It's Only Love(72)
“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.”
“What’re you doing tonight?”
“Sitting around watching football and wishing you were here.”
“So you’re staying in?”
“Yes, Ella, I’m staying in and behaving myself while you’re out of town.”
“I didn’t mean it that way.”
“It hasn’t even been two weeks since you picked me up at a bar, so it doesn’t offend me that you’d be worried about that.”
“Haven’t things changed since then?”
“Everything has changed since then.”
His assurances warmed her all the way through.
“Don’t worry, El. I’m on my best behavior. I have promises to keep. Important promises.”
“I love you, Gavin. And I love being able to tell you I love you.”
“I love you, too. I’ll see you tomorrow.”
“See you then.” She waited for him to end the call. “You’re supposed to hang up now.”
“Not until you do.”
“I don’t want to.”
“Neither do I.”
Ella smiled widely. “Let’s hang up together. One, two, three . . .”
“You first.”
“I’m going now.”
“So am I.”
“Night, Gavin.”
“Night, Ella.”
Their phones clicked off at the same time, and Ella lay there for a long time afterward thinking about him, wishing she were with him and counting the minutes until she could see him again.
*
Everything about this Thanksgiving felt different to Ella from every other one that came before it. For one thing, it was the first one they’d spent in the lake house. For another, the family football game happened on the beach rather than in the field next to the barn. It was strange not to have Hunter and Max with them, which was also a first. It was the first Thanksgiving in which they’d taken turns going to the hospital to visit Max and Caden, who’d had a good first night.
It was the first Thanksgiving that Ella had somewhere else she’d rather be—or rather the first time she wished she could be in two places at once. It wasn’t unusual to see Lucas and Landon nursing hangovers, but it was unusual to see Wade in the same condition.
Ella plopped down next to him on a blanket on the beach. A chilly wind blew in off the lake, but the bright sunshine kept the day from being too cold to be outside. “You’re looking rough.”
“Gee, thanks,” Wade said with a wan smile. “Remind me not to try to keep up with those two buffoons.” He gestured to Landon, who was showing off his backflip skills. “If I did that right now, I’d puke all over the place.”