“Go easy on my plates, Gavin,” his mother said sternly, making Ella laugh.
It was nice to hear laughter in this house again, even if it was at his expense. He’d happily take the lumps to bring some light back into his life and that of his parents. Ella was all light and joy and peace. He was drawn to her like a magnet to steel, the pull impossible to deny or resist, not that he wanted to do either of those things. Not anymore.
Right in that moment, standing at his mother’s kitchen sink, he became acutely aware of the fact that he needed to marry her to ensure she’d never be anywhere other than with him, where she belonged. If one night away from her had left him reeling, the thought of the whole rest of his life without her was like imagining a return to the barren wasteland of nothingness where he’d been stranded for far too long. After the taste of heaven he’d had with her, he had no desire whatsoever to return to that life.
Filled with irrational fear of all the many ways he could still screw this up, he resolved to act sooner rather than later to make this relationship permanent. Once she had his ring on her finger, she wouldn’t be able to get away. She’d be stuck with him, for better or worse. And he’d be gloriously, blissfully stuck with her.
He couldn’t wait for that.
*
Ella decided an hour with Amelia and Bob was enough to be polite, enough to make Gavin suffer a little and enough to get her nerves under control before the reveal of the big surprise. He’d had nothing to add to the conversation about his parents’ trip other than to wish them safe travels and a good time and to give Dylan his best.
He’d never once said he wished he were going, too.
But she refused to let that omission derail her. Of course he wouldn’t say that because he had himself convinced he couldn’t go. She was about to prove otherwise.
“You ready?” he asked from his spot next to her on the sofa.
“If you are.”
He glared at her, letting her know how ready he was to leave—how ready he’d been for some time now.
“It was so nice of you to cut short your holiday with your own family to spend some time with us,” Amelia said when she walked them to the door.
“It was well worth it for that pie of yours,” Ella said. “I need your recipe.”
“I’ll write it down for you. It’s Gavin’s favorite.”
“Thanks for a fabulous day, Mom,” Gavin said, kissing her cheek. “Have a great trip and be safe.”
“We’ll call you while we’re away.”
“Don’t worry about me. Just have a good time.”
“I will worry about you, and I will call you.”
“Thanks for the warning,” he grumbled with a good-natured grin for his mother.
“He’s all yours for the next week,” Amelia said when she hugged Ella.
“I’ll keep a close eye on him.”
“That sounds good to me,” he said. With his hand on Ella’s back, Gavin led her out of the house. “Your place or mine?”
“Mine.”
She could tell he was surprised to hear her say that, because they’d been spending most nights at his place thanks to her nosy landlady.
“It’s closer,” she said meaningfully.
“Hurry.” He patted her ass and sent her along to her car, which was parked behind his truck.
As Ella followed the speed limit to the letter, she could almost feel him boiling behind her. She’d felt him on slow simmer the whole time she’d been at his parents’ home, trying to be polite while she visited with Bob and Amelia when all he wanted to do was get her out of there.
It was heady stuff to be wanted that way by the man she loved. But it was also fun to play with him a little, to make him wait, to build the tension.
She pulled into her driveway with him right behind her. Before she could gather her purse and the backpack she’d taken to Burlington, he was upon her, opening her door and reaching for her seatbelt. “Gavin! Wait.”
“I’ve already waited long enough.”