Pulse (Collide) (48 page)

Gavin placed his hand on her shoulder, a grin softening his face. “Hi, Kimberly. How’ve you been?”

“I’ve been good, Gavin.” She sighed, her tone nothing short of begging. “Please don’t do this to me. I was told to call the cops if you ever show up here.”

It was Trevor’s turn to place his hand on her shoulder. “Hi, Kimberly. How’ve you been?”

She rolled her eyes. “Hi, Trevor. I’m fine.”

“You’re not going to call the cops on Gavin.” She rolled her eyes again, and Trevor smiled. “You know how I know you’re not going to do that?”

She dug her hands into her hips. “How do you know I’m not going to call the cops on Gavin, Trevor?”

“Because a little birdie from this very office called me the other day and let me know that not only is Dillon… sweetening you up in his bed, but he’s also sweetening up Pricilla Harry from Sheller Investments on the seventeenth floor. They also mentioned he really isn’t digging the little mermaid outfit you wear for him as much as he makes you think he is. “ As Kimberly’s eyes narrowed, lighting up like searing coals, Trevor gave a leisurely shrug. “Am I wrong when I say you probably want Gavin to go into Dillon’s office right about now?”

Kimberly whipped her head in Gavin’s direction, her voice seething. “You have five minutes.”

“Not a minute longer,” Gavin replied as smooth as silk, feeling somewhat bad for the girl. He swung his blue eyes in Trevor’s direction. “Why don’t you keep Kimberly busy while I tend to business? She looks like she needs some comforting.”

Trevor nodded and Gavin turned, heading right for Dillon’s office. Not even bothering to see where the asshole was positioned, Gavin reached for the handle and swung open the door. There was one thing he did the same as last time. Yeah. He made sure to lock the door.

Let the second motherfucking game begin.

With widened eyes, Dillon surged to his feet.

The shock and nervousness on his face forced a barking laugh from Gavin. “Whoa, whoa.” Gavin held up his hands in mock surrender. “Caught you a little off guard, I see.”

“Fuck off, Blake. You can’t just walk in here like that,” Dillon pointed out, his body language showing he was braced for a fight. “You were supposed to call with Emily’s next doctor’s appointment. That was the fucking agreement when you left the message saying she wouldn’t make her last one.”

Slight tension crackled through Gavin’s nerves as he stepped toward Dillon. “Calm the fuck down.” Gavin held up a small, blue envelope and tossed it onto Dillon’s desk. With a slow grin twisting his lips, Gavin stared at Dillon’s hand resting on the phone. No doubt he was getting ready to pick it up. “I didn’t come here to physically hurt you, Dillon,” Gavin continued, attempting to hold in a chuckle. “Today, I’m the bearer of… good news. Emily no longer has any more doctors’ appointments.” Gavin paused, his grin widening. “Well, not prenatal appointments.”

Still appearing as if he was about to yell for help, Dillon’s eyes piqued with curiosity as he reached for and tore open the birth announcement. Gavin wasn’t sure how long Dillon took to scan over the teddy bear-riddled card highlighting Noah’s July 5th entrance into his life, but somehow, Gavin wasn’t filled with the joy at witnessing any of this the way he thought he’d be.

“Emily had the baby?” Dillon questioned, his face bleeding confusion. “This was over a fucking week ago. How come I’m just finding out?” After crumpling up the announcement, Dillon chucked it into the garbage pail. With a smirk, he rounded the corner of his desk and walked up to Gavin. Their bodies were less than a foot apart when Dillon spoke up again, his voice as cold as a snowy winter morning. “It’s all good. Just tell me where I have to go and what I have to do to prove I’m this kid’s father.”

Remaining silent, Gavin didn’t know how long he stared into Dillon’s lifeless, dark eyes. The eyes of a man he’d once considered a friend, a buddy. The eyes of a man who hit the woman Gavin loved, adored, and couldn’t live without. The other half of his soul. It was then Gavin realized not only was he wasting oxygen, he was also wasting precious time away from two people that no piece of shit in the world should ever come before. The battle was over, and Gavin knew he’d won in more ways than Dillon would ever be lucky enough to experience. Sword down, no longer needing to see Dillon’s reaction and feeling like an asshole for leaving Emily and Noah, Gavin handed him the envelope holding the paternity test results. Dillon’s confused expression was the last thing Gavin saw before he turned and walked out of the office. The sound of Dillon opening the envelope was the last thing Gavin heard as he walked out of Dillon’s life for good.

