"Yeah," she agreed with a whisper of a smile, in a long, drawn out syllable.
"So I don't want to put any pressure on you or anything, but do you think it'll be something you want to keep doing with me?"
Her whisper of a smile turned into a fully fledged grin. "Yeah."
"So, then, will you marry me?"
Pleasure, hot and fierce exploded within Katie. "Okay," she answered simply, trying to be at least a little cool and not start screaming in joy at the top of her lungs.
Zach's arms tightened around her. "Thank God for that."
"Yeah?"
"Yeah."
Some time toward dawn, Zach woke up as Katie slid on top of him and softly began kissing his neck. He was completely hard within seconds and she lifted herself over him and began to bear down slowly. Her torso came down over his and she put her lips on his and his world had never felt more perfect. His brain was still fuzzy from sleep and all he registered was the heaven of her mouth on his and the need to pump into her more deeply. His brain closed down completely and he forgot the need to be careful. He flipped her onto her back easily, never releasing her mouth from his. He took three ramming strokes, and the need for oxygen forced him to break his mouth from hers. With an arrow of panic sliding down his spine, he realized what he'd just done. He opened his eyes, and saw that hers were closed, her fear seemingly gone as soft little mewling noises came from her throat.
He closed his eyes in pure relief.
He took a moment to adjust his position on her, lifting her legs and wrapping them around his waist, and then he fell back on her with starving need. He pulled her tightly into his embrace, and she was with him all the way. Urgency took over their motions. He wrapped his hands around her face, kissing her with a need that stoked the fire higher between them.
Katie pushed against the heaven of Zach's strokes, her legs holding him, her body milking him until the tingles began in small waves and then took over her body in great vibrations moving from her breasts and radiating to the juncture of her thighs. She trembled against him, held on a precipice and then diving off, falling in a wave of ecstasy so intense she screamed against him, her mouth pulling away from his as she floated in euphoria.
Zach felt it when she came, and he immediately followed her over, wrapping his hands under her butt and pounding into her, his lungs screaming for air, his eyes closing as his seed erupted into her, filling her. Spasms jerked his body, and he fell against her in a pleasure more intense than any he had ever felt before.
They clung together, heart rates coming down, breathing evening out. He gently disengaged from her, and rolled to his back, bringing her with him. His arms were wrapped around her, and he began playing with the silk of her hair that fascinated him so much.
"Do you remember what you asked me last night?" Her voice was soft, and Zach's eyes snapped open in a moment of alarm. She couldn't take back her answer. She'd agreed to marry him and by damned, she would.
"Yes," he answered, not sure where she was going with this.
"So you still want to do it then?" she asked.
"Get married?" he qualified.
"Yeah."
"Yes, Katie. We're still getting married."
"So how many kids do you want?" As she asked the question, Zach could hear the smile in her voice.
Kids. Babies. He felt a sliver of remembered pain and then kissed the top of Katie's hair and let it slide away. "Two or three. How about you?"
"That sounds good," she answered.
"So, you feel all okay to start on that project, then? I mean, everything okay with you? I mean, with us?"
Katie rolled over and put her hands on his chest and looked him steadily in the eye. "Hm-mm. It's all good."
Zach smiled and reached down and kissed her on the lips. "Go back to sleep, baby."
And she did.
Epilogue
Zach stared down into eyes so green they almost took his breath away. The eyelashes around them were dark brown and long, so long and thick they enhanced the brilliance of the bright green orbs that stared back at him. The little mouth that wrapped around the nipple was full and pink as his daughter continued to suckle the milk from the bottle. She stared into his eyes as if he were the only thing that existed in her universe, and her tiny fist wrapped around his pinky clenched in time with the motion of her mouth.
His heart clenched as well.
The room was quiet, almost too quiet, and as he held his baby daughter, Zach glanced across the room to check on his three-year-old son who'd been playing with blocks. To Zach's amusement, Joshua was sound asleep on the carpeted floor, the morning of hard play obviously having worn him out.
A deeply profound feeling of peace settled in the area of Zach's heart as he looked between the two children who'd completed his world. He'd never thought he could love anyone as much as he loved their mother, and granted, this love was different, but it was just as strong and all-consuming. His life was perfect, and he thanked God for that.
As the peace of the room soothed him, he glanced at the ornamental clock on the wall and it registered that Katie should have been home by now. He was only seconds away from getting worried, but then the front door opened and she let herself into the apartment.
His eyes met hers from across the room and his glance raked over her, and he quickly assured himself that she was all right before lifting his gaze to hers again. "Hey," he whispered.
She glanced around the room and took in the sight of the three of them before smiling back. "Hey." She dropped her purse on the sofa and moved closer to him.
Leaning down, she dropped a lingering kiss on his mouth that had Zach's guts clenching in reaction. She'd been gone for too many hours, and as this was the first time the doctor had allowed her to drive since giving birth, Zach had been more worried than usual. "Everything go okay?"
She nodded her head as her fingers touched the soft curls adorning their daughter's hair. The baby had already fallen asleep and Zach pulled the nipple from her mouth and set the bottle aside. "The new center is amazing, Zach. Thank you so much for building it."
"Well, as you said, one wasn't enough for a city of this size. Too many women were having to wait for services."
"I was wondering . . . "
Zach's eyes narrowed when Katie's words stopped. "What?"
"We still haven't found anyone to manage this one. And you know how close this subject is to my heart. I was thinking that I could be that person."
Zach understood now why Katie's tone seemed hesitant. She'd stayed home after Joshua had been born, and it had pleased him immensely for her to be in the house all the time. But giving up teaching hadn't been easy for Katie, and Zach knew she had a nourishing soul that needed an additional outlet besides the children. "It's your center, Katie. I built it because you wanted it built. If you want to run it, that's fine with me. But full-time might be a bit much for you when the kids are still so small, don't you think?"
"Definitely. I don't want to leave them that many hours out of the day. I was thinking maybe twenty hours a week or so, just until I have someone competent and patient enough to handle everything, and then I can come and go as needed." As she said the words, the baby gurgled and Katie bent and picked her up and held her to her shoulder, kissing the tiny cheek that was so close to her mouth. She swayed back and forth, rocking the child as a blissful look crossed her features.
Zach's heart constricted again as a surge of love pumped heavily through his veins. "That sounds good; whatever makes you happy, baby."
"You make me happy," she said as she smiled into his eyes.
Zach let out a quiet laugh. "That's good to know, because you're stuck with me."
Katie rolled her eyes and gave him a teasing glance. "Don't forget, we're going home tomorrow."
"How do you think I could forget that?" Zach asked and watched Katie as she shrugged.
"You're so busy."
Her words sent worry down his spine. "Am I too busy, baby?"
"No, I'm not complaining," she answered quickly and to his relief, truthfully. "I'm just trying to help you out with a friendly reminder. Everyone is expecting us, and I'm only making sure that we're still going."
Zach breathed a sigh of relief. He always tried to keep his life balanced. He had to work, but the most important things in the world to him were Katie and the kids. He reached out and put his hands on her hips and pulled her toward him.
When she was close enough to soothe him, he looked up into eyes so green he thought he'd never get tired of watching them. "I wouldn't ever forget about taking you and the kids home. I'm never more at peace than when we're together in Redwood Falls."
"Me, too." Katie watched him steadily with a look of happiness shining from her eyes that did crazy things to his insides.
"I love you," the words spilled from his mouth as his hands tightened on her hips.
"I love you, too." Her words were softly spoken, but the depth of her feelings blazed across her face for him to see.
Yeah, it couldn't be better than this.
The End