Waking Up Married(78)

“I love you,” he whispered against her lips.

“Oh, my God, yes.”

Both of them froze at the punctured illusion they were the only     two people on the planet. In the room.

“Shhhh!”

Connor’s chin pulled back as he looked down into her rapidly     heating face.

“I’m sorry—I forgot.” How could she have forgotten?

Together they turned toward the source of the invasive words,     to where her abandoned tablet sat on the pass-through counter, three eager-eyed,     utterly shameless faces filling the screen.

Connor straightened, pushing back from her to walk to the     electronic device. “Sorry, girls, show’s over.”

“No, wait!”

“Heya, Connor, nice moves.”

“Dang it, Jodie! See what you     di—”

Flipping the cover closed, he severed the connection and turned     to face her.

She shouldn’t have laughed. Really.

“Funny, is it?” he asked, a smile on his face.

“Accident,” she swore, holding her hands up. “I was     distracted.”

“So it would seem,” Connor replied, nodding toward her     still-raised left hand.

Her gaze followed his to the fourth finger of her left hand,     where her wedding ring glinted beside the new ring that had been nestled in     black velvet when she’d last seen it.

“Sneaky,” she whispered, barely able to push the word past the     well of emotion at seeing her wedding band returned to her hand.

“I was hoping seeing them on your finger might help me get the     answer I’m waiting for.”

“I love you, Connor. And I want everything you’re offering. I     want to be your wife and the mother to your children. But—”

He stepped forward, all that cocky confidence falling away.     “But?”

She smoothed her hand over the stubble-rough edge of his jaw     before letting it drift to the buttons of his shirt. “But what would you say     about waiting on the baby. Maybe taking a few months or a year—”

“A trial?” he asked, nodding quickly. Determination and resolve     pushing past the disappointment and hurt that flashed across his face. “Anything     to make you feel safe. Confident.”

Slipping the first button free, she shook her head. “No. I     don’t need any trial.”

He searched her eyes. “Then what?”

“Maybe for a while, all I want is you.”

“Yeah?”

Working the next button free, she nodded. “After all, we’ve got     the rest of our lives together. Now, Mr. Reed, I’m ready for my I-love-you     kiss.”

That half smile pushed hard at Connor’s gorgeous lips until it     spread, encompassing his whole mouth and then his face.

“Gladly, Mrs. Reed,” he answered, emotion making his voice     gruff as he took her in his arms and dipped her back. “I love you.”

And then he gave her a kiss that was meant to be the first of     its kind, but tasted so familiar there was no denying those undercurrents of     love had been there all the time...just waiting to be recognized. This one,     though, her husband delivered wholly. Without reservation. Without limit.

It was a promise of forever...and she believed.

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