Once back, they found out Brayden's fever had finally broken and the doctors were pleased with the progress he'd made in the past few hours. Sloane could hardly contain her relief at seeing her little boy more responsive than when she brought him in. The doctors explained he still wouldn't feel great for a few more days, but they were sure they'd caught it in time to keep it from progressing to anything worse. Brayden remained in the hospital for another day and once his fluids reached a normal level, Sloane and Gates took him home.

Avery decided to head back to Charlotte once she knew Brayden was feeling better. Gates stayed for the rest of the week to make sure that not only Brayden got rest, but Sloane did too. He cancelled his meetings or had Evan handle them, so he could spend as much time as he could with Brayden and Sloane. From getting up with him at night when he cried or reading him a bedtime story, Gates was so attentive and he and Brayden were practically inseparable. One night in particular, Sloane managed to quietly take a picture of the two asleep on the sofa. Gates had finished reading Brayden a story and the little boy had fallen asleep on his father's chest. Gates watched the little boy sleep until he nodded off too.

"He's definitely feeling better." Sloane yawned and sat on the sofa beside Gates. They had just finished giving Brayden his bath and had put him down for the night. The little boy had splashed and giggled during the bath and was acting like his old self again, much to Sloane and Gates' relief.

"He's quite a character. I'm amazed at how fast he picks up on things."

"He's a lot like you." She laughed at the thought of how demanding the little boy could be.

"Oh? How's that?"

"Well, he has a tremendous amount of personality, a definite sense of humor and he can be very, uh, let's see, demanding when he wants something." She leaned her head back on the sofa cushions, leering at Gates.

"Demanding? I don't think he's demanding, maybe more like, determined." He grinned as she laughed at his reply.

"Uh, yeah, sure Gates, determined. Either way, he's a lot like you."

"You think so?"

"Yes. I'll never have to worry about him. He'll be extremely successful and everyone will love him."

"Loved by everyone huh?"

"Uh, yes." Blushing, she looked away from Gates' hypnotic gaze.

"Wow. I had no idea that everyone loves me."

"You know what I mean."

"Do I?"

"Yes." She nervously stood and walked into the kitchen to get a gla.s.s of water. She could feel her mouth getting dry hearing him walk in behind her and she had a feeling he wasn't going to let her comments go.

"Tell me what you mean by everyone loves me." Taking the gla.s.s from her hand and placing it on the counter, Gates moved in closer. He stood so close that she became his prisoner when he placed his hands on either side of her on the counter. The whole week, she'd enjoyed spending time with Gates and they stayed up late practically every night talking and laughing. It felt good to have him there and she admittedly found herself more and more attracted to him.

"I uh..." She chewed the inside of her cheek as his body gently pinned hers against the cabinets. The smell of his cologne made her knees wobbly as he looked into her eyes.

"Well?"

"You know what I mean." She stammered, trying to look away from him but failing miserably. His hazel eyes had her entranced.

"No, I don't. It sounds like maybe you still have feelings for me; maybe even you still love me like 'everyone' does?"

Ducking her head she gulped. "And why would you think that?"

"Oh, I don't know, maybe because you can't seem to look at me." He gently tilted her chin up to look him in the eye.

"Okay, okay, so yeah, maybe I do still possibly have feelings for you. But we do have a son together and we shared a life together at one point, so I do still care about you, and what happens to you."

"And that's it?" She could hear his tone turn more serious and she noticed the sincerity reflected in his gaze.

"Well, yes, what else do you want me to say?"

He paused for a moment and she continued to stare at him. She noticed his demeanor shift as he began to speak. "I want you to tell me you forgive me for being an idiot. That you meant what you said about wanting only me to be Brayden's dad and that you feel the same way I do."

"How's that?" She could barely hear her own voice dribble over her lips as she waited for him to continue.

"I want you to say you still have feelings for me that go deeper than just caring about how I am. That you want a chance to see what can happen between us. Really happen. And we could raise our son together as a family. I want you to say you need me as much as I need you."

"Gates, I don't..." She hadn't expected him to be so blunt and honest with her. He'd opened up and put his heart on the line and it was something so unexpected that she thought she'd heard him wrong. She could see the apprehension in his eyes and for the first time in a long time, she saw the man she'd fallen in love with so long ago.

"Say you'll think about it."

"I...I can't." She could see the disappointment in his face as she spoke and he moved to turn away, but she reached out and grabbed his arm. "Gates, there's nothing to think about. I know I want the chance for us to be together again. Honestly, it's all I've thought about since the day I left. I didn't know if you would ever be able to forgive me, or if you even wanted me back."

