Total pages in book: 22
Estimated words: 21094 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 105(@200wpm)___ 84(@250wpm)___ 70(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 21094 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 105(@200wpm)___ 84(@250wpm)___ 70(@300wpm)
I can’t contain the gasp. I pull away and search for his eyes in the darkness. But before I can say anything, he continues. “Don’t doubt it. We’ve already wasted so much time, and I don’t want to waste another second. I love you, and I think I knew it the first time I laid eyes on you and demanded you marry me. There’s going to be hiccups, and I know I’m going to mess up along the way, but I promise to make sure to show you every day that I love you and you are the most important person to me.”
I hug him tightly and then pull back to search his face. “I love you, too. I know you’ve read it already, but I have to tell you. I love you.”
He caresses my cheek with his hand, and I lean into him. “So I need you to promise me one thing.”
He nods and blurts out, “Anything.”
I move the cover between us and flatten my hands to his chest. “No more sleeping apart.”
He starts to shake his head, and I put my hands on each side of his face. “Husband…” I start.
He grips my shoulders. “I need you safe.”
I shrug, feeling the warmth of his words. “Yeah, I know, and do you know where I always feel the safest? In your arms. Don’t deny me. If you have a nightmare, I promise you that I’ll make sure I’m safe before I wake you.”
He doesn’t want to, that much is obvious, but it looks like he’s giving in. “I’ve dreamed of you sleeping in my arms.”
I put it all on the line. “There’s nowhere else I’d rather be.”
He pats my hip and then squeezes it. “Let’s go.”
I rear back in surprise. “We’re going to sleep together?”
He laughs, puts my notebook on the table beside us, and stands up, still holding me. I laugh and shriek. “Grant, you’re going to drop me.”
He nuzzles his face into my neck. “Nope, you’re pretty precious to me, wife. I would never drop you.”
He carries me to the bed and lays me down. I pull him down on top of me and hold on to him.
He laughs as he tries to bear his weight on his forearms. “I’m not going anywhere. I’m staying right here with you.”
He pushes the hair off my face, and his smile is gone. “I really do love you, Jane. I know I’ve messed up, but if you give me time, I’m going to make it up to you.”
I wrap my arms around his neck. “I love you.”
He leans down and presses his lips to mine. We get lost in the kiss, and he lies down, half on top of me as he shows me just how much he loves me. He pulls back, breathless. “I loved reading all the letters you wrote me. There’s only one thing we may need to talk about.”
I suck in a breath and nod my head.
His fingers are playing havoc with me as he caresses my breast through the thin material of my night shirt. “What?” I croak.
“You said you wanted to wait to have babies… you do know we didn’t use protection the other night.”
I’ve thought about that too, but I was too afraid to bring it up. “Yeah, I know… are you okay with that?”
He doesn’t hint at what he thinks about it. His face is void of emotion. “Am I okay with getting you pregnant?”
I nod and don’t even try to talk.
Grant rolls over, pulling me on top of him as he goes. “I’m all in, wife. And if we did make a baby, we’ll have nine months of just the two of us. We have a lot to make up for.”
Unsure, I search his eyes. “We’ve never talked about kids… do you want them?”
He leans up to kiss me. It’s a kiss filled with emotions so thick I could cry from it. When he pulls away, he reassures me, “I want it all with you, Jane. Everything. I want your heart, your body, your kids, your future. I want it all.”
I laugh and kiss him again. “It’s yours. I’m yours,” I stutter.
And he spends the rest of the night claiming me.
EPILOGUE
GRANT
Six Years Later
“Daddy, can I please go outside and play with my brothers?”
I look down at the little girl that looks just like her momma. She’s not just like her in the looks department, she’s got me wrapped around her finger like her momma does too. “I don’t know. The boys are playing with their friends right now.”
She puts her little hand on her hip. “I’m their friend.”
I laugh and bend down to pick her up. “You sure are. You’re their best friend.”
She points outside. “So let me go outside with them, Daddy.”
I’m debating when I hear a giggle from behind me. I turn, and Jane is standing there with her hand over her mouth. “You might as well let her, you know you’re going to anyway.”