Time. Emily never looked at it the same way after her mother died. Her perception of what life should mean and how it could be taken at any second was forever changed the day she watched her mother’s cherry wood coffin slowly descend into the rain-soaked earth. With her mother gone, vanished like a swirling vapor, time held new meaning for Emily.

As she closed the penthouse door behind her, Emily found herself wondering where the last seven months had gone. Time slipped through itself, a black hole sucking in memories, leaving behind Noah’s beautiful fingerprints. Like shooting stars in her sky, Noah left his beautiful mark on Emily’s life in so many magical ways. Emily’s loving gaze fell on Noah, sitting up like the big boy he was turning into, as he reached out his tiny hand to Gavin’s. After smothering a block with his sweet saliva, Noah chucked the block at Gavin’s head. Laying on the floor next to Noah, a chuckle belting from his mouth, Gavin mocked sadness as he looked at his son.

Giggling, a few thoughts flew around Emily’s mind. One: Gavin was lucky he was wearing his Yankees hat. Two: Gavin was even luckier the alphabet-speckled block was made of cotton. Three: Surrounded by an array of toys from one end of the living room to the next, Gavin looked completely edible, wearing nothing but that Yankees hat and pajama pants on this fine, Sunday afternoon. Yeah. Though time was disappearing faster than Emily could blink, faster than she could catch her next breath, each second was nothing short of magnificent.

“Look who’s home, Noah,” Gavin announced, sliding from the floor to the couch. He grinned at Emily and adjusted his baseball cap. “And she came bearing gifts for us. Will we be fed, Mommy?”

Smiling at Gavin and Noah, Emily plopped two paper bags of groceries onto the counter. “That depends.” She pulled out a loaf of rye bread. “Is the laundry folded?”

Gavin quirked a brow. “My brother was right. You’ve domesticated me beyond belief.”

“I take that as a yes.” After shoving a head of lettuce into the refrigerator, Emily dug her hands into her hips. “And don’t lie. You love being domesticated.”

Gavin chuckled, reaching for the newspaper on the end table. “Yes, boss. To be honest, Noah folded the whole pile.” He flipped open the paper, his teasing blue eyes peeking out from the sports section. “But we took a man vote. We’re in agreement we’re both tired of folding laundry. We want the housekeeper back.” Beaming a dimpled smile, Gavin looked at Noah. “Right, buddy?”

With one hand wrapped around a musical clown rattle and the other shoved in his mouth, Noah gave a single nod.

“That’s my boy,” Gavin laughed, swinging his eyes to Emily. “See? You’re outnumbered, doll. We win. I’m calling Leslie and hiring her back on fulltime. It’s a done deal.”

Jaw dropped open, Emily giggled. “This is obviously a conspiracy. It’s bad enough you have my son decked out in a Yankees onesie. Now you have him turning on me? Evil. Pure evil.”

Gavin cackled like a ghoul and flipped to the business section. He grinned that very same mouthwatering grin that’d snared her the first time she’d met him. “Hey. You’ve known this for a while,” he reminded her with a shrug and a wink. “And you love every evil inch of me.”

Shaking her head, Emily continued to unpack the groceries. Every fiber in her being agreed. Without a doubt, she’d forever love every evil and un-evil inch of him.

“Emily,” Gavin called, pulling her attention from a cooking magazine. In the checkout line, a recipe for creamy baked chicken had caught her eye. Unlike the last two times, she was determined to make this evening’s dinner work out without giving her or Gavin food poisoning. “What does Noah have in his hands?”

Emily squinted, trying to see across the room. “I don’t know. A block?”

“Can you get it from him?” Gavin stared over his newspaper. “He has it in his mouth.”

Emily furrowed her brows. “Gavin, he’s teething. He’d chew on my shoe if I gave it to him.”

“I know,” Gavin replied after clearing his throat, “but I don’t want him chewing on
that
block.” He smirked, his eyes lighting up with amusement. “Or your shoe for that matter. Can you just take it from him? It might be… dirty.”