"You mean that?" She could see relief in his eyes.

"Yes." For the first time in a long time she felt a weight being lifted from her chest as they stood in her kitchen holding each other.

Lowering his head to hers, he kissed her hard and she wrapped her arms around his waist. His hands left searing paths across her back as he pulled her to him. Gasping for breath, she glided her hands between them to unb.u.t.ton his shirt. She quickly undid each b.u.t.ton and he sucked in softly as her nimble hands pushed the material over his strong shoulders, grazing his skin, and she could feel his body react to her touch. Before his shirt could drop to the floor, he picked her up and placed her on the counter.

She wrapped her legs around his midsection, pulling his body back in contact with her own. He looped his hands beneath her t-shirt, pulling the soft cotton material over her head. Her hair cascaded across her shoulders and he cradled her face in his hands before recapturing her slightly swollen lips with his. His soft yet firm lips left b.u.t.terfly kisses across her skin, from her mouth to her neck and she moaned as she felt his hands tracing her sides. She kept her legs tightly wrapped around his bare waist as he picked her up and carried her to the bedroom. He sat down on the bed as she straddled his lap and he reached behind her and undid the clasp on her bra. Sliding the lace material down her arms Gates looked into her eyes briefly before dipping his head to capture her taut nipple in his mouth.

She whimpered, throwing her head back and relishing in the feel of his tongue ravishing her. "Please..."

Breaking from his a.s.sault, he ran his hand up the back of her neck into her hair and gently positioned her head to look into his eyes. "What do you want from me, Sloane?"

"Love me." She begged him to satisfy the deep hunger and yearning radiating from the very core of her being. She could barely get the words out before he moved back to his previous task. Turning, he gently pushed her back to lie on the bed and torturously removed the rest of her clothes, taking time to tease her with light feather kisses across her skin. Their rushed pa.s.sion in the kitchen turned into a steady burn and her body felt like it was on fire everywhere he touched her. She bit back the urge to scream when his firm lips grazed the overly sensitive spot beneath her chin. "Gates, please don't tease me?" She panted like a dog on a 90-degree summer day and she felt light-headed from his ministrations.

"Shhh, love. I've got a lot of time to make up for." She trembled, feeling his breath roll over her midsection and she glanced down to watch him strategically place kisses over every exposed inch of her skin. He was a thorough lover and she knew he knew exactly what to do to make her body react. He carefully ma.s.saged her thighs with his powerful hands as he continued his a.s.sault, loving every part of her, and she dug her hands into his short-cropped hair, knowing she could take no more of the sensual bout.

Moving slowly up her body, Gates settled his hips in between her legs and slowly pushed himself into her as he stared into her love-filled eyes.

"Gates." She struggled to catch her breath, digging her fingernails into his muscular shoulders and pleading for more. The more she begged, the slower he moved, taking his time to make sure she felt the love she asked for. Soon, both were moaning in sheer delight as they climaxed together.

For a moment, they both lay in euphoric silence before he pulled her into the crook of his arm and kissed the top of her head. Stroking her bare arm, he looked in her eyes and smiled.

"You're quiet. You okay?"

"I am now." Looking up at him, she kissed him on the lips and settled into his embrace.

Chapter 16.

"So, how're you feeling?" Liyah played with Brayden, who had squeezed behind her on the couch and was trying to climb on her back with his hands tangled in her hair.

"Probably a lot better than you with him crawling all over you like that."

"Whatever, you know what I mean." Surprising the little boy, Liyah reached around to pull him onto the couch and tickle him. She laughed as he twitched and giggled as she tickled his sides.

"I would be better if I'd gotten more sleep this week."

"I know what you mean. I'm so glad this project is almost over."

"I've been so exhausted lately. I almost fell asleep in that meeting Monday and I'm looking forward to some time off."

"It won't be long before you'll have a whole lot of time off." Liyah teased. Sloane had decided to take Gates up on his offer. She really didn't have much choice as soon as Isabella got wind of the opportunity she had to stay at home and raise Brayden. She and Antony let Sloane know that in no uncertain terms if she wanted to come back after Brayden was in school, then she was more than welcome, but this was an opportunity she couldn't pa.s.s up. She did, however, get them to agree to let her finish the hospital project first. "And how are you feeling about that time off with Gates?"

"I feel fine. Why wouldn't I?"

"Aren't you nervous about going to New York for Christmas?"

"Why would I be nervous? It's not like we haven't been before."

"I know, I'm just saying, you and him and Brayden at Christmas. It's going to be a real family moment for you. Something you've been wanting."

