Joanne simply watched Gavin and Wendy quarrel in silence, not interrupting at all. Then after the meal, she lightly said,

"Gavin, please help me to take Wendy back. "It's late now. It's not safe for her to go home by taxi."

Gavin could still feel the pain in the liver and subconsciously asked, "Why me?"

Joanne smiled with an uncertain meaning, "Because you know the way."

You know the way. The four words had no special meaning but they sounded differently when said by Joanne like that. Still, it was an undeniable fact.

Both Gavin's and Wendy's faces looked unnatural.

Freya saw the situation and decided to leave first. She stood up and said, "I have to go back first."

"Sis!"

Wendy wanted to give Freya a hint that she wanted to have a ride in her car. Freya saw through her idea and pointed at her watch. "You cousin is waiting for me at home."

"..." Freya's refusal was perfect. Wendy had no other choice.

After seeing Freya off, Joanne looked at Brian and said, "I'm a bit tired."

Brian knew what Joanne was thinking about without guessing. He held her hand and said, "We can go back to the room to have some rest." At the same time, he reminded Gavin, "Don't forget to take Wendy home."

Then, they ignored Gavin and Wendy's reactions and went upstairs.

After closing the door, a naughty smile showed up by Joanne's lips. At the same time, she felt a bit troubled, "Is it okay... our behavior?"

The current Brian could do anything just to make Joanne happy.

He pulled Joanne to sit on the couch and said reasonably, "You are making a chance for them. What can be wrong with that?"

Joanne thought for a while and nodded. "I think you're right!" Then she stopped thinking about the question; she took her clothes to the bathroom and had a shower.

Downstairs, Wendy and Gavin were still staring at each other.

After their last experience, Wendy knew it would be impossible for her to ask for a taxi unless she wanted to get mutilated.

But she was unwilling to get in Gavin's car...

"You're really that unwilling?" Gavin crossed his arms before his chest and looked casually at Wendy. "Do you know how many girls wish to get in my car?"

Wendy pouted, "They're willing to ride on a stud. What can I do about it?"

Gavin, "..." fuck!

Wendy casually added, "Or maybe someone hides himself too deeply and looks too decent, so they can't see clearly!"

Gavin had been in the business field for so many years and had heard much worse verbal abuse. Wendy's words didn't harm him in the slightest.

But he still expressed his dissatisfaction and looked at Wendy with something in mind. "Your mouth..."

Before he finished his words, Wendy was unwittingly reminded about the kiss on the island.

She had recently been avoiding that scene, stopping herself from recalling that moment.

Until then she finally realized that she had remembered all of it so clearly-

Gavin's strength, the temperature of his lips, his breath when he kissed her... everything related to him appeared in front of her eyes.

All of a sudden, Wendy's face was totally flushed. She stared at Gavin and suddenly scolded him, "You are a rogue!" Then, she turned around and ran out. Gavin was the only one left in the living room.

What confused Gavin was... why was he called a rogue when he didn't do anything?

What? An unexpected accusation?

Depressed, Gavin stepped outside. He found Wendy had run with no signs of stopping.

He walked faster, then he got in the car and drove over to stop her.

Gavin was driving a black Land Rover that day. It was a giant to Wendy who was petite. Although she was unhappy, she had no other choice.

Gavin opened the door and handsomely got out. He made a gesture to Wendy. "Get in."

"..." Wendy turned around and had no reaction to Gavin's words.

She was not the Husky Gavin raised, why did she have to follow his orders?

Seeing that Wendy didn't budge an inch, Gavin knew her bad-temper had appeared. He caught her hand and pushed her to the seat.

Ordinarily, Wendy was resistant to having body contact with unfamiliar males. As for Gavin, she wasn't that resistant. But in that occasion, she really wouldn't.

In a hurry, Wendy fiercely struggled and said, "Let me go, I can move by myself!"

Gavin stopped for a moment. Then he lifted his eyebrows to look at Wendy and asked intentionally, "Really?"

"..."

Wendy then realized her words could easily cause a misunderstanding. And Gavin, the rogue, misunderstood on purpose.

She angrily kicked Gavin, "As a reminder, you have lost your face!"

Although not too heavy, her kick was not light. Gavin moved the leg that had been kicked. "Just kidding. You should control your temper."

