“This isn’t the norm for me either. Remember, I don’t do this with anyone.” He paused. “I guess I should say I haven’t since Ben’s mom ... But Emily, you’re different.”
I didn’t want him to have to talk about her, and I didn’t want this moment to grow heavy when everything felt so light and perfect.
I pulled his fingers toward my mouth and kissed the back of his hand. “For the record, if you start buying me tampons, I’m revolting. A line needs to be drawn in the I-buy-Emily-everything-for-her-body sand, and I think that’s a good place.”
He chuckled. “I can handle that.”
We entered through the front of his building and stepped inside his private elevator. As soon as the door started to close, his hands went to my face and he kissed me. My back found the wall, my body arched into his, and I let go.
Because I knew as soon as I gave him my weight, he would take it.
And he did.
He held me like I was nothing more than a handful of pounds, like nothing in this world would ever cause him to release me.
“The hot tub,” he said against my lips as he pulled back. “That’s where I want you. Naked.”
“Now?”
“Now.” He rubbed his thumb over my mouth. “And then a shower, where I want you again.” He tilted my face up even higher. “And then my bed ...”
“Where I know you’re going to want me again.” I licked his fingertip.
“Mmm.Yes.”
The door opened and he took my hand, bringing me through his foyer and into the living room. I was so focused on him, anticipating when he was going to turn around and strip off my clothes and carry me to the roof, that I almost ran into him when he stopped short.
“Mom,” Gavin said in a soft voice, “what’s going on?”
Mom?
“Hi, Daddy.”
Daddy? Oh shit . . .
Gavin’s tall frame and broadness was blocking my whole view, so I moved around him. As my eyes fell over the scene before me, my brain registering exactly what I was looking at—Ben and his grandmother cuddled on the couch under a blanket, staring at me—my heart began to pound.
“Hi, Emily,” Ben said since he was just now seeing me. “Are you here to fix my tummy?”
As I looked at Gavin’s mom, her expression was filled with shock.
Oh God, this isn’t happening ...
I pulled my fingers away from Gavin’s, and as I was about to say something to him, his mom replied, “I called you, Gavin. You didn’t answer. I texted you too. I’m sorry ... I didn’t know you wouldn’t be alone.” The shock continued to grow across her face.
“Gavin, I think I should go,” I whispered.
Gavin took out his phone. “Jesus, Mom, I don’t know how I missed your call or your text. My phone is on vibrate. I should have felt it.” He returned his cell to his pocket. “What’s wrong with my boy? Is he sick?”
“My tummy hurts, Daddy,” Ben whined. “I feel pukey.”
“And somehow, when you packed up his things for the night, you forgot his stuffed hockey stick. You know Ben can’t sleep without it.”
“Shit,” Gavin replied.
As Gavin went to take a step toward Ben, I touched his back to stop him, and he turned and looked at me. “I’m going to go.” I pointed toward the elevator.
I didn’t know if he’d forgotten that I was here or was too focused on Ben to concentrate on anything else, but his expression didn’t register shock.
