Page 71 of The Holy Grail
“No, I didn’t,” David countered.
”Ithoughtyou did, so same thing,” Jules said. “And I’m pretty sure I apologized for that. I feel like I did, anyway.”
“Well, I feel like you never did, so …”
Just then, Paige came down the hall, temporarily stopping the conversation as they all watched her approach. She was now six and a half months pregnant and walking like a woman whose center of gravity had started to shift, but looked totally chic in black maternity pants and a lilac-colored blouse that buttoned up the front, draping over her baby bump, which had expanded since Jules had last seen it.
“There’s the birthday girl!” Jules said, noting her friend’s slightly flushed cheeks as they hugged.
“Sorry,” Paige apologized. “I was in the bathroom. It seems like I spend a lot of time in there lately.”
“Understandable,” Jules said. “You’re peeing for two, now, right?”
“That’s right.” Paige then took a few steps toward Malcom, holding out her free hand. “Hi, Malcom. It’s good to see you again after all this time.”
The last part was said with a quick side-eye at Jules.
He took Paige’s hand and shook it. “It’s good to see you, again, too … after all this time.”
“I can’t tell you how much David and I have been looking forward to tonight—”
“Please stop,” Jules cut in. “Don’t make him any more nervous than he already is.”
“Am I making you nervous?” Paige asked Malcom.
“Maybe a little,” he admitted. “I’ll get over it, though.”
David inclined his head in the direction of the kitchen and suggested to Malcom, “Why don’t we go get a drink?”
“Sounds good,” Malcom agreed.
Once the two men were out of earshot, Paige turned to Jules with a face-splitting smile. “I really am glad you and Malcom are here tonight,” she said, her voice crackling with excitement.
Jules gave her friend a questioning look. “Why are you acting like we’re members of the royal family?”
“I’m not,” Paige protested, only to laugh at herself. “Okay, maybe I am. I can’t help it, though. It’s just such a big deal—”
“I know, but you need to rein it in a little, sister, or you’re going to scare him off. If you don’t, this might be the last time you ever see us together, and it’ll be all your fault. Then I’ll have to be mad at you, because I’m really enjoying him.”
“Fine. I’ll rein it in.”
As they began following the path the men had taken, Paige grabbed one of Jules’ hands and placed it on her baby bump. “Can you believe how big this is getting?”
“It is pretty big,” Jules agreed, slightly weirded out to know a little human being was actually growing in there. “So, tell me, how much does this interfere with sweaty, needy, mind-blowing sex?”
Paige’s lips lifted up in a smile that was both sweet and filthy. “Not. At. All.”
“Well, that’s certainly good to know, because even with this big bump, you should be able to haveallthe sweaty, needy, mind-blowing sex.”
“Well, I am. In fact, just before you got here, I had David cornered in the bathroom for a quick round.”
Jules abruptly stopped, her eyes narrowing a little as she stared at Paige. “So, you weren’t in the bathroom peeing.”
“No. I was actually cleaning myself up. That takes a while, especially since it’s gotten challenging to reach … things.”
“Isn’t that what David is for? To reach … things?”
“Well, he started to, but then he had to go answer the door.”
