And he did make love to me, twice.
I woke wrapped in a Kevin hug; our legs tangled together. “What are you smiling at?” I asked.
“You. I love you, Kimberly, and I never want to sleep away from you ever again.”
I cuddled deeper. “I love you. I’m sorry I waited so long to introduce you to my family. I didn’t want to risk losing you,” I admitted.
“Lose me?”
I ran my hand over his chest making swirling motions. “I don’t know why you love me, and I’m sure my mother wonders the same thing. I don’t deserve you.”
He huffed then rolled us over bracing himself on his arms to keep from placing all his weight on me. “You don’t deserve me? I think you’ve got that backward. If anyone doesn’t deserve this, it’s me. I’ve never met anyone like you, and I can’t believe how lucky I am to have you love me. You’re everything I’ve ever wanted and everything I’ll ever need. I can’t wait for you to become my wife and if I had a choice, I would take you to the justice of the peace right now and make it legal. I want us to start a family right away.”
Joy filled my heart knowing we were already expecting. “Kevin, I…”
A loud knock interrupted me before I could tell him our good news. “Rise and Shine! Time to get up, you two.”
“Oh Lord, my mother.” I pinched my eyes closed. “We better get up before she comes back.” I kissed him then tried to move from beneath him, but he refused to let me go.
“You forgot something,” he said with a gleam in his eyes. He leaned down and pulled something from underneath the bed then placed the small velvet box on my chest. I squealed when I realized what it was. He took my left hand and slid the ring on my finger. I pulled him down for a kiss and breathed a sigh of relief to have it back on my hand.
“You were going to say something before your mother interrupted us. Something about family?”
“Oh, I...don’t remember.” I rolled us over so I straddled him and bent over placing kisses on his face, distracting him from his question. I was going to tell him, but not here, not with everyone around. “We need to get up before my mother comes back.”
“Just one more kiss.” I smiled and gave him one more toe-curling kiss that only made me regret being in a house full of my family.
When we finally managed to get up, showered and dressed, I wished we were back in bed and alone, so we had more time to connect. Last night was not enough.
We walked into the kitchen where all the grown-ups stood around drinking coffee. I reached for the cup Anna offered me. “Nice ring.”
Kevin smiled and nodded his head. “It looks good on her hand, don’t you think?”
“I do,” she agreed.
“Yeah…” I grinned as I stretched my arm out in front of me admiring my ring.
Kevin pulled me against his chest and kissed my cheek. Everyone seemed to be staring at us with matching smiles.
“I’m happy for you two,” my mother said, shocking the shit out of me.
“Thanks, Pamela,” Kevin said while tightening his hold on me.
34
“Does this feel like deja vu to you?” Anna asked. Her eyes followed Professor Hottie, who ran into the ocean carrying a squealing Jakey. They were crazy to get into the cold water, but they were nothing compared to Michael and Claire, who were boogie boarding. I shivered at the thought. I loved surfing when I was a teen only because it gave me a chance to hang out with a bunch of cute boys, but now you couldn’t pay me to get into the freezing water.
“You mean sitting on a beach and you staring at your boyfriend?” We had done this exact same thing last week except I was mopey because I just found out I was pregnant and my boyfriend was being a jerk.
Looking over at Anna, I watched her stare at her man with affection.
Never in my wildest dreams would I have thought this day would come, but Adam was good for her in so many ways. I had noticed the similarities between him and Ryan like they were both really good guys, friendly and easygoing; it was their differences that stuck out too.
Adam calmed her in a way I had never seen before. He pitched in and helped ease her burdens and brought out the easy going Anna, and I loved seeing this side of her. And he made her happy.
“Yeah.” She nodded then looked over at me sipping on my 7-Up hoping it would ease some of my nausea. I could see the question in her eyes and when she opened her mouth to speak, I beat her to it.
