The Rebel's Own(35)

He sighed. “Forget about it. Contracts are for another day. Today, we eat cake.”

• • •

It had been two weeks since the party, and Ryan had finally gotten his brace off that morning. Ryan knew exactly how he wanted this night to go. He also knew he wanted it to end with Kennedy in his bed. Today, he was closing the world out and focusing on just him and Kennedy. He had even sent Riley to Rebecca, hoping that allowing her to spend time with her grandson would prove that he wasn’t such a monster.

He had set up catering, ordering food, non-alcoholic wine to be served by waiters. He even had a tuxedo on, and had laid a dress out for Kennedy. This was going to be a night out of the pages of a romance novel. Ryan shifted his weight around, trying not to exhaust his healing leg. The doctor told him not to overdo it. It was a good thing the only thing he was going to overdo didn’t require him to be on his feet. When he heard the front door open, he felt his heart shoot from his chest and into his throat.

“What’s going on?” Kennedy asked, as she slowly walked into the room, her feet carefully skirting the rose petals that littered the floor. “I hope you know how to use a vacuum cleaner.”

Ryan laughed. If Kennedy had said anything else, she wouldn’t have been his Kennedy. “I thought that we should have a romantic night. Just the two of us.”

“The four of us you mean,” she said, as her hand rubbed over her growing belly.

Ryan stared at her stomach, imagining how his babies must look now. They would be beautiful, he knew that. As beautiful as their mother. “Well, we can’t really tell them to leave can we?”

Kennedy laughed and the sound of it squeezed his heart like a fist. “No, I guess not.”

“I thought we could have dinner and music, and maybe we could talk about us.”

Kennedy nodded, not moving from where she stood. She looked around the room and Ryan appreciated the awe in her eyes. At least they were getting off to a good start.

“Alright then, but first of all, lose the jacket and the bow tie. We both know you have that monkey suit. Then, let’s move this to the family room. We can sit on the rug in front of the fireplace. Then, and this is not up for discussion, lose the wait staff.”

“I am trying to be romantic!”

“I just want you to be you, Ryan. And romance is in the tiny details.” Kennedy walked towards him and put her hand on his chest. “You are my husband. I’d think you were romantic and a major turn-on even if you were covered in dirt from head to toe.”

“Are you sure you just want me, without the dirt?” Ryan wondered how the hell he had managed to snag a woman who knew him better than he knew himself. Oh, right. He got her pregnant. Twice.

“When are you ever going to see how special you are?” Her whispered tone was full of endearment.

“I see it now, in your eyes. The way you look at me, the way you smile at me. You make me feel like I’m more than I’m worth.”

“And what are you worth, Ryan Carville?”

“What am I worth to you?” he asked, confused.

Kennedy shook her head. “To yourself. What are you worth to yourself?”

“I don’t know.” He answered honestly. No one had ever asked him that.

“Well, I know you are worth everything in my eyes, in our son’s eyes. I know that—” he watched as Kennedy swallowed hard, her eyes misty, “I know that you are worth our children’s love and…and my love.”

Ryan felt like he could have been knocked over by a feather at that point. Who said a man couldn’t have everything he wanted in the time span of a second? “Get out, all of you,” he shouted to the caterers. And once the house was empty, he pulled Kennedy into his arms and kissed her senseless.

“Are you hungry?” he asked in between kisses, praying that she would say no.

“I’m eating for three. I’m always hungry!” Ryan stepped back with a disappointed frown, and she laughed. “But I think the babies can wait for a few minutes. I think it’s important for Mommy to play with Daddy for a while.”

Ryan growled his approval as he lifted Kennedy into his arms and walked to the family room, his lips never leaving hers. He lay her down on the rug and watched as the light of the embers danced on her ebony features. Her hair spread over the white rug like a halo around her face. Ryan just wanted to look at her, as if he was staring at the Mona Lisa. He kissed her palm as her fingers stroked his face.

Ryan moved on top of her, his fingers caressing her belly. He lowered his head to her midsection and kissed her rounded stomach. He wanted to take Kennedy so bad, but he worried he would hurt his babies. He didn’t know if he had the restraint to pace himself. It had been so long since he had made love to Kennedy and he didn’t think he would be able to take his time.