“How do you know that? I’ve never pushed a nine-pound baby out of my body. I might be a raging bitch afterward for all we know.”
“You wouldn’t be. I know you wouldn’t. You’d be all glowy and sparkly and happy. Am I allowed to say that?”
“Yeah,” she said gruffly, overwhelmed by the picture he painted. “You’re allowed.”
“I want to see that someday. I want to see you holding our baby after giving birth.”
“Gavin . . .”
“Too much?”
“No.”
“What’s wrong?”
“Nothing, you just make me want things when you talk like that.”
“I want the same things.”
“I’m fanning myself right now. It’s getting warm in here.” His low chuckle made her smile. “How was your day?” she asked, steering the conversation into safer terrain.
“It was actually not bad. We finally got the repairs completed up north in time for everyone to come home for the holiday weekend. We’ll get them back up there Monday to hit it hard. We’ve got some lost time to make up for.”
Ella swallowed hard, hoping he wasn’t about to say that he needed to be up there with his men next week. She couldn’t wait to tell him about the trip so she could stop worrying about all the many ways it could go wrong. “I’m glad you got it fixed.”
“Me, too. Huge relief.”
“Now you can relax and enjoy the holiday.”
“Yeah.” That one word was so tinged with sadness that Ella heard it through the phone.
“You can try to enjoy it? Lots to be thankful for this year.”
“You’re right about that. The holidays are tough . . . It’s hard to pretend everything is okay when someone is missing.”
“I know. Do you want me to come home early? I could have dinner with you and your parents. That would be fine with me.”
“You need to be with your family. You don’t have to do that.”
“What time are you eating?”
“My mom said around four or so. How about you?”
“Two. I’ll head home right after dinner. I’ll meet you at your mom’s.”
“Are you sure?”
“Gavin,” she said, laughing, “don’t you know by now that I’m very, very sure?”
“Yeah, baby, I know, and that makes me feel so lucky. I wish you were here right now.”
Ella settled into bed, under the covers where it was warm and cozy. “What would we be doing if I were there?” She tucked the phone between her ear and the pillow.
“More of what we did this morning and last night.”
“This morning was amazing. I thought about it all day.”
“So did I.”
“It was different, wasn’t it? Than the other times?”
“It was incredible,” he said in that gruff, sexy voice she loved so much. “It always is, but that was something extra special.”
“We need to stop talking about what we can’t have.”
“I vote for talking more about it.”
Charley knocked on the door and came in. “Is it safe in here? You’re not having phone sex, are you?”
“No, Charley, I’m not having phone sex.”
“Yet,” Gavin said, laughing.
Charley grabbed a sweatshirt out of her bag and scurried toward the door. “I’m outta here.”
“She’s gone,” Ella said.
“Now about that phone sex . . .”
“Stop.”
“I don’t want to. I want to talk about how soft you are, how responsive. Your sweet nipples—”
“Gavin! Stop! I can’t have phone sex with you on Cameron’s phone.”
“It’s not like she’ll know.”
“I’ll know.”
“Such a good girl.”
“That’s right, and don’t forget it.”
“You’re not always a good girl. Sometimes you’re very, very bad.”
“I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
“Oh, and that prim, prissy tone . . . Do you have any idea how hard that makes me?”
“I have to go.”
“You do not.”
“I’m having a sleepover with most of my family. You’re like the devil at the pajama party.”
“You love me.”
“Yes, I do.”
“I’m going to hate sleeping without you tonight.”
“Me, too. I’m addicted. But we can get through one night, right?”
“As long as it’s only one.”