"I won't marry you. My bad temper is none of your business!" Wendy stared at Gavin angrily.

Gavin groaned, "That's difficult to say."

"..."

It took Wendy quite a while to understand what he said. Gavin meant she could possibly marry him.

Before she could understand the strange feeling inside, she patted on Gavin's hand holding the door. "Psycho, get away from me!" Then she fiercely closed the door.

But she couldn't stop her fast heartbeat.

Wendy pretended to be calm and at the same time she felt ashamed of herself--she knew Gavin was skilled at flirting. Why was she still so easily affected by him?

Outside of the car, Gavin still kept leaning backwards.

If he hadn't moved quickly, the door of the car would have got him. Wendy had great strength packed within such a slender body.

He adjusted his hair in the rearview mirror. Then he went around and got on the driver's seat.

He naturally started the car and drove it in the direction of Wendy's apartment. But Wendy still felt uncomfortable because of what he said.

They were in the same car, but their seats were in two different worlds.

Wendy just wanted to find something else to do to distract herself when the cellphone rang. She answered it without taking a look. "Hello?"

"Wendy, it's mom." She heard the voice of a middle-aged woman on the phone. "You haven't gone to sleep yet?"

"No, I was just heading back after visiting my cousin." Wendy lowered the window and looked outside. "Mom, what's wrong?" She knew her mother very well, so she could feel the strangeness in her voice.

Her mother stopped for a minute and then answered, "Nothing. I just wanted to tell you that I will be in Arlington in tomorrow's flight which will arrive at 8 pm."

"I'll pick you up tomorrow!" Wendy said happily, "You're here for my cousin's wedding, right?"

"Yes, and..." Her mother obviously had something else to say but she didn't continue. "Forget it. I will tell you when I arrive in Arlington."

"Mom, is anything wrong?" Wendy nervously held the phone tighter. "What about dad?"

"You father and I are fine. Don't worry." Her mother helplessly sighed. "It's a bit complicated. I'll tell you the details when I see you."

Wendy felt relieved when she knew her parents were safe. She said, "See you tomorrow."

By then, Wendy, who had never experienced big difficulties, would be soon faced with something she thought that it would happen to her, no matter if she could accept it or not.

Gavin who sat beside her could feel Wendy's nervousness. After she hung up the phone, he leaned over to look at her. "What's the matter?"

"Nothing." Wendy said, "My mother will be here tomorrow, to attend my cousin's wedding."

Gavin lifted his eyebrows, which meant he understood. Then he hit on the accelerator and sped up.

Just like Joanne said, Gavin was familiar with taking Wendy back to her home. Soon, the car reached her apartment.

Wendy unlocked the safety belt and said "Thank you" before she got out of the car.

Gavin was greatly surprised. "You said thank you?"

It meant that Wendy hadn't been that polite in the past.

Wendy knew Gavin said it on purpose. She bit her teeth and gave him a look of contempt. "I was just being a bit polite to you. Don't be so serious about it. Bye!"

Then she angrily got out of the car and went home.

Gavin sat in the car and looked at Wendy's annoyed figure. He couldn't help smiling.

After so many years with Brian, he had seen many girls. He had had real emotions with some of them. But after the freshness, the love simply disappeared. To the rest of them, he was just having fun.

Occasionally, his mood was bothered by those girls. But no one was like Wendy, whom he just wanted to kid with. Only her slight cat-like reactions could make him smile.

Gavin knew it wasn't a good sign.

But he didn't know how to make himself stop.

In his mind, he might start to have feelings similar to those Brian felt.

A few years before, Brian watched Joanne's every move and secretly helped her. But he never dared to let her find out about his existence.

He saw it and felt his tiredness but Brian just said, "I can't help it."

He had finally understood. He really couldn't help it.

He couldn't help feeling the desire to meet her. He couldn't help making every piece of himself to relate to her. He couldn't help focusing his eyes on her when she didn't notice...

He couldn't help calling her name. Just like this, he was already happy, but not satisfied.

Gavin lit up a cigarette and smoked in the car.

It must be the fact that he laughed at Brian too boldly. Karma was knocking on his door right then.

But, he couldn't do anything about it.