Pulse (Collide) (38 page)

“We can’t cancel,” she said, tossing on her cardigan. The words came out like a pout as she accepted her purse from him. “We’re meeting them at noon, and it’s almost a quarter after eleven.” She reached for his hand and dragged him to the door. If they didn’t get out of there soon, they’d never leave. “Good ol’ lovin’ later, Mr. Blake.” She smiled as she waited in the hall while he groaned, punching in the security code.

It was all good though. She kept him happy by “making love” to him several times on their way down in the elevator.

A slight mid-April chill bit at Emily, spreading goose bumps over her skin as she and Gavin climbed from her car into the bright sun. Either way, spring in New York was beautiful as the city awoke from a long, hard winter. Not that the city wasn’t always alive and well, but the streets held a sense of renew as everything else came back to life. From store owners propping open their doors to let fresh air sweep through their buildings to the trees in every park springing with colorful buds, the center of the world roared her existence with the change of season. It was also something Emily had grown to love.

Locking hands with Gavin, Emily peered into several storefronts as they made their way down Lexington Avenue. Stopping just shy of 74
th
Street, her gaze fell on a form-fitting summer dress displayed on a mannequin. Hands poised on her hips, the offender wore the dress on her plastic body far better than any top paid model. Emily looked at her growing stomach and sighed.

“What’s wrong?” Gavin asked, his eyes moving between her and the offender.

“That’s beautiful, and I’m never going to fit into anything like it again.” She continued walking toward Giggle, a posh baby boutique Colton and Melanie suggested they check out. “I’ll be lucky if I’ll fit into Hefty garbage bags after I give birth.”

Gavin came to an abrupt stop. He cupped Emily’s cheeks, a wide grin plastered across his face. “If you’re wearing a Hefty garbage bag or a bikini, you’ll still look
shmexy
.” He popped a kiss on her forehead. “A hundred pounds or five hundred pounds, I’m still gonna love ya.”

“You say that now. Let’s see if you’re saying the same thing when you have to special order me clothing to fit around my ass.” Emily lifted an incredulous brow. “Better yet, let’s see if you’re saying the same thing while trying to pull the garbage bag off my extra-large, naked body.”

A slow smile crept across Gavin’s lips. “You know you’re turning me on, right?”

Emily giggled and reached for his hand. “I’m making an appointment for you with a psychiatrist when we get home.” Weaving down the crowded sidewalk, she spotted the boutique a few doors away. “It’ll be good for you and your obsession. I really think you need one.”

Gavin opened the door to the boutique, giving Emily a light swat on her ass as she walked in. “And I really think if you keep talking about your large or small naked body, I’m going to need a cold shower.”

Emily shook her head, but before she could throw a comeback at him, she caught Teresa’s gaze.

Beaming, Teresa ran toward Emily, her arms spread wide. “Emmy!” Emily knelt down and pulled her in for a hug. “Mommy, look! Emmy and Uncle Gaffin’s here!”

Gavin’s forehead crinkled as his sister-in-law approached. “You guys didn’t tell them we were meeting you?”

“Yeah, right.” Melanie rolled her eyes. “You’ll learn very soon. Never. Ever tell a child something ahead of time. They would’ve bugged us to death while we waited for you.”

Gavin gathered an equally excited Timothy in his arms. “Are your parents keeping things from you two?”

Timothy pouted, wagging an accusing finger at his father. “Yes! Daddy said he was bringing us to Mickey D’s, but then he brought us here. We never knew you was comin. Will you bring us to Mickey D’s, Uncle Gaffin?”

Gavin swooshed his hand though Timothy’s blond hair. “Heck yeah, I’ll bring you to Mickey D’s. Uncle Gaffin’s a sucker for girls named Molly and greasy French fries.” Emily stood and smiled. “And always remember, kid, you’re the one who controls mom and dad. They may be bigger, but you hold more power than you realize. They’re actually afraid of you two. Your dad tells me that every day.”

Timothy curled his lips over his teeth and roared like a lion in Colton’s direction.

Colton shook his head. “Nice one, bro. You’re the hero for the day,
and
you’ve exposed every parent’s worst nightmare. Wait. You know what they say about payback.”

Gavin lifted a brow, his smile devious. “Ah, well, consider it my payback for the many years of torment you put me through.” He handed Timothy over to Colton, his laugh as devious as his smile. “Don’t worry, I’ll cover the Big Macs.”

Colton looked at Emily, a smirk coating his mouth. “You’re sure you’re ready to hang out with this knucklehead for a while? He might drive you nuts.”

“Who him?” Emily flicked her thumb in Gavin’s direction. “Oh, he drives me nuts, but believe it or not, I’m the one with the control. He may be bigger and more powerful, but he’s most definitely afraid of me. I’ll have him trained up real good sooner than later.”

Gavin chuckled, his eyes wide. “Oh really?”

“Yes really,” she answered, sliding her arm around his back. “Don’t try to act cool in front of them, Blake. You know it’s true.”

Melanie hooted a laugh. “I love it! I knew there was a reason I liked you, Emily. That’s right. Never let these Blake boys think they’ve got you.” She nudged her hip against Gavin’s. “You’re going to be domesticated so quick, you’re not going to know which way is up or down.”

Gavin looked at Colton, his voice deadpan. “Remind me to keep my girl away from your wife.”

With a restless Timothy squirming in his arms, Colton shrugged. “You’re already doomed, bro. They’re having lunch with mom next weekend. Make it easy on yourself and already have the apron on when she gets home. If not, she’ll start withholding really important…
physical
play time from you.”

On that note, Gavin tossed his arm around Emily’s neck, smiled warmly, and started rubbing her belly. “Darling, sweetheart, love of my life, I believe we have some clothes shopping to get done. Shall we?”

