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Nope, Erin hadn’t asked her father the same question.
It took him several seconds to stop coughing. “She what?” he croaked.
“You heard me correctly. She even suggested maybe we could have twins like you and Vivian.”
All Erin’s stuffed animals could suddenly come to life and stroll out of the room in a conga line and Gavin wouldn’t look any more surprised than he did now. Leah suspected she’d worn a similar expression this afternoon while having the conversation in question.
“What did you say?” He no longer sounded like a frog at least, but he didn’t sound like himself either.
“I changed the subject and thankfully she didn’t ask again.”
“Lucky you. She usually doesn’t give up until she gets an answer. And usual
ly it has to be an answer she likes.”
Yep, she considered herself very fortunate that Erin forgot the matter, or at least never brought it up again.
“What would’ve been your answer?” Leah hadn’t intended to ask him, but now that she had, she decided to go for broke. “Do you even want more kids?”
“I’m not sure about twins, one baby is difficult enough.” The laughter in his eyes faded and honesty like she’d never seen replaced it. “But yeah, someday I’d like more. What about you?”
He touched her face; the sensual brush of his fingers over her skin momentarily kept any words from traveling from her brain to her lips. And she knew their relationship was taking a huge leap forward into territory she’d never ventured into before now.
“Definitely.”
***
Even with the blinds closed, the room exploded with light. A boom followed almost immediately afterward. Turning onto his side, Gavin went to wake Leah. She loved storms and would enjoy the one pressing down around them. He stopped his hand before it reached her shoulder and went back to staring at the ceiling, an activity he’d been engaged in since Leah drifted off to sleep well over an hour ago.
Instead of joining her in dreamland, their conversation kept him awake. Erin’s first night here she’d asked if he and Leah were going to get married. Since Amber and Todd were getting married, he’d understood where the question came from. After she informed him Amber was pregnant, he should’ve anticipated she’d ask if he and Leah were going to have a baby too. He hadn’t. And although Leah had managed to get her talking about something else this afternoon, it didn’t mean Erin had forgotten about the question. She tended not to forget much. Tomorrow there was a very good chance she’d bring the topic up again; only this time she’d be asking him the question because Leah would be at work.
No matter the situation or question, he told Erin the truth. He would do the same tomorrow.
The storm outside lit up the room again, and Gavin looked at the woman sleeping next to him. He hadn’t given her a ring, and they hadn’t exchanged any vows, but he couldn’t imagine not having her right next to him for the rest of his life. He could honestly say he’d never felt that way about anyone, not even Amber. He’d cared deeply about Amber, but he never saw himself married to her. Even when they’d lived together, he’d asked her to move in with him more because they’d learned she was pregnant than because he wanted to spend his life with her.
And as much as he loved Erin, he hadn’t planned on having a child with Amber. It had simply happened.
Erin’s innocent question had him thinking about the future and topics that rarely entered his mind. No question about it, he not only wanted Leah in his life forever, but he also wanted children with her someday.
Another clap of thunder exploded, and the warm body pressed against his side moved. Leah’s eyes opened and met his as lightning lit up the room again.
“Wow, that was loud,” she said, her voice laced with sleep.
He brushed her hair back over her shoulder. “I’m surprised some of the other ones didn’t wake you.”
“I can usually sleep through anything. Did the storm wake you?” Leah put an arm around his waist and rested her head on his shoulder.
“No, I was still up.”
The weight on his shoulder disappeared and Leah propped herself up on one elbow. “Something wrong?”
“Just thinking about tomorrow.” And you. “Erin didn’t bring it up tonight, but now that the question is in her head, there’s a decent chance she’ll realize you never answered her today. When she does, she’ll ask me instead.”
“Honestly, I’d rather have her ask you than me.”
For the moment the room was again dark so he couldn’t see her face, but it sounded like she was smiling.
“Are you going to answer or try to change the subject?” she asked.