Tilting her head, Emily dropped her shoulders and rolled her eyes. “One: You’re a clean freak. Two: I’d rather him chew on
my
shoes than yours. Three: You’re right there. You take it from him, nutter.”

“Nutter?” Gavin questioned, chuckling. He paused for a second, quite impressed at his new name. “My back hurts. You get it.”

“Yes, nutter,” Emily sighed with a smile, placing the magazine on top of the table. “You’re just trying to get another massage out of me.” She rounded the island, completely convinced her OCD, massage-conniving boyfriend was losing it. Shoeless, she stepped onto the down comforter Noah was playing on.

Though square, it wasn’t a block he was chewing on. Nope. Not even close. Emily flicked her gaze to Gavin, who was sporting a full, megawatt smile, and back to the black velvet box Noah was thoughtfully sinking his newly rooted tooth into. Before Emily could blink or take a much needed breath, Gavin slipped from the couch, depositing himself cross-legged onto the comforter. Scooping Noah into his lap, Gavin flipped his Yankees cap backward, eased the box from Noah’s hand, replaced it with a tiny book, and stared up into Emily’s unblinking green eyes.

“Come sit with us,” Gavin said, his voice soft. “We have something for you.”

Emily swallowed, her throat suddenly parched. Trembling, she slowly sank down onto the comforter, sitting cross-legged in front of Gavin. Knees touching his, she stared at his lazy grin, her heart racing as he leaned in to kiss her. He let the kiss linger until Noah started to fuss his displeasure about being smashed in between them. Pulling back, Emily let out a nervous giggle and swept her hand through Noah’s wavy hair.

“He’s just jealous,” Gavin whispered, placing a kiss on Noah’s head. Bringing his gaze back to Emily’s, it was Gavin’s turn to swallow. For the second time in his life, he was about to propose to a woman. However, for the first time, not a shred of reservation ran through his body. Gavin knew she was the one created for him. With a shaky hand, he cupped Emily’s face, his heart pouncing.

“I love you, Emily. You’ll always be my best friend. You’ll always be my… Molly.” Eyes wide, staring into hers, Gavin leaned in and brushed a gentle kiss upon her quivering lips. “You’re the mother of my child. You and Noah have brought color to
my
empty canvas, light into
my
darkened life.” With the pad of his thumb, he wiped a warm tear from Emily’s cheek and pulled in a deep breath. “Let’s paint the full picture together and light up the sky, sweets. I love you both more than anything.” He drew up a brow, his sexy smirk showing off his chiseled features. “Remember? You trump Valentine’s Day chocolates.” Sniffling, Emily giggled.

Gavin smiled, but his face sobered quickly, his voice a gentle whisper. “I believe in forever, and that’s what you and I are. We define eternity. This may sound cheesy, but you make me go there. You give me butterflies, Emily Cooper. I’ve never had that before, and I don’t want to let that go for anything. Ever. I asked you once to crash with me, and you did. Now... I’m asking you to take the full ride. Walk with me the rest of the way until we’re old, sitting in our rocking chairs and watching our sugar-high grandchildren play in our yard. I’ve seen this world a million times over, but I’ve never seen it with you by my side. I want you, no, I
need
you to be my wife. I need to wake up every morning knowing you’re Mrs. Emily Michelle
Blake
.” He paused, and Emily could see his eyes misting over. “Please. Take this last step with me.” He cracked open both sides of the box. Cushioned in the middle of Harry Winston’s classic signature lay a round, brilliant diamond set in platinum with smaller diamonds encircling its base.

Emily found her breath evaporating from her lungs. She froze under the gravity of his words, but her heart, filled with a riot of emotions, took off excitedly. Gavin’s declaration sang in her ears, musical notes of love reverberating through her. “I love you,” she choked out, her eyes stinging with happy tears. She wrapped her hand around the back of Gavin’s neck and pulled his smiling lips into her mouth. “And, yes, I’ll take every last step with you, Gavin.”

“Yeah?” he questioned with a chuckle between kisses. Once again, Noah squealed in displeasure, trying to squirm from Gavin’s hold by kicking his chunky legs in frustration. “You’re going to be my wife?”