“I think we shall,” Emily concurred with her own smile.

“Cool.” Gavin nodded and looked around. “Which way is the clothing?”

Colton jerked his head to the side. “Just past the nursery décor. To the right of the stuffed animals and a few feet away from the activities center.”

Gavin stood mute, staring at his brother.

“Bro, I’ve got two kids and a wife.” Colton shrugged, his green eyes shimmering. “I’m as domesticated as they come.”

Gavin grinned and grabbed Emily’s hand, leading her toward whatever direction Colton just thoroughly explained. Gavin took in bursts of every pastel and primary color imaginable as they navigated the large boutique. He also took in every type of infant bath tub, bouncy seat, and diaper bag available. He glanced at Emily, who appeared overwhelmed by her surroundings. With smiling lips, he stopped moving.

“What?” Emily asked.

He brought his hand to her nape, his touch gentle. “Are you okay?”

She shook her head, tears springing in her eyes. “No, I’m not.” And she wasn’t. Between Gavin completing the nursery, her growing belly, and her increasing fear of becoming a mother, she was turning into a mental ball of nerves. A certified basket case. She swiped her hand across her cheeks and plucked a tiny newborn outfit from a rack. “Do you see how small this is, Gavin?”

Oh shit. Now Gavin was overwhelmed by her response. He nodded, careful not to upset her. “I do.”

She sniffled. “That means the little person wearing it is going to be as small as it is. I’ve never held a baby. I have no idea how to feed him. He could starve. I’ll have no idea why he’s crying. What if he hates me?” Gavin went to speak, but she continued. Her words zipped from her mouth faster than a flash of lightning. “I won’t know how to burp him. What if I drop him while giving him a bath? The state will take him away from me. What happens if I don’t hear him in the middle of the night?” Pausing, she sucked in a breath and really broke down. “And those ointments. What if I don’t put enough on him and he gets a rash? What if I put on too much and he gets an infection? What am I talking about? I don’t even know how to change a diaper. Is he going to be laying on the changing table naked with too much or not enough ointment because his mother doesn’t know how to get the diaper on him?”

Holy. Mother. Of. God.

Gavin blinked, swallowed hard, and slowly dragged his hand from her nape. He’d always known how to handle Emily. Shit, he was placed on the earth to do just that. But the woman before him was losing it. Thinking fast, he tossed his hand through his hair and took a shot at the only thing he thought might calm her. “Sit down on the floor with me.”

Teary eyes wide, Emily furrowed her brows. “What? You want me to sit on the floor with you in a store?”

Gavin sat cross-legged on the maple floor and motioned her down. “Emily, we almost had sex on the hood of my car on the side of a road in Mexico. Sit.”

Shocked, Emily nervously glanced at shoppers looking at Gavin as though he’d lost it. But she’d always known he was a tad bit crazy. After a few seconds, she sank to the floor, sitting cross-legged in front of him.

He twined his fingers through hers. With caring eyes and a warm smile, he softly kissed her lips. “Hey,” he whispered.

A weak smile lifted her mouth. “Hey.”

“My name’s Gavin Blake, and I’m going to school you on babies, okay?”

Emily nodded, looking down at their hands. “You’re trying to get me to stop bugging out.” She brought her gaze back to his, her heart melting. “Aren’t you?”

“I am, and I will. Give me five minutes. Good?”

She bit her lip, focusing on his eyes. “Okay.”

Pulling her hands into his lap, Gavin sighed in relief. She was already coming down a notch. “First: Babies are easy to hold. They… trust right away. They know you’re there to take care of them. The moment you see him, Emily, you won’t be able to help it. Your arms will automatically know what to do. I guarantee you’ll never want to put him down. You’re so caring and nurturing. It’ll come naturally to you.” He leaned over and placed another slow kiss on her lips. “Okay?”

She nodded, trusting him.

“Two: When he cries, he’s only crying for a few reasons. Either he’s hungry, tired, sick, colicky, needs to be burped, needs to be changed, or wants to be held. Or in your case, you’ve dropped him and he’s in severe pain, or you didn’t know how to change him and he’s been lying in a pissy, shitty diaper all day.”

Emily popped a brow. “I thought you’re attempting to calm me down?”

He chuckled and stroked her cheek. “My point is, you’ll know why. You’re going to know why because you’re his mother. You’re going to live and breathe for him. You’re going to
learn
how to burp and bathe him. You’re going to learn how much ointment is the right amount. He’ll never starve, because you won’t be able to take his crying anymore, and you’ll probably wind up shoving too many bottles in his mouth.”

Emily shook her head and giggled.

Gavin leaned in inches from her face, his eyes focused on hers. “And he’ll never hate you. He couldn’t. You love everything around you so easily, which makes you too easy to love. He’s going to feel that. Believe me, he will.”

Emily swallowed. “You think so?”

“I know so, doll. It’s impossible not to fall in love with you.”

And there, sitting on the floor with the man she couldn’t live without, the man who showed her what it felt like to really be loved, Emily was no longer afraid of becoming a mother. Instead, she drowned in the fact that not only did the man sitting with her believe in her strengths and was in love with her every weakness, but another little man would soon be equally as in love with her.

Emily pulled open the door to a midtown Starbucks, welcoming the air-conditioned setting from the summer heat. She immediately spotted Olivia, who’d jumped up from her chair as though it were set ablaze. Emily squeezed through the lunchtime crowd, excited to see her friend. The last several weeks had been nothing short of chaotic, so their time together became limited at best. With a little over a month until she was due, Emily’s schedule danced around weekly doctor’s appointments, Lamaze classes, and purchasing any last minute baby items she and Gavin could think of.