"Yes, but it's not like we haven't been spending time as a family."

"Sloane, this is special. This is CHRISTMAS. You know anything can appear in your stocking at Christmas." Sloane laughed at Liyah's dramatics.

"Okay, stop it Liyah. Gates and I are just now getting back to a good place. I know what you're hinting at and neither one of us has even remotely talked about that."

"It could happen, right?"

"I'm not against it, but I think Gates is still getting used to being a dad. Let's not rush a wife into the picture too."

"I guess."

"The biggest thing for me is dealing with being away from Avery. We always spend Christmas together, so it's going to be weird."

"I still can't believe she's going on a cruise for Christmas."

"It's crazy isn't it? Avery never does anything like that. She always stays at home for holidays. She's such a traditionalist."

"Well, I guess things are a changing. But, I'm sure all of you will be having a great time for the holiday, won't you, little man?" Liyah pulled Brayden into her lap to stand on her legs and smiled as he giggled and bounced up and down.

Sloane was glad when she and Brayden finally made it to New York. She still felt like she hadn't gotten enough sleep and it didn't help that Brayden was fussy during the entire morning and practically cried and whined during the entire flight. She was glad Gates sent his private jet for them instead of having to fly commercial. Getting off the plane; of course his chauffeur met them and they wound their way through traffic to his penthouse. She nodded at the familiar face of the bellman greeting them as they entered the building. "Miss Davis, it is so good to see you. Merry Christmas."

"Thank you. Merry Christmas to you, too." She shifted Brayden from one hip to the other pulling his hat off of his head and smoothing his hair.

"Looks like young Master Davis has grown since I saw him last."

"He has. Like a weed." She kissed Brayden's chubby cheek as she entered the elevator behind the man. It was so funny how formal he was with them even though he'd known her for years.

"Thank you so much." They entered the penthouse and he placed the bags down for her inside the door.

"You're welcome. Will you need anything else?"

"That's okay, Roger, I think I can handle it from here." Turning, she looked to see Gates walking across the room towards her. She nearly lost her hold on Brayden, who was squirming to get out of her arms to get to his father. "Dada." He gingerly maneuvered down the steps and ran into his father's outstretched arms.

"Hey buddy." Gates bent to scoop the little boy into his arms. "Man I've missed you. Wow, you're getting big. I can barely pick you up."

"Hey you." She kissed Gates and worked to get Brayden's coat off.

"Hey yourself. How was the flight?"

"Interesting. He was a fuss bucket the whole way. Nothing like he's acting now."

"I can't believe that. Is mommy making things up about you?" As if on cue, Brayden laid his head on his father's shoulder, looking sheepishly at her.

"Oh, you're such the little actor." She reached over to tickle his stomach and Brayden held onto his dad even harder.

"I can't imagine where he gets it." Gates laughed, watching his son laugh and duck from Sloane's reach.

They continued to play with Brayden for the next few hours, not even bothering to unpack. Brayden soon tired and she put him down for the night. Even though she'd seen it before, it still impressed her how well Gates had Brayden's room decorated. He got everything right and it was fully equipped with everything he needed. She meandered back to the living room where she found Gates sitting on the sofa. Moving up behind him, she wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him on his cheek. He grinned and leaned his head back and she placed her lips against his. Walking around the end of the sofa, she took a seat halfway on his lap and partly on the cushions with her back against the arm of the chair. "You know you're really going to spoil us both."

"That's pretty much my goal." He nodded, gently rubbing her legs and tilted his head to look at her. "I guess he's out for the night huh?"

"Yes, he is." She sat quietly looking at her hands clasped in her lap.

"What's wrong?"

"Huh? Nothing. I was just thinking."

"About?"

"About Avery, and how strange it is that she took a cruise for Christmas. We always spend Christmas together. It's a little weird not spending it with her."

"Oh."

"Not that I'm not glad I'm here with you. That's not it. This is something new I need, no, want, to get used to." She moved to straddle his lap and look into his beautiful eyes.

"You sure?"

"Yes. I'm exactly where I want to be."

"I'm glad to hear that." Leaning over, he reached over to the end table beside the sofa and pulled the drawer open and took out a piece of mistletoe. Raising it above her head, he leaned in and kissed her.

"You didn't need that to kiss me." She barely got the words out of her mouth before Gates playfully pushed her over onto her back on the sofa. "Gates, what are you up to?" Sloane giggled as he positioned himself between her legs and held the plastic shrubbery over her neck. He dipped his head and placed a warm kiss right below the sprig.