"I also need to apologize for how I reacted the night you told me. I was so shocked, but it's not an excuse. I know now how it must have made you feel, and I could tell that you were so happy. I'll regret my reaction and not being there for you for the rest of my life."
"I was afraid that you wouldn’t want us." A large lump formed in my throat. "I didn't know how much I wanted this baby until I saw that little pink plus sign in the window."
"I know. We never got a chance to talk about it, but Eva, I never not wanted you or the baby. Never for a minute. I know now that it must have looked that way, but I swear that thought never crossed my mind. I was just so scared. It was never, ever on my radar, and suddenly there it was. And the past few weeks had already been up and down, it just took me by surprise is all. But I promise I always wanted you and our baby. Always. When I heard you that morning in the shower…" his voice filled with emotion and I lifted my head to look into his beautiful blue eyes. "My heart broke that I had given you the idea that I didn't want you. And you were so strong. I could hear it in your voice when you were talking to our baby. It was beautiful. I'll always have that image with me. I knew right then that I could do this, and that we could do it together. I can do anything as long as I've got you." He wrapped his hand around my neck and caressed my jaw with his thumb. Tears streaked down my cheeks at his admission.
"Are you okay? I’m sorry that I’m upsetting you," he said.
"No, they're happy tears. I'm so relieved. I was prepared to do this alone if I had to, but I’m so relieved that I don't. I'm so happy that we're going to do this together."
"Not for a second were you ever alone." He squeezed my hand reassuringly. "Not for a single second, Eva." He brought me into his lap and hugged me fiercely.
"Thank you," I whispered into his neck.
"I love you, Evangeline."
I nodded with another soft sob. "I love you, too. I'm such an emotional wreck now days." I pulled away from him and wiped the tears off my cheeks. "I need to get hold of myself, we have so much to do."
"Like what?" Carter questioned as he continued to rub my arm.
"I need to tell my parents we're married first."
Carter's eyes darted up and held mine. "Really? You're ready?" Happiness danced across his blue irises.
"I’m ready." I nodded with a smile. "I’m also ready to wear this ring on my left hand." I held my right hand out to him. He took the cue and slipped it off my finger and slid it onto its rightful place on my left hand.
"Thank you," he whispered and kissed the gleaming gem.
"I also thought since we're going to be a family, maybe we should be the Morgan family."
Confusion flashed across his face for a moment.
"I thought I would change my name, Carter."
"Really?" Childlike glee spread across his face. "You don't have to Eva, it doesn't matter to me. I mean it does, but not really. I just want you here, every day with me."
"I want to do it Carter. I want to be the Morgan family. Carter, Evangeline and baby Morgan." A smile spread across my face and I kissed his soft lips. He could hardly keep the grin off his face.
"You are the most amazing woman." He placed both hands along either side of my face and kissed me fully on the lips.
"Why, thank you. You're pretty amazing yourself." I grinned between kisses. "Can we go to bed now?" I wrapped my arms around him and laid my head on his shoulder.
"Definitely, although sleeping is the last thing on my mind." Carter ran his hands up my torso and thumbed the fabric underneath my breast.
"I didn't say anything about sleeping, Mr. Morgan." I crawled up into his lap and kissed along his jaw.
"Mmm…" he moaned. "Insatiable as ever Mrs. Morgan." He held me tightly as he stood and I wrapped my body around him and held on for the ride. I kissed along his jaw and flicked my tongue on the sensitive skin beneath his ear as he climbed the stairs. I ran my fingers through his hair and tugged softly.
"I missed you so much, Mr. Morgan," I whispered into his ear. A ragged groan escaped his throat as he palmed the cheeks of my ass.
"Keep that up and we won't make it to the bedroom."
"I don't mind." I caressed the shell of his ear with my tongue before dragging my teeth down his earlobe. He stopped on the next landing and bent us over a settee in the corner.
I moaned and arched into him as his hands slipped under my shirt and made contact with my skin. He lifted my arms and slid the shirt off my body and then leaned back as his eyes took me in reverently.