“You found them!” I exclaim, taking it from him and hugging it to my chest. Tweetie makes everything better.
“I couldn’t sleep for the worry, so I kept myself busy with mind-numbing tasks. The last box has finally been unpacked. The birds were hiding in it. Embarrassed about their condition, most likely.”
“Their condition?”
He looks meaningfully at its head. “You know.” He drops his voice to a whisper. “The water retention issue.”
I hit him with the slipper. “Don’t talk about my Tweetie Birds like that.”
“As you wish.” He points to the tea. “Brought you a cuppa cha.”
“Thanks.” I sigh, hugging my slipper again. “What’d the doctor say when you went downstairs? Are we going to be okay?” I’m almost afraid to hear the answer. Please let the baby be okay…
He rubs my arm, careful to avoid the bruised spots. “Yes. You are as fit as a fiddle and right as rain. You’ll be on your feet in no time at all.”
“And the baby?” Is he avoiding the question? My chest hurts thinking he might be.
“He believes the baby is fine as well.”
“I haven’t felt it move,” I admit, sadder than words can describe.
“Not to worry. I’ve read online that you can go days without feeling something at this point in the pregnancy. It doesn’t mean the baby isn’t moving, necessarily.”
I nod, wanting to believe him with everything I have. “Okay.” William will make this all right. As long as we’re together, everything is going to be fine. It has to be.
“I’ve been thinking,” he says, sliding off the bed and moving to his knees next to it. He takes my hand in his and surrounds it with his long fingers, spreading them apart a little in one spot so he can kiss my knuckles.
“This sounds scary,” I say, smiling a little as he goes completely serious.
“Well, to be honest, it is a bit scary, but I’m a grown man. I can manage it.”
“What are you talking about?” I giggle because I’m so confused. I’m not on anything stronger than over-the-counter pain meds, but still … he makes me dizzy when he’s this close and looking so earnest.
“As I said, I’ve been thinking, and I’ve come to some conclusions.”
“Okaaaay …” My heart starts beating faster as I try to figure out what the heck he’s talking about.
“You and I started out as two people looking for no commitment.”
“Yes,” I say. It’s the truth, as silly as it sounds. There’s no point in denying it.
“We were, in fact, seeking the exact opposite.”
I start to worry that he’s about to tell me how he wants more space. Less commitment. It makes me sad enough that tears start to well up in my eyes. I hope he doesn’t notice.
“Yes,” I say, not without difficulty.
“And yet, here we are … living with one another in a home with a garden, you pregnant with our child. I even have Japanese maples.”
I feel guilty, like I’ve trapped him in this life he might not want. “We should have used protection. That night in the club…”
He kisses me quickly. “No. I am not going to spend a single moment regretting that decision. Sometimes when I lie awake at night and replay that moment, I wonder if it wasn’t somehow intentional on my part.”
“You think about that moment?” I ask, going soft inside.
“Well, normally not at night in bed, to be honest, but in the shower, yes.”
I laugh. “In the shower?”
He winks. “A man must have a few secrets, yeah?”
I’m suddenly turned on by the idea of what he might be doing in the shower while he imagines us banging each other in the nightclub. “Maybe.”
He lets go of my hand to wag a finger at me. “Naughty girl. You’re distracting me from my mission.”
“Your mission?” My eyebrow goes up. “What mission is that?”
His hand dips down below the bed and then comes back up to place a small, dark blue box on the bed next to my pillow.
We both stare at it.
“What’s that?” I finally ask, my voice barely above a whisper.
“That … is a box,” he says. “Wrapped in velvet. Blue, to be exact.”
I bite the inside of my cheek to keep from smiling. “What’s inside the box, William?”
“Ahhh … I’m glad you asked.” He’s staring at me, just inches away. “Inside that box is a promise. It is a promise from me to you, that I will provide for you, love you, cherish you, and worship your body.”
“Until death do us part?” I ask. I’m about to have a heart attack, but I’m playing it as cool as ice.
“Beyond death, if I can manage it.”
Tears leak out of my eyes. “William … I’m not sure I understand. I mean … I don’t want to misunderstand … is there a ring in there?”
He winks. “Open it and see.”
I pull my hand from his and reach for the box.
His hand shoots out and covers it, keeping me from touching it. “Not so fast.”
I can’t help but laugh. Part of it is nervous energy. “What?”
“You must know that if you open this box, and you accept what’s inside, that you are also making a promise. A promise to me.”
“Oh yeah? And what is that promise?”
“You are promising to love me, to cherish me, to worship my body, and to obey me.”
His eyes pretty much sparkle at that last part.
I pull my hands away and roll over onto my back, closing my eyes and schooling my features to go completely serene. I say nothing. I just wait. The sound of a watch ticking nearby is the only thing I hear for what feels like forever.
“Jennifer?” he asks.
“Yes?”
“Are you rejecting my offer?”
“Your offer as stated?” I nod. “Yes. I reject your offer.”
“Do you have a counter-offer in mind, perhaps?”
“I might.” I’m nearly dying with happiness inside. I want to jump up and down on the bed and laugh and scream and cry, but I can’t. I have to play this out. This is how William and I roll. This is what makes him so perfect for me.
