet, fancy restaurant. “Well, we could…”

“I’m not that brave. Are you?”

I shook my head with a chuckle. “No.”

“This song sure brings back memories. I used to sneak into my sister’s bedroom and steal her records. The Saturday Night Fever soundtrack. Donna Summer, KC & the Sunshine Band. She was the one who got me into disco and funk.”

I smiled. “That’s awesome. Was Judy into disco like you?”

He shook his head. “She didn’t care for it. She was more into the likes of Queen, U2, and Bon Jovi. Great bands, but not my particular cup of tea.”

“Well, to be fair, Denis , no tea is your cup of tea.”

He let out a laugh, his eyes sparkling.

“My mom loved Bon Jovi, too,” I said. “I think they went to the concert together.”

“They did.”

A pang stung my chest as I remembered the close bond between Judy and my mom. Then I thought of what they would think of Gavin and me together. They definitely wouldn’t approve. In fact, they’d probably be upset. Disgusted, even.

I took a large gulp of wine to drown the thought. I couldn’t go down that road right now. They weren’t here. They had no idea how difficult the past years had been for Gavin and me. How much we needed something to ground us. How much we needed each other.

***

“Just go slow. No rush,” Gavin murmured as I shifted myself over him, guiding his tip into me. I watched the spot where we connected. The sight of his cock disappearing into my body sent a bolt of lightning through my veins. I continued to lower myself until he was in all the way. A pleasurable stretching sensation washed over me. So good. So full. He gripped my hips, and I moved my body, bouncing and grinding into him.

“Fuck.” His voice was a rasp. “You have no idea how good you feel on top of me like this. I can’t get enough. I want to live inside you.”

I bit my lip and continued to ride him with everything I had.

***

My eyes flickered open, and it took a moment to process my surroundings. The morning sun filtered through the hotel windows, illuminating a sleeping Gavin by my side with a halo. He looked youthful, so sweet and innocent despite the shadow of scruff on his chin.

He was such a beautiful man. Breathtaking, in fact. My heart beat for him in a way I never knew it could. After a few moments, he woke with a smile.

“Morning, love. How did you sleep?” He nuzzled my ear and kissed my neck. Blood rushed through my body. I’d never experienced that kind of intense arousal first thing in the morning.

“Pretty good.” I traced a finger over his chest. “But you do steal the covers.”

He lightly pinched my side, and I let out a stream of giggles. “And you snore.”

“Oh no!” I whined, completely mortified. “I hope I didn't keep you up.”

I covered my face with my hands, then he pulled me close. “Not to worry, cutest little snore I've ever heard—for the most part.”

I shifted closer and inhaled the delicious scent of his body. His erection was hard against my thigh. I felt like no matter how many times we became physical, it wasn’t enough. Like an addiction where each hit made me want more and more. I wondered if we had time for a morning quickie.

“What time is it?” I asked.

He groaned and reached over to grab his white gold Rolex on the nightstand.

“A quarter to nine.”

“Holy shit. Really?” It was unlike me to sleep in so late.

“I know. I could have slept all day. You really tired me out yesterday.”

“I did? Come on, that was nothing,” I teased.

He kissed my forehead, lingering there. My chest clenched. That same tightening warmth bloomed but more intense. More worrisome.

Gavin graciously took care of me in the shower, getting down on his knees and making me come so hard with his mouth that I saw heaven. God, if oral sex was a sport, this man would surely win the gold medal. I returned the favor, of course, sucking him off until he almost collapsed.

We packed our things, then checked out of the hotel. Gavin looked distinguished in a long black wool coat over a gray sweater. I wanted to run my hands all over his body. I was insatiable as if making up for all the years of not being interested in sex.

After breakfast, we went to the National Gallery of Canada on Parliament Hill, followed by a trip to the Rideau Canal. The weather was windy and cold, but standing beside Gavin kept my insides warm. The sight of two young girls collecting leaves reminded me of Charlotte and Mackenzie. I’d imagine they’d be pleased if they could see us now. But then the thought of possibly losing what we had if this didn’t work out made my gut tumble. Gavin reached for my hand as if he could sense my unsettled mind, and the contact was electric.

“No one knows us here,” he said. “We can actually do this.”

He was right. We were no longer at the convention. No one knew who we were here on the streets of Ottawa.

“Look at the trees, those colors,” he said, marveling at the beauty of the fall leaves dancing on the branches—the auburns, reds, and yellows. “Thankfully, the wind died down.”

As soon as he said that, a gust of wind blew, and I shivered. I was bundled up, wearing a beige wool coat, matching red hat and scarf, but it caught me off guard.

“Just a wee gust,” he stated with a chuckle.

Another cold gust blew by, and I squealed. “Stop jinxing it!”

“I ought to tell the gods to turn their bloody fans down already!” He threw his fist in the air with playful exuberance.

I laughed as he put his body over me, rubbing his hands along my arms to warm me up. He pulled me against him, and his hot mouth met mine. Blood raced to my core at the unexpected contact. Any chill was long gone, and my body was now burning hot everywhere .

“Too bad we already checked out of the hotel,” he whispered. “I can’t seem to get enough of you.” My body pulsed with need. He gripped me tighter and kissed me deeper. Kissing him, being able to let loose in public where no one knew us and our situation, was incredible. Like a dream. Sure, there was our age difference, but being all bundled up, we were practically anonymous. I wondered what it would be like to stay this way forever. Live in a fantasy world with Gavin by my side. Us. Together. Without the judgment of colleagues, family, and society.

I shook away the ridiculously hopeless thought.

***

Returning home meant going back to reality. Back to work. Back to bills. Back to the ceiling construction disaster in my living room.

The transition from being away with Gavin to working by his side had been a bit strange and frustrating, to say the least. Not being able to touch each other. Having to watch and see him every single day and keep our hands to ourselves. It was torturous. After putting the girls to sleep on weekends, he’d sneak over to my place and we’d satisfy all that pent-up tension from the week, then he’d head back home. It was risky. What if Charlotte or Mackenzie woke at night and noticed their father gone or saw him heading over? But if we wanted to continue seeing one another, we had no choice.

On Wednesday, Eddie said he wanted to speak to me before heading home.

“I’m sorry, Ms. Mayer.” He ran a hand over his gray goatee. “We found mold in the insulation. It’s not a ton, but I have to replace it. I can’t patch it up as is.”

I nodded as he showed several photos on his phone of the pink fluff with small gray patches. “How much will it cost?”

“Two thousand extra. I’ll do fifteen hundred if you pay cash.”

I sighed, trying not to think of how I was going to get this money. “Okay. Do it.”

“Also, your windows. This one especially. They’re old, and you’re getting a significant draft. You’ll probably notice it on your heating bill.”

“Can you do something? Some type of seal?”

“Yeah, we can do a few things,” he said. “But it’s only a quick fix. I’d highly recommend getting them replaced.”

I closed my eyes. As soon as I win the lottery, Eddie. As soon as I win the lottery.