She put her hand over his. The silence went on for a long time. It wasn’t uncomfortable, but it was loaded. So much to say. So much to think about. But where the hell to start?
Dara spoke first. “I’m really glad you’re here.”
“Me too.” He kissed her temple. “I just can’t believe it took this long to get here.”
“Maybe we weren’t ready before now.”
Matt swallowed. Did that mean they were ready now? “Would you think less of me if I told you this scared me to death?”
“Which part?” She ran her thumb alongside his hand. “Seeing each other? Or the baby?”
He swallowed. “Both, now that you mention it.”
“Would you think less of me if I said it scares me too?”
Matt smiled, and he kissed her gently. “Good to know I’m not the only one.”
“Not at all.” She squeezed his hand. “And I have no idea if we can make this work. I just know I want to try.”
“So do I.”
“I love you,” she whispered.
“I love you too.” Another kiss, and then silence set in again, and he held her closer, just savoring the fact that they were even here. It had taken the better part of thirty bumpy years for them to make it from childhood playmates to realizing they were soulmates, and there’d been so many opportunities to screw this up irreparably. But despite those bumps, they’d found their way back to each other.
After a while, Dara propped herself up on her elbow beside him. “We’re going to have to tell our families sooner or later. Especially since I’m not going to be able to hide the fact that I’m pregnant for much longer.”
Matt nodded, dread knotting in his gut. “Then we’ll tell them. And you know what? Let’s do it all at once. Invite your folks over. I’ll invite my—”
“At the same time?” Dara blinked a few times. “Are you insane?”
“No, I’m not.” He tucked her hair behind her ear. “I’m just tired of letting their bullshit run our lives. We sit them down. We tell them what we’re doing. And we let them deal with it.”
“What about the farm? Your parents’ will?”
Matt shook his head. “All I can do is hope that a grandchild is enough to make my mother rethink a few things.”
She quirked her lips. “Well, if nothing else, the fireworks should be entertaining.”
“Yeah.” He laughed humorlessly. “God, this is gonna suck.”
“I know.” She sighed. “I’m sorry.”
He stroked her hair. “I’m not. No matter what happens with them, it won’t change anything with us. I want to make this work.”
“Me too. And if by some chance it doesn’t work out—”
Matt kissed her gently. “We’ll cross that bridge if we get there. Right now, I can’t imagine anywhere else I’d rather be than wherever you are.”
Dara studied him, but then she grinned. “Who knew you were a closet romantic?”
He laughed, wrapping his arms around her. “Just don’t tell anyone, okay?”
“Your secret’s safe with me under one condition.”
“What condition?”
Grinning, she trailed her fingers along his hip. “You fuck me until neither of us can move.”
Matt shivered, pulling her closer. “I was planning to do that anyway.”
“Good.” She rolled onto her back and tugged him with her. “Then your secret’s safe, isn’t it?”
As she wrapped her legs around him, he kissed her neck. “These hormones are a lot of fun sometimes.”
“Oh, it’s not hormones this time.” Her nails ran up his back, making his spine arch. “I just want you, and I want you now.”
“So I shouldn’t make you wait?”
“Don’t you dare.”
Chapter Twenty-Six
Tonight was the night.
Four days had passed since Matt had blown off his cousin’s wedding reception and showed up at Dara’s door, and tonight, they were breaking their news to both sets of parents. This was not a discussion to be had in public, so they’d agreed on Dara’s house. Everyone in town knew where Matt lived, so her parents would have caught on and declined the invite.
With dinnertime creeping up fast, there wasn’t much conversation. Matt had taken over Dara’s kitchen, and she was glad to let him. Her mind was too scattered to cook tonight. Fortunately, he was the opposite—cooking kept him busy and seemed to relax him. She hung out in the kitchen with him, trying to keep her nerves beneath the surface, but neither of them said much.
Beth was invited too, and she arrived first.