Dopplebanger (Meet-Cute #5)

Chapter 19

NINETEEN

The two-story house loomed in front of us, the bright-yellow light flooding the windows at odds with the doom and gloom brewing inside of me.

Great. More nice people to pull into this switcheroo scheme. Just what I needed to feel even worse.

“Do you think Horny’s had enough alone-time with his rainbow?” Gwen asked, those dimples flashing. “I thought you might want to grab him. Show off to my family what I won for you so they know I’m a good provider and all that jazz.”

“Well, if he’s not done yet, he’s lost his chance,” I said, grabbing the ridiculous stuffed creature. “And of course I want to show it off. Plus I need to cuddle with it tonight to help keep the monsters away.”

“Oh. I kinda hoped you’d be cuddling with me.” She batted her eyes and gave me a come hither look I desperately wanted to answer.

Desire rose, hot and fast, and if only it’d burn away the conflicted sensation that’d seized hold of my internal organs, that’d turn the day back to perfect. In spite of spending the last few hours alternating between how much I sucked and was a big, fat liar and telling myself to simply enjoying being with Gwen while it lasted, I’d still had an amazing day.

Not only was the girl beautiful, witty, and kind, she’d walked us by the Department of Justice building because she knew I’d love it.

See. She knows me.

“Evan?”

My stomach bottomed out, even as everything else in me tightened to the snapping point. Everything except my name.

It was a big fucking thing, one I wished wasn’t so important. Tucking the rainbow-humping unicorn under one arm, I hiked my duffel bag strap higher on the other and rounded the hood. “Yes, Guinevere?”

Her smile lit me up inside—at least I knew her full name now, and if she was going to beam at me like that when I said it, I was going to say it a lot more.

“I asked if you were ready to go inside,” she said. “I promise it’s less scary than the lighthouse. And if you’re that scared of sleeping on a floor that’s two stories high, we can set you up downst?—”

I lunged at her and she giggle-shrieked. I buried my face in her neck and rubbed my scruffy chin over her skin and she laughed some more. Then her fingers circled one of my arms and she turned her head so our mouths aligned.

Since I sucked at following through at things I shouldn’t be doing with Gwen, I captured her lips with mine, molding her to me as I plunged my tongue inside her hot, sweet mouth. I kept telling myself if I could sneak one more taste, I’d at least have that to hold on to, but all it did was make me want to take another taste.

And another.

Vaguely I registered her suitcase tipping over and hitting the sidewalk as her other hand came up and ran across my scalp. I dropped everything in my hands in favor of getting them on her ass. I boosted her into my arms, moaning at the way she fitted against me, her warm center now lined up perfectly with my arousal and sending it to a whole new level. There was way too much material in the way, and lust took the wheel, steering me toward throwing her in the backseat of the Camaro and stripping her bare.

A bright light clicked on to my left, followed by the clearing of a throat.

My attention automatically swung to where it’d come from, the words on the tip of my tongue in the “go the fuck away” range, but then I registered the redhaired woman and a burly man who looked like the type I’d need to defend for premeditated murder one day. Only I wouldn’t be around, because clearly his murderous plans were for me.

“Mom! Dad! Hey!” Gwen’s voice was higher pitched than usual, making us seem even guiltier than we were, which, considering the circumstance was pretty damn guilty. She unhooked her ankles and lowered herself to the ground in one torturous drag that did the opposite of helping my downstairs situation.

Despite my raging erection, I quickly bent and picked up my carnival prize, glad I’d grabbed it. One horny unicorn to help cover up one horny counterfeit boyfriend.

“Your dad is intense,” I whispered once her parents left us alone at the set dinner table. Gwen’s mom had greeted me warmly, and for once I’d channeled my brother to get out of trouble instead of into it. The kind of charm that came so naturally to him and got him off the hook seemed to work on Mrs. Cosgrave, but Mr. Cosgrave, who I suspected moonlighted as a drill sergeant, wasn’t having it.

Apparently, once you caught some guy groping your daughter, no amount of charm helped. Or maybe it only made him more suspicious of me. The dude was larger and gruffer than I’d expected, and while I could see the similarities between Gwen and her mom, the only thing she and her dad had in common was a high level of intensity, only his was in intimidation instead of high-speed chatter.

“He’s always been overprotective of me,” Gwen whispered back.

Perfect. And even worse, he should be protecting her from me.

“What I wish he would’ve done was prepare me by teaching me life skills instead of keeping me in a bubble and making it clear he didn’t believe I could do hard things.”

Her parents returned with the dinner Gwen’s mom claimed she needed help grabbing. I suspected she’d used the aside to tell her husband to be nice to me. Judging from the steely glare he aimed my way, he’d decided to ignore it.

The urge to squirm hit me, but I repressed it. Witness Stand 101: Nothing made you look as guilty as squirming around and not looking people in the eye. I bucked against my survival instincts and met his gaze. “Thanks again for having me in your home. It’s cool seeing where Gwen grew up.”

“Thanks for bringing Gwenie home,” her mom said, passing me the plate with the roast. “We haven’t seen her for what feels like forever.”