“I’m open to hearing it,” he says.
I turn my head and open my eyes to look at him. “I’ll do everything but the obeying part. I think you should have to obey me.”
He scoffs. “That’s not very traditional is it?”
“Maybe not, but there’s no way in hell I’m obeying anybody.”
He chews his lip and nods, acting like he’s giving it serious consideration. “Hmmm … I can see your point. I’m not sure that I want blind obedience, in any case. Dreadfully boring. How about … if you promise to listen to my suggestions and take them into consideration? Would that work for you?”
“Only if you promise the same in return.” I hold my breath, waiting for his answer.
“Oh, all right. If you insist.” He picks up the box and holds it out to me. “Here. Open it.”
I yawn really big and turn over onto my other side. “I’ll open it later. I’m really tired right now.”
He’s silent for several seconds. I’m battling to hold in the huge guffaws that are threatening to explode out of me. I know this is making him nuts. It’s making me crazy too, but in a good way.
I want to see what’s in the box, but then again, I don’t. I know what it means, and it scares the crap out of me. I want to extend this moment of not really knowing for sure just a little bit longer. Plus I want to tease the crud out of him too.
I hear a rustling near the bedside table and then the bed shifts as he gets in behind me. I jump a little as his fingers reach around and find the sensitive spot between my legs. His cock presses into my butt checks and I realize he’s completely naked. Immediately, I’m amped up and ready to forget that I’m supposed to be relaxing here in bed, not starting another round of sexual olympics.
“What are you doing?” I ask, all the laughter
gone and now sexual energy taking over.
“I’m going to make love to you, very gently, but for a very long time … until I weaken your resolve and convince you that you must open the bloody box and promise yourself to me.”
I turn around and wrap my arms around him, pulling him close, letting my nightgown go up to expose most of my bottom half. “You don’t need to convince me. I’m only teasing.” I put my leg over his hip and wait for him to guide his dick over to me. I push forward when I feel it at my entrance.
We kiss passionately, tangling tongues and the reveling in the taste of one another, as our hips move towards each other and then away. He sinks into me with agonizing slowness, and I can’t think of a better way to recover from a fall. All my pains disappear and pleasure takes over completely. I will never get tired of that, of the essence of William, of how he can make me feel every bit of emotion he has for me. He is the most intoxicating man I have ever known.
“You make me feel amazing,” I say softly.
“I love you, Jennifer. I want to be with you forever,” he whispers in my ear. “And I heard this song that said I should put a ring on it if that’s the case.”
I smile, hearing the tune he’s referencing floating through my head. I start humming it and William joins in with a falsetto voice I’ve never heard him use before. “If you like it then you should’a put a ring on it…”
I start laughing so hard it pushes him out of me. Then he starts laughing too and we end up hugging each other, more to keep from falling out of the bed than anything else. The love I have for this man is taking over every part of me, but it isn’t suffocating at all. It’s liberating. I finally feel safe. Cherished. Loved.
“Where’s that box?” I ask, pulling away and looking around in the covers.
“What box?” he asks, all innocence.
I freeze and fix William with an icy glare. “Do not even play like that, William. You do not want to see me get angry right now.”
He winks. “I wouldn’t be so sure about that.” He pulls the box out of the covers and hands it to me. “Remember your promise. You’re to obey me.”
“Nope,” I say, ready to crack it open. “I’m to take your opinions into consideration.”
“Ooooh, right. That’s it. I remember now.” He smiles. “Go on then.”
The box makes a creaking sound as the top goes up on the hinges. Inside, nestled in thick, dark-blue velvet, is a diamond ring.
“Oh my god,” I say. “It’s …”
“It’s three karats, but if you want more, you may have more.”
“No, three is good. Three is really, really good.” I can’t believe how much it’s sparkling and we don’t even have good lighting in this room right now. “This was too expensive. I know it was.”
He kisses me on the nose. “Nothing is too much for my future wife.”
I look up at him all innocence. “This is an engagement ring?”
He pauses, studying my face before he answers. “Was I not clear on that?”
“I don’t know,” I say, sounding doubtful, “I don’t actually remember you asking me to marry you, soooo …”
He snatches the box away from me, clamps it shut, and rolls out of the bed. “Right. You are absolutely right. An oversight on my part.” He starts getting dressed, keeping the box in his hand.
I laugh. “What are you doing?”
“Getting dressed. Must get to work, you know. The work won’t do itself.”
My jaw drops open as I wait for him to stop playing around. Only it looks like he’s not joking this time.
“I’ll be back before seven. Try not to miss me too much,” he says, leaning over to kiss me on the forehead before high-tailing it out of the room.
I fall back into my pillows and stare at the ceiling. Then something that feels a lot like a gas bubble flickers in my tummy, and a moment later I realize that it’s not gas. Laughter comes flying out of my mouth and for the longest time, I cannot stop.