“Michael is a sweetheart and the way he seems to meld with the kids is great.” Even though Adam’s son Michael was a college student and didn’t live at home, Adam and Anna had hoped their kids would get along.
Her chest rose with a deep breath. “He is. I was surprised to see how he and Claire out of all the kids seemed to connect. Last night, I walked in on them discussing a boy she likes, and he was giving her some really good advice. It was so sweet. It’s how I wished she and Nate would be.”
“He’s going to make a great big brother,” I teased.
Anna shook her head and laughed under her breath. “He will.” The fact she admitted to loving Adam enough to even think about marriage brought a wave of relief over me. Over the past few months, I had seen her change from a weak person to someone who was just realizing how strong she was. I knew she had it in her. She always thought Ryan was the strong one, but it was always her. He just supported her.
Anna shifted in her chair, so she was facing me and held a stare. “Spill it, Kimmie.”
“What?” I asked playing dumb.
“The no drinking and now…” she pointed to the 7-Up in my hand.
“Well…” I didn’t want to tell anyone about the baby until I told Kevin, preferably alone, but she wasn’t going to leave it alone until I spilled my guts. New Anna was pushy. “First, promise you won’t say anything,” I demanded.
“What am I not saying?” she asked with squinty eyes.
“Promise,” I insisted.
“Fine, I promise! What’s up?”
I couldn’t hold back a smile thinking about the family I was finally going to have. “I’m pregnant.”
“Ohmygod! Congratulations!”
“Shhh! Shut up, Anna!” She covered her mouth with her hand, but her eyes were huge.
She dropped her hand and leaned toward me. “Why? I would’ve expected you to be shouting it from the rooftops.”
“I haven’t told Kevin yet. I wanted to wait until we worked things out,” I said behind gritted teeth as I looked around making sure nobody heard my sister freak out.
“I heard you did. Like actually heard you two make up. Very loudly, mind you.” She winked.
“We have, but I wanted to tell him in private, and this place is so not private.”
“How do you think he’s going to take it?”
“Thrilled, I hope. He’s wanted kids, but all of his adult relationships have been with women who wanted their careers more than family.”
“I thought you wanted your career more?”
“I’ve always wanted a family. I just worked hard for my career because I loved it and believed it would be all I would have.” I lovingly looked at the man playing Frisbee with Nate and his girlfriend Stephanie and felt butterflies in my stomach. “Anna, I’m so happy! I’m with an amazing guy, and I’m going to be a mom. I feel like it’s all a dream.”
We leaned toward each other, clumsily falling out of our beach chairs crying and hugging each other.
Adam caught us crying and asked with a worried expression, “Why the tears?”
Anna looked at me, and I shook my head no then looked at Adam and smiled. “Just happy to have the best sister in the world.”
He raised a brow in question. “Fine, you girls can keep your secrets.” He didn’t sound the least bit offended that we were keeping something from him. If only the rest of my family could be more like him.
“Trust me, it won’t be a secret for long,” Anna mumbled. I punched her arm and gave her my best evil eye. “Ouch! Well, it’s t
rue.”
“Anna!” I warned using my I will destroy you if you tell my secret voice.
“I didn’t say anything. Your secret is safe with me,” she said just loud enough for my mother to hear. Damn her mouth!
“What secret? You girls are keeping secrets from me again?” Mom stood over us with her hands on her hips, and her lips pinched into a tight frown.
“Way to go, Anna! You can’t keep your big mouth shut! Well, it was a secret, but because a certain someone has a big mouth, I guess it won’t be for much longer. I seriously don’t know why I tell you anything.” My volume rose with each word until the last word sounded slightly screechy.
“Well, what’s the secret?” Mom pressed.
“I can’t tell you yet, but I will before the end of the weekend.” I had hoped it would appease her, but she’s my mother so…
“I don’t like all these secrets.”
No no no! She was pulling out the guilt trip. Run! Every man for themselves.