Gwen took the plate from me, nearly dumping it since she’d kept her attention on her mom. “It’s been a busy year.”

“It’s cool,” Mr. Cosgrave said with a snort. “Kids these days. Just concerned if things are fun.”

“Dad,” Gwen said between gritted teeth. “Evan is hardly a kid, and neither am I, for that matter.”

Another snort.

“I can take care of myself. I’m doing really well out in Raleigh.” She looked at me like she wanted… confirmation?

“She’s great at her job. Offloads a lot of animal product.” Shit. That’s not what I should’ve said. How could I even think about being a lawyer if I couldn’t hold up under interrogation myself?

Gwen simply laughed, though, the sound making my blundering answer better, even if it didn’t lighten the mood. “Evan taught me to change a tire, too.” She bumped her shoulder into me. “He’s teaching me lots of things.”

“Yeah, that’s what I’m afraid of,” her dad muttered, undoubtedly recalling the make out session he’d interrupted.

I rubbed my palms down my jeans.

Gwen reached under the table and gave my knee a quick squeeze. “He’s going to be a lawyer, and when we went to the Lincoln Memorial today, he impressed me by reciting the Gettysburg Address from memory.”

Please don’t ask me to recite it. If asked now, about all that would come out of my mouth is uhhhhh…. I suck and I know I’m not good enough for your daughter, and if she didn’t need me tomorrow, there’d be an Ethan-shaped hole in the wall.

Of course Gwen would call it an Evan-shaped hole.

Man, I do suck. No wonder he wants to kill me.

Mr. Cosgrave placed his elbows on the table and fisted his hands under his chin, his fork still gripped in one of them and at the ready. “I thought your father was a lawyer and you just worked for him.”

“Dad, Evan’s not on trial.”

“It’s fine,” I said. At least this much I could handle. “My father is a lawyer. I’m planning on following in his footsteps.”

“Then you better get off your ass and get started.”

“Clive!” her mom scolded.

A laugh escaped my lips. “That’s exactly what Gwen told me.”

That reduced the stern glare by about an ounce. “She’s a smart girl.”

I dared to take her hand. “She is. It’s one of my favorite things about her. Her love of lighthouses on the other hand… Well, I’m trying to deal with that.”

“Says the guy who forced me onto a carnival ride!”

And the scowl was back on her father’s face. I lowered my voice so only Gwen could hear. “Maybe let’s not use the word ‘force.’ And after the hotel incident, I feel like I should probably advise against ‘take advantage of.’”

Gwen giggled and tightened her grip on our entwined hands. “Wow, you already sound like a lawyer.”

Mr. Cosgrave piled more potatoes on his plate, never taking his eyes off me. “You know the Bar’s hard to pass. People who’ve been set on being lawyers all their lives fail it.”

I really wished I could tell him I’d already passed it. Not only so he’d stop giving me the third-degree, but after all the work I’d put in, and because it was as hard to pass as he said and then some, I pretty much wanted to announce it to everyone. Gwen. Her parents. Strangers on the street.

“I have no fear that when Evan’s ready, he’ll pass with flying colors, and that’s about enough of that talk.” Her voice hit a no-nonsense tone I hadn’t heard before, and the surprised expression on her dad’s face made me think he hadn’t either. Then her easy grin and happy demeanor was back in a flash. “Thanks for the amazing dinner, Mom.”

After eating nothing but junk food since our continental breakfast, which I’d decided must be one continent where they were stingy with their dried-out pastries, this dinner tasted even more amazing.

“I hope it’s not too cold,” Mrs. Cosgrave said. “We expected you sooner.”

Just when I thought we’d escaped all the scrutiny and tenseness. I understood the hint of disappointment, since the woman clearly missed her daughter, but the hint of remorse in Gwen’s features scraped at me. “Sorry, that’s my fault, Mrs. Cosgrave. I insisted on stopping at D.C. and Gwen took me by the Department of Justice building.”

“I also insisted on stopping in D.C., and Evan’s being nice. I slept in this morning.”

“Well, you needed it after your allergy attack,” I added.

Forks clattered against plates and dinner came screeching to a halt.

“I should’ve advised you against bringing that up,” Gwen muttered to me before raising her voice. “I’m totally fine.”

“This is why you should move closer to home,” her dad said. “If there’s an emergency, we’ll be around to help. And Dr. Dorian already knows your medical history.”

“I can’t not live my life because I have a manageable allergy. I’m fine. See.” She spread her arms, the way she had with me. Then she patted my shoulder. “Evan took good care of me.”

“Do you have a backup EpiPen? I can call and get Dr. Dorian to get you another before you go.”

No way in hell was I going to comment on that subject, but I arched an eyebrow at Gwen so she remembered where I stood on that point.

“I have it covered. Like I said”—Gwen raised an eyebrow of her own, only both came along for the ride—“I can take care of myself. Now, can we please talk about something else? Like, literally anything else.”

“Sure. Evan…” Her dad turned to me, and apprehension shot up my spine, leaving it stick straight. “Where exactly do you see your relationship with my daughter going?”