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
William
THE FLOWERS HAVE BEEN DELIVERED. The champagne is on ice. The five-course gourmet meal is warming in the oven. The Stratford name is still good for getting big things done is little time in this town. I am grateful to my father for such favors and called him to let him know. He didn’t sound nearly as broken down this time as he has in previous calls. Thankfully, he is on the way to healing, recovering from the devastation brought down upon our heads by Ingrid. Reading the news article of her losing her solicitor’s license brought me an insane amount of joy this afternoon.
“William, what the heck?” Jennifer has come down the stairs at my request, wearing her sleeping gown, looking deliciously rumpled.
I gesture down the hallway. “If you would be so kind as to join me, I would be honored.”
She comes to me with her hand out. I take it and slide our fingers together, weaving them and making them one. “Follow me to the dining room. I have a surprise for you.”
The smell of roses greets us before we enter the room. I’ve turned the lights down so the candles placed round the room can do their best.
“Oh my god…,” she says, placing her free hand on her heart. “What did you do?”
I stop when we are in the middle of the room. The table is set with the finest of linens, china, and silver … things my father gave to me that used to be my mother’s. Roses cover most of the surfaces. Petals litter the table and floor. Our first course rests on the plates and the best bottle of champagne from Mia’s employer sits on ice.
“I am only doing what is proper.” Pulling out a chair, I gesture for her to take it. “You mustn’t be on your feet, darling. Please sit.”
She sits down, her eyes never leaving mine. “But I haven’t showered. I look terrible.”
“You look like an angel,” I say. “My angel.” I lower myself to one knee and take the blue box from my trouser pocket. “I’ve planned this delicious meal and made the most romantic setting I’m capable of, but I cannot do what Mia has counseled and wait until we are at dessert to do the deed. Today has been the longest day of my life. Please say you will be my wife.” I open the box, pleased to see the icy rock inside sparkling madly. Perhaps all that brilliance will blind her to my faults and she’ll say yes before she clears her head.
She pulls the ring from the velvet and slides it onto her left ring finger. Then she places her hand on my cheek. “Yes, William. I will be your wife.” She begins to cry and then laugh as well.
I gather her in my arms and stroke her back. “There, there. No need to cry. I’m here.”
“I know you are, William. That’s why I’m crying.”
“Is that a good thing, then?”
“It’s definitely a good thing. Trust me.”
I hold her tightly, mindful of her bumps and bruises. “I do trust you, my love. I do.” No truer words were ever spoken, either. In this business of investment real estate, I’ve learned that it’s difficult if not impossible to find people you can truly trust. And I’ve never loved another person like I love Jennifer. Not even my mother was on the receiving end of what I’m offering.
I lift my eyes to the ceiling and smile. Tears sting my eyes as I imagine my mother looking down on this moment with approval. “Thanks, Mum,” I say, convinced she’s the one who kept knocking that silly advert off my desk, keeping me from tossing it in the bin.
“What?” Jennifer asks.
“Nothing,” I say. “Just thanking my mum for bringing you to me.”
Jennifer sighs and rubs my back. “I wish I had known her.”
“Not to worry.” I pull away so she can see me and I see her. “I will tell you all about her. Every last detail. She would have loved you. I’m certain she does love you. She’s watching over us both now.”
“Us three,” Jennifer says, looking down and rubbing her nearly imperceptibly rounded belly.
“Yes,” I say, rubbing it along with her as feelings I’ve never known before well up inside me an
d take me over. I’m to be a father. The greatest calling a man shall ever know. “Us three.”
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
EPILOGUE
MIA HOLDS BABY EDWARD IN her arms, rocking him gently and staring down at him as she speaks in a whispery, high voice. “That’s a baby boy … sleepy, sleepy so Momma and Dada can get married without you crying and messing it all up.”
“Mia, my baby couldn’t possibly mess up my wedding, even if he does cry.” I smooth the front of my dress down for the fiftieth time, trying to make my post-pregnancy pooch disappear like magic. The Spanx can only do so much at this point. The fact that my boobs are twice their normal size is awesome. I’ve never filled out a dress so well and William is going to drop over into a near coma when he sees my cleavage. My plan is to distract him from the weight I gained by enthralling him with my boobs. So far it’s been working.
There’s a sharp knock at the door.
“Come in!” I say.
“Shhhh, not so loud,” Mia says, glaring at me. “He’s almost asleep.”
Edward walks in, going straight to the baby. “Hand him over. You’ve had more than your fair share already today.”
Mia turns sideways so he can’t reach the baby. “Back off. I’m putting him to sleep.”
“Children, children, no fighting over the baby.” I can’t help but grin like a crazy person. No one ever told me how much pride a mother can feel in her child. Imagining he’s so popular that people would fight to change his diaper is making me feel like the queen of the world.
“I’m delivering him to his Grandda, as planned, thank you very much, so give over.” Edward holds his arms out.
“Already?” I ask, a whisper of panic sliding through me.
Mia glares at Edward but hands the baby over. “Be careful,” she warns. “Hold his head really well.”
“Bugger off, I know how to hold a baby.” Edward turns to leave.
“What’s up with you two?” I ask, staring at them, mystified.
Mia lifts her chin, a sure sign that she’s pissed. “Nothing at all.”