“I know, but it’s a good one that will make everyone happy,” I hinted.
“You’re pregnant?”
My jaw dropped. Holy. Crap. My mom is psychic!
“You are?” Mom clapped her hands and bounced on her toes in the sand.
“Mom! Quiet! Kevin doesn’t know yet,” I warned.
Mom smiled like she was finally in with the cool kids. “I won’t say a word,” she whispered, but she wasn’t going to be able to hold this in.
“Great. Everyone is going to know before Kevin. I wanted it to be special, and now I have to say something before one of you big mouths spills the beans,” I huffed.
Kevin must have heard his name because he turned and looked at me and waved, but dropped his hand when his eyes moved to my mother and sister. I looked at them with their big cheesy grins and groaned. He was going to know something was up.
“You guys are going to give it away. I hate you all!” I stood and stomped toward Kevin, hating that I wasn’t able to make this special for us. When I got near him, his smile grew mischievous. He planted a quick kiss on my lips then picked me up and ran toward the cold water, threatening to throw me in.
The next thing I knew I was screaming, “You wouldn’t throw the mother of your child in the freezing water would you?”
It took longer than expected for him to realize what I said.
He came to a stop and set me on my feet then cradled my face in his hands.
My heart pounded in my chest, and I began to cry seeing how much love and happiness I saw in his eyes. “We’re having a baby?” he asked.
I nodded. The next thing I knew I was off my feet and he was swinging me around. “We’re having a baby!” he shouted so anyone in listening distance could hear.
He placed me back on my feet and leaned his forehead against mine, his emotions right on the surface for everyone to see. “I’m marrying the most incredible woman in the world, and she’s having my baby. I’m literally the luckiest man on earth.”
Pulling me tight against his chest where I loved to be, he whispered words of love and affection.
This man loved me!
“I’m going to be a dad.” He nuzzled my neck and kissed me. “We’re a family.” He dropped to his knees and placed a kiss on my flat stomach. “Oh God, Kimberly, I love you so much!”
“I wanted to tell you first, but Anna got it out of me, and then my mother guessed so...” He laughed against my stomach.
“Is that why they were looking at me with goofy grins?”
“Yes. I had this whole beautiful plan to tell you but...”
“No, this is perfect. You’re perfect. We’re going to be parents.” Back on his feet, he wrapped his arms around me and held me tight, then abruptly let go. “Oh, I’m sorry, are you okay? Am I hurting you? How do you feel? Are you sick?”
“I’m fine. I promise, I’m a little more tired than usual, and sometimes my stomach gets queasy, but everything is fine.” I stepped back into his arms wanting to be closer to him.
“We’re going to be a family,” he repeated over and over again.
“I know,” I said with a laugh and then it hit me. “Oh my God! I’m going to be a mom!”
“You’re going to be an amazing mom.” Looking into his eyes, I knew I could be anything.
Epilogue
Kevin
Our three-month-old son, Wyatt Pete’s grin widened, and a gurgle escaped his lips when he noticed the most beautiful woman I had ever laid eyes on walking toward us. Kimberly was even more beautiful today than the day I met her at the bar. I wiped a tear with the back of my hand as she neared, remembering how beautiful she looked on our wedding day just weeks after I found out we were having a baby.
That day couldn’t have come quick enough, but the moment she stepped out of Pete and Amber’s house and walked toward me in a simple white dress that showed off every single curve including the slight roundness of her belly, I knew the waiting had been worth it. She was worth it.
Her dress shimmered from the lit candles surrounding us that evening making her face glow. If I hadn’t felt the softness of her hand in mine, or heard the soft laughter in her voice as tears streamed down her cheeks when she said, “I do,” I would’ve thought for sure I was dreaming.
My life had been dull and lifeless until she noticed me in the pub watching her. I couldn’t take my eyes off of her all night then she smiled––at me. I was done for. She was sexiness, kindness, love, happiness, and life rolled into a beautiful woman inside and out.
