Love & Learn Page 19

  But he didn’t.

  His hand stayed on her stomach. He didn’t speak, didn’t move, just stared at their hands, resting on the blanket. Then his eyes wandered up to her face. She bit her lip. But there was no reluctance in his beautiful brown eyes. No anger or fear or avoidance.

  Just pure, undiluted love.

  Was it possible? Could he love her? Want to be her husband? Want to have a child—this child—with her?

  “You didn’t go through with it?” he asked, his voice barely more than a whisper. She shook her head. “You are still pregnant?” She nodded. His hand started moving over her stomach. “December 15th?”

  She nodded again. “Sometime around then.”

  He looked her in the eyes. “I’ll make sure that I’m available.”

  She raised her eyebrows. “Are you sure?”

  He slid off the couch and stood on one knee next to it. “I have never been more certain of anything in my life,” he said and took her other hand, the one that was not resting on his, on her stomach. “Lizzie Georgia Brown. Will you do me the immense honor of being my wife? The mother of my children, present and future? My lover, my friend, and my teacher?” He leaned forward and kissed her hand gently. “Will you be my everything, Lizzie?” he whispered, and her heart swelled so fast that her chest hurt.

  “Yes,” she said, her voice thick with emotions. “Of course, I’ll be your wife, Henry.” She pressed his hand against her stomach. “I would love to be the mother of your children. Your friend.” She leaned forward and kissed him gently on the lips. “And your lover,” she whispered against his lips.

  He kissed her back, and the kiss deepened, getting more intense. She pulled him up onto the couch with her, and he lay beside her, caressing her stomach. She unzipped her dress, pulling it off, and lay next to him in just her bra and panties. Her stomach was still pretty flat, but her breasts were spilling out of the bra cups. He just stared at her.

  “It’s alright,” she said. “You can touch me.”

  He looked worried. “Don’t we have to be careful?”

  She shook her head. “No. You can do whatever you want. It won’t hurt the baby.”

  He glanced at her face, still uncertain. She smiled at him and unhooked her bra.

  That broke the spell.

  He groaned. A dark, primitive sound that made her insides pulsate with desire. Then his hand started moving away from her stomach and up toward her chest. He caressed first the one breast and then the other. Her nipples hardened as soon as he touched her, and she felt goosebumps spreading across her body. She couldn’t believe that he was here. That he was lying next to her. That he had asked her to be his wife again. That they were going to have a baby.

  And he was happy about that.

  Her heart couldn’t be fuller. This was everything she had ever dreamed of, and so much more. This was perfect.

  She moved to the side, so that he could lay down on his back, and then straddled him. She could feel his desire pressing against her through the fabric of his trousers, but it was nothing compared to the desire that emanated from his eyes as he was staring at her. She leaned forward, rubbing slowly against him, offering him one nipple to suckle. The sensation rushed straight through her, down to her core.

  She quickly liberated him and lowered herself down on him, feeling him filling her up completely. Filling her heart with love. Filling her life with a family and children. Filling her future with love and adventure.

  “Oh, Lizzie,” he groaned. “Oh, Lizzie, I love you.”

  And this time, she knew that he meant it.

  Epilogue

  Their second wedding—their real wedding—took place in the park, at a small gazebo in a quiet corner. It was just a small ceremony, with only their family present, but Lizzie had never been happier. The gazebo was covered in roses in various shades of pink, and the surrounding trees were the intense green of spring in New York. It was all so beautiful, and Henry had surprised her with a new wedding band that went beautifully with the engagement ring they’d picked out together, with five square diamonds on a rose-gold ring. These rings were much more her style, unique and understated, and one of a kind.

  The officiant pronounced them husband and wife and said the magic words.

  “You may kiss the bride.”

  And he did. Henry leaned forward and kissed her, and she felt the kiss in every part of her being. She hadn’t known it was possible to be this happy.

  She heard cheering and looked over. Julia and Danny were standing to one side, dressed up in their wedding finery. Danny was jumping up and down with excitement, his little bowtie all askew. Julia had a baby in her arms. Little Zoë. The most amazing little girl that still, after four months, hadn’t managed to sleep through the night. Lizzie squeezed her husband’s arm and looked over at their children. Danny had gotten so big. His first word hadn’t been ‘banana’ as she’d thought. And not ‘ball’—Julia’s guess. And not even ‘Mommy’ as Henry had predicted. No, his first word had been something completely different, and it was still his favorite word.

  “Daddy, daddy, daddy,” Danny screamed with joy as he ran up to Henry, who scooped up the child and received his wet kisses with a wide smile. ‘Daddy’ was Danny’s first and favorite word, and Henry was his favorite person in the whole world. Lizzie smiled at them and walked over to Julia.

  “Congratulations,” Julia said, giving her a one-armed hug.

  Lizzie beamed at her. “Did she make a fuss?” she said, looking down at her youngest daughter.

  “No,” Julia said. “She just didn’t want to miss the party.”

  Lizzie laughed. That was her little Zoë, alright. “Come here, you,” she said, taking the baby. “Are you hungry? Just hold on a little while longer, OK, my darling. Mommy doesn’t want to get her boobs out, right in the middle of the park.”

  “I wouldn’t mind,” Henry whispered in her ear, wrapping one arm around her.

  Lizzie smiled at him and gave little Danny a kiss. “Are we going back to the apartment now,” she said. “This took longer than expected, and I feel about ready to burst.”

  “Sure.” Henry shook hands with the officiant. Then he walked over to the pram that stood parked in the shade to one side of the small gazebo and started to wheel it back toward their apartment. The whole family walked together, slowly, so that Danny could keep up. Thankfully, it wasn’t far.

  As soon as they got back, Lizzie hurried in to change into something more convenient for nursing. Her wedding dress had no access at all, which was a stupid idea even if you weren’t nursing, she thought. Especially if your breasts where your husband’s favorite pastime.

  She went into the former home office, now converted into a nursery, and sat down in the rocking chair by the window. Julia brought little Zoë to her, and as soon as Lizzie offered her the nipple, the baby latched on.

  Henry came in with the pram and parked it by the door. “Was she hungry?”

  “Yes,” Lizzie said.

  “Well, do you have room for one more?”

  She smiled at him. “Always.”

  “Good,” he said, bending over the pram. “Because this little one is just waking up.”

  He picked up the baby and carried it over to her, helping her to get Zelda settled by the other breast. “There,” he said. “You feed these two, and I’ll make sure that Julia and Danny get some lunch. Want me to bring you anything?”

  She shook her head, smiling at her husband. He truly was amazing. He’d been completely committed to his new role as a parent and a husband, from the moment he proposed to her in her old apartment, and he hadn’t even blinked when they’d found out that she was expecting twins. His relationships with Julia and Danny had grown and developed during her pregnancy, as he had shouldered more and more of the parental responsibilities. Once their two daughters had been born, he and Danny had bonded even more. “Us guys have to stick together,” as Henry used to say.

  Lizzie was amazed at the transform
ation of her husband. But she was just as amazed at herself. She’d never known she had this much love to give. There didn’t seem to be any limit to it.

  Which was just as well. Because tonight, as soon as all the children were asleep, and she and Henry finally got to be alone for their second wedding night, she’d have to tell him that she thought she might be pregnant.

  The End

  Afterword

  Wow, you read all the way to the end? Thank you! <3

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  Love,

  C