Without a word, Nash extended his hand in a silent invitation for her to join him. Stepping from the warm, smooth concrete into the cool, soft grass tickled Lily’s toes as she made her way through the yard.
When she slid her hand into his, he maneuvered her around until she sat on his lap, her legs over his thighs and her feet brushing the top of the grass. Her head fell against his shoulder, a move she’d become so comfortable with.
Nash’s deep breathing combined with the crickets chirping in the distance had Lily smiling at another layer of the simple life she absolutely loved. Relaxing here would be no problem at all. And raising a child in this calming atmosphere would be a dream. Perhaps she could live here. Why not? Who said she had to live in LA? She was well-known, her agent shopped scripts for her and she would have to go on location regardless of where she lived.
When Ian scheduled her live interview, she could confess her pregnancy, open up about the man she’d developed a serious relationship with and explain they are keeping things private and had purposely kept away from the limelight.
Could the solution be so easy? So within her reach?
“Sorry I disturbed you,” she told him, breaking the silence. “I started getting worried when you didn’t come back inside.”
Nash’s arms tightened around her waist. “I lose track of time when I sit out here.”
“I can see why.” Lily trailed her fingertips along his tanned, muscular forearm. “So quiet and peaceful.”
He flattened his palm against her belly, spreading his fingers wide. “How’s our girl?”
“Safe and healthy.”
He turned his head slightly to kiss her forehead. “And you? How are you feeling?”
“Hopeful,” she answered honestly.
The rhythm of his heartbeat against her shoulder nearly matched hers. There was so much going on inside her, so many unanswered questions, but there was something she had no question about.
“I love you,” she whispered into the darkness. His body tensed beneath hers. “I know we’ve really gone about everything backward and I don’t expect you to say anything back. But I have to be honest with you because I need you to know how serious I am here.”
When he remained silent a little piece of her heart crumbled. While she didn’t expect him to return her feelings, she’d had a thread of hope that he would. She wanted to know how deep he was in with her, but he continued to be a man of mystery, because she never could get a good grasp on exactly how he felt.
Oh, he’d said he wanted to be with her, but that didn’t necessarily mean love. And she so wanted a family, a real family. She didn’t want to settle for less...and she wouldn’t settle for less.
When the silence became too much to bear, Lily started to push off Nash’s lap, but those strong arms around her tightened. “Don’t go.”
On a sigh, she closed her eyes and leaned back.
“You’re everything, Lily,” he said after a minute had passed. “I had no idea what my life had been missing until you came into it. But I’m still working through some things, still struggling with my identity.”
The fact that she was worried about herself had guilt coursing through her. Nash had a great deal of life’s obstacles thrown at him all at once.