“Naomi,” Aidan said carefully, “how long has it been since you had your monthly?”
“A few weeks,” she mumbled. “But I don’t get sick with my periods. It’s not that, it’s something I ate.”
“I ate the same things you did, and I’m not sick,” he pointed out.
“Well, maybe you have a stronger stomach than I do,” Naomi said, folding the cloth over her eyes as she gave another weak moan.
“Are you sick often?” he asked, keeping his voice carefully even.
“No,” she said with a frown. “In fact, I don’t think I’ve been sick since I was a little girl and I ate too much candy at Christmas.”
Aidan thought about a few other changes he had noticed recently. Naomi was more tired than usual, and her breasts seemed slightly swollen and extra sensitive. Combined with her nausea…
He grinned, lifting the cloth away from her eyes and waiting until she peered at him with a questioning frown. “Naomi, my darling, beautiful wife, if I didn’t know better, I would think you were pregnant.”
A full minute passed, during which she mentally calculated the days since her last period. She recounted three times, finally coming to the conclusion that it had been over five weeks. Her eyes widened, and her mouth formed a perfect O of surprise. Her monthly courses had always been as regular as clockwork, coming every twenty eight days.
“Aidan,” she breathed, “could it be true?”
He laughed, his own excitement building as he watched her eyes widen further. “I think so, my sweet. It’s not so amazing is it? I mean, when a man and a woman make love as often as we have, it’s almost certain to happen.”
“But I’ve never been pregnant before,” she whispered with awe. “Even though you said maybe Richard was the reason I never conceived, I never truly believed it. I was sure I could never have children. And now, I’m pregnant!” Her mouth curved into a glorious smile of wonder. “Oh Aidan!”
She hugged him as she laughed with glee. Aidan laughed with her as he stroked her hair, sending a prayer of thanks to the heavens. He kissed her temple and brushed her hair back from her shining face. She had never looked more beautiful to him.
“Oh Aidan, I simply can’t believe it,” she said at last. Her eyes were shining with happy tears. “How did you know it was Richard and not me?”
“I didn’t know for sure,” he said, brushing his knuckles along her cheekbone. “I was hopeful. I knew we had a fifty-fifty chance.” Seeing her questioning look, he grinned. “When you mate a bull with a cow and she doesn’t have a calf, you always have to think that maybe the bull is shooting blanks.”
Naomi gasped, making Aidan laugh. “Aidan McKenzie! You beast! Do you realize that this is the second time you have compared me to a cow?”
He was still chuckling as he kissed her on the nose. “I’m sorry. You know I would never do that, sweetheart, and I didn’t mean it like that. There’s never been a more beautiful, delightful, alluring woman in the entire world than you, the mother of my child.”
Naomi was quick to accept his apology. She sighed, placing her hands on her flat belly. “A baby! Aidan, I just can’t believe it. We’re going to have a baby of our very own. Do you think it’s a boy or a girl?”
“Yep,” he said with a laugh. “It’s bound to be one or the other.” Aidan bent down and put his face on her belly. “Here, let me ask. Hello in there. Are you a boy or a girl?”
Naomi laughed with delight, stroking Aidan’s hair. “You’re so wonderfully silly.” Her smile faded, and her eyes were full of devotion as they locked with his. “I love you, Aidan McKenzie. I love you more than I ever thought it was possible to love someone. Thank you for not giving up on me.”
Aidan leaned over her, kissing her gently and sweetly on her lips. “I love you too, Naomi. Even if you weren’t going to be the mother of my child, I would love you just as much until my dying breath.”
Their gazes locked in sweet commitment. They knew that the child in her belly would strengthen the bond between them even more. Aidan kissed her forehead and rose from the bed, donning his breeches.
“Where are you going?” Naomi asked.
“I’m going to get you some tea and toast to settle your stomach.”
“Thank you, Aidan.” She grinned up at him. “Then, if I’m feeling better, can we go buy those bonnets you mentioned?”
Aidan chuckled as he buttoned his shirt. “Anything for the mother of my child.”
He bent over to give her one more kiss before he left the room. “And tomorrow, we’re heading home. I can’t wait to tell my brothers that there will be a new little McKenzie coming soon!”
Second Chances: Aidan's Bride (The McKenzie Series #1) Page 22
