Pulse

by Gail McHugh

Page 89

 

  “You already gave me the only word I needed to hear,” Gavin said softly. He kissed her again, massaging his fingers into her hair. “Now, you need to get up, and go get ready. There’s a gift for you on the bed. ”

  “Get ready?” she asked. She laid Noah, out cold, onto the comforter. Smiling, she stared at him a moment and soaked in his tiny, exhausted body. “Where are we going?”

  Standing and bringing Emily along with him, Gavin stretched, his hard, rigid physique catching Emily’s attention in an instant. She bit her lip, her gaze roaming over his golden skin, needing to follow the glorious dragon’s descent below Gavin’s pajama pants. It was all good, though. Every inch of her had a lifetime to worship the beautiful work of art on her fiancé’s extraordinary body.

  “I’m taking you out to celebrate. ” He leaned into her ear, his tongue stroking the lobe. Chills shot, prickling over Emily’s flesh. He kissed her lips one, last glorious time, soft and gentle. Gavin stepped back, leaving her body aching from his absence. “Olivia will be here in fifteen to watch Noah for us. I’m spoiling my lady tonight. ” Eyes locked on hers, Gavin jerked his head toward their bedroom. “Go ahead. I’ll see you soon, future Mrs. Blake. ”

  Gavin always came up with the sweetest things to say, but those particular words rolled from his tongue like chocolate. Breathless, Emily nodded and made her way down the hall, her head fuzzy with joy, excitement, and love.

  Upon entering their suite, Emily’s eyes fell upon a large rectangular box lying on the bed with a red bow crisscrossing around it. Emily wondered what the certified-wiseass love of her life had in store for her. A horrid, pink Yankees sweat suit came to mind, but since he’d said they were celebrating, she figured he probably skipped that idea. On second thought, she wouldn’t put it past him. He loved putting his stamp on things. She sank onto the bed reaching for the box, her curiosity more than piqued. After sliding off the bow, she lifted the top. A laugh escaped her lips when she spotted silver, blue, and white Yankees tissue paper hugging whatever gift was hiding inside. She shook her head, praying he wasn’t going to make her endure a night out on the town swathed in his favorite team’s gear. Hands itching to find out, she tore the paper away with the velocity of a rocket shooting into the air. On a gasp, mixed with a sigh of relief, she was thrilled to find her man wasn’t going there.

  No. Instead, the attire he’d chosen for her was a single shoulder, glossy black silk wrap dress with elegant ruching above and under the bust. Standing, Emily held the breathtaking cocktail dress against her chest as she stared at her full-length mirror. Hitting just above the knee, with a stunning jewel appliqué cinching the waist, there was no doubt the dress would accentuate her newfound mommy curves. To top off her surprise, Gavin had picked out a pair of the season’s newest black, strappy Manolo Blahnik’s. With giddiness flowing through her, Emily turned to get ready for the evening and spotted Gavin leaned casually against the doorframe.

  “Have you been watching me the whole time?” Emily asked, feeling a flush run up her cheeks.

  “I have, and I’ve enjoyed every minute of it. ” Arms crossed, he gave her a lazy smile. “Did I do well?”

  Emily strolled across the bedroom, her eyes feasting on his chiseled face. She tangled her fingers in his soft, dark hair and brought him down for a kiss. “Do you ever not do well?”

  “Mmm”—he smirked, running his lips across her jaw—”now that you mention it, I guess I’m pretty on point all the time. ”

  Emily giggled, nuzzling against his bare chest. “So confident. ”

  “I am. ”

  “Well, Mr. Confident, where’s our child then?”

  “Asleep in his crib. ” He popped a brow, looking at her. “Now kiss me for the good daddy deed. ”

  Without hesitation, Emily did as he asked. Before she could devour his lips with the intensity her body screamed for, the doorbell sounded. “Olivia,” Emily breathed, attempting to regain her bearings as she backed away.

  “Perfect but imperfect timing,” Gavin sighed as he turned toward the hall. “You get ready, and I’ll get the door. Right after I calm myself… down. ” Semi-hard, Gavin tried to think of something, anything that would take his mind off Emily’s luscious lips. However, nothing was working. As he opened the door, he hoped Olivia wouldn’t notice his very awake, very enthusiastic response to Emily’s touch.

  “Eeek!” Olivia all but yelled as she darted into the penthouse. “Where’s my godson?”

  Running his hand through his hair, Gavin smiled and closed the door. “He’s asleep. ”

  “Oh, come on already. ” Olivia frowned and chucked her purse onto the foyer table. Continuing to pout, she marched into the living room and sank onto the couch with a huff. “Every time I come over he’s sleeping. ”

  With a look of confusion laced with amusement, Gavin shook his head. “Liv, that’s what babies do best. They sleep. ” She rolled her eyes as dramatically as Sarah Bernhardt. Gavin lounged into a soft, leather wingback chair. “Aren’t you curious if Emily accepted my proposal? I’m surprised that wasn’t your first question. ”

  Olivia rolled her eyes again. “Pfft. I don’t ask questions I already know the answer to. There was no way she would’ve not accepted, and had she, I would’ve beat her ass down, ran off and eloped with you, and legally adopted that precious baby who seems to be in a permanent state of sleep. Are you two drugging him?”

  Gavin’s mouth dropped open, though he wasn’t quite sure why. The things Olivia said would shock a serial killer before entering a gas chamber to his death.

  Rising to her feet, Olivia tapped her cheek, her expression showing she was deep in thought. “Speaking of drugged-up, sleeping babies, I’m going to wake him up. Aunty Liv needs some Noah lovin’. ”

  Gavin shrugged. “That’s on you. I’m warning you now, no matter how much he likes you, you’ll become his worst enemy if you fuck with his nap. ”

  “I’ll take my chances,” Olivia quipped, hurrying toward Noah’s room.

  Before long, Gavin heard Noah wailing along with Olivia attempting to calm him down. Gavin chuckled and decided that was the perfect time to get himself ready for the evening. Yeah, Olivia had it coming to her, and Gavin was pretty sure Noah would deliver a clean, solid blow.

  “So where exactly are you taking me?” Emily took in the scenery as Gavin eased onto the Taconic Parkway. Even though the cold skies of March anchored the air, and trees had yet to bloom, it never ceased to amaze Emily at the way the city seemed to melt away into a spectacular pallet of nature. With Manhattan’s skyline long vanished from view, the harshness bled into nothing but peace. Mountainous boulders hugging the road were a glorious difference from the chaotic jungle they lived in. In a way, this part of New York reminded Emily of Colorado. Different in many ways, yet it held the same warmth home always would.

  “It’s a surprise,” Gavin answered, flipping on his right blinker. He glanced in the rearview mirror before he pulled off onto the side of the road. He popped the vehicle into park, grinned, and leaned over, placing a soft kiss on Emily’s lips. “One you need to be blindfolded for. ” Without another word, he opened his door and stepped from the car.