After the Storm (All I've Ever Needed)(35)

They drew curious stares wherever they went on their honeymoon in Dubai, but Natalie had already become accustomed to being the object of scrutiny. Stephano wasn’t overly demonstrative in public—he held her hand when they walked, opened doors for her and carried the heavier bags when they went shopping—but his affection was plain to see.

He looked forward to the birth of their child with an eagerness that was infectious, although he insisted on calling the baby “her”. Natalie was convinced that she was having a boy—sometimes in daydreams she saw a clear image of a boy with curly hair and a cheeky smile that was the mirror of Stephano’s. Time would prove one of them right, but whatever sex the baby was, she knew that it would be cherished by both of them.

She still pinched herself sometimes to see if she was dreaming. She had been incredibly lucky to get the job with the agency and to meet Stephano. He had since admitted to feeling the same strong attraction she had felt from the start. It still amazed her that it had taken something as innocent as an injured wrist to unleashed their undeniable passion for each other.

Stephano had become the best friend she’d longed for all her life. She held nothing back from him, letting him inside to the last of the dark, deep places she’d kept from everyone else. She felt physically and mentally stronger than she’d ever felt in her life. There were even days she thanked Michael for the hard lessons he’d taught her, so that now she could feel the new joy life had brought her more joyously, in contrast.

Finally she had come to a place of acceptance of herself and her right to be loved unconditionally and exclusively.





The End