Every broken heart I ever received, every struggle we shared together was worth it to be able to be at her side for the rest of my life.
Kimberly grinned ear to ear and leaned into me to give Wyatt a kiss and then me. She looked at us like we were her whole world. She was mine––ours. I hugged our son closer to my chest thankful for the gift she gave me. At one time, I thought my hope of having a family was never going to happen then she came into my life.
I slid my hand into hers remembering the night before. While lying in bed with Wyatt asleep between us, I could physically feel the love between all three of us. I wasn’t sure my life could get any better, but then she gazed into my eyes and said, “I want another one.” I wanted as many kids as she would give me. She said she wanted two. I hoped for a houseful.
Adjusting to life with a newborn had been difficult at first. Anna spent many nights staying over to take the night shift so we could get a few hours of sleep. Wyatt cried––a lot, and rarely slept at least it felt that way but even in our sleep-deprived state, neither of us could imagine our lives anything but perfect.
The soft sound of music brought me out of my thoughts and back to the wedding of my sister-in-law. In the past year, I had the chance to get to know Adam and Anna. Being her kids’ therapist, I knew more than most about what her kids went through after her husband’s death. To see her now, I wouldn’t have known the woman walking down the aisle was the person her children had described.
The reds, yellows, and oranges from the sunset brought out the bright colors from the Hawaiian garden. The location was romantic and everything Kimmie hoped it would be when she planned it for her sister.
I had been watching Adam adjust his tie over and over while looking toward the door where Anna would exit. His twenty-one-year-old son Michael stood at his side grinning at fifteen-year-old Claire, who he seemed to share a personal joke. The more nervous Adam fidgeted, the harder it became to hold in their laughter.
But the moment Anna stepped outside, Claire began to cry happy tears. Adam leaned over and hugged her and kissed the top of her head before moving back to his spot to watch his future wife walk to him.
With a soft smile and a sense of peace I rarely saw in her, she locked eyes with him and never looked away until the minister said, “I’d like to introduce you to Mr. and Mrs. Adam Johnson.
I glanced at my wife who had tears streaming down her cheeks faster than she could catch them. She radiated joy. As much as she loved and
missed Ryan, she hoped for this day.
Once the bride and groom walked past us, Kimberly turned to me and pulled me into a kiss that made me thankful for lips and tongues. “Pete and Amber are having a kid sleepover in their suite tonight and offered to take Wyatt.” She gently bit my lip and with a sexy voice she only used for me said, “You are mine tonight.”
I closed my eyes and took deep breaths while hoping nobody could see what my sexy-as-hell wife did to me. I wrapped an arm around her pulling her tight against my body so she could feel what she did to me. When her smile turned to a smirk, I growled into her ear, “I’m always yours,” and kissed her as passionately as I could while holding our son.
“Aunt Kimmie, Uncle Kevin, Mom said to come get you,” Jakey yelled at the top of his lungs. Laughing, Kimberly muttered under her breath, “I deserved that,” then looked over her shoulder at her almost six-year-old nephew and told him we were coming.
She ran her fingers through my hair and gave me one more kiss. “Do you ever think about how lucky we are?”
“Always,” I whispered.
“Me too,” she murmured against my lips.
THE END
Acknowledgments
Love Machine. Thank you for feeding me, buying me Diet Coke and keeping the kids out of my hair whenever I get close to my deadlines. You’re still my favorite husband.
My kids. Thank you for supporting me even if it means you have to ask Dad. I love you x’s Chuck Norris.
Carrie. Thank you never feels big enough for how much I appreciate everything you do for each book. Thank you for bringing my idea for the cover to life. Thank you for weekend escapes and letting me bounce ideas off of you. Love you!
Nichole Strauss. Thank you for squeezing me into your editing schedule at the last minute. I learned so much from you and can’t wait to work with you again.
About the Author
Love Me Page 20
