Secret Gifts (Steamy Version) by Elena Aitken Page A

for a bit and we can meet up for dinner in an hour? That should give me enough time to go over my plans with Megan. Is that okay with you?” She looked at Megan for confirmation. It was probably only Gage who noticed the hesitancy in her eyes, but she nodded.
    “Sounds good to me,” Jeff said. “I want to say hi to the horses, and you’re coming with me, buddy. We can catch up on a ride through the woods. How’s that sound?”
    He’d wanted a beer. After his hike and subsequent swim with Lisa, he’d needed a beer. But surprising even himself, Jeff’s suggestion sounded a lot more enticing than sitting inside on such a beautiful evening. “Sounds good to me,” he said. Gage noticed the slight sag of relief in Megan’s shoulders. She couldn’t possibly be that concerned that he was going to go on a bender just because he ran into a buddy. Could she?
    He made a note to talk with her about it later, and set her mind at ease that he wasn’t a walking time bomb. He definitely had a reputation for being a partier, and sure, he made some bad decisions. Even recently, he thought as Lisa popped into his head. But it didn’t mean he’d continue making bad choices. He stole a glance at her before the women walked away. No, he thought. Only good decisions for the future.
    “So, tell me what the deal is with Megan,” Jeff asked as they walked to the stables.
    Gage shoved his hands in his back pockets and shrugged. “She’s my PR rep.”
    “And?”
    “And…she gets paid to make sure I don’t get in any trouble so I can keep my job.” Gage wasn’t stupid; he knew exactly what Jeff wanted to know. He also knew there wasn’t much to tell. At least until he figured things out for himself.
    “Bullshit.” Jeff shot him a look. “I’m not new, buddy. I can see the way you’re looking at her, and you’d have to be blind not to see the way she’s looking at you.”
    Gage stopped walking and grabbed his friend’s shoulder. “How’s she looking at me?”
    “Are you kidding me?” Jeff laughed and shook off his hand. “What, are you in high school? Did you want me to ask her if I think you’re cute, too?”
    Gage punched him in the arm and kept walking.
    “I knew it,” Jeff said, catching up to him. “There’s something going on with you two, isn’t there? I guess that’s one way to stay out of trouble.”
    “It’s not like that.” Then, how was it? Gage asked himself. “Megan’s different,” he said after a minute. “I’ve never been with anyone like her.” It was a lie, and he knew it, but Jeff didn’t need to know the details.
    They’d reached the stables and Gage leaned against the barn wall while he watched Jeff greet the horses and get them ready to ride. “She doesn’t care about who I am,” he said. “If anything, she doesn’t like the whole actor thing.”
    “You mean, the whole mega-superstar thing,” Jeff said with a laugh. “But I can see how that would be different,” he added. “You’re always surrounded by women throwing themselves at you. And while that wouldn’t appeal to a committed man like myself,” he patted his chest and tried to be serious, “I thought you kind of liked it. No?”
    “It gets old, man.” Gage took the leads of the horse that Jeff offered him and together they walked out in to the sun with the readied horses. He hopped up into the saddle, immediately feeling at ease with the horse. Gage hadn’t been lying when he’d told Jeff he was tired of women who were only interested in him because he was a celebrity. Megan was different. It was almost like she thought his fame was a negative thing. But maybe that was just because of her job? Gage’s mind went around and around. Whatever it was that was going on with Megan, he was determined not to screw it up now that he’d gotten a taste of her, she was like a drug, and he definitely needed more.
    “Gage?” Jeff was calling his name. “You okay, man?”
    “Yeah,” he said and forced himself to