After the Storm(184)

            She smiled back at him, shaky, but she poured every ounce of the joy welling in her soul into her smile so he would know, so he would have no doubt.

            He caressed her face with both hands, back and forth, wiping away the tears as his expression grew even more serious.

            “Can you ever love me, Eve? Do I have a chance at making you love me even half as much as I love you?”

            “Oh God, Donovan,” she said raggedly. “I do love you. So very much. I have loved you. Almost from the start. I knew the night we made love, that very first time, but I was so very afraid to hope. I worried that it was too soon, that I was too caught up in the moment and I was afraid to tell you because I wasn’t sure of your feelings. And then when I heard . . .”

            “Shhh,” he said, warmth and answering joy lighting his eyes. “We’ve already covered what you heard and I want you to forget it. I realize you won’t just forget it and that it will still hurt you when you think about it, but when you do I want you to remember one thing. That I love you and that I want us to have a long life together filled with love, laughter and happiness. And that I want Travis and Cammie to be a part of that and any other children you and I have down the road. But for now, I’m perfectly content with the family we have. More children can wait until both Travis and Cammie are secure enough in our love for them and each other.”

            “Will you hold me?” Eve asked. “I’m so very tired, but I’m so afraid that I’ll wake up and this will have all been a dream. I’m afraid to go to sleep because I don’t want to lose you and Travis and Cammie.”

            Donovan turned sideways so he was nestled against her on the bed. He reached down and pulled the covers over both of them, and then he enfolded her tenderly in his embrace. He pressed a kiss to her forehead and then whispered something that Eve could swear was a prayer. A thank-you to God for giving him back his family.

            “Sleep, my darling Eve,” he said, his voice filled with love. “I’ll be here when you wake and every other time you wake. You’ll never be alone again.”